How you doin’? Every time I think of King Ranch Chicken (KRC), it reminds me of an old TV series, Sky King. That series sparked my fascination with planes, leading to my learning to fly. I would dream of having my own Twin King Air, flying through the clouds to my ranch in Texas, Oklahoma or Montana. It was a child’s wonderful dream and it came true!... not with a King Air but an Aero Commander years later. The fact is I never felt freer than when I was piloting my own plane up in the wild blue yonder. Cute story. Of course, King Ranch Chicken has nothing to do the with Sky King. It’s just one of those associations in my mind.
 
KRC is a classic American casserole that many remember as one of the best meals from their childhood. It’s chicken and peppers layered with tortillas and cheese—lots of cheese.  Although the exact origin of King Ranch Chicken is somewhat of a mystery, one thing is certain, whoever created this American classic had a pretty good idea of what they were doing. It is made with readily available ingredients and is a fantastic way to use leftover chicken. It consists of layers of smoked, grilled or roasted chicken, roasted or grilled peppers, and toasted corn tortillas, all smothered in cheese and sour cream, then baked until bubbly and golden brown.
 
It’s an easy, make-ahead, take-it-anywhere type of casserole. Some people use a concentrated canned soup as a base in their recipe, which very well may be the original—I don’t. My King Ranch Chicken is from scratch and is much healthier and fresher tasting. It takes me only 35 minutes for all the cutting and sautéing, 10 minutes for assembly and about 30 to 35 minutes in the oven (while I enjoy a couple of fingers of Bourbon and Branch—that’s a cocktail in “western speak”). A little effort, but worth it. It’s the type of meal that your stomach tells you to stop eating, while your brain keeps telling you to go back for seconds.
 
Prep time:  35 minutes
Assembly time:  10 minutes
Bake time:  30 to 35 minutes
Yield:  Serves 8 to 12
 
Ingredients
A couple of spritzes of Pam non-stick cooking spray
6 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups chopped red or yellow onions
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped poblano pepper (about 2 medium peppers)
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, seamed and chopped
3 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1-3/4 cups chicken stock
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained (Ro-tel is great)
1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped, plus more for garnish
1-1/2 cups sour cream
5 cups cooked chicken meat, coarsely chopped or shredded
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
18 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/4 cup vegetable oil, for grilling the tortillas
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with Pam.
2. Heat the oil or the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper, poblano pepper, and jalapeño pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until tender and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper; cook, stirring, for 1 minute longer.
4. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetable mixture and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
5. Still stirring constantly, slowly stir in the stock and bring to a boil. Boil until the mixture thickens; 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
6. Add the tomatoes and sour cream to the skillet and stir to combine.
7. Add the chicken and cilantro and stir again until mixed.
8. Mix the two cheeses in a small bowl.
9. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
10. Lightly brush both sides of the tortillas with oil and toast them on both sides until they start to brown. Flip them once, about 1 minute per side. It’s best to just toast a couple at a time so they don’t burn on the hot skillet, until lightly browned and crisp.
11. Cover the bottom of the prepared baking dish with 6 tosated tortillas, overlapping the tortillas slightly. Top with 1/2 of the chicken mixture and 1/3 of the cheese mixture. Repeat the layers once, adding 6 more tortillas and the remaining chicken mixture and 1/2 the remaining cheeses. Top with the remaining tortillas and cheese.
12. Lightly coat a sheet of aluminum foil with Pam spray release and cover the baking dish, placing the coated side down.
13. Bake the casserole for 20 minutes.
14. Uncover the casserole and continue to bake until bubbly and lightly browned on top, 10 to 15 more minutes.
15. Let the casserole stand 10 minutes to cool slightly and then sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

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ChefSecret:  One of the best things about casseroles (aside from their yummy taste) is that you can just slide the baking dish into the oven and forget about it while it cooks—no tending required. The preparation must be done before you get to that point of just effortlessly sliding it into the oven, and my King Ranch Chicken recipe is no exception.
 
Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “Half of us going to come out of this pandemic as amazing cooks. The other half will come out overweight with drinking problem.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  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—that’s the American way.  If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entree #Casserole #KingRanchChicken #Chicken #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica

                                             ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, Inc. 2020

How you doin’? California is an amazing food innovation factory. It is where Ralph Rubio first introduced Southern Californians to Fish Tacos; where a Chinese lady, with some strange hardware, invented the fortune cookie; where the first theme restaurants were introduced in the late 1960’s; and where taquitos, as they now exist, are claimed to have been invented in San Diego, California, by Ralph Pesqueria, Jr.

It was a way to bring foods to home and work when customers at his tortilla factory began asking for prepared food items to take across the street at the Consolidated Aircraft Company factory as a portable lunch to help the war effort.  Pesqueria used a recipe developed by his grandmother, who claimed credit for introducing the word "taquito" for the dish. The tortilla factory became El Indio Restaurant, where taquitos and other Mexican food are still served today.

But history—especially food history—can be cruel and fickle. The taquito, or small taco, was first referred to in the 1917 Preliminary Glossary of New Mexico Spanish, with the word noted as a "Mexicanism" used in New Mexico. The modern definition of a taquito as a rolled-tortilla dish was given in 1929 in a book of stories of Mexican people in the United States where the dish was noted as a particularly popular offering at railroad stations. Taquitos were referred to, without definition, in a 1932 issue of the Los Angeles School Journal.
 
A Los Angeles restaurant is also often given credit for their role in the early development of the taquito. Cielito Lindo was founded by Aurora Guerrero in 1934 and located on Olvera Street in Los Angeles (a great tourist destination in downtown Los Angeles—the original pueblo of the City of Angels). Guerrero's daughter used her taquito recipe in opening chain restaurants in Los Angeles and soon competitors were selling similar dishes. Even Van de Kamp's (another innovative bakery and food company in California) introduced a successful frozen taquito offering by 1976.
 
Crispy fried taquitos are served with several toppings and sides that include cabbage, crema (Mexican sour cream), guacamole, green chili or red chili, salsa and a crumbled Mexican cheese such as queso fresco.
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Cook time:  30 minutes
Yield:  6 servings
 
Ingredients
1 cup water
1-pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3-1/2 cups vegetable oil (such as Crisco®), divided
1 cup finely chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup minced green onion tops
6 tablespoons chicken broth
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 (6 inch) corn tortillas
12 wooden picks
1 cup shredded lettuce, or to taste
1/2 cup guacamole, or to taste
 
Directions

1. Bring water to a simmer in a skillet over medium heat; add chicken. Cover skillet and cook until chicken is no longer pink in the center, 20 to 25 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165⁰F. Remove chicken from water and cool; shred with a fork.
2. In a dry skillet, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium heat; cook and stir chicken, tomatoes, green onion tops, chicken broth, flour, garlic, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and salt until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Heat remaining vegetable oil in a heavy 10-inch skillet over medium heat; carefully dip tortillas in the hot oil to soften, about 1 minute. Remove tortillas with tongs and drain on paper towels, reserving oil. Heat oil to 375°F (190°C).
4. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Tightly roll each tortilla around the filling and secure with a wooden toothpick.
5. Fry rolled-up tortillas, working in batches, in hot oil until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove taquitos with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve taquitos on a bed of shredded lettuce with guacamole on the side.

 
ChefSecret:  Use a thermometer, to make sure the oil temperature is at 375⁰F to prevent taquitos from getting greasy.
 
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Covid-19 Quip of the Day: When does season two if 2020 start? I don’t like season one.
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  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.

#Taquitos #OlveraStreet #Rubios #ElIndio #VanDeKamps #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica

                                                ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, Inc. 2020

How you doin”? Do you get cravings? I do… especially when someone tells me I can’t eat something; then the only thing I can think of is the “forbidden” food. Tell me I can’t have a doughnut and I will be thinking about doughnuts the rest of the day or until I can satisfy my cravings.  Who am I kidding? I think about doughnuts a lot anyway!
 
While I usually eat pretty healthfully, there are certain mall food court foods that I crave occasionally. One such Asian dish is the Orange Chicken from Panda Express. At China Rose (my restaurant in Dallas) we had a killer Orange Chicken. So here is a mixed hack that will satisfy your strongest food court craving for Cantonese Orange Chicken.

Orange chicken is a classic American dish with a “Chinese Accent.” It didn’t start out to have that distinctive crisp crunch and citrus flavor. In the 1800s, future Chinese railroad workers immigrated to America seeking better opportunities. At the time, their homeland was ravaged from a rebellion with an unstable economy. Their home cuisine had some sweet elements to it, but overall was simply made with lots of vegetables and very little meat stir-fried and served with rice.
 
The original “Orange Chicken” (actually, tangerine chicken) didn’t have any breading. The sauce was made of leftover citrus peels cooked with salty soy sauce, chilis and garlic. The sauce had a citrus element, but it wasn’t as intense or sweet as we think of Orange Chicken today. Similarly, Chow Mein, General Tso's Chicken and Orange Chicken are Americanized mutations of savory and sweet and sour dishes that were found in China. As a side note, the worst Sweet and Sour Chicken I ever had was in Beijing in the late 1970’s.
 
My Orange Chicken recipe hits all the craving buttons… it’s crispy, tangy, and sweet with plenty of sticky sauce to go over the rice.
 
                                         You will need a deep fryer thermometer for this recipe
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Fry time:  7 to 8 minutes
Stir-fry time:  2 to 3 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
 
Ingredients
For the sauce
1/3 cup oyster sauce (I prefer Lee Kum Kee)
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, defrosted
1/2 cup sugar
3 ounces white vinegar
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce (Kikkoman—the green cap)
1 tablespoon Aji-Mirin sweet cooking rice wine (Kikkoman) or sherry
1/2 tablespoon ground paprika
1/2 tablespoon minced ginger
5 tablespoons minced or pressed garlic
1 tablespoon cornstarch whisked together with 1 tablespoon water
 
For the chicken
1-1/2 quarts plus 2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided (vegetable oil can be substituted)
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
2/3 cup ice cold water
2 cups chestnut flour (found in Asian stores sometimes labeled chestnut starch)
1/2 medium onion, diced
4 scallions… white bottoms cut into 2-inch pieces; green tops cut into slivered rings for garnish
White sesame seeds for garnish
1/4” sliced Orange wheels for garnish
 
Directions

1. In a small saucepan, add all the sauce ingredients and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. As it begins to simmer, whisk and cook until it thickens. Set aside. 
2. In a wok, deep fryer, or 4-quart saucepan, bring 1-1/2 quarts of oil to 375⁰ F.
3. Mix 1 cup of the chestnut flour together with the ice-cold water to create a batter.
4. Dredge the chicken pieces in the dry chestnut flour and then lightly roll them in the batter. Shake off any excess batter and flour.
5. Deep fry the chicken in two batches until golden brown, about 7 to 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels. 
6. Heat a wok or large skillet on high and add the 2 remaining tablespoons of oil.
7. When the oil is shimmering, add the chicken, onion, and scallion bottoms and cook for 30 seconds. 
8. Add the sauce and stir to coat all the chicken and onions.
9. Simmer for about 2 minutes while gently tossing the chicken and sauce in the pan.
10. Serve over white rice and garnish with green onion circles, white sesame seeds and orange wheels.

ChefSecret:  

• My recipe calls for chestnut flour; if need be, you can substitute packaged tempura flour.
• You can make your own coating flour by combining 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons rice flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1 teaspoon baking powder. 
• Not quite as good, but still serviceable—if you want to skip frying your own chicken nuggets, stop at McDonalds on the way home to buy some Chicken McNuggets (KFC or Popeye’s nuggets or tenders can work as well) or use frozen chicken nuggets from the supermarket.

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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  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—that’s the American way.  If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entree #Chicken #StirFry #OrangeChicken #CantoneseOrangeChicken #PandaExpress #LeeKumKee #GeneralTsosChicken #TangerineChicken #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica

                                      © PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020

How you doin’? How would you like to spend a weekend in India? Oops, so sorry that kind of travel is impossible during the worldwide pandemic. But here is the next best thing… my Instant Pot Peanut Chicken Curry recipe.
 
There are so many bad curries out there (almost as many as crappy Indian restaurants). Some recipes are lacking in the layers of flavors leaving a non-descript curry flavor; others are so overpowering it’s like licking the cap of the spice bottle. Some recipes just use a mono-flavored curry powder that doesn’t bring out the layering of a mix of spice and herbs. A good curry should have many different spices, i.e. turmeric, coriander, cumin, garlic, black pepper, fenugreek, cinnamon, fennel, nutmeg, white pepper, cayenne, cilantro, cloves, cardamom and ginger.
 
There are some recipes that suggest that you put your final curry over a bed of rice. They don’t tell you what kind of rice to use. Please don’t use Uncle Ben’s—that’s okay for some things. For this recipe, use a good long-grain rice with a slightly floral aroma and a soft, sticky texture, like Jasmine or Basmati rice. Plan your cook time accordingly so you can rinse and soak the rice for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
 
Prep time:  35 minutes
Cook time:  30 minutes / rice and curry can cook concurrently
Yield:  4 to 6 servings
 
Ingredients
 
For the rice
2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed and soaked
 
For the curry
4 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
1-pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1” cubes
1 cup yellow onion, minced
3 small Yukon gold potatoes, diced into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2-1/2 tablespoons curry powder (I prefer Penzeys’ Curry Powder)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
1 10-oz. can Ro-Tel dice tomatoes and green chilies
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 14-oz. can coconut milk
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar packed
5 oz. spinach, room temperature (thawed and drained, if frozen)
For the garnish
6 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts
6 tablespoons toasted sweetened coconut
6 tablespoons mango chutney
 
Directions
To make the rice

1. Cook the rice according to the package instructions. 

To make the curry

1. Set an Instant Pot to SAUTÉ.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of the peanut oil over medium heat; add the chicken, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
3. Add the onion and potatoes and sauté until the onions begins to soften, about 4 to 5 minutes. 
4. Add the remaining tablespoon of peanut oil, ginger, garlic, coriander, curry powder, and red pepper flakes. Stir and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
5. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
6. Add back the chicken and stir to coat the chicken in spices.
7. Add the Ro-Tel with juices and stir to scrape up any of the bits of chicken or spices stuck to the bottom of the pot to deglaze. 
8. Add the peanut butter, coconut milk, lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar—stir well.
9. CANCEL SAUTÉ and put the lid on the Instant Pot making sure to close the vent.
10. Set the Instant Pot to PRESSURE for 25 MINUTES.
11. Do a NATURAL RELEASE for 10 MINUTES and then fully vent the Instant Pot.
12. Open the lid and add the spinach and stir to fully bend.
13. Serve the chicken curry piping hot on a bed of rice.
14. Garnish with chopped peanuts, coconut flakes and mango chutney on the side.

ChefSecret: 

• In dishes like this I often use chicken thighs because they have a little more flavor and do not dry out when reheated. If using chicken thighs increase the amount to 1-1/2-pounds.
• If you like your curry a little spicier, sparingly add cayenne pepper—a little at a time—until you get the heat level you prefer.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “Just wait a second—so you’re telling me that my chance of surviving all this is directly linked to the common sense of others?”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  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, be kind and always give thanks to our many first responders on the front line who risk their lives for us. If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#InstantPot #ChickenCurry #InstantPotCurry #Entrees #Peanuts #NationalPeanutBoard #NPB #JasmineRice  #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica

                                               ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, Inc. 2020

How you doin’? What does summer mean to you? The one thing I miss the most is not being allowed to have an outdoor grill (not permitted in a high-rise condo). However, I received a Phillips indoor smokeless grill for my birthday, so all is not lost. While it is not completely the same it is the next best thing. The grill only takes about 5 minutes to heat up to its 450⁰F. Better yet, it only takes about the same amount of time to clean up.
 
Grilled Margarita Chicken takes a certain amount of planning to allow for 5 hours minimum marinade time, or you can get started on the marinade the night before, put it in the frig and forget it. I purchase chicken breasts or thighs with the skin on to protect the tender nature of the meat. When grilling start with the skin-side down toward the heat.
 
Margarita Grilled Chicken has the fantastic flavor of tequila cooked into the chicken with subtle hints of sweetness and a little kick from the jalapeño. The gang is all here in this flavor profile…Tequila, lime, and orange all come together to create the best ever Margarita Chicken. This is one recipe you have to try!
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Marinade time:  5 hours or overnight
Grill time:  15 minutes
Yield:  6 servings
 
Ingredients
2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons coarse black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion salt
1 teaspoon jalapeño
1/2 cup margarita mix (the bottled stuff)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup tequila
1/4 cup triple sec
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup light olive oil
6 skin-on, boneless split chicken breasts
 
Directions

1. Place the cilantro, pepper, garlic powder and onion salt in a blender jar.
2. Pour in the margarita mix, lime juice, orange juice, tequila, triple sec and honey. Puree on high until smooth, then reduce speed to medium-low, and slowly add the olive oil, blend until creamy.
3. Place the chicken breasts in a Ziploc bag or glass bowl; pour the marinade overtop and toss to coat. Refrigerate to marinate for 5 hours.
4. Preheat an indoor grill (or outdoor BBQ, if you’ve got one) and lightly oil the grates.
5. Remove chicken from the marinade, shake off excess marinade. Discard the remaining marinade—Do Not Reuse.
6. Grill the chicken until tender and juices run clear, approximately 7 minutes per side (internal temperature at a minimum of 165⁰F).
   

ChefSecret: 

• While this recipe calls for 6 split chicken breasts, you can substitute with 12 skin-on, boneless chicken thigh.
  
• Be sure to add the olive oil last, allowing the herbs and spices a chance to blossom.

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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  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. If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America.  Thanks for reading,

#GrilledChicken #MargaritaChicken #PhilipsSmokelessIndoorGrill #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica

                                              ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, Inc. 2020