And the secret ingredient is....Ginger!

Avocado, Chive and Sesame Maki: From Simple Japanese by Silla Bjerrum

3 1/3 Cups Prepared Brown Sushi Rice

1 green avocado

4 sheets nori

20 long chives

1/2 cup sesame seeds

To serve: wasabi, pickled ginger, and soy sauce

Place one sheet of nori on a rolling mat -- shiny side down and spread about 3/4 cup rice over it, leaving a 1/2 inch border at the top free of rice.

Lay two wedges of avocado along the middle of the rice.

Top with five chives and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

Hold the filling in place with your index finger and roll the with the tab of uncovered nori. Use the slats of the rolling mat to square up the roll and set aside to rest for a few minutes. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Cut each roll into six pieces, discarding ragged ends and arrange on plate.

Gingered Stir-Fry with Shrimp and Snow Peas: Food and Wine Magazine

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon Chinese chile-garlic sauce

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/4 cup fresh ginger, cut into fine matchsticks

1/2 pound snow peas

1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined

4 small scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

Steamed rice, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, whisk the chicken stock with the soy sauce, Chinese chile-garlic sauce and cornstarch.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering. Add the ginger matchsticks and stir-fry over moderately high heat until they are softened, about 1 minute. Add the snow peas and stir-fry until crisp- tender and the ginger is beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp to the skillet and stir-fry for about 1 minute. Add the scallions and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Whisk the chile sauce, add it to the skillet and stir-fry until the shrimp are opaque throughout and the sauce is thickened, about 1 minute longer. Serve with steamed rice.

Apple-Butter Ice Cream with Ginger-Chocolate Ganache: From Cooking with Convenience Food Feb. 2011

INGREDIENTS

1 pint vanilla ice cream

1/3 cup apple butter

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/3 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger

Gingersnaps, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Soften the vanilla ice cream in the microwave at high power for 10 seconds. Transfer the softened ice cream to a medium bowl and flatten it with a rubber spatula. Spread the apple butter on top and fold the ice cream over the apple butter 2 or 3 times. Freeze the ice cream until it is firm, about 40 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chopped chocolate at high power in 10-second bursts. Whisk the heavy cream into the chocolate. Put the grated ginger in a fine strainer set over the chocolate ganache and press to extract as much of the ginger juice as possible. Whisk the ginger juice into the chocolate ganache.

3. Scoop the apple-butter ice cream into bowls, drizzle with the ginger- chocolate ganache and serve with gingersnaps.