Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large mixing bowl at medium speed, cream butter or margarine, sugars and egg yolk until light and fluffy.

In a separate bowl combine flour, cinnamon and salt. Add to creamed mixture and continue beating just until blended. (Dough will be stiff.)

Spread dough evenly in ungreased 15 x 10 x 1 inch jelly roll pan. You will need to press it in with your fingers. Beat egg white with fork or eggbeater just until foamy. Spread on entire surface of dough. Sprinkle with nuts and press in lightly. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cut into 3 x 1 inch pieces while still hot. Let cool in pan.

Bring cream and butter to a simmer in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan, then reduce heat to low. Whisk in chocolate until smooth and remove from heat. Transfer ganache to a bowl and chill, covered, stirring every 30 minutes, until thickened but spreadable, about 2 hours. (If ganache becomes too stiff, let stand at room temperature until slightly softened.)

Place rack in middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment, and dust with cocoa powder; tap out excess. Sift cocoa; whisk in boiling coffee and milk. Let cool. Sift together cake flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.Using a rubber spatula, mix the butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Pour in the cooled cocoa mixture. Mix until fully incorporated. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture, stirring until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for around 20 minutes, then rotate the pans, and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the center. Remove the cakes from the oven, and allow to cool in pans for 15 minutes on a cooling rack. Carefully run a small offset spatula around the edge of the cakes to loosen them from the pan. Remove cakes from pans, and invert onto a wire rack. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.

Melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth, and stir in Cognac. Transfer to a bowl and chill, covered, stirring occasionally, until thickened to the consistency of softened butter, about 1 hour. (If mixture becomes too stiff, let stand at room temperature until softened.)

Beat cream in a bowl with cleaned beaters until it just holds soft peaks, then chill, covered, while beginning to assemble torte.

Put 1 cake layer on cardboard round on a rack set in a shallow baking pan (1 inch deep). Spread 1/2 cup ganache evenly over top of layer and sprinkle with all of chopped Hazelnuts.

Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt using cleaned beaters at medium-high speed until they just hold soft peaks. Add sugar and beat at high speed until whites just hold stiff peaks. Stir whipped cream into chocolate frangilico mixture, then stir in one third of whites to lighten. Fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Spoon mousse immediately onto cake layer (it sets quickly), spreading evenly, then top with third cake layer. Chill torte, covered, until mousse layer is firm, about 1 hour. Keep remaining ganache at a spreadable consistency at room temperature, chilling, covered, if it becomes too soft.

Frost with melted ganache and decorate with cookies, hazelnuts, apricots (made to look like flowers), and top with chocolate shavings.

Add the marinade ingredients to mixing bowl and stir to combine. Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes and add to marinate. Refrigerate for at least a half hour.

In a heavy-bottomed pot heat enough oil to come 1/4 of the way up the sides of the pot. Test to see if oil is hot enough by adding a drop of water to see if it sizzles.

Fry the chicken, in small batches, about 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden and crispy. Remove the chicken using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Season with a little salt, to taste. To serve, arrange the fried chicken on a platter and drizzle the sauce on top. Sprinkle with a generous amount of toasted sesame seeds and garnish with scallions.

Serve with a side of steamed broccoli and some Ginger Fried Rice!

Cook fresh or frozen spinach in boiling salted water in an 8-quart pot, stirring constantly, until wilted (or defrosted), 1 to 2 minutes. Drain in a fine mesh colander and rinse under cold running water until cool. Squeeze small handfuls of spinach to remove as much moisture as possible, then coarsely chop.

Heat milk and cream in a small saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until warm. Meanwhile, cook onion in butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes.

Add warm milk mixture in a fast stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, and simmer, whisking, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in nutmeg, spinach, parmesan and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring, until heated through. Serve immediately.

Can also be made a day in advance, add to casserole dish and top off with parmesan cheese. Refrigerate overnight. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 350 or until heated through.

Pre-heat grill or oven to 375. Wash potatoes, poke with fork, and wrap in tin foil. Bake or grill for 45 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, steam the broccoli. I usually just add a small amount of water to a pot and simmer the broccoli until it turns bright green. Drain and chop into small florets. Put aside.

Once potatoes are soft, open foil and slice potato lengthwise down the center, let cool slightly. Using a spoon, scoop out the middle flesh leaving 1/4 inch of potato around the skin for structure.

In a small bowl, add the scooped out potato, broccoli, sour cream, butter, milk, 1/4 cup of cheese, bacon (if using), and salt and pepper. Mix with fork until just combined.

Add mixture back into the skins, top with remaining cheese and paprika.

Place potatoes on foil if grilling or on a baking sheet if using the oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly brush olive oil on a baking tray. In small bowl, beat eggs and 1 1/2 tablespoon of water. Place breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper on a large plate. One by one, dip eggplant rounds in egg mixture, then bread both sides then rest on the baking tray. Once complete, bake for 20 minutes.

This is a good time to get your pasta water going if you are making it. Using a spatula, flip each eggplant round and bake for another 20 minutes or until brown. remove from oven but leave it on.

In casserole dish, cover the bottom with 1/2 cup sauce. Place eggplant rounds along bottom of dish and begin to layer each with sauce, then mozzerella and parmesan. Form little eggplant stacks and continue layering until they are all gone! I usually go about 3 - 4 rounds high.

Sprinkle generously with both cheeses and then bake for another 15 minutes, broil for 2 minutes at the end to get a nice bubbly top.