Star anise/18 recipes

Phyllo pastry gives the tart super crispy texture, feta cheese and juicy tomatoes are absolutely a delicious combo. Serve with some fresh basil leaves on top to add a final refreshing touch.

This recipe comes from Italy by way of Argentina. Maxwell Mowry of Charleston got this recipe when he lived in Buenos Aires in the early l970s. Since there are more people of Italian ancestry in Argentina than of Spanish ancestry, it is not surprising to find panettone there, where it is called in Spanish pan dulce, meaning 'sweet bread.' At Christmas in Argentina, pan dulce is eaten accompanied by sparkling apple cider. Houseware shops in Argentina sell special tall cylindrical springform pans to bake the pan dulce, but an empty, greased 1-pound coffee can may be used.

These stuffed jalapeno peppers are "fried" in the oven to cut the fat in a big way. A mixture of refried beans and cheese creates a warm and gooey inside with the cornmeal delivering a delicate crispy outside. Perfect for New Years or Superbowl gatherings.

Pan seared scallops served on a bed of fennel puree with a sweet Balsamic drizzle. This recipe was inspired by Masterchef New Zealand contestant Rob and I've modified the ingredients and instructions to match those that are commonly available in North America along with experimentation to make the recipe lower in fats yet every bit as flavorful.

Molded Christmas Cookies recipe

These Parmesan sesame twists are addictive, they are golden brown and crispy, parmesan, sesame and thyme leaves are delicious combination.

I omitted the parsley and scallions (had none) and used chopped onion instead. I also added some red pepper flakes for some heat. I treated this as a marinade for my boneless, skinless breasts, which cut cut into strips and marinated overnight. I skewered the strips and grilled for 5-6 min. per side. Excellent flavor.

These cute mini tarts are made with sweet cocktail or cherry tomatoes, zucchini, ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, drizzled with garlic-infused extra-virgin olive oil. The most simple ingredients create these stunning mini tarts.

Star Anise Beef-Rice Noodle Soup recipe

Delicate, spring soup which is my rendition of the traditional Silesian soup called oberiba. Both recipes differ a lot, so this one shouldn't be named as Silesians did.

Have to give this recipe 5 star. It was quite easy to make, and it came out delicious.

Panettone Bread recipe

German Christmas Cookies recipe

Five-Star Brownies recipe

Easy baked butternut squash seasoned with the warmth of cardamom and star anise.

Definitely a five stars recipe, my husband made it yesterday for lunch. Nutmeg gave the extra zing, and the flavor was absolutely delicious, I couldn't stop eating it. We just finished the leftover for lunch, and it was even better. Strongly recommend this recipe to everyone!