How you doin’? It’s Labor Day weekend and it’s still very hot in many places around the country.
 
Here is my Labor Day Happy Hour libation—Lemonade and Tequila Cocktail. In keeping with many other cocktails I make, the lemon is balanced with a touch of lime and the finished drink has just a spritz of fizz from some ginger ale.
 
Seriously, if one can find true love in a cocktail, I’m there… even if it means cheating on my first love, the margarita—Sorry, Jimmy Buffett. This is nothing less than a simple and crisp end of summer cocktail. Let’s just call it my Labor Day Margarita Lite!
 
Prep time:  5 minutes
Yield:  1 cocktail
 
Ingredients 
2 ounces tequila (good quality)
1-1/2 ounces lemonade (see notes to make your own)
1/4 ounce lime juice
1-1/2 ounces ginger ale
 
Directions

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the tequila, lemonade and lime juice.
2. Shake it like you mean it until ice cold.
3. Fill a Collins glass with ice; pour the contents of the shaker over the ice and top with ginger ale.
4. Lightly stir.
5. Garnish with a lemon slice and be sure to include a holiday, red-white and blue straw.

ChefSecret:  Use any lemonade you like. However, if you want to make your own like I did it’s easy… and fresh is really best.

1. 1 cup fresh lemon juice (approximately 6 lemons)
2. 3/4 cup simple syrup to taste (make simple syrup by combining 1/2 cup water with 1 cup sugar and heating until the sugar dissolves)
3. Add 1/2 cup of ice chips to mixture and stir; refrigerate as necessary.
4. Combine the lemon juice and simple syrup in a pitcher and stir.
5. This is the best lemonade ever!

 
Quip of the Day:  Wife: I love you so much, I could never live without you.
Husband: Is that you or the margarita talking? Wife: It’s me talking to the margarita. 
------------------------------------------
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, be positive, stay well and be kind.

How you doin’? Julia Child was one of our favorite guests on The Food Show. She could always put a smile on our faces. She loved Joan and had missed her on a couple of segments when Joan was traveling though you’d never know as we used the magic of editing to loop in Joan’s voice before a show aired. Julia loved food and she deeply respected people who made a career in the food industry—that was one of the reasons we could always book Julia when she was in Los Angeles.  
 
Even in her later years she had a wild effervescent passion for food. And she was a fan of cooking with eggs—from the simple fried egg for breakfast or a finely finished éclair filled with egg custard. But most of all she loved soufflés.  In Julia’s own words, “The soufflé is undoubtedly the egg at its most magnificent, the egg in all its puffing power. How impressive is the chocolate or cheese soufflé, its head rising dramatically out of its dish, and swaying ever so slightly as it is borne to the table.”

With this recipe I give you the gift of the perfect soufflés—just like Julia may have made. It’s really quite easy—if you can read and follow instructions this is a wonderful foolproof recipe that will impress your family and friends. Before taking this on for an important dinner party, practice making one of these a couple of days before your party. 
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Bake time:  20 minutes
Yield:  2 servings
 
Ingredients 
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup grated Gruyère or Cheddar cheese
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 egg large eggs, separated
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
 
Directions

1. Heat an oven to 375°F.
2. Grease two 8-ounce ramekins with 1 tablespoon of butter.
3. Coat the inside of the ramekins with the Parmesan cheese; tap out the excess cheese and set aside.
4. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, melt the remaining butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
5. Whisk in the milk and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce boils, about 1 minute.
6. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese until melted.
7. Mix in the cayenne and nutmeg.
8. After the mix cools a bit so as not to scramble the eggs, whisk in the yolks one at a time and set aside.
9. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff (but not dry) peaks form.
10. Stir 1/4 of the egg whites into the cheese sauce to loosen it. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites.
11. Spoon into the ramekins.
12. Bake until puffed and browned on the top about 20 minutes
13. Serve immediately.

ChefSecret:  You can make one large 16-ounce soufflé by using a larger ramekin and baking it 40 minutes. The soufflé should be well puffed and lightly golden brown on the top before taking it out.  If you like your cheese soufflé with a bit of a bite (and I do), add 2 teaspoons of bleu cheese when mixing in your ingredients. 

Quip of the Day: “Reading can seriously damage your ignorance!”
-------------------------------------------
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.

#Entree #CheeseSouffle #Souffle #JuliaChild #Eggs #Cheese #Lunch #Dinner #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
 
                                                                                    ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024

How you doin’? It is true… Blondies have more fun! Looking for a sweet treat you've never made before? My Blondie recipe is made with malted milk balls.
 
This is a party Blondies recipe—these may look like ordinary Blondies, but these moist and chewy squares have a secret ingredient that makes them totally scrumptious. The slightly nutty flavor of chopped-up malted milk balls is what makes this dessert totally unique and unexpected. Everyone will enjoy a malty twist on a timeless treat.
 
Blondies are similar to brownies, but they are made with brown sugar instead of cocoa and are often baked in a pan and then cut into squares or rectangles. Other ingredients such as walnuts or chips can be added to the mixture. Blondies are soft and chewy. The name “blondies” comes from their light color, which contrasts with the dark color of traditional brownies.
 
There are various names Blondies go by… they can also be called blonde brownies or butterscotch brownies. It's understood that much like the brownie, blondies originated in the USA. Brownies were invented in 1893 at Palmer House by Bertha Palmer, a socialite and philanthropist, who achieved a reputation as a skilled musician, proficient linguist, writer, able politician and baker.  The first recipe for blondies was published in 1896 by Fannie Farmer, a pioneer of modern American cookery.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Bake time:  30 minutes
Cool time:  1 hour
 
Ingredients 
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) softened unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups malted milk balls chopped, divided
 
Directions

1. Heat an oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Butter a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan.
3. Beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in large bowl until well blended.
4. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat well.
5. Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
6. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in 1-1/2 cups of the crushed malted milk balls.
7. Spread in prepared pan
8. Sprinkle top with remaining 1/2 cup crushed malt balls.
9. Bake the Blondies for 30 to 35 minutes or until top is golden brown and center is set.
10. Cool completely in the pan on wire rack.
11. Cut the baked and cooled Blondies into bars.

ChefSecret:  I have a love / hate relationship with Whoppers being that I once consumed and entire large box of Whoppers at one seating. I discovered I can get 43 malt balls in my mouth at the same time. It was great while I was eating them, but I found out they don’t taste as good when they are coming up—but enough of that—I got over it as you found out from this recipe.

Quip of the Day:  Two blondes fell down a hole. One said, "It's dark in here, isn't it?" The other replied, "I don't know… I can't see.”
-------------------------------------------
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.

#Dessert #Baking #MaltedMilkBalls #Whoppers #Blondies # #2024Recipes #T2T #URM #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
 
                                                                                 ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024

How you doin’?  Even though the dog days of summer might still be here, Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer. This is a Labor Day cocktail that will make you wish summer wasn’t coming to an end at all. My End of Summer Grilled Watermelon Margarita will keep those good vibrations going for just a little while longer.
 
Since watermelon is a classic summer food, why not take that watermelon off the table, put it on the grill and then in a cocktail glass? This uniquely summer cocktail blends high heat with cool melon for the ultimate refreshing summer libation.
 
Prep and cook time:  45 minutes (takes a little time, but I’s well worth it)
Yield:  8 servings
 
Ingredients 
1-1/2 pounds peeled and cubed seedless watermelon
11 limes
1 medium red grapefruit
16 ounces tequila reposado
4 ounces orange liqueur such as Jalisco 1562 Orange Liqueur or Patron Citronge
Tajín Clásico or other chili lime seasoning, for the garnish
 
Directions

1. Use a melon baller to scoop out 8-16 balls from the watermelon; chill to use for the garnish.
2. Using a chef knife, slice the remaining watermelon into 2-inch chunks.
3. Heat a BBQ grill to medium-high until hot, 5-10 minutes.
4. Place the watermelon pieces on the grill and char lightly, turning occasionally, until caramelized, 4-6 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and let watermelon cool to room temperature.
6. When cool blend the grilled watermelon in a blender until smooth. Chill until ready to use.
7. Cut 1 lime into 8 wedges.
8. Cut the remaining limes and grapefruit in half and juice, keeping the juices separate. Chill until ready to use.
9. Pour 1 ounce of lime juice onto a small plate.
10. Place 3 tablespoons of Tajín on to another small plate.
11. Dip the rims of the glasses into the lime juice, rotating so the outer rim of the glass is coated in lime juice. Then dip into the Tajín to coat the outer rim.
12. Combine 2 ounces of the tequila reposado, 1 ounce watermelon juice, 1 ounce lime juice, 1/2 ounce  grapefruit juice and 1/2 ounce orange liqueur in a cocktail shaker with ice.
13. Shake vigorously like you mean it to combine.
14. Pour in the cocktail glass and garnish with a lime wedge. Drop a watermelon ball(s) into the glass or place 2-3 on a cocktail pick and place on the rim.
15. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make a total of 8 cocktails.

ChefSecret:  If you don’t have a melon baller, cut the watermelon into 1-inch cubes.

Quip of the Day:  Q. Why is there a ring of salt around the rim of a margarita glass?  A. To keep the spirits from escaping.
------------------------------------------
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 #HappyHour #EndOfSummerGrilledWatermelonMargarita #Tequila #PatronCitronge #Tajin #Watermelon #SummertimeHappyHour #Cheers #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
 
                                                                            ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024

How you doin’? There are all levels in making chocolate confections—from fine molded truffles to beautiful slabs of creamy fudge. Not too many of us have the bandwidth or skill to make decorative truffles, but most of us can whip up a batch of chocolate fudge. Any occasion is made sweeter with large squares of delightful fudge.
 
Check out my easy fudge recipe made with unsweetened cocoa powder. Be the first in your family to show up at the end of summer Labor Day picnic or family get-together with homemade fudge in hand.  Everyone will be asking you how to make fudge from scratch!
 
Make up one pan for yourself and double the recipe for the rest of your family and friends. An easy fudge recipe should be a staple in every kitchen all year ‘round.
 
Check out the ChefSecret below to learn how to enhance an already great confection. If you’re feeling extra frivolous, add nuts, marshmallows and other sweets for a delicious spin on the fudgy classic.
 
Prep time:  5 minutes
Cook time:  25 minutes
Cool time:  1 hour, 30 minutes
Yield:  1-3/4 pounds
 
Ingredients 
3 cups granulated sugar
2/3  cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I prefer Guittard Dark Cocoa Powder)
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1-1/2 cups whole milk
1 stick unsalted butter (1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
 
Directions

1. Line an 8-or 9-inch square pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan.
2. Butter the foil.
3. Mix the sugar, cocoa and salt in a heavy 4-quart saucepan; stir in milk.
4. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full rolling boil.
5.  Boil, without stirring, until mixture reaches 234°F on candy thermometer or until small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water, forms a soft ball which flattens when removed from water. (Note: for an accurate temperature, the bulb of the candy thermometer should not rest on bottom of the saucepan).
6. Remove the mixture from heat.
7. Add butter and vanilla. Do not stir. Cool at room temperature to 110°F (lukewarm).
8. Beat the mixture with a handheld electric mixer until fudge thickens and just begins to lose some of its gloss (about 5 minutes).
9. Quickly spread the mixture in the prepared pan; cool completely for an hour and a half.
10. Cut into squares.
11. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature.

​ChefSecret: Follow the directions exactly. Beat too little and the fudge is too soft. Beat too long and it becomes hard and grainy.
 
Be creative for a nutty addition… beat cooked the fudge as directed. Immediately stir in 1 cup chopped almonds, pecans or walnuts and spread quickly into the prepared pan.
 
To cut a little of the sweetness, top the fudge with a few pinches of sea salt.
 
Quip of the Day:  Recently my aunt came to me and asked if I would like some fudge. I enthusiastically accepted.
Her: "Male Fudge or Female Fudge?"
Me: "What's the difference?"
Her: "Male Fudge has nuts!"
-------------------------------------------
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.

#Confection #Snack #ChocolateFudge #Fudge #EndofSummerFudge #Guittard #LaborDayTreats #2024Recipes #T2T #URM #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
 
                                                                              ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024