Chicken in Lettuce Wraps

I love this one-dish affair! Get the freshest lettuce leaves-it makes a lot of difference!

What You Need:

• 1/2 kilo ground chicken or diced chicken
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup potatoes or canned water chestnuts,diced
• 1 tablepoon canola oil
• 15 pieces or more lettuce leaves

How to Make It:

1.   In a bowl mix chicken,garlic,pepper flakes and ginger. Set aside.
2.   Mix together the soy sauce and cornstarch. Set aside.
3.   Saute onions in oil. Mix in the potatoes or water chestnuts.
4.   Mix in the chicken mixture. Cook until chicken is not transparent anymore.
5.   Pour the soy sauce mixture over the chicken mixture. Cook some more.
6.   Serve the chicken mixture on the lettuce leaves.

Slow-cooked Pears in Red Wine Sauce and Muscovado Sugar

Another easypeasy dessert! I used the slow cooker so I don't have to watch over it! I love the elegant appeal of this dessert and its rustic look! I did not dissolve the muscovado sugar that much so I had some bigger bits of the sugar dotted all-over the pears(for that rustic look!)

What You Need

• 4 pears, peeled
• rind of 1 lemon
• 1 1/2 cups plain red wine ( I used strawberry flavored red-wine)
• 3/4 cup muscovado sugar
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 tablespoon butter,melted
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

How to Do It
1. Mix the lemon rind,lemon juice,muscovado sugar,red wine, cinnamon, vanilla and cornstarch together( I dissolved the cornstarch in 3 tablespoons water before I mixed it with the rest of the ingredients in this step.). Set aside.
2.  Peel the pears and arrange them in a slow-cooker.
3. Pour the lemon mixture over the pears.
4. Cook for 2 hours in HIGH setting. Cool the pears.
5. OPTIONAL: Refrigerate pears and eat with whipped cream or vanilla ice-cream!