Ginger Treats Are Good For All Sorts Of Things! Did You Know?

Sweet Treats Ginger and Horehound Drops

Did you know that ginger is a versatile herb, and its utility is not limited to the kitchen? Its medicinal properties are seemingly endless. Honeyed Ginger and Ginger Snaps are pleasant ways for you to treat colds and flus, encourage sweating, ease morning sickness and help relieve all sorts of painful conditions, such as headaches and menstrual cramps. Ginger also improves the functioning of the heart and circulatory system, warms cold hands and feet, kills intestinal worms and aids liver function. Since I love the taste of ginger, I always double the amount called for in the Ginger Snap  

Recipes!

Honeyed Ginger
½ cup thinly sliced fresh ginger
About ½ cup honey
½ teaspoon anise extract (optional)
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract (optional)
Fill a clean jar with ginger. Heat honey to liquefy, then remove from heat. Add extracts to honey and pour over ginger. Stir with a knife or chopstick to eliminate all air bubbles. When done, the honey should cover the ginger. After about 3 weeks, it is ready to eat. Stored in the refrigerator, it will last at least a year.

Ginger Snaps
¼ cup vegetable oil ( I use Canola Oil)
2/3 cup brown sugar
¼ cup molasses
2 teaspoons vinegar
1 beaten egg
2 cups pastry flour (I use whole wheat)
2 teaspoons finely grated ginger
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cloves
Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine the oil, brown sugar, molasses and vinegar, stir in egg, then add the rest of the ingredients. Form the dough into 3/4 -inch balls. Bake on a greased cookie sheet for about 12 minutes. As the balls melt down during the baking, the cookies develop the characteristic crinkled surface.
Horehound candy was once very popular. Originally, it was used as a cough drop for sore throats. As late as the 1950s, these drops could be found in any pharmacy. In time, people decided that they liked its bittersweet taste even when they were not sick. Horehound drops eventually found their way into candy stores. Since this is really a candy-making recipe, a candy thermometer will come in handy. It will show you when the mixture has reached the proper temperature to harden. Remember that horehound is very bitter?I like to soften the flavor with peppermint. Once you get the hang of making herb candy, try replacing the horehound with other herbs.

Old-Fashioned Horehound Drops
2 ounces dried horehound leaves (or 6 ounces fresh leaves)
3 cups very hot water
3 ½ pounds brown sugar
2 teaspoons peppermint extract
Pour very hot water over the horehound. Steep 30 minutes, while keeping on low heat. Strain. Add sugar and dissolve. Bring to a boil and continue boiling until mixture reaches 295°F (the temperature for brittle candy). Add peppermint, then drop mixture quickly on a buttered board, half a teaspoon at a time, or pour into a shallow, buttered pan and cut into squares before it completely hardens.

God Bless!

Simone :)

Copyright@SimoneBonda

Disclaimer - The herbal information on this web site is intended for educational purposes only. It is not the intention of the editor to advise on health care. Please see a medical professional about any health concerns you have. Disclaimer - These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. The information on this web site is not intended to prevent, diagnose, treat, or cure any disease.