Chicken pho

Serves 4

Ingredients:
* 1 onion, peeled, finely chopped
* 4 garlic cloves, halved
* 20g/¾oz fresh root ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
* 2 long fresh red chillies, sliced (or 1 tsp dried chilli flakes)
* 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
* 4 tbsp dark soy sauce, plus extra to serve
* 1kg-1.2kg/2lb 4oz-2lb 10oz whole chicken
* 1 tbsp Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
* 200g/7oz dried flat rice noodles

To serve:
* 6 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
* 100g/3½oz beansprouts, rinsed and drained
* 25g/1oz fresh coriander sprigs
* 1 long red chilli, thinly sliced
* 1 lime, cut into wedges

How To Cook:
1. Place the vegetables in the slow-cooker. Stir in the five-spice powder, 1 litre/1¾ pints water and soy sauce until well combined.

2. Cut any string from the chicken, remove the skin by pushing your fingers between the breast meat and the skin and easing off the skin. Do the same with the legs, snipping off any skin around the wings or leg tips with scissors.

3. Place the chicken, breast-side up, in the slow-cooker, pushing it down among the vegetables. Season all over with salt and pepper.

4. Cover and cook on high for 4½ hours, or until the chicken is completely cooked through and very tender.

5. Drain the contents of the slow-cooker into a large bowl. Place the chicken on a chopping board and strip the meat from the carcass, thickly slice. Cover with foil.

6. Skim off the fat from the stock collected in the bowl using a large metal spoon. Pour the stock into a clean saucepan, stir in the fish sauce and place on a gentle simmer.

7. Half-fill a separate saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Add the noodles and cook until just tender, stirring regularly to separate them. Drain well.

8. Divide the noodles equally among 4 deep serving bowls. Top each with chicken, spring onions, beansprouts and coriander. Ladle over the hot stock and season with soy. Garnish with the remaining sliced chilli and lime wedges.

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Peanut Butter Swirled White Chocolate Ice Cream

Ingredients:

* 1 cup chopped white chocolate
* 1 cup whole milk
* 2/3 cup sugar
* pinch of salt
* 5 large egg yolks
* 2 cups heavy cream
* 1 cup White Chocolate Peanut Butter, melted

How To Cook:
1. In a large bowl pour in the white chocolate chips/chunks. Set aside.

2. Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice.

3. In a medium size sauce pan, over medium heat, stir together the milk, sugar, and salt until it is hot and steaming, but not boiling.

4. In a separate medium sized bowl, whisk together the egg yolks.

5. Once the milk mixture is hot, slowly, stream it down the side of the bowl into the egg yolks, constantly whisking it together.

6. Don't pour it in all at once, you don't want to scramble your eggs.

7. Pour the mixed egg yolks back into the medium pan and set it over medium heat.

8. Using a rubber spatula, stir constantly all around, including the bottom of the pan, until the custard becomes thick and coats the spatula. Keep the liquid moving and do not let it boil.

9. You'll know it is done when the custard begins to steam and you can run your finger across the spatula without it running back together.

10. Pour the finished custard into the large bowl of white chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth.

11. Set it over the ice bath and stir in the cream until cool.

12. Cover the mixture and chill in the refrigerator until completely cooled through. 2-4 hours.

13. Churn it in your ice cream maker according to your manufacturers instructions. Mine takes about 25 minutes. In the last five minutes, slowly stream in the melted peanut butter.

14. Then pour it into a freezer safe container and cover with either a lid, or plastic wrap flat on the surface of the ice cream.

15. Freeze until hardened, about 2-4 hours. Enjoy!

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Lemon Dessert

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:
* 1 (7/8 ounce) package sugar-free vanilla pudding mix (not instant)
* 2 cups water
* 1 (1/3 ounce) package sugar-free lemon gelatin
* fat-free cool whip

How To Cook:
1. Add pudding mix to water and mix well.

2. Bring to boil.

3. Stir with a whisk until thickened.

4. Add box of Jello and stir in well.

5. Pour into individual dessert dishes and refrigerate until set.

6. Top with fat free Cool Whip.

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Baked Stuffed Pasta Shells

Serves 10

Ingredients:

* 12 ounces jumbo pasta shells
* 1 1/4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded (Reserve 1/4 cup)
* 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
* 2 lbs ricotta cheese
* 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
* 1 teaspoon black pepper
* 1 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1 tablespoon dried parsley
* 8 ounces spaghetti sauce (jarred or homemade)
* fresh basil, chopped, for garnish

How To Cook:
1. In an 8 quart pot, bring water to a boil and cook shells for 8 minutes or until al dente.

2. Drain and cool immediately with cold water.

3. Drain and place open side down on paper towels.

4. In a medium bowl, combine the rest of ingredients except the spaghetti sauce.

5. Reserve the 1/4 cup of Mozzarella.

6. Place a thin layer of spaghetti sauce into the bottom of a 12 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish.

7. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

8. Spoon the cheese mixture into each pasta shell and place open side up, in a single layer, in prepared pan.

9. Pour the rest of sauce over the stuffed shells.

10. Loosely cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.

11. During last 5 minutes of baking, remove foil and sprinkle remaining Mozzarella cheese on top.

12. Bake 5 more minutes.

13. Garnish with fresh chopped basil.

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Chocolate Rum Dessert

Serves 4

Ingredients:
* 6 ounces semisweet chocolate morsels
* 3 eggs, separated
* 2 tablespoons light rum
* 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* whipped cream, for garnish
* chocolate curls, for garnish

How To Cook:
1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over gently boiling water.

2. Beat the egg yolks until thick and lemon colored; gradually stir in about one quarter of the melted chocolate.

3. Add the yolks and chocolate to the remaining chocolate in the double boiler, stirring constantly.

4. Remove from heat and add the rum, almond extract and nutmeg.

5. Beat the egg white until stiff peaks form.

6. Gently fold into the chocolate mixture.

7. Spoon into stemmed glasses or demitasse cups and chill.

8. When ready to serve, top with whipped cream and garnish with chocolate curls.

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Chocolate Cinnamon Ricotta Truffles

Yield 32 Truffles

Ingredients:

* 10 ounces Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Chips
* 1/2 cup heavy cream
* 15 ounces ounces whole milk ricotta
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/2 cup powdered sugar
* 5 ounces nonpareils

How To Cook:
1. In a small saucepan over low heat, add the Baking Chips and heavy cream. Stir occasionally until completely melted and silky smooth.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the ricotta, cinnamon, and powdered sugar. Stir to evenly distribute.

3. Once the chocolate is fully melted, pour into the ricotta mixture and stir until it is well mixed.

4. Store the bowl in the fridge for 2-3 hours until the mixture is solid enough to roll into balls.

5. Pour the nonpareils onto a small plate.

6. When the chocolate ricotta mix is ready, scoop out about 1-2 Tablespoons at a time, roll into a ball, and roll in the nonpareils.

7. Serve and enjoy!

8. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to one week

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Streusel Topped Blueberry Cobbler

Yield: Large Pan of Blueberry Cobbler

Ingredients:
* 4 cups fresh blueberries
* 3/4 cup white sugar, divided
* Zest of a lemon
* 1/4 cup lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
* 2/3 cup all purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 1 egg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla

Streusel
* 4 Tablespoons flour
* 5 Tablespoons brown sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 2 Tablespoons cold butter

How To Cook:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a medium sized bowl toss the blueberries, 1/4 cup sugar, lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.

3. In a large bowl cream together the butter and remaining sugar. Beat in egg, vanilla, and lemon zest.

4. Slowly sift in the flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Fold together until mixed.

5. Pour the blueberries in a 12 x 6 (or 8x8) sized pan, spread evenly.

6. Drop spoonful's of the batter across the top of the blueberries.

7. To make the streusel, using a fork or a food processor, blend together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter until crumbly.

8. Sprinkle across the top of the batter and blueberries.

9. Pop in the oven for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.

10. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

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Warm Sweet Potato and Brussels Sprouts Salad with a Parmesan Vinaigrette

Yield 2 salads

Ingredients:
* 2 Tablespoon olive oil, divided
* 1 Tablespoon butter
* 2 large (or 3 small) sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/88 teaspoon cayenne
* 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
* 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
* 1 LB Brussels sprouts, shredded
* salt and pepper

For the Parmesan Vinaigrette 
1/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon honey

How To Cook:
1. In a skillet over medium heat, add 1 Tablespoons of the olive oil and butter. Once the butter is melted and sizzling, add the chopped sweet potatoes. Toss to coat.

2. Sprinkle on the salt, cinnamon, cayenne, and brown sugar. Stir together.

3. Push a section of the sweet potatoes to the side, and pour in the balsamic. It will heat up right away in the pan and then you can toss the sweet potatoes in it. Cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring often.

4. While the sweet potatoes are cooking, in a separate skillet, over medium-high heat, heat up the remaining 1 Tablespoon of olive oil.

5. Toss in the shredded Brussels sprouts, sprinkle with a couple cracks each of salt and pepper.

6. Stirring occasionally, you're cooking the Brussels until they start to turn golden brown around the edges. About ten minutes.

7. While everything is cooking, to make the vinaigrette, in your food processor or blender, combine the Parmesan cheese, olive oil, balsamic, and honey. Pulse until smooth. And set aside.

8. Once the Brussels are golden brown, transfer them to a large bowl. Add the cooked sweet potatoes and drizzle on the dressing. Toss to fully mix everything and serve. Enjoy!

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