…from the Perspectives’ KitchenHow you doin’? Two of my favorite things in life are really good bread and really great ice cream. I am especially partial to Ben & Jerry’s brand. Years ago, they were acquired by one of the giant international food companies, but they have kept up the quality of the ice cream and the inventiveness of the flavors and are still spot on. A while back I was hearing things about this new, easy-to-make Ice Cream Bread, and I needed to try it out. At first, I thought it was just a joke, but I kept on reading more and more about it. I started asking all the important questions. Does it need any yeast or baking powder to rise? Does it have to be just plain vanilla ice cream? Can I use any mix-ins? I decided to give it a try. The first time I made it, I had an unopened pint of B & J’s Cherry Garcia (cherry ice cream with cherries & fudge flakes) in the freezer. I quickly whipped up the batter and to my surprise, the bread actually turned out well! It was moist, yet fluffy. All of the ice cream flavors came through. And in future tests I discovered you shouldn’t use yeast or other leavening agents. You can use most flavors of ice cream and you can add mix-ins in moderation in addition to those already in the ice cream such as fruit, chocolate chips and nuts. This is one of the easiest, most rewarding, fool-proof recipes I’ve come across, and it's fun for the kids, too! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Ingredients 1 pint ice cream—flavor of your choice 1-1/2 cups Self-Rising Flour 1/2 cup Chocolate Chips (any complimentary chip flavor, dark, milk or white chocolate) Directions 1. Preheat an oven to 350º F. 2. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray. 3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix the ice cream and flour until combined. 4. Scoop batter into the loaf pan. 5. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until it springs back to the touch. 6. Let the bread cool on a rack, slice and enjoy! ChefSecret: For best results, use a premium grade of ice cream. I prefer Ben & Jerry’s; Häagen-Dazs also works well in this recipe. Non-premium ice cream brands have much more air whipped into them and don’t deliver enough structure or flavor. Quip of the Day: “If ever I am on life support, unplug me and plug me back in… see if that works.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. 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, be 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 and/or American Red Cross. #Baking #Breakfast #Snack #Dessert #Kids #IceCreamBread #Ben&Jerrys #HaagenDazs #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023
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…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen How you doin’? Van de Kamp’s was a commercial bakery and retail outlet in Southern California from the 1920s to the 1970s. The brand is still around in the baking space today. The company was ahead of its time selling meals-ready-to-heat, when most families were still cooking from scratch. They offered cheese and beef enchiladas, fried halibut fillets and chicken pot pies. The latter is the subject for today’s blog. The pinnacle of comfort foods must surely be the Chicken Pot Pie. It’s one of those foods that not only makes you smile when you eat it but is also powerfully soothing. It is a deeply satisfying one-bowl meal made with cooked chicken and vegetables smothered in a savory creamy sauce and tucked into a crust—who could want anything else? The funny thing about pot pies is that they’re country humble and intimidating at the same time. Making them from scratch seems like a heavy lift for a weeknight, but not with this recipe. I’ve eliminated a lot of the prep work by making it with leftover rotisserie chicken (or any cooked chicken) and a frozen puff pastry, pie dough or corm muffin mix. After baking, the chicken is tender and the veggies are perfectly cooked. It has the classic sauce with touches of garlic, wine and plenty of thyme to give it chef-touched depth. After a long day away from home (or just the next room if you’re working from home) it is like a warm motherly hug in a bowl. Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 22 minutes Bake time: 20 to 25 minutes Yield: 4 to 6 servings Ingredients 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup yellow onion, diced 1 cup Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced (or other waxy potato) 1/2 cup celery, medium diced 1/2 cup carrots, medium diced 2 teaspoons kosher salt or to taste 2 tablespoons minced garlic 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves 1/4 cup dry white wine 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock 1/2 cup frozen peas 1/2 cup frozen corn 3 cups bite-sized skinless rotisserie chicken pieces 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, chopped 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon black or white pepper or to taste 1 sheet thawed puff pastry (or 1 sheet of thawed pie dough or one box of corn muffin mix) 1 large egg yolk, beaten with one tablespoon water, for egg wash top Directions
ChefSecret: When serving, divide the rich, buttery crust evenly. Otherwise, people will be tempted to steal chunks of it to scoop up their filling and the last serving will sadly be a crustless affair. If you don’t have rotisserie chicken, you can substitute three skinless boneless roasted chicken breasts or 6 roasted thighs. Quip of the Day: Did you know if it weren’t for plumbers you wouldn’t have any place to go. ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be 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 and/or American Red Cross. #Entrees #ChickenPotPie #RotisserieChicken #VanDeKamps #PuffPastry #ComfortFood #WhatsForDinner #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ Happy Hour Bar How you doin’? Joan and I were working on bringing a famous franchisee to Ireland which necessitated several trips to Emerald Isle to get the lay of the land. On one of our free weekends we had the chance to explore Jameson’s famous distillery just outside Dublin. Founded by John Jameson in 1780, today the distillery stands as a monument to Irish Whiskey. This is one of the world’s leading distillery tours with cocktail-making classes, premium whiskey tasting sessions or lessons in how to blend your own whiskey. It’s all topped off with the Jameson’s centerpiece tasting bar, straight from the proverbial source—John Jameson. March 3rd is Irish Whiskey Day, so what could be better than a Jameson Whiskey Sour—sweet, sour and everything delicious. The Whiskey Sour is one of the all-time best Irish classic cocktails. If you’re looking to impress your friends with a flavorful cocktail, learn how to make a Whiskey Sour, it’s a sure-fire way to keep your friends sweet (not sour!). The Whiskey Sour is one of the most popular cocktails ever made; it combines just three main flavors—sweet, sour and Irish whiskey. I use Jameson Black Barrel, which brings the perfect level of smoothness for this creamy, frothy drink. Celebrate Irish Whiskey Day in fashion with all your friends at Perspectives. Prep time: 5 minutes Yield: 1 Cocktail Ingredients 2 ounces Jameson Black Barrel Irish Whiskey 3/4 ounce lemon juice 1/2 ounce simple syrup 1 egg white (See ChefSecret) 3 dashes Angostura Bitters 1 large round ice cube 1 spiral lemon Directions
ChefSecret: If you don’t feel comfortable using a raw egg, you can purchase pasteurized egg whites at your local grocery store, or make your own (see Lesson #508). Quip of the Day: “May your glass be ever full. May the roof over your head be always strong. And may you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. 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, be 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 and/or American Red Cross. #Cocktail #HappyHour #WhiskeySour #JamesonBlackBarrelWhiskey #IrishWhiskey #Cheers #2023 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ KitchenHow you doin’? At Lawry’s California Center (near downtown Los Angeles) they served some of the best Barbacoa this side of the border. Barbacoa is a method of cooking meat (historically lamb or goat) that turns tough cuts of meat into tender and juicy shards of protein. Traditionally steam-cooked in an underground pit, today’s modern barbacoa can be prepared over a barbecue, on the stove top, in a slow cooker or an Instant Pot. Barbacoa is cooked in a flavorful marinade and, when tender, it is shredded before it's served in tacos, burritos, enchiladas or other plated entrées. Barbacoa and carnitas look similar, but don’t get them confused. Spicy barbacoa can be made with lamb, goat, beef, or pork. Carnitas is made only with pork. Many food historians believe barbacoa originated in the Caribbean and that the style of cooking eventually made its way to Mexico. Mexican barbacoa is traditionally prepared in an underground brick-lined oven and is cooked with herbs, spices and chiles for hours, but you can make barbacoa in your trusty Instant Pot . Barbacoa is heavily seasoned. My recipe calls for a marinade made with beef broth, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, chipotle peppers, garlic, cumin, oregano, and cloves. Do not skimp on the quantities. I use beef chuck roast (or beef cheeks if available) for the meat because they are flavorful and perfect for shredding. Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes Yield: 12 servings Ingredients 5 dried chipotle chile peppers 1 cup roughly chopped yellow onions 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice 1/4 cup tomato paste 1-1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 6 tablespoons garlic 2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon dried oregano 3 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed 3/4 cup beef broth 3 bay leaves 1 teaspoon whole cloves 1 teaspoon black peppercorns 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes Directions
ChefSecret: Use fewer peppers (and remove more seeds) for a milder flavor. Quip of the Day: “I never thought the comment I wouldn’t touch them with a six-foot pole would become a national policy… just another one of Covid-19’s gifts!” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. 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, be 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 and/or American Red Cross. #Entrees #Beef #BeefBarbacoa #InstantPot #Lawrys #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 |
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