…from the Pillsbury Bake-Off Awards![]() How you doin’? Well, it’s almost Super Bowl time, again, and once again I am loser. Most of my favorite teams are not going to Arizona. My Rams—losers, Chargers—Losers, Packers—losers, Raiders—losers. As of this writing, I still have one lone horse in the race—the 49er’s. Actually, I find it unbelievable that the Super Bowl winner from last year (Los Angeles Rams) couldn’t even make to the playoff, so they can all go stuff it! Am I bitter? Maybe a little bit. Actually, that’s not a bad idea. I’m going to celebrate my Stuff It attitude with this Pillsbury Bake-Off Winning Recipe for Cheese & Meat-Stuffed Appetizer Bread and serve it at my Super Bowl party. Your sports fans will like it, too! Prep time: 30 minutes Bake time: 26 to 30 minutes Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes Yield: 8 servings Ingredients 1 can (11 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated French bread 4 ounces Irish white Cheddar cheese, cut into thin slices 4 ounces sliced hard salami, cut into thin slices 4 ounces goat (chèvre) cheese, crumbled 2 tablespoons sliced almonds 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt 1 cup stemmed arugula leaves 1 cup fig preserves 1 package (6 oz) dried apricots, halved Directions
ChefSecret: I dress my serving platter with green and black olives, carrot and celery sticks, grapes and whatever else dresses up my presentation. Quip of the Day: “What did the pencil sharpener say to the pencil? Stop going in circles and get to the point!" ------------------------------------------- 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 and/or American Red Cross. #Snacks #Appetizers #Cheese-MeatStuffedAppetizerBread #PillsburyBakeOff #SuperBowlParty #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023
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…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen![]() How you doin’? Char Siu Bao Dim Sum Pork Buns were best-selling dim sum food at my China Rose restaurant. Little wonder why… just look at these beautiful little buns. I make these with Chinese barbecued pork filling with lots of seasoning and spices—it is utterly delicious and the perfect bite. Baos are made with a simple steamed yeasted dough that creates a soft and pillowy texture. If you’ve never tasted one, it’s a bit like eating a cloud. Remember to temper the buns in the steamer basket for five minutes after they’ve steamed, which keeps them from cooling too quickly and deflating. Ed’s Comment: This is a complex recipe—it is fairly easy but daunting just the same. You would be forgiven to just read it and see how much effort goes into the restaurant dim sum that looks so easy when the cart comes to your table. If you’ve got some time on a rainy day, give it a try. Prep time: 10 minutes Marinade time: 8 hours or overnight Cook time: 50 minutes Yield: 16 buns (with leftover pork for a great stir fried rice) Ingredients For the char siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder/pork butt (select a piece with some good fat on it) 1/4 cup granulated sugar 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce 2 teaspoons molasses 1/8 teaspoon red food coloring (optional) 4 tablespoons finely minced garlic Water for the roasting pan 2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon hot water Directions
Ingredients For the char siu filling 1/3 cup water 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce 1 teaspoon rice wine 1 tablespoon oyster sauce 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water 8 ounces diced char siu (use the recipe above) Directions
Steamed Buns (Baos) Ingredients For the bao dough 3/4 cup warm water (about 110⁰ F) 1 teaspoon instant yeast 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/8 teaspoon baking soda 1 tablespoon vegetable oil Non-stick cooking spray as needed Chili oil, for serving You will need a steamer (bamboo steamer or steamer insert for your double boiler (with at least 2 steam trays) and 2 parchment liners. Directions To make the dough
ChefSecret: If not using all 16 buns, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Quip of the Day: “Life should be more like dim sum. We should all learn to get Oolong.” ------------------------------------------- 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 and/or American Red Cross. #Snacks #Appetizers #DimSum #CharSiuBao #ChinaRose #ChineseFood #PorkBuns #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen ![]() How you doin’? Leon Askin invited me over for a Hanukkah dinner. I had just designed a theatre production of Jacob’s Ladder that he directed. He promised me a good roasted brisket and the best potato latkes (potato pancakes) I ever would taste. Leon was an Austrian-Jewish actor best known in North America for portraying the character General Burkhalter on the TV situation comedy Hogan's Heroes. I enjoy the flavor of potato latkes that are made with potatoes and both green and yellow onions—sweet, lightly pungent, and savory—that never fail. They also have a wonderful soft and crispy texture. Potato latkes are traditionally served with applesauce, but the fully loaded version goes a little overboard with crème fraîche, lox, salmon caviar and chives. The toppings are usually set on the table to let the guests and family build their own latkes with promises that all will be delighted. Just what is Hanukkah? It is a Jewish festival commemorating the recovery of Jerusalem and subsequent rededication of the Second Temple at the beginning of the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid Empire in the 2nd century BCE. I hope I got that right. The festival lasts for eight nights and days, and is observed by lighting the candles of a menorah. Each night, an additional candle is lit until all eight candles are lit together on the final night of the festival. Hanukkah has attained major cultural significance in North America and elsewhere, especially among secular Jews, as it often occurs around the same time as Christmas during the holiday season giving license to celebrate with great food and gift giving. So, let’s celebrate together with Leon’s ever popular potato latke recipe. Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 5 to 7 minutes Yield: 5 servings Ingredients 1 cup coarsely shredded yellow onion 2-1/2 pounds russet baking potatoes, peeled and coarsely shredded 2 large beaten eggs 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions (tops and bottoms) 1/4 cup matzo meal (or all-purpose flour) 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, cooled slightly 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon baking powder Vegetable oil, for flat frying Applesauce, crème fraîche, lox, salmon caviar, and chives, for garnish Directions
Quip of the Day: Three high rise construction workers were sitting on top of a high rise eating lunch. The first builder opens up his lunch pail and says, "if I get a turkey sandwich one more time, I'm gonna jump off this building and kill myself". The second builder opens up his lunch box and says, “if I get a polish sausage again, I'll join you and jump off this building and kill myself." The third worker opens his lunch box and says, “if I get potato pancakes again, I'll join you two and kill myself as well.” The next day at lunch the first worker opens his lunch box shows the other guys a turkey sandwich and jumps and kills himself. The second worker opens his lunchbox, shows the remaining worker his polish sausage and jumps off the building and kills himself. The third worker opens his lunch and sees that it’s potato pancakes again, he throws the lunchbox off the building and jumps off and kills himself. About a week later at one of the funerals the wife of the first worker says, "God had I known he wanted something other than a turkey sandwich, I would have made him something else!" The wife of the second worker says, "Oh me too, had I known he had grown tired of polish sausage I could have made him anything else!" The third wife says, "Stupid jerk, he always made his own lunch." ------------------------------------------- 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 and/or American Red Cross. #Entrees #PotatoLatkes #HanukkahRecipe #Latkes #LeonAskin #GeneralBurkhalter #HogansHeroes #Holidays2022 #2022Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen![]() How you doin’? These grilled Buffalo wings are a little bit of NFL (or MLB) heaven. They’re saucy, savory, salty, spicy—everything required of a good chicken wing. Better yet, they’re a little smoky ‘cause we cook ‘em on the grill. You’ll get that satisfying, finger-licking goodness of eating wings without any of the messy (or smelly) deep-fried stuff. And they’re coated in the perfect amount of jazzed-up Buffalo sauce. The sauce is a piquant combination of margarine, garlic, cayenne pepper, balsamic vinegar and Frank’s RedHot Sauce. It’s spicy, but not too spicy and you’ll love the punch of the vinegar and garlic. To balance out all that bold flavor, we toss the sauced-up wings in nutty Parmesan—which melts into creamy little crumbles on the hot wings—as well as fresh parsley for a pop of green, herbaceous flavor. These Buffalo wings are a great appetizer for everything from backyard ‘cues to game day spreads. Our favorite way to eat them is with a cold, frothy golden ale in one hand and a home-team foam finger on the other… though it does make holding the wings a bit tricky! Also, more than acceptable: serving them for dinner any night with a side of creamy coleslaw, green salad or corn on the cob. Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 20 to 24 minutes Yield: 2 to 4 servings Ingredients 2 pounds fresh chicken wings 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 teaspoons olive oil 1/2 stick margarine (not butter—see ChefSecret below) 2-1/2 tablespoons minced garlic 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 1/2 cup Frank’s RedHot Original Sauce (not wing sauce) 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon minced parsley Directions
ChefSecret: When grilling the wings, I like to add an extra step by brushing them with a little bit of sauce to add some color and depth of flavor. I prefer the taste of margarine when paired with Frank’s Hot Sauce. You can use butter if that’s all you have available. Quip of the Day: Only in math problems can you buy 60 cantaloupes, and no one asks, "What the hell is wrong with you?" ------------------------------------------- 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 and/or American Red Cross. #Entree #Chicken #GrilledBuffaloChickenWings #ChickenWings #NFL #MLB #BuffaloChickenWings #2022 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022 …from the Perspectives' Kitchen![]() How you doin’? I think corn is my favorite spring and summer-time vegetable. It is so versatile allowing you to cook it or use it in so many ways. There’s the seasonally simple way to enjoy it as boiled or grilled corn-on-the-cob, or you can get a little more adventurous with my recipe for Corn Fritters. The taste and texture of these golden Corn Fritters are simply divine. They are a crispy and yet a little cakey, with pops of whole, crunchy corn kernels. They’re laced with slightly salty Parmesan cheese and chives—a nice savory contrast with the summery sweetness of the corn. Native Americans had been using ground corn (maize) for thousands of years before European explorers arrived in the Americas. Corn-based products, such as corn flatbread, arepa (corn dough baked breads) and traditional corn muffins were staple foods in Pre-Columbian Americas. Native Americans did not use deep frying techniques which require ample supplies of cooking oil as well as equipment in which the oil could be heated to high temperatures. European settlers learned the basic recipes and processes for corn dishes from the Native Americans, and soon devised their own cornmeal-based recipe variations of European breads made from grains available on that continent. The Corn Fritter probably was invented in the Southern United States, whose traditional cuisine contains a lot of deep-fried foods, none more famous perhaps than Southern fried chicken. Make a double batch of Corn Fritters if the kids are partaking or you’ve got friends coming over for a cocktail. Mini fritters make a fantastic appetizer. Big fritters will go with anything you serve for your summer BBQ. You can also serve Corn Fritters topped with a fried egg, bacon and real maple syrup for breakfast. To control waste, always try to utilize all your ingredients. You will have some leftover chipotle chiles in adobo sauce. You can either freeze the leftovers for later or put them to work right away. Recipes like Filipino chicken adobo, chipotle beef tacos, and red pork chili will use the remaining chipotle chiles left in the can. Prep time: 30 minutes Fry time: 4 to 6 minutes per batch Servings: 2 to 4 Ingredients For the chipotle aioli 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce) 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/8 teaspoon black pepper For the fritters 3 cups fresh corn kernels, from 3 to 6 ears, divided 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup finely minced chives, divided 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt (if needed, to taste) 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1/2 cup, plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided Directions To make the aioli
ChefSecret: If you live in an area where fresh corn is grown, go out to the field and do a farmer’s harvest fresh off the stalk. That will be the best tasting corn you will ever enjoy. Quip of the Day: I haven't gotten anything done today. I've been in the Produce Department trying to open this stupid plastic bag. ------------------------------------------- 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. #SideDish #Appetizers #SweetCorn #FreshCorn #Chipotle #Aioli #ChipotleAioli #Vegetables #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022 |
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