How you doin’? My refreshing elderflower gin cocktail gets a pop of color and flavor from the addition of blood orange juice. It uses two of my favorite flavors—St. Germain and blood oranges.
 
What are blood oranges? Where do the best blood oranges come from? Blood oranges thrive in Mediterranean climates such as Italy, Spain and Malta and California, Arizona, Texas and Florida.
 
Blood oranges are subtly sweet and taste as if they have been infused with tangy red grapefruit and hints of tart cherries and raspberries. Blood oranges are delightful simply eaten out of hand, but don't stop there. In Sicily, freshly squeezed blood orange juice is a typical addition to the breakfast table.
 
St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur is a sublime liqueur created with wild, handpicked elderflowers and made in the traditional French style, using a process that has existed for centuries. Following an exquisite elderflower liqueur recipe, it is only available in limited quantities. Each bottle of St-Germain is numbered and marked with the vintage year that reflects the year in which the flowers were harvested.
 
These two flavors make one of the best, most refreshing cocktails anytime of the year.
 
Prep Time:  5 minutes
Yield:  1 serving
 
Ingredients 
1 ounce gin (your choice—I use Hendrick’s)
3/4 ounce St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
2-1/2 ounces chilled ginger ale
1 ounce fresh-squeezed blood orange juice
 
Directions

1. In a serving glass, combine gin, St. Germain, lime juice and ginger ale.
2. Top glass with ice.
3. Slowly pour in blood orange juice.
4. Garnish with blood orange slices and fresh lemon thyme sprigs, if desired.
5. Serve immediately.

ChefSecret:  Lemon thyme is one of the many varieties of thyme. It looks just like regular thyme… long, thin sprigs with tiny spear-shaped green leaves. You'll notice a difference immediately when you crush a few of its leaves and breathe in its sweet, lemony fragrance.

Quip of the Day: “Not to get technical, but according to chemistry ALCOHOL is a solution.”
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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.

#Cocktail #HappyHour #Gin #BloodOrange #Elderflower #StGermain #2022 #Cheers# QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                             ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2022​

How you doin’? Super Bowl is just over two weeks away (Feb 13th). What are you planning on serving the hungry throngs that are all coming over to your house to watch the big game? Super Bowl just wouldn’t be Super Bowl without Buffalo Wings. I love my Buffalo wings, but I hate the mess and smell of frying wings in my kitchen. That smell seems to permeate the whole house for days. Here’s a better solution.
 
Slow Cooker Chicken Wings are the perfect solution! They are fall off the bone tender and loaded with real Anchor Bar flavor. Make it authentic and serve these luscious wings with carrot and celery sticks and cool ranch dressing studded with blue cheese crumbles.
 
A slow cooker (Crock Pot or Instant Pot—slow cook setting) is an easy and great way to cook chicken wings fresh or frozen! If you cook them from frozen, you will have to drain off some of the excess cooking liquid after cooking. Brush the wings with a little bit more sauce and give them a quick broil. After broiling, place the wings back in the slow cooker or on a warming tray to keep them warm.
 
I always have trouble not eating the whole batch, they are so deliciously tangy and melt-in-your-mouth tender. Don’t forget the ranch dip!
 
By the way, there is a difference between Buffalo sauce and hot sauce. Hot sauce is basically just hot peppers, salt and vinegar. Buffalo sauce is smoother than hot sauce, and richer in flavor. The butter creates a spicy and silky sauce that tastes restaurant quality at home. Store bought Buffalo sauce is usually made with oil, not butter. My homemade sauce is made with melted butter—that’s why it tastes so darn good! All you need to do is whisk 2 parts Franks Original Hot Sauce (not Franks Wing Saue) to one part melted butter (or margarine). What’s easier than that?
Toss your favorite wings in this spicy sauce, or use it to dip your veggies, fries, burgers, shrimp, you name it! Store it in an airtight glass container and refrigerate. It will last several weeks in the refrigerator.

Quick History of Buffalo Wings (named after the city, not the animal)
On a Friday night in 1964, Dominic Bellissimo was tending bar at the now famous Anchor Bar Restaurant in Buffalo, NY. Late that evening, a group of Dominic’s friends arrived at the bar with ravenous appetites. Dominic asked his mother, Teressa, to prepare something for his friends to eat.
Teressa had deep fried some wings and flavored them with a secret sauce she just made up. The wings were an instant hit and it didn’t take long for people to flock to the bar to experience this new taste sensation. From that evening on, Buffalo Wings became a regular part of the menu at the Anchor Bar. This phenomenon has spread across the globe.

Prep time:  5 minutes
Cook time:  3 hours
Yield:  6 to 8 servings
Calories:  295 per serving
 
Ingredients 
4 to 5 pounds chicken wings (with drumettes, if desired), fresh or frozen
Buffalo Wing Sauce
1-1/2 cups Franks Original Hot Sauce, plus a little more for finishing
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter

For Serving
A bunch of cut carrot sticks
A bunch of cut celery sticks
Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
Blue cheese crumbles to taste
Garnish with paprika and chopped chives
 
Directions

1. Combine the Buffalo wing sauce ingredients—Franks and melted butter; set aside.
2. Place wings in a 6-quart slow cooker (or Instant Pot) and cover with the prepared Buffalo wing sauce. Stir to combine.
3. Cook on HIGH for 2-1/2 TO 3 HOURS for FROZEN wings or on LOW for 3 HOURS for FRESH wings.
4. Once wings have reached 165°F, remove them from the slow cooker and place them on a foil lined sheet pan; discard the cooking liquid.
5. Preheat broiler to high. Brush with additional Buffalo sauce and broil until lightly browned and crisp, about 5 minutes per side.
6. Serve with celery, carrots, extra Buffalo sauce and Ranch dressing for dipping.

ChefSecret:  I always double up on the Buffalo Sauce so I have enough to use for topping and other dishes.

Quip of the Day:  “Which football player wears the biggest helmet on Super Bowl Sunday? The one with the biggest head.”
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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. 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 #InstantPot #SlowCooker #Snack #Lunch #Dinner #BuffaloChickenWings #BuffaloSauce #Chicken #Buffalo #SuperBowl #AnchorBar #FranksHotSauce #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                       ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2022

​How you doin’? Before you’re tempted to try some of those imitation meat analogues that seem to be everywhere these days, be sure to read the ingredient declaration. They’re not all created equal. If you’re not interested in better eating through chemistry--STOP! After you try these, you may never want to eat frozen veggie or imitation burgers again. These are so easy, and you'll be proud to have crafted such a vegetarian delight.
 
So where did all this start? In 1980, using the name Gardenburger, an early veggie burger was developed by Paul Wenner at Wenner's vegetarian restaurant, The Gardenhouse, in Gresham, Oregon. More recently with all the emphasis on “plant based” new products are popping up everywhere from Burger King and KFC to stadiums, arenas and even your local supermarket.
 
Today’s recipe is an update on a product that we developed many years back for a client looking for vegetarian burger patties free of any artificial ingredients. Cook ‘em up like beef burger patties and enjoy them for a great vegetarian meal.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  20 minutes
Yield:  4 patties
Calories:  198 (without condiments or bun)
 
Ingredients 
1 (16 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup green bell pepper, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup white onion, cut into wedges
3 tablespoons chopped, peeled garlic
1 large egg (if vegan use an egg substitute)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce (Sriracha) or hot sauce (Tabasco)
1/2 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
 
Directions

1. If grilling, preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil. If baking in an indoor oven, preheat to 375⁰ F. Lightly oil a rimmed sheet pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mash the black beans with a fork until thick and pasty.
3. In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic.
4. Stir the vegetables into the mashed beans.
5. In a small bowl, stir together the egg, chili powder, cumin and chili sauce.
6. Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans mixture.
7. Mix in the breadcrumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together.
8. Divide the mixture into four patties.
9. If grilling, place patties on the oiled foil, and grill about 8 minutes on each side. If baking, place patties on baking sheet, and bake for about 10 minutes on each side.

 
ChefSecret:  If you don’t want to use canned, processed black beans, make them the old-fashioned way. Soak the desired amount of dried black beans in water over night, then cook according to your best black bean recipe.

Quip of the Day: “Why are vegans considered to be good-natured people? Because they got ‘no beef’ with anyone.”
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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. 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 #Lunch #Dinner #HealthyRecipes #Burgers #VeggieBurgers #BlackBeanBurgers #Vegetarian #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                             ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2022

How you doin’? It’s cocktail time again! If you live in Moscow, it could have been Happy Hour 12-hours earlier, but what the heck… we’re lucky enough to live in the good old USA where it’s always five o’clock somewhere.
 
There are a number of drinks that are called “Russians,” however none of them were created there. The traditional cocktail known as a Black Russian, which first appeared in 1949, becomes a White Russian with the addition of cream. While neither drink has any known Russian origin, both are so named because vodka is the primary ingredient. It is unclear which drink preceded the other.
 
 White Russian

 The Oxford English Dictionary refers to the first mention of the phrase "White Russian" in the sense of a cocktail as appearing in California's Oakland Tribune on November 21, 1965. It was included in the newspaper as an insert with a cryptic recipe.
 
The White Russian saw a surge in popularity after the 1998 release of the film The Big Lebowski. Throughout the movie, it appears as the beverage of choice for the protagonist, Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski. On a number of occasions he refers to the drink as a "Caucasian.” A White Russian is a cocktail made with 5 parts vodka, 2 parts coffee liqueur and 3 parts fresh cream served over ice in an old fashioned glass.
 
Ingredients 
2/3-ounce coffee liqueur (I prefer Kahlua)
1-2/3 ounces vodka (you don’t need the expensive stuff)
1-ounce fresh cream
Coffee beans for garnish
 
Directions

1. Pour the coffee liqueur and vodka into an Old Fashioned glass filled with ice.
2. Float the fresh cream on top and stir slowly. Garnish with coffee beans.

Black Russian
The Black Russian is a cocktail made with vodka and coffee liqueur. Traditionally, the drink is made by pouring the vodka over ice cubes or cracked ice in an old-fashioned glass, followed by the coffee liqueur. There is no cream in this cocktail.
 
Ingredients
1-2/3 ounces vodka (the cheap stuff is okay)
2/3-ounce Coffee liqueur
 
Directions

1. Pour the ingredients into an old fashioned glass filled with ice cubes.
2. Stir gently.

 
Guinness Black Russian
(The Irish Spy)
 
I’m a Guinness Stout guy. I like my brews dark, bitter and chewy. I’m amazed at how Guinness continues to experiment and innovate in true pioneering style. Guinness remains one of the world's most iconic brewed beers pushing brewing boundaries since 1759. Try this innovation… take a Russian and mix it with a little Irish.
 
Ingredients 
1-ounce vodka
1-ounce brewed strong coffee, chilled, or coffee liqueur
2-ounces cola
2-ounces Guinness beer
 
Directions

1. Pour vodka, coffee or coffee liqueur and cola into an ice-filled 8-oz. cocktail glass.
2. Top with Guinness.

 
ChefSecret:  There are many variants to the Russian category of cocktails.

• The Blind Russian (also known as a Muddy Water) which substitutes cream with Bailey’s Irish Cream
• The Mudslide (a Blind Russian with both)
• The Anna Kournikova (named after the tennis player), made with skim milk (i.e. a "skinny" White Russian)
• The Russian Cherry Orchard made with the addition of Grand Marnier (named for the play by Anton Chekhov)
• The White Cuban (made with rum instead of vodka)
• The Dirty Russian (made with chocolate camel's milk instead of cream—you can use Yoo-hoo if you wish)
• The Colorado Bulldog is very similar to the White Russian, using all traditional ingredients, but adding a splash of cola.

Quip of the Day: “A Russian proverb--'No long break between the first and second shots.’”
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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. 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.

#Cocktail #HappyHour #Vodka #BlackRussian #WhiteRussian #Kahlua #Guinness #Cream #2022 #Cheers# QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                           ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2022

​How you doin’? Lots of chefs are obsessed with creating new, never-before-seen cooking techniques—some of them actually very good. On the other hand, just because something is new and created by a “star” chef doesn’t mean it’s better.
 
Before we moved our offices and test kitchen last year we dismantled our large library of cooking books—many of them were older collector’s items. These were collections of old-school recipes and cooking school techniques that worked well for hundreds of years—and the results today are still absolutely delicious. Take for example the attached recipe for a century’s old Béchamel Macaroni & Cheese. This is nothing like that blue box of Kraft Mac & Cheese which can’t hold a candle to this recipe.
 
Béchamel sauce is the basic sauce of a creamy mac and cheese. It is a silky white sauce made from milk and thickened with butter and flour (no cheese in the basic sauce). It is one of the five “mother sauces” used in French cooking, meaning it is a base used for other, more complex sauces such as Mornay or Alfredo.
 
Béchamel is a sauce traditionally made from a white roux (butter and flour) and warm whole milk. Béchamel may also be referred to as besciamella, besamel, or white sauce (yes, even Aunt Penny’s is a basic white sauce). Basic Béchamel sauce recipes can include salt, pepper and nutmeg as a seasoning base.
 
Basic white sauce was the culinary invention of Duke Philippe De Mornay in the 16th century. He was the Governor of Saumur and Lord of the Plessis Marly. Béchamel Sauce is a variation of the basic white sauce of Mornay. He is also credited with being the creator of Mornay Sauce, Sauce Chasseur, Sauce Lyonnaise and Sauce Porto.
 
One of the oldest recipes goes back a couple of centuries. It is what I consider the mother of all mac and cheese recipes. It is very simply written—start by making a basic Béchamel sauce by melting butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, then add the same amount of flour and whisk it in. Gradually add warmed milk and a pinch of salt, keep whisking constantly until the mixture starts to thicken--voila!... Béchamel.
 
Next, add some cooked pasta (small shells, elbow, rigatoni, macaroni or penne are all good choices) to the warm Béchamel sauce, and mix in cubes of Fontina cheese and grated Parmesan. Toss everything together, then top it all off with more Parmesan, ground pepper, and a few slices of butter to make the dish simply scrumptious.
 
You’re not done yet… as a final step of this cheesy mixture, sprinkle a handful of bread crumbs over the top and bake it in the oven until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
 
Just because this recipe for Mac and Cheese Bake is centuries old, that doesn’t mean it has any formal measurements. Tossing around some cooked noodles in a classic Béchamel sauce and then adding a ton of cheese and butter isn’t a revolutionary idea. After all, this recipe has been around for hundred of years.
 
Ingredients 
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2-1/2 to 3 cups warm whole milk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup Fontina cheese
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 pound cooked pasta
 
Directions
To make the Béchamel sauce

1. In a large sauce pan melt the butter.
2. When the butter is hot sprinkle the flour over the top and whisk well to form a roux. Do not brown the butter.
3. When the roux has formed slowly add the warm milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg; continue to whisk.

To finish the Mac and Cheese

1. Preheat an oven to 400⁰ F.
2. Add the Fontina and about 1/2 cup of Parmesan. When it comes to cheese and seasoning, you can’t make a mistake—a little more or less can’t hurt, just toss and stir.
3. Add the cooked pasta and stir to combine.
4. Put the mixture into a large baking dish or smaller personal-size baking dishes and finish in the oven for about 10 minutes until it is bubbly and golden brown on the top.

ChefSecret: Get creative, try different cheeses or add breadcrumbs as a topping. I add a tablespoon of bleu cheese for a sharper flavor. You can use different shapes of pasta or add some extra spices to amp up the flavor. And don’t forget to butter or spray Pam on your baking dish or you’ll be using elbow grease to remove the baked-on cheese .

Quip of the Day: “I don’t know about you, but I’m getting tired of being part of a major historical event.”
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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. 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 #BechamelSauce #MotherSauces #Mac&Cheese #Pasta #Noodles #ComfortFood #Cheese #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                  ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2022