…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen How you doin’? We’re well into back-to-school and NFL football, so it’s definitely time to pull out one of your kitchen’s most time-saving and effective appliances… the Instant Pot (or slow cooker).
Everyone loves a messy barbecued chicken sandwich, but they can take some time to make. Here’s an easy way to shave about 4 hours off the cook time. It’s just chicken breasts and a bunch of staples you probably have on hand — plus a simple but rather genius sauce. It begins with bottled barbeque sauce, then we pep it up with high-flavor additions like Worcestershire sauce, Italian dressing, and brown sugar. (Read: nothing you must make from scratch.) But there’s still room for creativity. Like things sweeter? Try a heavier hand with the brown sugar. Looking for a little spice tonight? Go ahead and layer on some red pepper flakes for an extra kick. Once the chicken is cooked and cooling, we add a cornstarch slurry to the simmering sauce, which makes it thick and glossy and just about irresistible. We like to pull this together on Sunday morning, after the brunch dishes have been cleared but before the rest of the day gets away from us. By dinnertime, it’s all ready to go. If you’re looking to round it out, we serve it with a coleslaw, for coolness and crunch. Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Yield: 8 servings Ingredients 3/4 cup barbecue sauce, plus more for serving (your favorite) 1/4 cup Italian dressing 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1/2 cup chicken stock 1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts 2 tablespoons cornstarch 2 tablespoons cold water Rolls, sliced in half and toasted, for serving Coleslaw, for serving Directions 1. In the inner pot of the Instant Pot, combine the barbecue sauce, Italian dressing, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and chicken broth. Stir well. 2. Place the chicken breasts into the Instant Pot. 3. Close the lid of the Instant Pot and make sure the release valve is closed. 4. Set the Instant Pot for HIGH PRESSURE for 30 MINUTES. 5. After the cook time, QUICK RELEASE the pressure at the pressure valve. 6. Transfer the chicken pieces to a cutting board, leaving the sauce in the Instant Pot. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken and set it aside. 7. Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE. 8. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water. Add the cornstarch mixture to the barbecue sauce, stir to combine and cook until the sauce is thickened and heated through, 5 TO 10 MINUTES. 9. Return the shredded chicken to the Instant Pot, stir to combine and continue to cook for 5 minutes. 10.Serve the chicken on a toasted roll, drizzled with additional barbecue sauce and topped with coleslaw. ChefSecret: Add 1 or 2 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar to the pot before cooking for a richer tasting barbecue sauce. Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “Why did the chicken marry the crocodile? Because crocodoodledoo is a great family name!” ------------------------------------------- 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. ------------------------------------------- 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. #Entrees #InstantPot #BBQPulledChickenSandwiches #BBQ #ChickenSandwich #ColeSlaw #2022 #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022
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… from the California Kitchen How you doin’? I love hearty soups especially during the colder months of winter—actually, any time. This recipe is a cross between a hearty soup and a white chili. I started out trying to make a white chili and just got carried away.
Soups are funny things… it’s really hard to make a bad soup. I always loved the story of the Russians Cossacks and Stone Soup. Stone Soup is a European folk tale in which hungry strangers with only two large stone convinced the people of a small town’s populous to each share a small amount of their food in order to enhance the flavor of their stone soup that everyone could enjoy. It exists as a moral regarding the value of sharing. So let me share my recipe of Creamy Spiced Chicken Soup with you—no stones required. It’s fragrant, excites your taste buds and warms the cockles of your heart. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and shredded pepper Jack cheese. Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes Simmer time: 2 hours Yield: 8 servings (can easily be cut in half) Ingredients 2 pounds roasted or rotisserie chicken, skinned and boned, pulled into large chunks 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup half-and-half 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup green chopped bell peppers 1 cup red chopped bell peppers, chopped 1/4 cup diced jalapeño peppers 2 tablespoons chopped garlic 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 1 tablespoon dried minced shallots 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 6 cups chicken stock 8 ounces jarred salsa verde (green salsa) 1 tablespoon ground cumin 2 teaspoons dried oregano 4 diced tortillas (or 1 cup of Fritos Corn Chips for a toastier flavor) 2 cans (15.5 ounces) white chili beans Garnish each bowl with 1 tablespoon sour cream and 1 ounce shredded pepper Jack cheese. Directions
ChefSecret: You can use any leftover chicken that you may have in the refrigerator, just discard the bones, skin and breading. You can also use 2 pounds of browned ground chicken or turkey meat. Quip of the Day: “We might be older now, but I have the satisfaction of knowing that I had great hair, listened to the coolest music, and drove the best car.” ------------------------------------------- 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 #ChickenSoup #Chicken #Peppers #Shallots #Cayenne #SalsaVerde #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2022 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen How you doin’? For some parts of the country, grilling season will be winding down soon so I wanted to include this recipe in before the grill is covered and tucked away.
This salad was on the opening menu I created for Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville in Las Vegas. I thought it was a simple enough entrée salad but as it turned out so many people ordered it that it turned out to be a real bottleneck in the kitchen. Last week I found it on a menu in Green Valley… and it still is one delicious salad. It's easy enough to make at home. You can use leftover rotisserie chicken and store-bought bottled Caesar dressing like Paul Newman’s or Cardini’s brand, or you can you make my simple dressing recipe below. Prep time: 15 minutes Grill time: 1 minute Yield: 2 servings Ingredients 1/2 head split romaine head 1/2 ounce olive oil 3-1/2 ounces grilled, chilled and chopped chicken breast 2 ounces Caesar dressing (see recipe) 1/2 coarsely chopped hard-cooked egg 3 each split mini tomatoes 1/4 cup thinly shredded carrots 2 tablespoons shaved Parmesan cheese 7 to 8 toasted croutons Directions
My Best Caesar Salad Dressing I have been serving Caesar Salads in my restaurants for years using this made-on-premises dressing. It’s really quite easy and I think it’s the best Caesar Dressing ever. Of course, you don’t have to limit the use of this dressing to just a traditional Caesar Salad—it’s great on any green salad and even makes a nifty chicken marinade as well. Due to food safety concerns, I always suggest using pasteurized egg yolks which can be purchased in your local supermarket. However, it is easy to pasteurize eggs in your own kitchen—check out the ChefSecret at the end of this recipe. Some people are a bit squeamish about using anchovies. They don’t like to open the tin and touch those slimy little things. Anchovies add that earthy, sweet, salty and umami flavor that cannot be found anywhere else. I keep of tube of anchovy paste in the refrigerator so I always have it on hand. I also add a couple of anchovy filets on top of the Caesar Salad, but that’s a personal option. If you are serving a Chicken Caesar Salad leave off the anchovies. Prep time: 10 minutes Chill time: 4 to 8 hours Yield: 10 servings Ingredients 1 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup pasteurized egg yolks (see procedure for pasteurized eggs or egg substitute) 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons cold water 3 tablespoons minced garlic 1-1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon anchovy paste (from a tube) 2 teaspoons granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley salt and ground black pepper to taste Directions
ChefSecret: Avoid using raw or uncooked eggs in any of your recipes. It’s really easy and very important to pasteurize eggs correctly. Here’s how:
Special Note: Jumbo sized eggs require 5 minutes in 140°F water. Quip of the Day: “How do you make any salad into a Caesar salad? Stab it twenty-three times. (Julius Caesar -- et tu Brutus?) Got it now? ------------------------------------------- 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. #Entree #Lunch #Dinner #GrilledRomaine #GrilledCaesarSalad #PaulNewman #Cardinis #Chicken #PasteurizedEgg #Anchovy #Covid19SurvivalBlog #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen How you doin’? My Instant Pot Creamy Italian Chicken dinner is a very delicious, gourmet treat that’s quick and easy to make.
This is an Instant Pot dump recipe—no sauteéing required. The best part is you can have dinner on the table in under 30-minutes. This is just another reason to love your Instant Pot. This super flavorful Instant Pot recipe is family friendly and fancy enough for company and so tasty over pasta or rice. Everyone will declare, Now that’s Italian! Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 17 minutes (7 minutes cook + 10 minutes to pressure up) Yield: 4 to 6 servings Ingredients 3-4 boneless chicken breasts (8 to 10 tenders or 6 to 8 thighs) 1-1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth 5 tablespoons minced garlic 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/2 tsp table salt) 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder 3/4 cup heavy cream 2-1/2 tablespoons corn starch 3 teaspoons store bought pesto 1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers 1/2 cup sliced and roasted mushrooms 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil Garnish 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup chopped basil leaves 1/3 cup chopped cooked bacon (optional) Directions
ChefSecret: To cook fresh chicken tenders, cook for 3 minutes followed by a 6-minute natural release. For chicken thighs, cook for 6 minutes followed by a 6-minute release. I sometimes add a tablespoon of tomato paste or some sun-dried tomatoes for sweetness, acidity and a pinky color. Quip of the Day: “A lady was picking through the chicken breasts at the grocery store, but she couldn't find any of them big enough to feed her family. She asked a stock boy, "Do these chicken breasts get any bigger?" The stock boy replied, "No ma'am, they're already dead!" ------------------------------------------- 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. #Entree #Dinner #CreamyPestoItalianChicken #Chicken #Rice #Pasta #Pesto #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022 Cooking Lesson #475: What’s Your Sheet Pan IQ? Greek Lemon Chicken & Potato Sheet Pan Dinner7/6/2022 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen photo: ameessavorydish.com How you doin’? I use heavy duty quarter- and half-sheet pans for just about everything I put in my oven and freezer. I use U.S-made heavy duty, restaurant quality sheet pans because they will not warp or rust. The best ones are made with high quality aluminum and stainless steel to withstand temperatures of up to 500º F without twisting or warping. They will not rust, peel or discolor and will last for years, it you take care of them.
These sheet pans distribute heat evenly, giving you the perfectly baked result every time. They are also multi-use, food safe and easy to clean. Use for all oven cooking techniques baking, roasting, broiling, grilling, air frying and dehydrating. Now you can bake like a pro, too, producing a perfect cookie, biscuit, jelly roll, sheet cake or artisanal bread. A stainless-steel wire rack is ideal for cooling baked goods as well as drying decorated sugar cookies or drizzled cinnamon buns or coffee cake. The rack and pan can be used in the oven to grill meat, crisp bacon, make chicken wings and “barbecue” ribs. They also help to make perfect sheet pan meals when you want your family to enjoy dining together. You don’t need the fancy, expensive non-stick or anodized sheet pans if you use a sheet of parchment paper every time you use the pans. Parchment paper prevents spills from getting baked on or keeps your cookies from getting stuck and it only costs about a penny a sheet. That said, sometimes accidents do happen and you get a little build-up of baked on fats or food. Don’t let it remain there—polish your sheet pans up. Here are a few ChefSecrets on the best ways to clean a dirty sheet pan and keep it clean. You can use baking soda and vinegar, dryer sheets (yes, dryer sheets), or hydrogen peroxide and baking soda to clean your sheet pans. According to Allrecipes here are the best ways to clean your sheet pans and remove stubborn stains. Personally, I can’t stand to cook on dirty or discolored, food encrusted pot, pans or sheet pans. Sometimes no amount of scrubbing and soaking seems to get any of that burnt goo off. It may just be time to put aside the soap and water try one of these methods for cleaning stubborn stains and residue. So before you toss those dirty pans, give these methods of cleaning sheet pans a try. Method #1 This method uses items you'll already have in your cupboard to help loosen the residue and keep your pans clean. Fill your sink with hot water and add equal parts baking soda and white vinegar (about half a cup of each). Make sure your sink is plugged. Submerge your pans in the mixture and allow them to soak for between 30 minutes to an hour. Use some elbow grease and give the pan a serious scrub, using the coarse side of a sponge. Scrub in a circular motion to avoid noticeable scratching (although some scratching may still occur). Once you've scrubbed to your heart's content, give the pan a good hand wash with soap and water to remove the vinegar smell, and dry immediately to avoid rust. Voilà, clean sheet pans. Method #2 Try using dryer sheets—you read that right. This laundry room staple works wonders on grimy sheet pans. I don’t know how the magic works but leave your sheet pan in the sink or on the counter with one or two dryer sheets, dish soap and fill the pan with warm water. Let it sit for 2 to 3 hours. To finish, throw out the dryer sheets and dump the water out of the pan. Any caked-on food should lift easily with soap, water and a sponge. Method #3 Try a little peroxide and baking soda from your first aid supplies. This this method makes cleaning dirty sheet pans a breeze. It should be noted that this method is likely too harsh for sheet pans with non-stick coatings (but you don’t need to own non-stick sheet pans). Mix baking soda and hydrogen peroxide into a paste. Spread the mixture across the surface of the pan and allow it to sit for 2 to 3 hours. Use a sponge to wipe away the paste. No harsh scrubbing should be needed! Keeping Your Sheet Pans Clean? Now that your sheet pans are grime and gunk free—keep it that way. The simplest way to keep your sheet pans clean all the time is to use parchment paper or aluminum foil when cooking with them. And remember, scratches and stains are signs of your pans being put to good use, and that's not such a bad thing. So Let’s Get “Sheet Panning!” The genius behind this oven-baked spin on one-pot-cooking is that it makes for simple prep, no-fuss cooking and speedy clean-up. And all that's true, as long as you keep these simple tips in mind: Tip #1 You’ve got to use the right baking sheet pan dinners—a half-sheet pan. It's made of heavy-gauge metal, measures 18 by 13 inches, and has a 1-inch rim all the way around. It's sturdy enough to take high oven heat and broiler heat if your recipe calls for it. The size allows for ingredients to be spread out so you don't crowd the pan. Crowded pans make for mushy meals because the ingredients steam instead of roast. The 1-inch rim is low enough for heat to move across the ingredients to give them a crisp, brown, caramelized finish. Jellyroll pans may look the same, but they're generally smaller and flimsier than half-sheet pans. The good news about half-sheet pans is that they're multi-taskers that you'll use again and again for lots of sheet pan dinners. Tip #2 You must line the sheet pan for easy clean-up. Today you see lots of blog photos of sheet pan dinners where the pan is all crusty with baked-on bits. Ewww, Ick! You're not making sheet pan dinners to get stuck in the kitchen scrubbing pans. So, line the sheet pan with heavy-duty foil or parchment paper (not waxed paper). You might have to do a little light washing later, but a well-lined pan cleans up in a jiffy. A word about aluminum foil… I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but aluminum foil isn’t what it used to be. It seems to be somewhat porous and leaky—even the heavy duty stuff. So, always remember to wipe down the sheet pan to get rid of any residual oil or food particles. Tip #3 Start your layers with sturdy root vegetables like potatoes and carrots which take much longer to cook than softer vegetables like green beans, asparagus and tomatoes. Depending on what else you're adding to the pan, you should roast the denser vegetables for 30 minutes or more before adding the other vegetables to the pan. In this recipe for Greek Lemon Chicken and Potato Bake, small whole potatoes cook along with bone-in chicken leg quarters for 45 minutes, then the green beans are added 15 minutes before the pan comes out of the oven. If you cut the denser vegetables into small pieces, they'll need a shorter head start. Tip #4 Grease ‘em up! To ensure that vegetables don't dry out while they're cooking, make sure you completely coat them with oil. The best way to do this is to put them into a large bowl and add the oil and any other seasonings in your recipe. Then stir with a spoon or with your hands to cover everything thoroughly. A smart move is to do the dense vegetables first and get them started in the oven (see tip #3), then use what's in the same bowl to coat the softer vegetables that will be added to the pan later. Tip #5 Most sheet pan dinners can be baked right on the sheet pan without an insert pan rack—that's how you get those tasty, caramelized surfaces. But let's say you want to bake breaded chicken or fish along with vegetables. To keep that crisp coating from getting soggy from the veggies, use a wire rack to raise the breaded ingredients above the moisture in the pan. Use the same approach when you're roasting a cut of beef or pork so the juices baste the ingredients while the meats gets browned. Tips #6 Sheet pan dinner can be loaded with flavor. I use seasoning blends like jerk seasoning, Old Bay, za'atar, Chinese five-spice powder, garam masala or Italian seasoning. Add the spice by including chiles like fresh jalapeños or serrano peppers, canned chipotles, crushed red pepper, dried cayenne or ancho chili powder. You can even add sauces and drizzles like wasabi sour cream, herbed aioli, maple syrup, olive oil or balsamic vinegar. Don’t forget about texturizers like pecans, almonds, cashews, peanuts, pine nuts or walnuts. Add a little acid with a squeeze on or zest over some citrus like lemon, grapefruit, lime, or orange. And finally don’t forget the fresh aromatics like cilantro, parsley, oregano, basil, green onion or thyme just before serving. Greek Lemon Chicken & Potato Sheet Pan Dinner One pan sheet pan dinners are great especially because you can just toss everything together—no measuring of exact ingredients are involved. This is a great meal when you don’t have the time or patience to baby sit dinner in a hot kitchen. This turns out great every time. Serve it with a side yogurt tzatziki sauce. Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 1 hour Yield: 4 to 6 servings Ingredients Oil for the pan 4 chicken leg-thigh quarters 24 ounces small potatoes (or small potato chunks) 1/2 cup olive oil 2 fresh lemons, juiced, divided 2 tablespoons dried basil 2 tablespoons dried oregano 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 tablespoons Greek seasoning or lemon and herb seasoning 12 ounces fresh green beans Directions
ChefSecret: To brown the tops of chicken and potatoes, place the sheet pan under a preheated broiler for about 5 minutes, to get everything bit crispy. And don't forget the tzatziki sauce! Quip of the Day: “Start every day off with a smile and get it over with before reality sets in.” ------------------------------------------- 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. #Entrees #Chicken #SheetPanIQ #GreekLemonChicken #Potato #GreenBeans #Lemon #SheetPanDinner #DryerSheets #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022 |
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Copyright © 2021 Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC | Henderson, NV 89052 | 310-477-8877
Copyright © 2021 Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC | Henderson, NV 89052 | 310-477-8877