How you doin’? Every year at this time I think about Christmases past. No, I am not trying to conjure up scenes from A Christmas Carol.  I’ve just had so many wonderful holiday experiences in the past that I have a wealth of stories and recipes to share.
 
Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen at Christmas time is like something out of a Hans Christian Andersen story and it’s easy to fall in love with the sights, sounds and yes, smells (or aromas) of the city. It is all decked out with fluffy snow, Christmas lights and decorations, plus feasts of Danish food. No one visiting Copenhagen this time of year will be disappointed. There is nothing like it except a visit to Solvang, California—a Danish community located mid-state California. It has many of the attributes described above minus the snow.
 
I like to visit one of the authentic Danish restaurants which features Christmas favorites, Danish-style meatballs, roasted ham and Tilsit cheese sandwich platters loaded with a variety of different types of Danish sausages (my favorite, Danish Brats). The plates are shared with Danish sides—red cabbage, sauerkraut and mashed potatoes covered in a dark rich gravy. I loved how the bite of the red cabbage and the saltiness of sauerkraut work together and are complemented by whipped potatoes which are always delicious.
 
Frikadeller is a flat-bottomed meatball considered the national dish of Denmark. My Frikadeller recipe comes straight from Denmark. It's a little labor-intensive, but once you get the hang of it, you'll be addicted. Double the batch so you can make enough Frikadeller for next day’s sliced open-faced sandwiches on toast with dabs of homemade mayonnaise.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Chill time:  Time: 15 to 30 minutes
Cook time:  30 minutes
Serves: 4-6
 
Ingredients 
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
1/4 cup milk, or as needed
1/4 cup finely grated onion
1 large egg
1/4 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cold soda water
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
 
Directions

1. Mix the veal and pork together in a bowl.
2.  Add in and stir the milk, onions and egg.
3. Mix the breadcrumbs into the meat.
4. Sprinkle in the flour and knead well to mix.
5. Stir in the soda water, season to taste with salt and pepper, and mix well. The mixture should be very moist, but not wet.
6. Chill the meat mixture for 15 to 30 minutes in the refrigerator, to make the meatballs easier to form.
7. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
8. To form meatballs, scoop up about 2 1/2 tablespoons of the meat mixture with a large spoon and form the mixture into a slightly flattened, oval meatball about the size of a small egg.
9. Place the meatballs into the heated skillet, and fry for about 15 minutes per side, until the meatballs are well-browned and no longer pink in the center.
10. Serve them warm with mashed or boiled red potatoes, sweet and sour cabbage and hot brown sauce.

ChefSecret:  A Danish meal won’t be complete without a plate or basket of freshly made abelskievers (a little like a Danish donut hole) covered in powder or cinnamon sugar.

Quip of the Day:  Last year I had to throw out all my Danish currency... I didn’t want to spread Kronervirus.” 😊
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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, 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.

#ChristmasRecipes #Christmas #Frikadeller #Denmark #DanishMeatballs #Copenhagen HansChristianAndersen #Holidays2023 #BeThankful #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #RedCross #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
                                                                                                 ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

How you doin’? This recipe was lifted from the pages of my book Choclatique—150 Simply Elegant Desserts. I love working with chocolate. I could sing the praises of cookies all day long. They’re easy to make, easy to serve, and tasty, too! There are a zillion different options. There is nothing better that Italian Christmas cookies.
 
Sarno's Hollywood was located on Vermont Avenue in Los Angeles, just about a half mile west of the old ABC Television Center. It was the first place that I knew of that served real espresso in the 1970’s. You could go there at any time of the day and see many of your favorite Italian heart throbs on break from the soap opera taping at the studio--General Hospital, The Young Marrieds or Day in Court. 
 
Aside from real espresso and great potato gnocchi (not chocolate) they had a fantastic array of Italian bakery delicacies and Italian cookies. My choice was always the Chocolate Crackle Cookies. These soft and crackly cookies were rich, with a deep chocolate flavor accented by the espresso which was the perfect ingredient complement to raise the level of chocolate flavor. There was also a touch of almond extract. While the almond is not completely authentic for this traditional cookie it adds an additional layer of flavor.
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Chill time:  2 hours (or overnight)
Bake time:  30 minutes
Yield:  30 cookies
 
Ingredients 
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup  Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (I prefer Guittard)
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
4 ounces chopped dark chocolate (72%)
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces (I prefer Plugra)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 cup confectioners' sugar
 
Directions

1. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, salt and baking soda together in a small bowl. Using the back of a spoon break up any of the clumped cocoa powder.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter in a microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until smooth, being careful not to burn.  Let the mixture cool while completing the next steps. 
3. In a stand mixer, cream the brown sugar and eggs on medium-high speed in a large bowl until thick; about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides.
4. Add the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and beat until well incorporated.
5. Add the dry ingredients and beat until just combined.
6. Scrape down the sides and refrigerate the dough until firm for at least 2 hours.
7. Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350° F.
8. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment.
9. Put the confectioners' sugar in a small bowl.
10. Using a small scoop or tablespoon to scoop out the dough and roll into balls.
11. Refrigerate half the dough balls. Toss the remaining balls in the confectioners’ sugar, coating them very generously… you shouldn't see any chocolate color from the dough.
12. Place the dough balls about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
13. Bake until the tops are cracked, and the edges are firm; about 13 to 15 minutes.
14. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
15. When the baking sheets have cooled, bake up the remaining dough balls.
16. These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
17. You can freeze the dough and bake off up to a week later.

ChefSecret:  Make sure to let the melted chocolate cool so you don’t scramble the eggs.

Quip of the Day:  Today we will live in the moment. Unless it’s unpleasant in which case we will eat a cookie.
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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, 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.

#ChristmasRecipes #Christmas #ChristmasCookies #ItalianChristmasChocolateCrackleCookies #Chocolate #Cocoa #Cookies #Dessert #Holidays2023 #BeThankful #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #RedCross #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
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                                                                    ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

How you doin’? All of us at Perspectives hope you had a great Thanksgiving feast yesterday. For us it was a fantastic feast with friends and family in our new home.
 
If you ate a little too much, here is a morning brunch cocktail that not only tastes great but is also a digestive after stuffing yourself like an over-sized turkey. It’s little wonder that the Day after Cranberry Mimosa is a best-selling cocktail served at many Thanksgiving brunches throughout the country.
 
This drink is made by combining equal parts champagne (or sparkling California white wine, like Iron Horse sparkling white) and cranberry juice with a squeeze of lime to give it that extra tangy flavor. The best part about this recipe is that it’s easy and you probably have most of the ingredients in the house.
 
Prep time:  5 minutes
Yield:  4 cocktails
 
Ingredients
1 lime cut in half
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 cup sweetened cranberry juice
1 bottle Champagne or California sparkling wine
12 fresh cranberries
4 small sprigs of fresh rosemary
 
Directions

1. Rub the rim of each champagne flute.
2. Dip each flute into the sugar and set aside. This can be done ahead of time.
3. Pour 1/4 cup cranberry juice into each glass and top with the champagne.
4. Use a toothpick to poke a hole through cranberries.
5. Thread the rosemary sprigs through cranberries and garnish the flutes.
6. Serve and enjoy!

ChefSecret:  If you had one too many pieces of pumpkin or pecan pie, you can opt to use unsweetened cranberry juice for this cocktail if you want to reduce your sugar intake.

Quip of the Day:  Why did the cranberry turn red? Because it saw the turkey dressing!.
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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, 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 #CranberryMimosa #Champagne #CranberryJuice #Prosecco #Cheers #2023 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
                                                                    ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

How you doin’? A few weeks back I extolled the virtues of Benton Bacon. I continue to specify Alan Benton fine hams and bacon for several clients. The last shipment I received had some “secrets” on the right way to cook Benton Bacon—not too, crisp, not too limp… just about right. Here are some bacon cookin’ ways that will make your job easier to cook and clean-up.
 
First, stop trying to wrangle a hot grease-spattering skillet—the skillet will always win. Work smarter, not harder! The cleaner and easier way to cook bacon, that works every time, is in an oven. It's so simple you'll wonder why you haven’t been cooking bacon this way all along.
 
So, why should you cook bacon in the oven instead of frying it the old-fashioned way?
Here are ten good reasons for cooking bacon in the oven:

1. You can cook a whole pound of bacon at one time in just 20 minutes (more if you double tray). I like to keep cooked bacon on hand for convenience.
2. Baked bacon cooks flat and doesn't curl up (most of the time).
3. No need to turn the bacon.
4. No grease spatter burns on your skin.
5. No grease stains on your clothes.
6. No grease splatters all over your range top.
7. Free up space on your stovetop for other foods.
8. While the bacon is in the oven cooking itself, you can turn your attention to other things.
9. Clean-up is as easy as it gets (if you foil-line the pan).
10. Baking bacon makes it possible to make peppered or sweet southern bacon.

 
Equipment Needed
Large rimmed, heavy-duty sheet pan
Aluminum foil
Optional Baking rack—cooking bacon on a rack makes the bacon crisper and lets the grease drip off the bacon as it cooks. If you go the rack route, you should still line your baking pan with foil to make clean-up easy.
 
Following my easy directions will turn cold strips of smoked pork into delicious heavenly crisp bacon.
 
                                          Cooking Bacon in the Oven

Ingredients
1 pound thick-cut bacon--that’s all folks!
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 400⁰ F.
2. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil, making sure pan is completely covered. Make sure the foil extends up the sides of the pan so it captures all the bacon grease and clean-up is easier.
3. Arrange bacon strips on the prepared baking sheet or on the rack if you're using one. It's okay to overlap slices slightly because the bacon will shrink slightly as it bakes.
4. Place pan in on the middle rack in the pre-heated, hot oven.
5. Cook bacon for 15 minutes and check it to see that’s the way you like done. Remember, there is no reason to turn the bacon over.
6. If not quite done enough to your liking, cook it for not longer than another 5-minutes. Do not over-cook it.
7. Transfer cooked bacon to paper towel-lined plates.
8. Let the bacon cool for 5 minutes and see it crisp up.

 
                     Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic Cheddar and Bacon
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  15 10 20 minutes
Mix time:  5 minutes
Bake time:  20 to 30 minutes
Yield:  5 servings
 
Ingredients 
3 pounds russet potatoes
5 slices Benton Smoked Bacon, cooked crisp
4-ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons minced chives
1 tablespoon minced roasted garlic
1-1/4 cups grated Cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground course black pepper
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Peel the potatoes and cut into 1 inch chunks.
3. Rinse off the starch and place in a large saucepan and add enough cold water to cover by about 2 inches.
4. Bring the water and potatoes to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the cooking temperature to a simmer. Cook until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Drain the potatoes, return to the pan, cover, and set aside.
6. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the bacon and heat to re-crisp and brown them up. Alternatively, you can re-crisp the bacon in the microwave for 30 seconds. Drain any residual grease on paper towel and break the bacon into pieces.
7. Using a fork, mash the potatoes in the pan until light and fluffy. Add the mascarpone, butter and sour cream, and stir until combined and smooth.
8. Add the chives, garlic, bacon pieces, 1 cup cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. Stir until well combined.
9. Transfer to a buttered 3 quart baking dish. Top with remaining 1/4 cup cheddar cheese. Bake until top is slightly golden and potatoes are hot through, about 30 minutes.
10. Serve immediately.

ChefSecret:  No baking rack? Line the baking sheet, then crumple up some more foil and lay the bacon over it to hold it up out of the grease. Your baking time may differ because of the oven and the thickness of the bacon. Prevent oven splatters by placing a layer of foil over the bacon to keep grease from spattering all over the oven. Remove the foil for the last 5-minutes of cooking for crisping.

Quip of the Day:  Q: What do you call fake potatoes? A: Imitaters!
 
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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.
-------------------------------------------
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 and/or American Red Cross. 

#ThanksgivingRecipes #Thanksgiving #Baking #SideDish #MashedPotatoes #BaconMashed #Holidays2023 #BeThankful #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #RedCross #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                                     ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023