Preheat oven to 450°.

Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan; coat bread cubes with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until toasted. Set aside.

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in beer; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes or until onion is very tender.

Place beer mixture and 1 cup broth in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Return pureed mixture to pan. Stir in remaining 3 cups broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and 1 cup milk, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Add flour mixture and remaining 1 cup milk to pan; cook 12 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove pan from heat. Gradually add cheese, stirring until smooth. Stir in pepper. Serve with bread cubes and chives.

Bring sherry and apricot preserves to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook until reduced to 1 1/4 cups (about 20 minutes), stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and add ground coriander and paprika, stirring with a whisk.

Preheat oven to 325°.

Trim fat and rind from ham. Score outside of ham in a diamond pattern; stud with cloves. Place ham on the rack of a broiler pan or roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Pour 1 cup water into pan; place rack in pan. Brush ham with 1/4 cup sherry mixture. Bake at 325° for 1 1/2 hours or until thermometer registers 140°, basting with remaining sherry mixture every 30 minutes. Transfer ham to a platter; let stand 15 minutes before slicing.

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until tender. Remove parsnips from the pan using a slotted spoon, reserving 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid. Place parsnips in a food processor. With processor on, slowly add reserved 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid; process until smooth. Add butter, salt, pepper, and garlic; process until combined. Spoon mixture into a bowl; stir in oil.

Dissolve yeast and honey in warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes.

Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, wheat flour, sage, salt, and pepper. Add flour mixture and oil to yeast mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes). Add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands.

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes.

Divide dough into 12 equal portions, shaping each into a ball (cover remaining to prevent drying). Place balls 2 inches apart on a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Cut a deep (1/4-inch) X in the top of each roll using kitchen shears or a sharp knife. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until puffed and beginning to brown. Remove from baking sheet; cool on wire rack.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

Place 3/4 cup granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add egg; beat 1 minute or until well blended. Add rind, aniseed, and vanilla; beat until well blended. Beating at low speed, gradually add flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time; beat just until a soft dough forms. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; chill at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Shape dough into a 10-inch log. Cut log crosswise into 4 equal portions. Working with 1 portion at a time (cover and keep remaining portions in refrigerator), divide dough into 10 equal pieces on a lightly floured surface. Roll each dough piece into a ball; place dough balls 1 1/2 inches apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.

Place powdered sugar in a small bowl. Dip bottom of a glass in powdered sugar; flatten 1 dough ball with bottom of glass into a 2-inch circle. Repeat procedure with powdered sugar and remaining 9 dough balls.

Combine 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle 10 dough circles evenly with 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon mixture. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned around edges. Cool on pan 5 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Repeat procedure 3 times with remaining dough, powdered sugar, and cinnamon mixture.