How you doin’? To change things up, I like to make skewered dinners with any kind of meats—beef, pork or chicken. If you decide to have a skewered dinner, always remember to cook your meat and vegetables on separate skewers. Meats and veggies cook at different rates, and it is best to keep them separate to ensure each cooks properly.
 
You can use small 5-inch (or larger) bamboo skewers. I cook these skewers in a large non-stick sauté pan because of the amount of honey in the marinade. It will make a mess on your grill and I hate cleaning up stuck sugars on grills. This will make clean-up so much easier.
 
This luscious honey-balsamic chicken recipe makes a great appetizer or a main dish over rice. The Worcestershire adds the taste of salt. If you have soy sauce that will work just as well—just watch the sodium (salt) level. After the chicken is cooked through, lightly baste with a little extra honey to caramelize it a little longer for an extra touch of sweetness.
 
Evidence of the prehistoric use of skewers dates as far back as the Lower Paleolithic, and has been found at a 300,000-year-old site in Schöningen, Germany. A stick with a burnt tip was found to have been used to cook meat over a fire. That said, Iraq lays claim to the kebab among many other Middle Easterners who believe they invented it. The skewered meat dish appears as early as the 9th century in a book from the southern city of Basra called The Book of Misers.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Marinade time:  1 to 2 hours
Cook time:  8 to 10 minutes (4 to 5 minutes a side)
Yield:  4 to 6 servings
 
Ingredients
6 chicken thighs; skinless, boneless, trimmed
 
For the marinade
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons onion powder
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
4 tablespoons crushed garlic
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (Asian-style)
 
For the topping
Sesame seeds for sprinkling on top
Extra honey for basting
 
Directions

1. Cut the chicken thighs into 1-inch uneven pieces.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the all the marinade ingredients.
3. Pour over the chicken.  
4. Mix completely so that all the chicken pieces are covered. Let chicken marinate for 1 to 2 hours (not overnight).
5. Drain the marinade off the chicken and skewer a few chicken pieces onto each bamboo skewer (see ChefSecret).
6. Heat a non-stick pan on med high until hot.  Lower the heat to med/low and add a few skewers to the pan.
7. Cook thighs on one side for 4-5 minutes or until caramel brown. Turnover and cook second side until caramel brown. You will notice that as the chicken cooks, it first releases some liquid and then the liquid starts to caramelize. It will then coat the chicken. Make sure your heat is not too high when cooking the chicken.
8. Baste the chicken thighs with extra honey if you like and cook for an additional minute or so. Sprinkle sesame seeds and serve. 
9. Keep chicken thighs warm in a 200⁰ F oven while the remaining skewers cook.

ChefSecret:  To prevent the chicken from sticking to the skewers, soak them in water for a couple of hours before cooking. This also prevent skewers from burning if you cook on an open flame barbecue.
Quip of the Day: “Life rule: Vodka mixes well with everything… except decisions.”
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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 and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.
#Entrees #Chicken #BalsamicVinegar #Honey-Balsamic #SkeweredChicken #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

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How you doin’? Chicken Parmesan! Ahhhh, a taste of old Italy, right? Wrong! It’s a taste of Little Italy in New York City.
 
Chicken Parmesan has the potential to achieve that rare dinner feat: Pleasing everyone. I think I know why. The dish, also known in restaurant slang as Chicken Parm, actually originated in the northeast United States from Italian immigrants and became a popular staple in restaurants serving Italian-American cuisine. Upon arriving in America, Italian immigrants began to take advantage of America's affordable meat market, incorporating chicken into parmigiana. In the United States Chicken Parmigiana is served as a main course, with a side of pasta.
 
Because of its simplicity, home versions grew in popularity to a once-a-week status. A recipe was published in the 1953 issue of the New York Herald Tribune that used frozen fried chicken patties or fillets along with other pre-processed foods—Yuk!—to make a version of the dish at home. In 1962 a scratch recipe for Chicken Parmigiana was published in The New York Times.
 
Why is it so popular? This may very well be the most crave-worthy food for adults that kids also love. If you look at it deconstructed, Chicken Parmesan is simply comprised of three fan-favorite foods that kids actually want to eat: chicken tenders, cheese pizza and spaghetti with tomato sauce
 
What do the Italians eat in Italy?  Chicken Pizzaiola in Venice or Melanzane alla Parmigiana, a dish using breaded eggplant slices instead of chicken. There are other similar dishes in Italy that use meat. Carne Pizzaiola is a dish derived from the Neapolitan tradition that features meat topped with cheese and often cooked with tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and white wine. Beef is used most often but it can be made with chicken or pork as well. A similar dish using veal is known as Cotoletta alla Bolognese, which excludes tomato sauce but includes melted parmesan cheese and prosciutto. Costolette Parmigiana is another similar veal dish, but in Italy it is generally served without sauce or cheese.
 
My version of Chicken Parmesan is a little different than most in that I don’t want to drown the fried chicken breast in tomato sauce giving the dish a crispier texture.
 
Prep time:  25 minutes
Cook time:  20 minutes
Additional time:  15 minutes
Allow a full hour for best results
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
 
2 large eggs + 2 tablespoons of cold water
1 cup seasoned panko or traditional seasoned breadcrumbs, more as needed
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup all-purpose flour, more if needed
 
1 cup olive oil for frying
1 cup prepared tomato sauce (I prefer Rao’s Marinara Sauce)
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup shredded provolone cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 450⁰ F.
2. Place chicken breasts between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) or parchment paper on a cutting board. Firmly pound the chicken with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a thickness of 1/2-inch.
3. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
4. Beat eggs and water together in a shallow bowl and set aside.
5. Mix breadcrumbs and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese together in a separate bowl, set aside.
6. Place flour in a sifter or strainer; sprinkle over chicken breasts, evenly coating both sides.
7. Dip flour-coated chicken breast in beaten eggs.
8. Transfer breasts to breadcrumb mixture, pressing the crumbs into both sides. Repeat for each breast. Set aside breaded chicken breasts for about 15 minutes to set the crust.
9. Heat 1 cup olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Cook chicken until golden, about 2 minutes on each side until crisp and golden. The chicken will finish cooking in the oven.
10. Place chicken in a baking dish and top each breast with about 1/4 cup of tomato sauce.
11. Layer each chicken breast with equal amounts of mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and provolone cheese.
12. Sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese on top
13. Drizzle the chicken breasts with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
14. Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly, and chicken breasts are no longer pink in the center, 15 to 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165⁰ F.

 
Cook's Note:
Use high-quality prepared tomato sauce for a better end result. You may substitute pesto or dried Italian herbs of your choice for basil or omit entirely. If using fresh mozzarella, cut it into cubes instead of shredding it.
 
ChefSecrets:  Ed’s Top Tips for Making Great Chicken Parmesan

• Pound the boneless chicken breasts out to an even width so they cook evenly, about a half-inch thick.
• Salt and pepper the chicken well. Then you won’t have to bother salting the flour and bread crumbs.
• Use Panko bread crumbs mixed with a little finely grated Parmesan cheese. When you fry the breaded chicken, the Parmesan will give it an extra crunch and a real Italian flavor.
• If using fresh mozzarella, cut it into cubes instead of shredding it.
• Most importantly, don't drown the poor breaded and fried chicken breasts in sauce and smother it in cheese. Too much of a good thing is too much. You did all the work creating a crisp coating, why make it soggy with too much sauce and cheese?

Quip of the Day:  "I try not to, but sometimes I get road rage walking behind stupid people in the supermarket."
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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.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.
​
#Entrees #ChickenParmesan #Chicken #Parmesan #Italian #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                              ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? The ketogenic (Keto) diet is a high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate diet that in medicine was used mainly to treat hard-to-control epilepsy in children. The diet forces the body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates.
 
As early as 400 BC physicians of ancient Greece treated diseases, including epilepsy, by altering their patients' diet. An early treatise in the Hippocratic Corpus, On the Sacred Disease, its author argued against the prevailing view that epilepsy was supernatural in origin and cure and proposed that dietary therapy had a rational and physical basis.
 
The first modern study of fasting as a treatment for epilepsy was in France in 1911. Twenty epilepsy patients of all ages were "detoxified" by consuming a low-calorie vegetarian diet, combined with periods of fasting and purging. Two benefited enormously, but most failed to maintain compliance with the strict imposed restrictions. The diet improved the patients' mental capabilities, in contrast to their medication, potassium bromide, which dulled the mind. A side effect was weight loss.
 
It is claimed because the keto diet is a low carb, high fat diet it offers many health claimed benefits. Many studies show that this type of diet can help you lose weight (Mayo Clinic) and improve your overall health. Some claim that Ketogenic diets may even have added benefits against diabetes, cancer, epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease. Before you embark on any diet, consult a trusted medical professional.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  50 minutes
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients 
4 (8-ounces) skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
1 teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper to taste
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
4 ounces sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 green onions, white and green parts separated and sliced
 
Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400⁰ F.
2. Season chicken thighs on all sides with paprika, salt and pepper.
3. Cook bacon in a cast iron skillet or oven-safe pan over medium-high heat until browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Remove from skillet and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
5. Drain and discard excess grease from skillet.
6. Return skillet to medium heat and cook chicken thighs, skin-side down, for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip chicken over and place skillet in the preheated oven.
7. Bake until chicken thighs are no longer pink at the bone and juices run clear, about 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165⁰.
8. Remove chicken to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
9. Remove all but 2 tablespoons drippings from skillet.
10. Return skillet to the stove over medium-high heat. Pour in chicken broth while whisking up brown bits from the bottom of the skillet.
11. Add the mushrooms and cook until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes.
12. Pour in heavy whipping cream and whisk together until lightly simmering, then reduce heat to medium-low.
13. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
14. Return chicken and any juices back into skillet, top with bacon pieces and green onions.
15. Serve immediately, spooning sauce over the chicken.

ChefSecret: Always check with your doctor before going on a Keto Diet.

Quip of the Day: “The hen was home-schooling her unruly chick. She was overheard saying, I sat on you and brought you into the world; I can sit on you and take you out.”
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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 and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entrees #Chicken #ChickenThighs #Keto #Bacon #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                             ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? There are 1001 gumbo recipes and I’ve tested and tasted a lot of them. There is no such thing as bad gumbo—just some gumbos are better than others. This recipe is traditional, very simple and a breeze in an Instant Pot. In addition to spicy andouille sausage, it’s full of chicken, shrimp, tomatoes, and other great veggies. It is wonderfully creamy with a pungent sauce. This is the original bowl of Cajun comfort food.
 
The most important ingredient is the roux. It’s not complicated even though it does sound French. It‘s just equal measures of butter and flour. Any home meal provider can learn how to make a brown roux first time out. It comes down to patience: you must keep whisking, continuously and slowly, until the roux is a rich, caramel color and full of brown butter and toasted flour flavor.
 
Gumbo is the perfect one-pot, one-bowl meal. It’s loaded with all the proteins and veggies you could want. And the sauce… that beautiful sauce is for the rice and a nice piece of crusty bread to sop it up.
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Cook time:  45 minutes (all in including the roux)
Yield: 8 servings
 
Ingredients
2 cups dry white rice
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 bell diced peppers, (any colors—orange, green, red or purple)
3 stalks of diced celery
1 medium diced yellow or red onion
12 ounces andouille sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
5-ounces chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2-1/2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
1-1/2 tablespoons Louisiana-style hot sauce (Tabasco work well if you don’t have Crystal)
3-1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
2 bay leaves
12 ounces raw shrimp
2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
3 tablespoons cup green onion, sliced thin
 
Directions

1. To get things started, prepare the rice according to the package directions; set aside to serve with the gumbo.
2. In an Instant Pot set to SAUTÉ, combine the butter and flour over medium heat, whisking continuously until a brown roux has formed. Be patient, it takes 15 to 20 minutes. It should be the color of light caramel. Watch your roux carefully, so it doesn’t burn. If it does start to burn, start over.
3. Add the bell peppers, celery, onion. Lightly sauté the vegetables on medium-low heat until they’re sweet and fragrant, about 5 minutes. STOP THE SAUTÉ function.
4. Add the andouille sausage, chicken and garlic, scraping up any crispy bits from the bottom of the pot.
5. Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning over the gumbo and stir to combine.
6. Add the diced tomatoes with their juice, the hot sauce, chicken stock, white wine and the bay leaves.
7. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and seal. Close the quick release valve and set PRESSURE ON HIGH for 15 MINUTES. It will take about 10 minutes for the pressure to click in.
8. When the pressure cycle is done, QUICK RELEASE the pressure valve.
9. Open the Instant Pot lid and add the shrimp and corn kernels. Stir well and put the lid back on the instant pot for 5 minutes to fully cook the shrimp.
10. Serve the gumbo in a soup bowl over rice.
11. Garnish the gumbo with sliced green onions, and hot, crusty bread.

ChefSecret:  I know you may think this won’t work, but the residual heat in the Instant Pot will cook the shrimp and corn perfectly even though the power is off.

Quip of the Day: “Things have gotten so bad in Washington, D.C. Exxon-Mobil had to lay off 25 Congressmen.”
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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 and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entrees #InstantPot #Gumbo #Andouille #Chicken #Shrimp #CajunSpice #Tabasco #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                             ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? It’s summertime on the east coast (west coast, too) and there are a few things one can count on—the local corn in the fields is ready for picking (and for sale alongside the roads), plump fresh berries are ready for picking, and lots of “Port-a-Pit Chicken” trucks are set up in parking lots just about everywhere, every weekend.
 
Port-a-Pit Chicken is cooked in a portable smoker and is just about the most delicious summertime chicken you may have ever tasted… and I loved it at first bite.
 
I created this recipe for a tangy chicken marinade and the first time we tried it, I thought it tasted just like it came from a Port-a-Pit—no kidding! Sure, it’s not perfect unless you cook it on a charcoal grill or it won’t have those same smoky flavor notes, but it’s close enough for what we can grill it up at home and I feel like I’m getting a summer treat.
 
I like to cook the dark meat chicken quarters because they have more flavor, but I am sure this sauce will be just as finger lickin’ good on the chicken wings and breasts as well. And absolutely perfect for a friends and family barbecue.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Cook time:  45 to 50 minutes
Yield:  Serves 4 people
 
Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
4 chicken quarters, patted dry
Montreal (or grill) seasoning (I prefer Penzy’s)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Pam (or equal) cooking spray
 
Directions

1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat and add the Worcestershire sauce, onion powder and lemon juice. Stir to combine.
2. Bring the sauce to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes.
3. Reserve a small dish of sauce for serving.
4. Allow the chicken to come to room temp.
5. Spray the chicken with Pam and season liberally with grill seasoning, salt and pepper on both sides.
6. Sear the chicken over high heat (on the grill or under the broiler) for 3 minutes on each side, then reduce heat to low.
7. Cook chicken for 45 minutes, turning every 7-10 minutes, liberally basting with the sauce with each turn.
8. Cook until internal temp is 175⁰ F and serve with extra sauce if desired.
9. Serves four.

ChefSecret:  The chicken will be fully cooked at 165⁰ F. I like to cook the dark meat a little longer (175⁰ F) until the drumstick and thigh joints move freely.

Quip of the Day: “I will see your sarcasm and raise you a cup of sass.”
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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 and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entrees #Port-A-PitChicken #Chicken #BBQChicken #GrilledChicken #MontrealSeasoning #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                                 ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021