…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen![]() How you doin’? Instant Pot Mongolian Beef is a delicious dish made with flank steak with a dark flavorful sauce. The beef is tender, and the sauce is thick and rich… perfect to serve over rice. Legend has it that when the Mongol Empire was at its peak, almost 1,000 years ago, it was Genghis Khan and his army that gave us what we now know as Mongolian Beef. At the end of a long hard day of battle, the Mongols would make a large fire and use their shields as grills, as the Mongols believed that food should never be cooked directly on fire. With a freshly slaughtered cow or yak, they would use their swords to turn the meat and even eat with. They had brought along garlic and onions on their battles to help season and flavor the meat, along with a special sweet sauce that only the Mongols knew how to make. We know this is just a ‘legend’, but it’s a lot more fun than the actual truth behind Mongolian Beef (spoiler alert, it doesn’t come from Mongolia, neither does Mongolian BBQ). Regardless of the origin, it’s still one of the top selling dishes in Chinese restaurants. Mongolian beef is a dish from Taiwan consisting of sliced beef, commonly paired with scallions or mixed vegetables and is not particularly spicy. As noted above, Mongolian Beef is often served over steamed rice or in the US, over crispy fried cellophane noodles. It is one of those staple dishes in American Chinese restaurants. Despite its name, the dish has nothing to do with Mongolian cuisine. For some reason Mongolian beef is among the meat dishes developed in Taiwan where Mongolian barbecue restaurants first appeared… beef grilled over basins of charcoal or gas-fired grills. None of the ingredients or the preparation methods are drawn from traditional Mongolian cuisine but from basic Chinese-American cuisine. A variation—Mongolian lamb—substitutes the beef with lamb (same ingredients and prep and cooking times). Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes Yield: 6 servings Ingredients 3 tablespoons corn starch 2 pounds flank steak, cut across the grain in 1-inch wide strips 2 tablespoons cooking oil, canola, peanut, other neutral oil 8 cloves garlic, pressed 1 tablespoon ginger, minced (or 3 teaspoons powdered) 3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce 2 tablespoons rice wine (mirin), or sherry or rice wine vinegar 3 teaspoons toasted sesame oil 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, (or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper) 3/4 cup water, divided 5 green onions, chopped in 1-inch pieces 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds To thicken the sauce 2 tablespoons corn starch 2 tablespoons cold water Directions
ChefSecret: A lot of dishes in China had Mongolian in the name, but they were in no way related to Mongolian culture. So Mongolian beef is nothing more than a Taiwanese stir-fry! Quip of the Day: 不怕慢,就怕站 (bù pà màn, jiù pà zhàn) ------------------------------------------- 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. #Entrees #Dinner #MongolianBeef #Beef #FlankSteak #InstantPotMongolianBeef #InstantPot #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025
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…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen![]() How you doin’? What’s the perfect crowd pleasing dish for your Super Bowl party? Chili, of course! Firehouse Beef & Bean Chili is always at the top of my list when the weather cools. But even when the weather warms, I can always go for a big bowl of chili. My recipe lets the slow cooker do most of the work. Today most Instant Cookers have a slow-mode button, so you don’t have to go out and buy another piece of kitchen equipment. The slower the chili cooks, the heartier the chili is, and you can serve it so many different ways. Leftovers are never a problem, you can smother an omelet, ladle it on hot dogs or burgers, spoon it over baked potatoes or just pile it high in a bowl with toppings of you choosing. I highly recommend browning the beef in a skillet along with the onions and garlic before adding the meat to your slow cooker. The browning process amps up the savory flavors in the chili and gives the spices a chance to bloom, enhancing their flavor. If you don’t have time or don’t want to mess up a clean skillet, you don’t have to. The beef will cook fine in the slow cooker, and it will be completely safe to eat. You’ll miss out on the flavor from browning the beef, onions, garlic, and spices because caramelizing them a bit adds a huge amount of flavor to the chili, and you’ll be disappointed if you skip the step. If you want to get dinner ready before you leave for work, then set the slow cooker to low and let it simmer for 8 hours, and it will be perfect. When you walk in the door the aroma will knock your socks off. Or you start the chili in the afternoon, cook it on high heat, and have it ready in 3 to 4 hours. If you go with this method, stir the chili occasionally so it cooks evenly. When it comes to additions for your chili, you can go completely crazy with options — fried onion strings, minced raw white onions, Fritos, avocado, pimento cheese… even bacon! If you have the time, make some crispy corn strips to top your chili. I included the recipe below. Once you make them from scratch, you’ll be glad you did. If you’re pressed for time, store-bought corn tortilla chips work just fine! Personally, I like classic chili toppings, like cheese, sour cream, and chives. If you have leftover chili, you’re in luck! Chili is super versatile, and you can use it in so many ways. Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 7 to 8 hours Yield: 6 to 8 servings Ingredients For the chili 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 pounds ground beef (90/10) 1 cup diced white onion 6 tablespoons minced garlic 1 tablespoon cumin seeds 2 tablespoons mild chili powder 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder 1 cup Stout Beer (I prefer Guinness) or beef stock 1 (4.5-ounce) can green chiles 2 (15-ounce) cans drained and rinsed kidney beans 2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce 1 cup corn chips (I prefer Fritos for the nutty flavor) For the crispy tortillas strips garnish 4 corn tortillas, sliced into strips 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt For garnish 1/2 cup sour cream 1 cup grated cheese 4 tablespoons green onion tops or chopped chives Directions
ChefSecret: If you would like to substitute chunky steak, you can. Use round steak cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Brown the steak in a skillet seasoned with salt and pepper, just like the ground beef, and then proceed with the recipe as written. Quip of the Day: Why hasn’t someone figured out how to slow-cook grapes? Eight-hours later you’d have a bottle of wine. ------------------------------------------- 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. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. ------------------------------------------- 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. #Entrees #Chili #FirehouseBeef-BeanChili #SuperBowlChili #SuperBowlRecipe #SlowCooker #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen![]() How you doin’? Did you know the first night of Hanukkah falls on Christmas Day this year? So here is my less traditional festival of lights brisket recipe with a western touch. I’m the kind of guy who gets a hankerin’ for BBQ cooked any way at all at least twice a month. When I downsized from my house on the hill, I had to give up my huge Texas smoker. It was a sacrifice. Some of the barbecue restaurants here are hit and miss. If you’re like me, you'll love this irresistibly delicious beef brisket with smoky-spicy homemade barbecue sauce. This Instant Pot Beef Brisket can’t replace a good Texas-style barbecue smoked brisket, but it’s an awesome shortcut for a Hanukkah dinner. Give this oh-so-tender beef with some chew, bursting with moist and juicy beefy flavors a try. It has a signature super yummy smoky, sweet, savory, spicy homemade barbecue sauce that is so good you’ll think you’re in Texas! Prep time: 30 minutes Instant Pot cook time: 75 minutes (pressure cook time) + 15 minutes (release time) Cook time: 8 to 15 minutes (to thicken the sauce) Yield: 8 servings Ingredients 3 to 4 pounds beef brisket (2 inches thick with fat cap) For the dry rub 2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 teaspoons chili powder 2 teaspoons black pepper 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon cumin seed, ground 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, ground 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper For the barbecue sauce 1 medium onion, sliced 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup ketchup 1 tablespoon maple syrup 1 tablespoon honey 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1/2 cup unsalted beef stock or water 5 drops liquid smoke (I prefer Wrights) Finishing the sauce 1 cup ketchup 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon brown sugar Directions To make the dry rub
ChefSecret: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat, covered, in the microwave or a preheated oven at 350°F until hot all the way through. Quip of the Day: Q. Which hand is best to light the menorah with? A. Neither, it’s best to light it with a candle. Historical Note: Brisket was and is still used as a special cut of meat on Jewish holidays such as Hannukah, Shabbat, and Passover. The cut of beef was decided to be celebratory and important due to its location. Brisket is found in the cow's front breast, making it kosher for Jews to consume. ------------------------------------------- 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. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. ------------------------------------------- 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 #BeefBrisket #InstantPotBrisket #HanukkahRecipes #HolidayRecipes #Kosher-Style #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen![]() How you doin? Okay, this recipe isn’t going to win a beauty contest or even the front cover of Bon Appétit or even Mad magazine—but My Conglomeration Casserole (my mother’s name) might not be pretty, but it is tasty, great for a busy-night and a kid-friendly meal. The prep time is generally limited to how fast your can opener works and how hard it is to unwrap your meat. The big bonus is that it is a complete one-pot meal! The history of casseroles is long and detailed. The word "casserole" comes from the French word casse, which means "pan" or "ladle". Casseroles may have originated as communal pots shared for family meals. Early recipes involved pounding and pressing rice into a dish and filling it with a savory mixture and baking it. The oldest written casserole recipe is from 1250 and is for pasta sheets layered with cheese and spices—sounds a little like lasagna. Thomas Jefferson's daughter, Mary Randolph, prepared a pasta dish like a casserole that was served at the White House, no less. Casseroles became more popular due to the introduction of oven-proof cookware and canned and boxed foods. Casseroles were a simple, quick, and inexpensive way to feed a family. Recipes for casseroles began to appear on the backs of all kinds of food packaging. Casseroles are still popular today, with recipes and ingredients that vary by kitchen and even cuisine. Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Yield: 4 to 6 servings: Ingredients 1 pound lean ground beef (80/20) 1 (7.25 ounce) package macaroni and cheese mix 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice 1 cup whole milk 1 cup frozen peas 1 cup frozen corn 1 cup frozen diced carrots 1 teaspoon seasoned salt or to taste (I prefer Lawry’s) 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided Directions
ChefSecret: To make this recipe, I used Kraft-Macaroni and Cheese with the creamy cheese paste. Quip of the Day: My former wife’s idea of a surprise meal was to remove all the labels off the cans. ------------------------------------------- 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 #Casserole #GroundBeef #Veggies #OnePanDinner #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen![]() How you doin’? It’s going to be another big sports weekend coming up… World Series baseball, NFL football, NBA basketball, NHL hockey and the national sport of politics… it’s exhausting just thinking about it! You and your buddies are going to need some serious fortification to keep you going through all those games, and we’ve got just the thing… Firehouse Peanut Chili! That’s right, I said Peanut Chili. If you're a fan of chili, you know that this spicy dish comes in an almost-endless number of varieties. Just attend any chili cook-off and you'll be amazed at the versions you'll see. From mild to hot, chili can feature different types of peppers, meats, spices, noodles and even beans, or better yet, peanuts as in my version. But where exactly did this spicy dish first come into existence? Some would say that ancient man probably figured out how to combine meat and peppers into a tasty stew thousands of years ago. Myths and tall tales are not hard to find when it comes to the origin of chili. For example, one popular tale tells of a Spanish nun, Sister Mary of Agreda, who supernaturally appeared to Native Americans in the early 1600s and returned with the first recipe for chili: chili peppers, venison (deer meat), onions, and tomatoes. The modern dish we know as chili, also known as chili con carne (chili with meat), does appear to have roots in the American West, particularly the State of Texas. An old legend holds that immigrants from the Canary Islands brought a recipe for chili with them when they settled San Antonio in the early 1700s. Historians do know that chili was a popular meal amongst cowboys and pioneers on the Western frontier. In the 1880s, chili stands became popular in San Antonio. Women known as "chili queens" served "bowls o' red" to customers, and the fame of chili con carne began to spread across the country. The 1893 World's Fair in Chicago featured the dish at the San Antonio Chili Stand. Since that time, chili has become a popular dish all over the United States. Its association with Texas, however, remains quite strong. In fact, the Texas legislature named Chili the official state dish in 1977. Today, playful debates rage at chili cook-offs regarding which ingredients belong in "real" chili. For many Texans, a "bowl o' red" contains nothing more than chili peppers, meat, and spices. Midwestern versions often add beans and additional fat into the mix. It's not uncommon to find regional varieties of chili that also feature tomato sauce and/or pasta noodles. Chili cook-off attendees will often create their own unique version of chili by choosing specific ingredients they feel will create the most intense flavor. You'll find chilis with different types of meat, including beef, sausage, turkey, and venison. Vegetarian chilis are also popular, replacing the meat with a variety of flavorful vegetables. Chili chefs will also customize the spiciness of their chili by selecting a variety of chili peppers that they believe will give their chili the perfect amount of spice and heat. So, why not Chili con Peanuts! This is for real. U.S., southern-grown peanuts (instead of beans), Guinness Stout and cocoa powder come together with lots of flavor and spice in this new popular Firehouse Peanut Chili recipe. The peanuts are a perfect substitute for those old blaster beans. It's just the thing for meals at the fire station, tailgating fare before games or any time of year. Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: at least 3 hours (the longer it cooks the better it tastes) Yield: 5 quarts+ Ingredients 2 pounds raw peanuts (for soaking) 1 tablespoon peanut oil 1-1/2 pounds ground beef chuck 12 ounces spicy Mexican chorizo 2 cups chopped yellow onion 1 cup chopped celery 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped 2 red jalapeño chile peppers, seeded, seamed and chopped 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste 3 tablespoons beef stock concentrate (Better Than Bouillon) 1 22-ounce bottle Guinness Stout 1 cup water 4 6-inch tortillas chopped 1/8 cup chili powder 1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder 2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons Tabasco hot pepper sauce (or more if you like it hotter) 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more if you like it hotter) 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon granulated sugar Garnish 1 (10.5 ounce) bag corn chips (I prefer Fritos) 1 (8 ounce) packaged shredded Cheddar cheese 1 diced red onion Directions
ChefSecret: The tortillas serve as a thickener to help emulsify the chili. You can also thicken and add a toasty flavor to the chili by using Fritos Corn Chips which will give you a cornier flavor. Quip of the Day: "Never argue with stupid people. They will drag you down to their level and then beat you over the head with experience." ------------------------------------------- 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 #FirehousePeanutChili #Peanuts #NationalPeanutBoard #NPB #US-Peanuts #Guinness #Cocoa #Dinner #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024 |
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