How you doin’? Do you know the difference between yellow, white and red onions? Different recipes call for different onions with distinct flavors and textures. The varieties of onion can be a bit confusing, but once you know the characteristics of each color of onion, decision making is pretty simple. In a pinch, you can do what I do most often—substitute different colors for each other. Afterall, choosing the “wrong” onion is not the end of the world! But don’t shed any tears over which is the best onion to use, just follow my lead below.
 
The Yellow Onion
Let's start with the most common variety of onion—the yellow onion. A yellow onion is a good jack-of-all-trades onion. You'll want to be careful using them raw, unless you like a really intense onion-y taste. They hold up wonderfully well to cooking, which mellows out the bold flavor while still maintaining their structural integrity. If you're looking to caramelize a bunch of onions for French onion soup, yellow onions are the best option.
 
The White Onion
White onions are milder than yellow onions… they are a kinder, gentler onion than their bolder cousins. The white onion is what you're usually going to reach for if you want something with onion-y flavor and raw crunch. These are great as a topping for burgers or as an ingredient in an uncooked salsa or pico de gallo. They provide plenty of flavor, just milder. They also make an ideal addition to dishes that require hot and fast cooking, like grilling and stir-frys. If you cook them too long, white onions are liable to fall apart.
 
Full disclosure—if you’re in a pinch, switching out a white onion for a yellow onion or vice versa, you won't notice too much of a difference. Both are well-suited for use in a stock, a stew, or as a side dish, whether caramelized or fried, as onion rings or strings.
 
The Red Onion
Red onions are much more intense than white or yellow onions. With their bright, reddish-purple color and glossy shine, they may fool you (they almost look as harmless as a candy apple), but they sure as hell don't taste like one. Easily the sharpest and most pungent and intense of the three main onion types. Red onions are the ones that will really get the tears flowing when you try to mince, dice, cut or slice them. Oddly enough, these sharply flavored onions are also often used raw. Like milder white onion, they add great texture to salads and sandwiches alike, but with a more pungent bite. Red onions are also especially tasty when pickled.
 
Although their brilliant red color will dull and darken when cooked, the flavor remains pleasing in this context. Chop them up and add them to a beef stew if you want something piquant to cut through the richness. Or better yet, put them on a skewer and place them on the grill, where their structural integrity will keep them pleasantly soft without going mushy on your kabob skewers.
 
                            The Best Fresh Red Onion & Tomato Salsa
My fresh salsa recipe is simple to make from scratch and tastes great. It gets even better if you have time to let the flavors blossom for an hour or two (or even overnight). They are perfect on top of chili or enchiladas or with your favorite chips as a dipper at any get-together!
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Bloom time: 2 hours-overnight
Yield:  5 cups
 
Ingredients 
3 cups freshly chopped ripe tomatoes
1 cup finely diced yellow onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 teaspoons chopped fresh jalapeño pepper (seeds and seams removed)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
 
Directions

1. Stir all ingredients—tomatoes, yellow onion, green and red bell peppers, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeño pepper, cumin, salt, and pepper—together in a bowl until just combined.
2. Let the salsa blossom in a refrigerator for at least an hour or two or even overnight.
3. Serve and enjoy!

ChefSecret:  For a spicier salsa, do not remove the seeds or seams from the fresh jalapeño pepper. Yowee!!

Quip of the Day:  Chile peppers don’t gossip—they just let things simmer.
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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, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.
 
#Appetizer #Ingredients #Onions #YellowOnions #RedOnions #WhiteOnions #Salsa #Tomato-OnionSalsas #Chips-Dips #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
 
                                                                            ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025

How you doin’? I designed my first Baked Brie En Croute for TGI Friday’s way back in the day. Originally, I fried the Brie because it was quick and easy, but it had too much cheese leakage. I then tried to bake it in the oven, but that was too slow. Finally, I placed the cheese wheel in a microwave oven with a little brown sugar on the top. It was good and quick, but not the “en croute” I was looking for.
 
My ultimate Baked Brie En Croute recipe wraps a whole mini wheel of Brie cheese topped with preserves in store bought puff pastry. It's baked until the pastry is golden and crisp, and the Brie is warm and gooey inside for a cheesy treat.
 
It’s quick and easy to make and everyone will love it.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Bake time:  30 minutes
Yield:  6 to 8 servings:
 
Ingredients 
1 (8 ounce) wheel Brie cheese
3 tablespoons raspberry, apricot or peach preserves
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg white
 
Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Lightly grease a sheet pan or line with parchment paper.
3. Spread the preserves of choice on top of the Brie.
4. Wrap the entire wheel of Brie with one sheet of puff pastry.
5. Transfer onto the prepared baking sheet seam-side down.
6. Brush the puff pastry with the egg white top and sides.
7. Bake in the preheated oven until pastry is golden brown, about 30 minutes.
8. Serve immediately.

ChefSecret:  I did all the development research just for you and I consider baking this recipe as the best way.
Quip of the Day:  Q. What happened after an explosion at a French cheese factory? A: All that was left was de Brie.
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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, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

#Baking #HorsDd'Oeuvres #HolidayRecipes #2024Recipes #BrieEnCroute #Brie #BakedBrie #PuffPastry #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
 
                                                                               ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024

How 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

1. In a large bowl, mix the sour cream together with the dip mix until well-blended.
2. Fold in the drained and chopped spinach and water chestnuts.
3. Chill covered for 1 hour before serving.
4. Serve with the dippables of choice.

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.
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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, 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

How you doin’? It’s that time of year: we’re all thinking about football and chicken wings. Even people who don’t know a goal post from an Instagram post are pondering how delicious a platter of spicy chicken wings and rich blue cheese dip would be just about now. If you’re with us, but you don’t really have the inclination to get into deep-frying, here’s some great news: This recipe delivers all the crispiness of your favorite restaurant wings, but there’s no frying involved. Instead, we give them a long, slow oven bake.
 
The secret, believe it or not, is to coat the wings in baking powder, which creates a crunchy exterior that perfectly mimics what a deep-fry delivers. The oven setting plays an important role as well. Baking on very low heat for the first half hour allows the skin to crisp up. In the second half hour, we turn the oven up, slather on the Buffalo sauce—buttery, tangy and full of spice—and let the crispy-crusty exterior develop, just like it would in a deep fryer.
 
Of course, as much as a platter of chicken wings is about the meat, it’s also about the blue cheese dressing. Ours is made with blue cheese crumbles, mayo, sour cream, buttermilk and just a splash of white wine vinegar. It’s super creamy and tangy—with just exactly enough mild blue cheese flavor. There’s a little garlic and parsley in there too, and we like how they balance out all the rich flavors. This is a recipe to keep around… it's light like a blue cheese dressing and perfect for dipping and tossing.
 
In fact, this whole recipe set is a keeper. It’s quick and easy, and there’s hardly any clean up — and yet it is a guaranteed game day win. You can make the sauce and dressing ahead of time, then put the wings in the oven at the start of the big game. By halftime, you’ll be ready to roll.
 
Our tip: If you manage to have any leftovers of the blue cheese dressing, there are so many ways you can use it in the days ahead, including as a topping for baked potatoes, in place of mayo in sandwiches and wraps, or mixed into your next batch of just-for-grownups mac and cheese.
 
Prep time:  5 minutes
Cook time:  1 hour
Yield:  6 servings
 
Ingredients 
For the wings
4 pounds chicken wings and drumettes
5 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
 
For the sauce
4 tablespoons melted margarine
1/2 cup Frank’s RedHot Original sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
 
Directions
To make the wings

1. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel.
2. Preheat the oven to 250°F and place one oven rack in the top quarter of the oven and one in the bottom quarter.
3. Line a rimmed sheet pan with foil and set a cooling rack on top of it.
4. In a large plastic Ziploc bag, shake the wings with the baking powder, tossing to evenly distribute the baking powder.
5. Transfer the wings to the sheet pan and bake on the lower rack for 30 minutes.

While the wings are baking…
To make the Buffalo sauce

1. In a small saucepan, whisk together the melted butter, hot sauce, brown sugar and salt.
2. Bring to medium heat and whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Keep warm.

To finish the wings

1. Move the wings to the higher rack and turn the oven up to 425° F. Bake for 30 minutes more, or until golden brown and very crispy.
2. Toss the wings in the Buffalo sauce and serve immediately with a side Blue Cheese Dip (see below).

 
                                          Blue Cheese Dip
Prep time:  10 minutes
Yield:  2 cups
 
Ingredients 
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper or to taste
 
Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, blue cheese, vinegar, parsley and garlic powder until incorporated and smooth.
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

ChefSecret:  This is the original Anchor Bar recipe. Don’t take shortcuts. There is no substitute for Franks Original. Do not use Franks Wing Sauce; it’s not the same. Only use margarine—do not use butter. Margarine works best and will not separate.

Quip of the Day:  Q. What do Native Americans call a buffalo that can fly? A. Buffalo Wild Wings.
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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, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

#Appetizer #Snack #Chicken #BuffaloWings #ChickenWings #AirFryer #AnchorBar #FranksRedHotOriginal#Dinner #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup   
                                                                                ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024

How you doin’? Do you ever wonder how certain foods were discovered? For example, the person who tried to eat an egg for the first time.  Can you imagine… “that chicken just pooped that white thing out of its hind end… and I think I want to eat it.” Or what about honey or mushrooms? And then there’s “blue cheese. Who would have been brave enough to gobble down a fist full of moldy milk? Well, someone had to be the first.
 
So, what’s the big deal about blue cheeses?  In the realm of cheesemaking, there are few varieties as distinctive and intriguing as blue cheese. With the characteristic veins of blue-green mold, pungent aroma, and sharp, salty flavor, it has captivated cheese enthusiasts for centuries. But how did this unique delicacy come to be?
 
The exact origins of blue cheese are shrouded in mystery, but one widely accepted theory traces its roots back to ancient times. It is believed that cheesemakers in caves accidentally introduced mold spores into their cheeses during the aging process. These spores, likely from the genus Penicillium, found a hospitable environment within the cheese and began to grow, creating distinctive blue-green veins and imparting a unique sharp flavor profile.
 
Initially, the presence of mold in cheese was considered a defect, and such cheeses were often discarded. However, over time, some cheesemakers began to recognize the unique qualities of these “moldy” cheeses and intentionally introduced mold spores into their products.
 
Today, there exists a wide variety of blue cheeses, each with its own unique flavor profile and characteristics. Some of the most famous and beloved blue cheeses include:

• Roquefort: This French cheese, produced in the Roquefort-sur-Soulzon region, is considered one of the oldest and most renowned blue cheeses. It is characterized by its sharp, salty flavor and crumbly texture.
• Gorgonzola: Originating from Italy, Gorgonzola is known for its creamy texture and mild, buttery flavor. It is often used in cooking and as a table cheese.
• Stilton: This English blue cheese is known for its rich, complex flavor and distinct blue veins. It is often paired with port wine or served as a dessert cheese.
• Cabrales: Hailing from Spain, Cabrales is a pungent and flavorful blue cheese made from cow’s milk and goat’s milk. It is often aged in caves and has a slightly smoky flavor.
• Blue Cheese: from the Americas has become a versatile ingredient in various culinary creations. Its sharp, salty flavor and creamy texture add a distinct dimension to dishes ranging from salads and pasta to soups and sauces. It is also a popular choice for cheeseboards and as a dessert cheese, often paired with sweet accompaniments like honey or fruit.

In addition to its culinary appeal, blue cheeses may also offer certain health benefits. It is a good source of calcium, protein, and vitamins, and some studies have suggested that the mold cultures in blue cheese may have probiotic properties, potentially benefiting gut health. However, it is important to consume blue cheese in moderation due to its high fat and sodium content.
 
Just like wine, the terroir, or the specific environment in which blue cheese is produced, plays a significant role in shaping its flavor and characteristics. Factors such as the climate, the type of milk used, and the aging conditions all contribute to the unique flavor profile of each blue cheese.
 
For the most part, I like to spread room temperature blue cheeses on crackers. But, when I have the time, I like to make crackers with blue cheeses. Here is my Roquefort Cracker with a Kick where the blue cheese is the major ingredient.
 
Prep time:  25 minutes
Chill time:  12 hours
Bake time:  8 minutes per batch
Yield:  60 small crackers
 
Ingredients 
1/4 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 pound of Roquefort cheese, room temperature
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (a little less to decrease the kick)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons black poppy seeds (optional)
 
Directions

1. Using an electric stand mixer beat the butter and cheese together.
2. Add the flour and the cayenne.  Beat until smooth.
3. Divide the dough into two equally sized pieces, then shape each one into a log (for 60 crackers, aim for 1½ inches wide) and wrap with wax paper.
4. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
5. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400˚ F.
6. Using a sharp knife, slice off quarter-inch thick rounds from the chilled logs.
7. Place the crackers on a baking sheet, sprinkle with poppy seeds (if using), and bake for 8 minutes, or until light brown around the edges.
8. Cool completely on a rack before eating or storing in an airtight container.

ChefSecret:  The key to a successful batch of Roquefort Crackers is room-temperature ingredients—both the blue cheese and the butter should be soft and warm—cold dairy won’t mix well.

Quip of the Day: My friend told me he hated blue cheese because it's literally just cheese with bacteria. I told him to stop discriminating against other cultures.
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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, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

#Appetizer #Snacks #Crackers #HomemadeCrackers #RoquefortCrackers #BlueCheese #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
 
                                                                  ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024