​How you doin’? Did you know the nut we know as the almond is technically the hard-shelled fruit of the almond tree, itself a member of the prunus family? This category of stone fruit encompasses trees and shrubs that produce edible fruit like cherries, plums, peaches and nectarines. So it is little wonder that this incestuous relationship of my Cherry-Almond Cake is so darn good. Oops, I’m not sure that came out the way I wanted it, but oh well.
 
Almonds are a waistline-friendly snack known to boost heart health and loaded with enough other health benefits to land them a coveted spot on our list of the 50 healthiest foods of all time. Per one-ounce serving, almonds are tied with cashews and pistachios at 160 calories. They also have more calcium than any other nut, plus nearly 9 grams of monounsaturated, heart-healthy fats, 6 grams of protein (peanuts have more protein) and 3.5 grams of fiber per serving.
 
When you see packaged nuts with the word "roasted" on the front, they may have been heated in trans or other unhealthy fats. Look for the words "raw" or "dry-roasted" instead. "Raw" almonds aren't exactly "Raw.” Since 2007, the USDA has required almonds to be pasteurized before being sold to the public. The FDA has approved several methods of pasteurization "that demonstrate effectiveness in achieving a reduction of possible contamination in almonds while not impacting their quality," according to the Almond Board of California.
 
According to 2006 research, one ounce of almonds contains about the same amounts of polyphenols—antioxidants thought to help fight off heart disease and cancer—as a cup of broccoli or green tea. You can consider this recipe a guiltfree pleasure.
 
Ingredients 
1-1/3 sticks unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
1-1/3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup sliced unblanched almonds, for topping
4 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup dried or candied cherries, rough chopped (you can use a mix of glacéed fruit)
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350°F.

To prepare a 9-inch springform pan

1. Use a parchment paper disk to line the bottom of the pan before buttering and sugaring it.
2. Butter the pan liberally, then sprinkle in 3 tablespoons of sugar and shake and tap the pan until the bottom and sides are coated with sugar. Don’t worry about extra sugar on the bottom.
3. Cover the bottom of the pan with sliced almonds.

To make the cake batter

1. Using a stand mixer or a handheld beater, cream the eggs and sugar until they are thick and pale and tripled in volume, about 5 minutes.
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan.
3. With a rubber spatula, quickly fold the flours, almond extract and salt into the egg and sugar mixture, followed by the melted butter and cherries.
4. Give the batter a thorough stir before pouring it into the prepared pan.
5. Tap the pan on the counter to settle the batter and pop any large air cavities.
6. Bake the cake until the top feels dry to the touch, springs back when lightly pressed and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out dry, 30 to 35 minutes.
7. Remove the cake from the oven and leave in the pan for about 5 minutes.
8. Run a knife around the sides of the pan before inverting the cake onto a rack to cool.
9. Carefully remove the bottom of the pan while the cake is still very warm.
10. Let cool completely before serving.

ChefSecret: If you want a crunchier topping—add to or replace the slivered almonds with 3/4 cup of ground almonds.

Quip of the Day:  A country that forgets its culinary history past has no future.
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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.
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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. 

#Baking #Dessert #CherryAlmondCake #Cherries #Almonds #Snack #Brunch #2022 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                              ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

How you doin’? You don’t need a wedding or some other festive celebration to have an excuse to pop the cork on a bottle of bubbly (French Champagne or California Sparkling). This is a summer celebration punch that everyone will love. I like the fruity freshness that’s a little sweet, but not too sweet. There’s the added touch of more club soda than usual to make it a bit lighter. With all fruit punches the ingredients can be adjusted to suit your own personal taste.
 
Remember to keep the punch cool with large, oversize ice cubes or a frozen ice ring.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Yield:  35 (4 ounce) servings
 
Ingredients 
1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen cranberry juice concentrate
1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen pink lemonade concentrate
1 (6 ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate
1 (750 milliliter) bottle white wine, chilled
1 liter club soda, chilled
2 (750 milliliter) inexpensive bottles champagne of sparkling wine, chilled
1 thin sliced lemon, for garnish
1 thin-sliced lime, for garnish
1/2 cup fresh mint, garnish
 
Directions

1. In a large punch bowl, combine the cranberry juice concentrate, pink lemonade concentrate, limeade concentrate, white wine, club soda and champagne.
2. Garnish with lemon and lime slices and fresh mint leaves.

ChefSecret:  There’s a wide range of price points for wines. For this recipe you don’t have to use expensive sparkling or white wine—the least expensive will work just fine.

Quip of the Day: “Coco Chanel from the fashion house of Chanel in Paris once said, “I only drink Champagne on two occasions, when I am in love and when I am not.”  How very French, n’est-ce pas?
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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.
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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.
 
#Cocktail #HappyHour #Champagne #SparklingPunch #CranberryJuice #PinkLemonade #Limeade #Cheers #2022 #Cheers# QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
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                                                   ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

How you doin’? Lawry’s California Center was an oasis just a couple of miles outside of central downtown Los Angeles. When designed it was meant to represent everything great about the California lifestyle. We used to tell visitors, California was not only a state, but a state-of-mind. It was the corporate the headquarters of Lawry’s Foods, Inc. and where at least half of all production took place. There were several restaurants on the property, as well as a curated gift store with a large array of California wines for sampling or purchase.
 
My office overlooked the gardens and I loved coming to work every morning. For lunch I had a choice of 3 restaurants, but more importantly for the sake of this blog I usually would order a wonderful fresh salad—my favorite was the La Cocina Corn Salad. It can be served as a delicious side dish made with grilled corn, with black beans and a tasty creamy dressing or splurge it up and top it with grilled meats or seafood for an exciting entrée salad.
 
Prep Time:  25 minutes
Cook Time:  10 minutes
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients
 For the “greens”
1 tablespoon EVOO (olive oil)
5 ears fresh corn-on-the-cob, shucked and kernels removed
1/4 teaspoon Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
1/4 teaspoon Lawry’s Private Blend Pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup (packed) chopped cilantro leaves (no stems)
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, seamed and diced
1 (15 oz) can) black beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups torn romaine hearts
 
For the dressing
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1-1/2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
1/4 teaspoon Lawry’s Private Blend Pepper
1/3 cup crumbled cotija cheese
 
For the garnish
3 chopped green onion tops
6 sprigs cilantro
1 avocado cut in quarters
1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese
 
Suggested extra toppings
Grilled shrimp
Grilled steak
Grilled chicken
 
Instructions

1. Oil and grill the corn-on-the-cob.
2. Allow the corn to cool and then cut the kernels from the cobs.
3. Heat the corn in a hot skillet and add 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1 tablespoon garlic. Cook the corn kernels until beginning to brown.
4. When the corn is cooked toss it into a large bowl.
5. Chop all the vegetables and cilantro and add to the bowl.
6. Add the drained and rinsed black beans to the bowl.
7. Mix the dressing ingredients together.
8. Stir the dressing into the salad until well combined.
9. Allow the salad and dressing to meld for at least 30 minutes
10. When ready to serve add the torn romaine hearts to the bowl and toss.
11. Serve with your choice of garnishes and extra toppings.

 
ChefSecret:  Serve this salad either warm or chilled.

Quip of the Day:  I went to see the doctor about my next colonoscopy. He asked me if I wanted the deluxe service with tiny fiber optics or the economy procedure using a hamster and a helmet Go-Pro. Which one do you think the insurance company approved?
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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. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs.
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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. 

#SideDish #Salad #Corn #Lawrys #EVOO #LaCocina #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                                 ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

How you doin’? This is a fantastic chocolate layer cake doin’? Different generations will have their own associations to the phrase, “The Devil Made Me Do It.” For some, it might go back to the ‘60s with comedian Flip Wilson’s character “Geraldine.” For others, a more current reference would be the film “The Conjuring… The Devil Made Me Do It.” For me, well it’s all about this cake and why I just can’t stop eating it.
 
Moist and light, the crumb isn’t particularly dense which makes for messy slicing unless you freeze the layers before frosting. It’s much softer and more luscious than a classic chocolate layer cake, but I predict you’ll be saying those words yourself once you whip (and eat up) up one of these beauties.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Bake time:  30 minutes
Cool time:  10 minutes
Frosting time:  30 minutes
Yield:  Three (3) 8-inch layers (or two (2) 9-inch layers)
 
Ingredients 
1/2 cup shortening, at room temperature (Crisco works well)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2-1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
1-3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons natural cocoa powder
3 tablespoons extra dark cocoa powder (I prefer Guittard Dark) (or unalkalized unsweetened cocoa powder)
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1-1/3 cups whole milk, divided
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
6 ounces chopped dark chocolate (64% to 72%), melted and cooled
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350° F.  
2. Butter, dust and line the round cake pans with parchment paper. (See ChefSecret below.)
3. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the shortening and butter until soft.
4. In a separate medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cocoa powders and espresso powder.
5. Add the flour mixture, 1 cup of the milk and the vanilla to the shortening. Mix until wet, then beat for 2 minutes on medium speed.
6. Add the eggs, remaining 1/3 cup of milk, and melted chocolate and beat for another 2 minutes, until well-combined.
7. Divide the batter evenly between all three (or two) pans.
8. Bake the cakes for 30 minutes, or until the cake just begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and the surface springs back when lightly pressed.
9. Let the cake layers cool for 10 minutes in the pan, and then turn out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
10. Either serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream or freeze the layers and then frost later. Freezing the layers makes frosting and slicing easier.

 
ChefSecret:  For dusting chocolate cake baking pans, use cocoa powder instead of flour to prevent white streaks.
 
 
                                  Fluffy White Marshmallow Frosting
 
This fluffy, sugary frosting capped off every birthday cake I had growing up. My mother frosted most of her layer cakes with this frosting for years. With just egg whites and sugar, it's far less decadent and less heavy than a traditional buttercream but has an ethereal quality that makes it much more worthy of a celebration cake. 

Yield:  Makes enough frosting to frost three 8-inch layer cakes.

Ingredients
4 large egg whites
3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup cold water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
 
Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients in the top of a double boiler. Beat with an electric mixer set at low speed for 30 seconds, then set the pan over rapidly boiling water.
2. Using a handheld mixer, continue beating the frosting for about 7 minutes until light and fluffy.
3. Remove the frosting from the heat and beat for 1 minute more.  If the frosting is too liquid-y and doesn't hold a soft-to-stiff peak, let it cool at room temperature for 10 minutes (or in the fridge for a few minutes), and then beat it on high speed for a few more minutes until the texture is thick enough.
4. Now you are ready to frost the frozen layers.

​
Covid-19 quip of the Day: “With all this time on my hands lately, I’ve been thinking… Who do you call when you see an endangered animal eating an endangered plant?”
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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.
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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. 

​#Baking #Dessert #TheDevilMadeMeDoIt #FlipWilson #Geraldine #ChocolateLayerCake #MarshmallowFrosting #Guittard #2022 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                                 ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

How you doin’? Here is another of our great summertime Happy Hour cocktails. The Paloma is the perfect, refreshing patio drink made fresher by real ingredients, high quality grapefruit liqueur and bitters.
 
Pamplemousse is a slightly sweet, delicately fruity liqueur made from grapefruits is produced in France. It is a wonderfully versatile liqueur that can easily be enjoyed in a chilled Moscato, margarita, vodka soda, or just over ice.  LaCroix’s most popular flavor was grapefruit, or as the company calls it “pamplemousse,” the French word for the citrus.
 
Prep time: 5 minutes
Yields: 1 cocktail

Ingredients 
1-1/2 ounces Blanco tequila
1/2 ounce Pamplemousse Liqueur (Grapefruit)
1/4 ounce simple syrup
2 ounces grapefruit juice
1 ounce Squirt soda
Grapefruit bitters
2 lime wheels
 
Directions

1. Add the tequila, Pamplemousse liqueur, simple syrup and juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
2. Shake until chilled and strain into a glass with a single, large round ball of ice (or over ice cubes).
3. Top with Squirt and add a few dashes of bitters.
4. Give a quick stir.
5. Garnish with a couple of lime or grapefruit wheels.

ChefSecret: 

• Grapefruit Bitters are bitters sweetened with honey. They add dynamic flavor to gin, vodka, and tequila as well as wine spritzers, champagne cocktails, and floral aperitifs like Lillet. They are available at better liquor stores and online or you can make it yourself.
• Grapefruit can interact with different medications such as statins and blood pressure meds. Look it up before you mix it up... and drink it down!

Quip of the Day: I put my damn scale in the bathroom corner and that's where the little stinking liar will stay until it apologizes.
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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 .
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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.

#Cocktail #HappyHour #Tequila #Pamplemousse #Squirt #Grapefruit #Cheers #2022 #Cheers# QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                 ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022