How you doin’? We’re falling toward Fall and heading for Halloween and Thanksgiving. It’s time to take the chill out of summer cocktails and imbibe one of the most thoroughly grown-up hot chocolate cocktails ever tasted.
This mezcal, ancho chile, cinnamon and bittersweet chocolate blend creates an aromatic flavor balance that is lightly sweet chocolate and smoky heat. It’s made with both cocoa powder and melted chocolate, so it’s more luxurious and chocolaty than the powdery kid stuff—and with a jigger of mezcal, it packs a pretty good wallop, too.
It’s the perfect cocktail for an evening on the patio. After dinner, it can be nice to get up from the table, stretch your legs, and hover around the stove for a little hot chocolate-making.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  15 minutes
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I prefer Guittard cocoa powder)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups whole milk
6 cinnamon sticks, divided
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
5 ounces mezcal
Garnish with whipped cream, chile powder, dark chocolate shavings (or marshmallow)
 
Directions
1.    In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cocoa powder, sugar, salt, milk, 2 of the cinnamon sticks, cayenne and bittersweet chocolate chips.
2.    Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the chocolate has melted completely and the mixture is hot.
3.    Lower the heat and simmer the cocoa, whisking occasionally, until fragrant, about 10 minutes.
4.    Carefully strain and discard the cinnamon sticks.
5.    Return the chocolate to the pot, add the mezcal and whisk the liquid over medium heat until hot.
6.    Divide the drink among four warmed mugs.
7.    Garnish with whipped cream, chile powder, chocolate shavings, and cinnamon sticks.
8.    Serve immediately.

​ChefSecret:  Heat the serving mugs with hot water before filling with hot chocolate. Add the mezcal late in the recipe, so if your guests are abstaining, it’s easy to just leave it out. The spicy hot cocoa makes a nice little sip of dessert all by itself.

Quip of the Day: “My tolerance for idiots is extremely low these days. I used to have some immunity built up, but obviously it’s kind of like Covid, there's always a new strain out there."
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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.
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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 #SpicyHotChocolate-MezcalCocktail #Mezcal #HotChocolate #Cheers #Covid19SurvivalBlog #2022 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                   ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

How you doin’? We’re well into back-to-school and NFL football, so it’s definitely time to pull out one of your kitchen’s most time-saving and effective appliances… the Instant Pot (or slow cooker).

Everyone loves a messy barbecued chicken sandwich, but they can take some time to make. Here’s an easy way to shave about 4 hours off the cook time. It’s just chicken breasts and a bunch of staples you probably have on hand — plus a simple but rather genius sauce. It begins with bottled barbeque sauce, then we pep it up with high-flavor additions like Worcestershire sauce, Italian dressing, and brown sugar. (Read: nothing you must make from scratch.) But there’s still room for creativity.
Like things sweeter? Try a heavier hand with the brown sugar. Looking for a little spice tonight? Go ahead and layer on some red pepper flakes for an extra kick. Once the chicken is cooked and cooling, we add a cornstarch slurry to the simmering sauce, which makes it thick and glossy and just about irresistible. 
We like to pull this together on Sunday morning, after the brunch dishes have been cleared but before the rest of the day gets away from us. By dinnertime, it’s all ready to go. If you’re looking to round it out, we serve it with a coleslaw, for coolness and crunch.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  30 minutes
Yield:  8 servings
 
Ingredients 
3/4 cup barbecue sauce, plus more for serving (your favorite)
1/4 cup Italian dressing
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock
1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
Rolls, sliced in half and toasted, for serving
Coleslaw, for serving
 
Directions
1.    In the inner pot of the Instant Pot, combine the barbecue sauce, Italian dressing, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and chicken broth. Stir well.
2.    Place the chicken breasts into the Instant Pot.
3.    Close the lid of the Instant Pot and make sure the release valve is closed.
4.    Set the Instant Pot for HIGH PRESSURE for 30 MINUTES.
5.    After the cook time, QUICK RELEASE the pressure at the pressure valve.
6.    Transfer the chicken pieces to a cutting board, leaving the sauce in the Instant Pot. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken and set it aside. 
7.    Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE.
8.    In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water. Add the cornstarch mixture to the barbecue sauce, stir to combine and cook until the sauce is thickened and heated through, 5 TO 10 MINUTES.
9.    Return the shredded chicken to the Instant Pot, stir to combine and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
10.Serve the chicken on a toasted roll, drizzled with additional barbecue sauce and topped with coleslaw.

ChefSecret:  Add 1 or 2 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar to the pot before cooking for a richer tasting barbecue sauce.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “Why did the chicken marry the crocodile? Because crocodoodledoo is a great family name!”
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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 ed@perspectives-la.com.  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. 

#Entrees #InstantPot #BBQPulledChickenSandwiches #BBQ #ChickenSandwich #ColeSlaw #2022 #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                                ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

How you doin’? I love hearty soups especially during the colder months of winter—actually, any time. This recipe is a cross between a hearty soup and a white chili. I started out trying to make a white chili and just got carried away.
 
Soups are funny things… it’s really hard to make a bad soup. I always loved the story of the Russians Cossacks and Stone Soup. Stone Soup is a European folk tale in which hungry strangers with only two large stone convinced the people of a small town’s populous to each share a small amount of their food in order to enhance the flavor of their stone soup that everyone could enjoy. It exists as a moral regarding the value of sharing.
 
So let me share my recipe of Creamy Spiced Chicken Soup with you—no stones required. It’s fragrant, excites your taste buds and warms the cockles of your heart. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and shredded pepper Jack cheese.
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Cook time:  25 minutes
Simmer time: 2 hours
Yield:  8 servings (can easily be cut in half)

 
Ingredients 
2 pounds roasted or rotisserie chicken, skinned and boned, pulled into large chunks
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup green chopped bell peppers
1 cup red chopped bell peppers, chopped
1/4 cup diced jalapeño peppers
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon dried minced shallots
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 cups chicken stock
8 ounces jarred salsa verde (green salsa)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
4 diced tortillas (or 1 cup of Fritos Corn Chips for a toastier flavor)
2 cans (15.5 ounces) white chili beans
Garnish each bowl with 1 tablespoon sour cream and 1 ounce shredded pepper Jack cheese.
 
Directions

1. Pull and skin the chicken meat; set aside. (See ChefSecret for alternate proteins)
2. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the cream cheese on high power until soft, about 20 seconds.
3. Add the half-and-half and whisk until completely mixed; set aside.
4. Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bell peppers, jalapeños and garlic; sauté until soft, 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Sprinkle the flour over the sautéed peppers and garlic; stir to combine.
6. Add the dried shallots, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper.
7. Add the cooked chicken, cream cheese mixture, chicken stock, salsa, cumin, oregano, and tortillas; bring to a boil to slightly thicken.
8. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
9. Add the chili beans and simmer for another hour.

ChefSecret:  You can use any leftover chicken that you may have in the refrigerator, just discard the bones, skin and breading. You can also use 2 pounds of browned ground chicken or turkey meat.

Quip of the Day: “We might be older now, but I have the satisfaction of knowing that I had great hair, listened to the coolest music, and drove the best car.”
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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 .
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. In this New Year, seek out the good in people and avoid conflict. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America.

#Entrees #ChickenSoup #Chicken #Peppers #Shallots #Cayenne #SalsaVerde #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                          ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2022

​How you doin’? I’m a little old fashioned… a balanced dinner to me is a small salad, entrée, starch (potato or corn) and a green veggie. But what dinner could be complete without dessert? Well, this is the one you’ve been waiting for. This is a great everyday dessert that everyone will love! Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream.
 
Apple crisp is a dessert made with a streusel topping. An apple crumble is a dessert of baked apples topped with streusel topping. In the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, the term 'crumble' refers to both desserts, but in the US the two are distinguished. In Canada, both terms are used ambiguously.
 
Ingredients usually include cooked apples, butter, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and often oats and brown sugar, ginger, and/or nutmeg. One of the most common variants is apple rhubarb crisp, in which the rhubarb provides a tart contrast to the apples.
 
Other optional fruit crisps can be made by substituting peaches, berries or pears for the apples.
 
Surprisingly, apple crisp or crunch is a relatively modern dish. It is notably absent from the first edition of the Fannie Farmer Cookbook (1896), which is a comprehensive collection of American recipes.
 
The earliest reference to apple crisp in print occurs in 1924, with a recipe in the Everybody's Cook Book: A Comprehensive Manual of Home Cookery, Isabel Ely Lord. In 1924, apple crisp also makes an appearance in a newspaper article in the Appleton Post Crescent on Tuesday, December 9, 1924 (Appleton, Wisconsin). Its popularity further spread during World War II, when food rationing limited access to pastry ingredients used for making apple pies.
 
Despite its relatively recent invention, apple crisp or crumble has become an American and British tradition especially during the autumn, when apples are plentiful. The dish is also very popular in Canada, especially in areas where berries and fruit are readily available.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Bake time:  40 mins
Yield:  9 x 13-inch baking dish / 8 to servings
 
Ingredients
1 package refrigerated rolled pie crust dough
 
For the crisp topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons rolled oats
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
 
For the apple filling
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
8 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced, or more to taste
 
Optional white icing (see ChefSecret)
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 400⁰ F.
2. Roll out the pie crust onto a work surface to desired thickness; press into the bottom of a buttered 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

To make the crisp topping and assemble

1. Mix the flour, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, brown sugar, oats and salt in a medium bowl; add butter and mix until crumbly; set aside
2. Mix the granulated sugar, flour and 2 teaspoons cinnamon together in a large bowl and toss in the apples.
3. Pour the apple mixture over the crust and spread into an even layer.
4. Using your fingers pinch and sprinkle the topping over the apple mixture.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
6. Reduce the oven temperature to 350⁰ F and continued to bake for another 30 minutes or until the apples are tender and the top is crisp.
7. Mix all the optional icing ingredients and set aside.
8. Pour the white icing over crisp when cool.

ChefSecret:  Create a fast and easy white icing. It’s incredibly versatile and gives almost any cookie, cupcake, brownie or other dessert a delicious boost when spread or drizzled on top. You can also use it on a pound or Bundt cake, quick bread or as a sweet fruit dip.
 
The icing requires 4 ingredients you likely have in the kitchen: confectioners' sugar, milk, butter and vanilla extract. It doesn't require any cooking, just a quick whipping with a whisk. It is a fantastic last-minute icing for all your baked goods.
 
Ingredients
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
 
Directions

1. Combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in small bowl.
2. Mix well until the glaze is a smooth consistency.
3. Drizzle in the melted butter and mix until the butter is completely incorporated.
4. Pour over your warm apple crunch and enjoy!

Quip of the Day: “A core belief is that apple puns make me smile.”
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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.
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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.

#Dessert CinnamonAppleCrunch #AppleCrumble #AppleCrisp #FallApples #Yum #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                                      ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

How you doin’? It’s officially fall! If you’ve been searching for a seasonal cocktail to carry you through the fall and into the winter festivities, look no further—my Aperol spritz will do nicely.
 
Aperol is a semi-dry apéritif from northern Italy that tastes like a combination of bitter grapefruit and a sweet, melted Creamsicle. We’ve muddled it with light, floral Lillet Blanc, tart cranberries, fresh orange slices and candied ginger. In a classic spritz, you’d top it with Champagne, but here I’ve used a dry hard cider, which gives the drink some subtle fall apple notes.
 
It’s the perfect light, spicy cocktail for any special meal, including for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’ll pair beautifully with all sorts of appetizers and turkey and prime rib dinners.
 
Prep time:  5 minutes
Yield:  1 cocktail
 
Ingredients
1 skin-on orange wedge
13 fresh cranberries, divided
2 1-inch pieces crystallized ginger, minced, plus 1 slice for garnish
2 ounces Aperol
1 ounce Lillet Blanc
4 dashes Angostura bitters
Ice
4 ounces dry hard cider (I prefer Angry Orchard Crisp Apple)
 
Directions

1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle the orange wedge with 10 of the cranberries and the minced crystallized ginger.
2. Add the Aperol, Lillet Blanc, bitters and ice.
3. Shake it like you mean it.
4. Double-strain the drink into an ice-filled rocks glass and top off with the hard cider.
5. Garnish with the 3 remaining cranberries and a slice of crystallized ginger skewered on a cocktail pick or toothpick.

ChefSecret:  What is Angostura Aromatic Bitters? A concentrated bitters made of herbs and spices by House of Angostura in Trinidad and Tobago with extracts of grasses, roots, leaves and fruits dissolved in alcohol, it is ideal for balancing alcoholic drinks, cleansing the palate and facilitating digestion.

Quip of the Day: "Why waste your time and money looking up your family tree? Just go into politics and your opponent will do it for you."
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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. 

#Cocktail #HappyHour #AperolSpritz #CranberrySpiceCocktail # LilletBlanc #AngosturaBitters #HardCider #Cranberries #Cheers #Covid19SurvivalBlog #2022 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                                          ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022