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ginger savvy

To keep the ginger from sticking to your knife, coat the knife with nonstick cooking spray.

Pumpkin Maple Bread Pudding

Pumpkin and maple are two of my favorite flavors during the fall, and this bread pudding is a terrific dessert to serve during the holidays. The slow cooker will keep it warm for you until it’s time for dessert. Serve this with whipped cream flavored with maple syrup.

1½ cups heavy cream

One 16-ounce can pumpkin purée (2 cups)

4 large eggs

½ cup maple syrup

½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

9 cups torn egg bread or leftover croissants

coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or line with a slow-cooker liner according to the manufacturer’s directions.

whisk all the ingredients except the bread in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Add the bread to the bowl and stir to soak the bread. Transfer the mix ture to the slow-cooker insert. Cover and cook on high for about 3½ hours, until puffed and an instant-read thermometer registers 185°F. Allow the pudding to rest for about 30 minutes.

serve from the cooker set on warm.

serves 8

Stewed Figs in Port Wine with Point Reyes Blue Cheese

Fresh figs are a luxury, but if you live in an area where you can find them, I urge you to try this delicious recipe. Bathed in a port wine syrup, the figs are plump and caramelized when they emerge from the slow cooker. A bit of Point Reyes or your favorite blue cheese and some toasted walnuts make the perfect accompaniment.

1½ cups Ruby Port

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 whole cloves

12 fresh figs

1½ cups crumbled Point Reyes blue cheese

1 cup chopped toasted walnuts

combine the port, sugar, and cloves in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the figs stem-end up to the slowcooker insert and spoon some of the syrup over the figs. Cover and cook on low for 1½ to 2 hours. Allow the figs to cool in the syrup for 1 hour.

remove the figs to a serving platter. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan and boil for 5 to 10 minutes until it is thickened. Allow the syrup to cool slightly.

arrange 2 figs in a pool of the syrup on each plate. Sprinkle with the crumbled blue cheese and toasted walnuts before serving.

serves 6

NOLA Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

New Orleans is famous for its bread pudding, and each restaurant has its spin on this classic dessert. The famed bread pudding soufflé from Commander’s Palace is a guilty pleasure, but any bread pudding is comfort food for the soul. This bread pudding is made with a rich custard flavored with cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg, but remember that this is just a template for you to follow. Have fun and add your own personal touches. Don’t forget the whiskey sauce!

8 cups torn stale bread (a soft-crusted baguette works well as does sturdy white bread, such as Pepperidge Farm)

2½ cups heavy cream

6 large egg yolks

1 cup sugar

½ cup bourbon

½ cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Whiskey Sauce (recipe follows) for serving

coat the inside of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or line the insert with a slow-cooker liner according to the manufacturers directions.

put the bread in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the cream, egg yolks, sugar, bourbon, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour the mixture over the bread and stir to saturate the bread. Transfer the bread mixture to the slow-cooker insert and drizzle with the butter. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, then remove the cover and cook for another 30 minutes.

serve with the whiskey sauce.

serves 8–10

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WHISKEY SAUCE

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar

2 cups heavy cream

¼ cup whiskey or bourbon

melt the butter in