It wasn't until we came to Bellingham that we had ever tried pho.  We used to go out to pho quite a bit, especially on a rainy cold day; a bowl of soup became the best remedy for winter blues in Bellingham. One day we were contemplating getting take-out of this noodle soup once again, and I just couldn't bring myself to waste all that styrofoam they give you as the "to go" containers.  So I looked up a recipe and we've been making it ourselves ever since.  Here's the basic recipe for about 4-6 servings:

Broth Ingredients:

• 2-3 quarts of beef, veggie or chicken broth (we use the organic beef broth that comes in boxes from the co-op)
  
• 1-2 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3-4 slices of fresh ginger 1/8" thick 

Meat:

• 1-2 servings of flank steak, lean beef or chicken cut in to strips as thin as you can possibly cut them (slices should be the shape of a stick of gum, roughly) 

Other Stuff: 

• 1 package rice noodles (thick or thin)
• 1-2 cups fresh bean sprouts
  
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh basil chopped
  
• 1 jalapeno chopped small (if you like hot)
• 1 lime in 1/4 wedges
  

Directions:

1. Simmer all broth ingredients together for about 30 minutes (it will start to smell like Pho pretty quickly..yum)
2. Fill a medium bowl with hot tap water and add the rice noodles to soak
3. With about 10 minutes left, start a second pot of water boiling, just enough to cook the rice noodles
4. While broth is simmering, slice meat super thin and chop herbs and jalapenos
5. When broth is just about ready, cook the rice noodles separately by straining them out of the tap water and adding them to the boiling water for about 45 seconds.
6. Meanwhile, add the thin meat to the broth and boil for about 1 minute, or until you think the meat is cooked through.
7. Strain and place the hot rice noodles in deep wide bowls (if you have some)
8. Ladle the broth/meat over the rice noodles (remove anise, cinnamon stick and ginger)
9. Sprinkle bean sprouts, cilantro, basil, jalapeno and squeeze a lime or two into the broth.
10. Serve with chopsticks, and hot sauce.