…from the Perspectives’ Happy Hour Bar![]() How you doin’? I love frou-frou drinks… the more complex, the better. Of course, if you were to ask any of our bartenders, they would tell you a different story. To them the easiest cocktail to pour is scotch on the rocks. But consenting adults do not live with simple cocktails alone. Sometimes you must live a little dangerously and try one of my official frou-frou libations. Now, the one pictured may be a little over the top but my Fluffernutter Whisky Old Fashioned is one cocktail that just hits the spot. Super Bowl is this weekend. What better time is there to celebrate with an indulgent, all-American fun cocktail enriched with a little peanut flavor? Prep time: 5 minutes Yield: 1 cocktail Ingredients 2 ounces American bourbon 1/4 ounce peanut butter syrup (I prefer Monin brand) 1/4 ounce toasted marshmallow syrup (I prefer Monin brand) 2 dashes chocolate bitters 1 ounce marshmallow fluff Directions
ChefSecret: Monin flavored syrups can be found in liquor stores and on Amazon. Plan ahead to make sure you have the ingredients you need for this cocktail. You can also add some chopped peanuts to the marshmallow rim for added flavor and fun. Quip of the Day: I pointed to two old drunks across the bar from us and told my mate, "That'll be us in ten years." He said, "That's a mirror, ya silly bugger." ------------------------------------------ Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross. #Cocktail #Bourbon #Monin #PeanutButterSyrup #MarshmallowSyrup #MarshmallowFluff #OldFashionedCocktail #SuperBowlCocktail #Peanuts #NationalPeanutBoard #HappyHour2025 #Cheers #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025
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…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen![]() How you doin’? This non-commitment dessert is made in a single 5-3/4 x 3 x 2-inch loaf pan and this is assembled into this beautiful dessert for two. It has a double layer of pecan praline that compliments the doubly good dark chocolate cake. It is finished off with two layers of sweetened whipped cream. It is everything you expect from a Louisiana Chocolate Pecan Praline Cake and it’s perfect for your Super Bowl Game Day party table. Prep time: 30 minutes Bake time: 25 minutes Cooling time: 45 minutes Yield: 2 good size servings Ingredients For the praline layer 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 tablespoons brown sugar 1-1/2 teaspoons heavy whipping cream 3 tablespoons chopped pecans For the cake batter 2 tablespoons shortening (I prefer Crisco) 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg, beaten 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 6 tablespoons cake flour 2 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/8 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons cold coffee 1 tablespoon American bourbon (optional) For the topping 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar 1/8 teaspoon almond extract Garnish: chocolate curls and chopped candied pecans (optional) Directions
ChefSecret: Coffee is a perfect complement to chocolate when used sparingly. It brings depth to any dark chocolate dessert. In this recipe I use both coffee and bourbon. You can substitute either or both with cold water. Quip of the Day: “I was just wondering; can vegetarians eat animal crackers? ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross. #Baking #Dessert #ChocolateCake #PralineCake #LouisianaChocolatePecanPralineCake #Pecans #BigGameSweets #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen![]() How you doin’? My executive chef, Spencer, used to tell me the magical thing about Pad Thai is the way it layers flavor with texture. It’s bright, hot, nutty, salty, sweet, and full of umami, a perfectly balanced complexity that belies the stir-fry ease of the dish. It’s also the rare dish that everyone agrees on—I’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t love Pad Thai. For all those reasons, it’s a meal maker’s dream—it’s fun to make it for other folks because you always get more than 100% appreciation back on your cooking effort. According to food histories, Pad Thai is based on the Chinese culinary tradition of stir fries. Kway teow is Chinese for rice noodles and pad is fried in Thai, so the name roughly translates to ‘Thai-style stir-fried noodles.’ It was either invented or introduced to Thailand in the 1930s, a pivotal time in the country’s politics, when its leaders were trying to both westernize and build national unity (Refer to the King & I Movie). Street vendors were encouraged to make Pad Thai as an expression of Thai cuisine, but also to help the country through an economically difficult time—rice noodles, stir fried veggies and very little protein add up to a satisfying yet inexpensive meal. The dish takes the bulk of its flavor from a sauce made with tamarind paste, fish sauce, soy sauce and brown sugar. If you don’t have tamarind paste, you can replicate its signature sour-sweet flavor with pomegranate molasses and lime juice—as I’ve done here. The result is a close approximation to tradition: a tangy, umami-riffic sauce that clings to the noodles and the dish’s many other ingredients. For protein, I use chicken. The chicken is nice and chewy and brings some fat to the dish. The chicken gets tossed into a wonderful jumble with the aromatics, chewy noodles, veggies—bean sprouts, shallots, and green onions—and that beautiful sauce. Add the crunchy peanuts and bright cilantro leaves, and you’re all set. Pad Thai is a fantastic dinner. It’s also impressive for weekend lunches and, given the egg, I’d even fry up a big batch for brunch. It pairs well with deep, dark, chewy, roasty beers, like porters or stouts, or a glass of Fume or Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling. Ingredients For the Pad Thai sauce 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar 2-1/2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (see ChefSecret) 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce 1/3 cup water 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper For the Pad Thai 4 ounces dry Pad Thai white rice noodles 3 teaspoons peanut oil, divided 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 chicken breast, sliced into ¼”-thick strips 6 ounces extra-firm tofu, patted dry and cut into ½ x ½ x 2” batons 2 shallots, thinly sliced 4 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper 3 large eggs 1 pinch salt 2 cups bean sprouts, plus more for garnish 4 green onions, thinly sliced on the bias 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, finely chopped, for garnish 1/3 cup cilantro, leaves only, for garnish 6 lime wedges, for garnish Chili oil, for serving Directions To make the Pad Thai sauce
ChefSecret: If you can find tamarind paste, use 4 tablespoons of that instead of the pomegranate molasses and lime juice mixture. For added heat and a little color, feel free to add slivers of red chile. Quip of the Day: I never knew tofu could be this good! Honestly it never o-curd to me. ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross. #Entrees #PadThai #OrientalBangkok #RiceNoodles #Tamarind #Dinner #Brunch #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025 …from the Perspectives’ Happy Hour Bar![]() How you doin’? If you’re not doing all that well today, try shaking up this soothing cocktail with ginger simple syrup, lemon and vodka to improve your condition. Whenever I feel like I’m coming down with something or I’ve had a bit too much of something, I turn to my magic elixir of lemon, ginger and, of course, vodka, which I swear cures whatever ails me. Those flavors work for so much more than sick days though. I like combining them with vodka to transform it into a soothing cocktail that has become my ideal cold weather companion. My Ginger-Lemon Elixir starts with homemade ginger simple syrup, made by infusing sugar and water with pieces of ginger until perfumed throughout. The clean flavor of vodka lets the spiciness of the ginger simple syrup and the tartness of the lemon shine through. And a dash of Angostura Bitters adds depth to round it out. It’s truly great anytime. Whether you’re enjoying one on a cozy winter night or during a late afternoon summer tailgate, this cocktail never disappoints. Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes Yield: 1 cocktail Ingredients For the ginger simple syrup (makes 2/3 cup ginger simple syrup) 1 (2-inch) piece ginger (at least 1-inch wide) 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup bottle or filtered water For the elixir cocktail 1 long strip lemon peel, for garnish 2 ounces vodka 3/4 ounce ginger simple syrup (recipe above) 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 dashes Angostura bitters Directions To make the ginger simple syrup
To make the elixir
ChefSecret: The ginger simple syrup can be made up to 1 month ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Quip of the Day: A man walks into a bar and orders a drink. A minute later he hears, “You look amazing. Have you lost weight?” He looks around, but there’s no one nearby. Again, a minute later, he hears, “You know, you don’t look a day over 30.” Looks around again, no one but him and the bartender, so he asks, “Did you hear that?” The bartender says, “It’s the peanuts. They’re complimentary.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross. #Cocktail #GingerLemonElixir #GingerSimpleSyrup #Ginger #Lemon #Vodka #HappyHour2025 #Cheers #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen![]() How you doin’? It’s really chilly everywhere this week, and while it may be hard to imagine for some, there is a winter season in Las Vegas… always a good time for a great hearty soup. I love my Mama Mia’s Original Sicilian Soup. It’s a classic Italian dish made with hearty ingredients like sausage, white beans and root vegetables all simmered together in a flavorful broth. Prepare your tastebuds when you spoon up shlurps of this soup with bright and comforting flavors. This is a complex dish with layers of creamy and tender beans and spicy Italian sausage slices to the rich broth filled with hearty winter vegetables. Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 1 hour 50 minutes+ Yield: 4 to 6 servings Ingredients 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 1 finely chopped leek (white and tender green parts only) 2 carrots, 1 finely chopped, 1 sliced 1/2 finely chopped fennel bulb 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 3/4 cup dried white navy beans 1/2 cup farro 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes 2 quarts low-sodium chicken stock 2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme 1 2-inch piece parmesan cheese rind 4 cups water 13 ounces Italian sausage cut into 1/2 inch rounds 4 large, chopped cabbage leaves large center ribs removed (about 2 cups) 1 cup grated parmesan cheese 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, for serving Directions
ChefSecret: The Parmesan rind adds a nutty, fuller flavor to the soup. What else were you going to do with it? Quip of the Day: My mother used to feed me alphabet soup when I was a kid. She insisted on me telling everyone that I loved it. I really didn't, she was just putting words in my mouth! ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross. #Soups #OriginalSicilianSoup #ItalianSausage #Farro #Fennel #ParmesanCheese #2025Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025 |
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