Ingredients

-150g (5 oz) uncooked short-grain rice
-3 tablespoons rice vinegar
-3 tablespoons caster sugar
-1 1/2 teaspoons salt
-4 nori seaweed sheets
-1/2 cucumber, peeled, cut into small strips
-2 tablespoons pickled ginger
-1 avocado - peeled, stone removed and cut into small strips
-225g (8 oz) smoked salmon, crab meat or tuna, flaked

Directions

1-In a medium saucepan, bring 325ml (10 fl oz) water to a boil. Add rice, and stir. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. In a small bowl, mix the rice vinegar, sugar and salt. Blend the mixture into the rice.

2-Preheat oven to 150 C / Gas mark 2. On a medium baking tray, heat nori in the preheated oven 1 to 2 minutes, until warm.

3-Centre one sheet of nori on a bamboo sushi mat. Wet your hands. Using your hands, spread a thin layer of rice on the sheet of nori, and press into a thin layer. Arrange 1/4 of the cucumber, ginger, avocado and seafood of your choice in a line down the centre of the rice. Lift the end of the mat, and gently roll it over the ingredients, pressing gently. Roll it forward to make a complete roll. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

4-Cut each roll into 4 to 6 slices using a wet, sharp knife. Serve immediately.

Note:
You can easily find pickled ginger, nori seaweed sheets and wasabi in your local Asian supermarket.

Tip:

Make vegetarian sushi rolls by omitting the fish and adding extra vegetables if desired.

Ingredients

-3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
-1/4 cup chicken stock
-3 Tbsp lemon juice
-3/4 pound angel hair pasta (also called capellini)
-Salt and black pepper
-1 pound raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
-1/2 cup (loosely packed) chopped parsley
-1/4 cup (loosely packed) chopped chives
-Zest of a lemon
-1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

*To defrost frozen shrimp, place them in a bowl of ice water.

Directions

1- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2- In a smaller pot, heat the cream, chicken stock and lemon juice to a low simmer. Simmer gently for 5 minutes.

3- Add the angel hair pasta to the boiling water.

4- Add the shrimp to the simmering lemon cream sauce. Stir well and add a pinch of salt and black pepper. The shrimp should cook in about the same time as the angel hair pasta, about 4 to 5 minutes.

5- When the pasta is done, drain and put it in a large bowl. Add the herbs to the simmering lemon cream sauce and let them cook for about 1 minute. Pour the shrimp and lemon sauce into the pasta bowl and mix well. Add the lemon zest and most of the parmesan and mix again. Divide into servings, and top with the remaining parmesan.

Note - if the resulting mixture seems too dry, just add a little water or cream. If it seems too wet, don't worry, the pasta will absorb the sauce.

Ingredients

-2 Tbsp olive oil
-3 shallots, chopped
-2 large garlic cloves, chopped
-1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
-1/2 pound spicy or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
-1 cup whipping cream
-2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice
-1 Tbsp dried sage
-3/4 pound fettuccine
-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1- Put a large pot of salted water on to boil (1 Tbsp salt for every 2 quarts of water). While the pasta water is heating, prepare the sauce in the next step.

2- Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Break up the sweet and spicy Italian sausages as you add them to the pan. Toss with the shallots, increase the heat to medium high, and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cream and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, their juices, and the sage. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.

3- The pasta water should be boiling by now. After the sauce has simmered for about 5 minutes, add the pasta to boiling salted water and cook, uncovered at a rolling boil, until the pasta is al dente, cooked through but still a little firm to the bite. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta.

4- Toss the pasta with the sauce and add a little of the reserved pasta water if dish seems dry.

Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with cheese to serve.

Ingredients

CASHEW SPREAD
-1/3 cup cashews, toasted
-1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
-1 garlic clove
-1 tablespoon water
-1 tablespoon canola mayonnaise
SANDWICH
-2 (1-ounce) slices whole-wheat bread, toasted
-1/2 sliced Fuji apple
-1 teaspoon lemon juice
-Dash of black pepper

Directions

To prepare cashew spread, pulse first 3 ingredients in a mini food processor until coarsely ground. Add 1 tablespoon water and mayonnaise; process until smooth. Reserve 2 tablespoons cashew spread for another use. To prepare sandwich, spread 1 tablespoon cashew spread over each bread slice. Top 1 slice with apple, lemon juice, a dash of black pepper, and remaining bread slice. Cut in half diagonally.

Ingredients

Cupcakes :

-1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) unsalted butter
-2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
-1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-3/4 cup all purpose flour
-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-2 eggs
-3/4 cup granulated sugar
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/2 cup buttermilk
Frosting :
-1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
-1 cup marshmallow fluff
-1 cup powdered sugar
Pinch of salt :
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/2 cup caramel sauce
-1 cup chocolate melting disks

Directions

For the cupcakes :
1- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a cupcake pan with 12 paper liners.
2- In a medium saucepan, melt together the butter and chocolate. Let cool.
3- In a large bowl, whisk together the cocoa, flour, baking soda, and salt.
4- In another large bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Beat in the melted chocolate. Add about a third of the flour mixture then half of the buttermilk. Add in another third of the flour mixture then the rest of the buttermilk. Add the remaining flour mixture. The batter will be thick.
5- Fill each cup about 2/3 full with batter. Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
For the frosting :
1- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, marshmallow fluff, powdered sugar, and salt until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the vanilla and caramel sauce then beat for another 2-3 minutes.
2- Spoon the frosting into a piping bag with a round tip and frost each cupcake (about 2 1/2 circles). Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until frosting is set and cold.
To dip the cupcakes :
1- Add about an inch of water to a pan and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat and place a heatproof bowl over top. Add the chocolate disks and gently melt until smooth (temperature should be between 100-105F). Remove from the heat and let cool 10 minutes (temperature should be between 96-98F).
2-If needed, transfer melted chocolate to a narrow cup or bowl deep enough to dip a cupcake. Working with one cupcake at a time, dip straight into the chocolate then let excess chocolate drip off. Repeat with each cupcake. Let sit until hardened (the chocolate will go from shiny to dull).

Ingredients

For the cake :
-12 tablespoons (11⁄2 sticks) butter, plus more for cake pans 

-1 cup Guinness Extra Stout -1 tablespoon vanilla extract 

-3⁄4 cup unsweetened cocoa
-11⁄2 cups sugar 

-11⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
-1 teaspoon baking soda 

-2 large eggs
For the buttercream :
-3⁄4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 1 pound powdered sugar, sifted 2 to 4 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream

Directions

For the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small saucepan, heat the butter until just melted, then whisk together with Guinness, vanilla extract, and cocoa. While the Guinness mixture is cooling, grease and line the bottoms of two 8-inch cake pans with rounds of parchment paper. Whisk together the sugar, flour, and baking soda in a large bowl. Pour the Guinness mixture onto the dry ingredients, and then whisk in the 2 eggs. When the batter is shiny and smooth, pour it into two prepared cake pans. Lick the whisk when no one is looking. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely.

For the buttercream:

In a stand mixer, whip the softened butter until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar on low speed, then increase to medium-high, and drizzle in just enough Baileys to get the buttercream loose and fluffy. The key to making whiter frosting is to whip it 5 to 10 minutes, scraping occasionally.

To assemble the cake:

Run a knife around the edge of the cake pan to loosen and turn out cakes. Level the layers with a serrated knife, if needed. Spread about a third of the buttercream on the bottom cake layer. Top with the second layer. Wiggle them around until they line up just right.

Thinly spread another third of the frosting mixture over the top and sides of the cake to make a crumb coat. This will seal in the crumbs so chocolate flecks don't ruin the white frosting. Refrigerate to set—about 30 minutes or overnight if desired.
Once the crumb coat is firm to the touch, add the final third of the frosting to the cake—top first, then sides. Spread it around evenly. Slice and serve with an extra cold pint of Guinness.

Ingredients

- 1 oz. good Gin
- 1 1/2 oz coconut milk, full fat, none of that "low fat" bullcrap
- 1/2 oz Cardamom Syrup
- squeeze of fresh lime
- 3 shakes DRAM Black Bitters
- ground Turmeric root

For the Cardamom Syrup:

- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 cup Cardamom pods
- 2 tsp ground Cardamom

Directions

Combine gin, cardamom syrup, a squeeze of fresh lime and bitters in a cocktail mixing glass. Shake well and vigorously to prevent the coconut milk from curdling, if it does that is quite alright, it won't kill you, it's just the fat congealing because of the alcohol. Strain the mixture into a fresh glass over ice. Dust with a pinch of ground turmeric.