…from the Perspectives’ Happy Hour Bar Today is Black Friday, and there are just 26 days until Christmas. The shopping season is in full force. It’s time to start planning your holiday dinner, and any parties you plan to throw. With all that going on, don’t forget to bake some cookies for Santa Claus. Now… onto Happy Hour Friday! How you doin’? I really appreciate the aromas and flavors of fall. I am especially fond of cinnamon—both the smell and the taste. In fact, when baking I usually double the amount of cinnamon, especially on holiday pies like apple and pumpkin. My Autumn Spiced Sour cocktail hits all my taste buds. Blood oranges are another flavor thrill that epitomizes fall flavors. The flavor is so unique it defies description. Blood oranges are thought to have originated in the southern Mediterranean and were first grown in Italy in the 18th century. They are a mutation of the sweet orange, which originated in the Mediterranean. What are blood oranges? Blood oranges are known for their blood red flesh, juice and rind, which get their color from anthocyanin pigments. Anthocyanins are antioxidants with anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties. Some common types of blood oranges include:
Blood oranges are grown in other areas other than Italy, including China, Australia and the United States. In Australia, the climate between Sydney and Melbourne is similar to the Mediterranean climate of Sicily, making it ideal for growing blood oranges. So, go ahead and get your bucket of blood…blood oranges, that is. Prep time: 5 minutes Yield: 1 cocktail Ingredients 1-1/2 ounces premium vodka 1/2 ounce blood orange syrup (I prefer Monin) 3/4 ounce cinnamon syrup (I prefer Monin) 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 ounce simple syrup 1 dehydrated blood orange wheel (as pictured), garnish 1 sprig sweet basil, garnish Directions
ChefSecret: Make your own blood orange syrup with just cane sugar and one blood orange. I prefer to use an organic blood orange to avoid any pesticides or waxes.
------------------------------------------ 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. #HappyHour #AutumnSpicedSour #Vodka #Monin #CinnamonSyrup #BloodOrangeSyrup #BlackFriday #Cheers #HolidayRecipes #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #FeedingAmerica ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024
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…from the Perspectives’ KitchenHow you doin’? A holiday party without dip is just another boring meeting, and this classic crowd-pleaser always brings the fun to any get together. My rich and savory Original Holiday Ranch-Spinach Dip is seasoned with zesty Ranch flavor, it goes well with just about any dippable medium you can dream up. Pair it up with tortilla chips, pita bread, vegetable sticks, bread, pretzels, crackers and more. Dippity-do! Prep time: 5 minutes Chill time: 1 hour or more Yield: 8 servings Ingredients 1 16-ounce container sour cream 1 packet (1-ounce) Hidden Valley Ranch dip mix 1 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed, chopped and well-drained 1 8-ounce can, drained and chopped water chestnuts Directions
ChefSecret: Be sure to drain water from thawed spinach first. I put the thawed spinach in a dish towel and wring it out to remove the excess water. Also, try adding some color to it by adding small, diced pieces of red or yellow bell pepper. Quip of the Day: The spinach tried to revolutionize the dip world world, claiming it was time to leaf the past behind. 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. #Dips #Ranc-SpinachDip #HappyThanksgiving #HiddenValley #ThanksgivingRecipes #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024 …from the Perspectives’ KitchenHow you doin’? Most families have a designated turkey-carver at Thanksgiving—and the knowledge and skill set often lives exclusively in that person’s head—that would be me. I was invited to one friend’s house for Thanksgiving asking me to be there at 10AM. I soon realized I was invited over to cook Thanksgiving dinner including stuffing, sweet potato casserole and pumpkin pie. But I digress… passing on the secrets of creating a holiday dinner can feel like a well-deserved rite of passage. Picture you’re at the head of the table, knife in hand, and all eyes are on you as you make your first slice into that big, beautiful turkey. But the truth is, anyone can carve a turkey. (Well, anyone who can safely handle a knife.) In my turkey-carving syllabus, I’ll walk you through the process step-by-step, so no one at the table will know you’re a newbie—by which we mean, they’ll be blown away by your deft knife handling skills. Even if you’ve carved a turkey before but are feeling a little rusty, this guide will help you brush up on your skills. A few tips from the Perspectives’ Test Kitchen before you begin:
Here’s How to Carve a Turkey: Step-by-Step Tools: You’ll need a very sharp carving knife or chef’s knife and a steel for sharpening the knives. Ingredients 1 roasted turkey any size Directions
ChefSecret: Another way to cook a turkey is the spatchcock method which makes the juiciest, crispiest roast turkey cooked in a fraction of the time it usually takes to cook a whole turkey. If you've never tried it, spatchcocking is easier than you might think! By removing the backbone and flattening out the bird, you'll reduce cooking time and make carving a whole lot easier, too! Once you try it, you might never go back. Quip of the Day: Q. Did you hear about the turkey that plays baseball? A. It covers first baste. ------------------------------------------- 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 #TurkeyCarving #HowToCarveATurkey #ThanksgivingRecipes #2024Recipes #HappyThanksgiving #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024 …from the Perspectives’ KitchenHow you doin’? There’s something so scrumptious about cookies—any kind of cookie—but cookie bars are a whole other subject. I suspect it has to do with their thick, chewy texture. My Toffee-Pecan Bars certainly fit that description. In fact, the gluten-free nature of these bars enhances that comforting, satisfying chewiness. And then you have the wonderful mix-ins: rich dark chocolate chips, toasty pecans, and chunks of crunchy, caramel-ly Heath toffee bar. Gluten-free toffee-pecan cookie bars have a chocolate chip cookie vibe, but with a nuttier flavor—so they’re perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Super Bowl, etc. I make them anytime a sugar craving hits, even if it’s on a busy weeknight—The recipe’s so quick and easy! Prep time: 20 minutes Bake time: 35 to 40 minutes Cool time: 15 minutes Yield: 16 servings Ingredients 1-1/2 sticks room temperature unsalted butter, plus a little more for greasing pan 3/4 cups packed brown sugar 1/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1 large room temperature egg, plus 1 egg yolk 1-1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 cup Heath toffee bar pieces, plus more for sprinkling 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips, plus more for sprinkling (I prefer Guittard) 3/4 cup toasted pecan pieces, plus more for sprinkling 1 teaspoon flake sea salt Directions
ChefSecret: Be forewarned, I will go to the mat for one of the corner chewy pieces. Quip of the Day: Did you know that Pecans are the most positive type of nuts out there? If not, they’d be called Pecants! ------------------------------------------- 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. #Baking #Gluten-Free #ToffeePecanBars #GF-Dessert #HolidayRecies #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024 |
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