How you doin’? It is true… Blondies have more fun! Looking for a sweet treat you've never made before? My Blondie recipe is made with malted milk balls.
 
This is a party Blondies recipe—these may look like ordinary Blondies, but these moist and chewy squares have a secret ingredient that makes them totally scrumptious. The slightly nutty flavor of chopped-up malted milk balls is what makes this dessert totally unique and unexpected. Everyone will enjoy a malty twist on a timeless treat.
 
Blondies are similar to brownies, but they are made with brown sugar instead of cocoa and are often baked in a pan and then cut into squares or rectangles. Other ingredients such as walnuts or chips can be added to the mixture. Blondies are soft and chewy. The name “blondies” comes from their light color, which contrasts with the dark color of traditional brownies.
 
There are various names Blondies go by… they can also be called blonde brownies or butterscotch brownies. It's understood that much like the brownie, blondies originated in the USA. Brownies were invented in 1893 at Palmer House by Bertha Palmer, a socialite and philanthropist, who achieved a reputation as a skilled musician, proficient linguist, writer, able politician and baker.  The first recipe for blondies was published in 1896 by Fannie Farmer, a pioneer of modern American cookery.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Bake time:  30 minutes
Cool time:  1 hour
 
Ingredients 
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) softened unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups malted milk balls chopped, divided
 
Directions

1. Heat an oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Butter a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan.
3. Beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in large bowl until well blended.
4. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat well.
5. Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
6. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in 1-1/2 cups of the crushed malted milk balls.
7. Spread in prepared pan
8. Sprinkle top with remaining 1/2 cup crushed malt balls.
9. Bake the Blondies for 30 to 35 minutes or until top is golden brown and center is set.
10. Cool completely in the pan on wire rack.
11. Cut the baked and cooled Blondies into bars.

ChefSecret:  I have a love / hate relationship with Whoppers being that I once consumed and entire large box of Whoppers at one seating. I discovered I can get 43 malt balls in my mouth at the same time. It was great while I was eating them, but I found out they don’t taste as good when they are coming up—but enough of that—I got over it as you found out from this recipe.

Quip of the Day:  Two blondes fell down a hole. One said, "It's dark in here, isn't it?" The other replied, "I don't know… I can't see.”
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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.
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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.

#Dessert #Baking #MaltedMilkBalls #Whoppers #Blondies # #2024Recipes #T2T #URM #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
 
                                                                                 ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024

How you doin’? One of my favorite things to do this time of year is go to state fairs and eat, eat and EAT! Let’s be honest, isn’t that why you go to the fair? State Fairs just wouldn’t be the same without “fair food” and fair food is great food.
 
The Wisconsin State Fair kicked off on  August 1st. This is Joan’s hometown fair and that explains a lot. This year the Wisconsin State Fair celebrated 173 years (Joan is considerably younger than that but has great fair memories nevertheless), and Joan's cousins' -- The Lepeskas -- were honored for 150 years of family owned and operated farm in Stitzer, Wisconsin.

Cream puffs are a recent addition, only being around for the last 100 years. This year is the 100th Birthday for the Original Cream Puff at the Wisconsin State Fair. This treat has been sold at the Wisconsin State Fair since 1924. It’s the most popular food item for fairgoers every year. With all of the “cafeteria ladies” pitching in to get them to all the hungry fair goers. 
 
How good are they? Here's a tasty fact—the  Wisconsin State Fair sells approximately 30,000 Original Cream Puffs each day during the fair—count ‘em—30,000 a day!
 
This year, the Wisconsin State Fair released brand new, limited-edition flavors throughout the fair including Root Beer Float Cream Puffs, Raspberry Cheesecake Cream Puffs, English Toffee Cream Puffs and Chocolate Birthday Cake Cream Puff. The Original Cream Puff was also available. You can find the original fair cream puff recipe further down in this blog.
 
But you can’t live on cream puffs alone. At the fair this year you could have found hundreds of locations offering over a thousand food and beverage menu choices, it’s little wonder that food is one of the top reasons people visit the State Fair.
 
A few of the newer items were Alligator Tacos--A taco shell filled with alligator meat that is smoked, chopped and seasoned with taco seasoning served with Cajun sour cream, cheese, salsa and jalapeños. Then there were the Asian Sweet & Sticky Tots slathered in a sauce that has hoisin, Asian chili, rice vinegar, sesame oil and ginger, and topped with scallions and sesame seeds.
 
And my favorite savory food from this fair was the Beer Cheese and Brat Spud Muffin. With a nod  to Wisconsin tradition, it combines beer, cheese and brats to create a fun take on a potato pancake—a spud muffin! The Beer Cheese and Brat Spud Muffin features a cheesy hashbrown mixture, infused with beer cheese and bratwurst, baked in muffin pans to form this delicious snack.

Then there was the Cool Ranch Doritos Pickle! This large dill pickle was spiral-cut on-a-stick, rolled into crushed up Cool Ranch Doritos, and you guessed it, deep-fried. Served up with ranch dressing for dipping.

Unfortunately, we missed this year's fair by a day (it ended yesterday), but be sure to mark your calendars for 2025... 7/31/25-8/10/25 West Allis, Wisconsin. 

                                      Wisconsin State Fair Cream Puffs
Here is the basic state fair cream puff recipe you can use as the base for your creative rendition.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Bake time:  35 minutes
Cool time:  45 minutes
Fill time:  10 minutes
Yield:  12 cream puffs
 
Ingredients
For the puffs
1 cup water
4 tablespoons (1/2-stick) unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup sifted flour
4 large eggs
1 lightly beaten large egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
2 cups whipped cream filling
 
For the whipped cream
1 cup whipping cream (see ChefSecret)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon confectioners’ (or sweetened to taste)
 
Directions
To make the puffs

1. Put the water into heavy saucepan. Add the butter that has been cut into small pieces. Add the salt.
2. Heat over medium-low heat so butter melts before water boils. Bring water just to a boil.
3. Remove the pan from heat and add the flour all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until dough forms into a ball at the bottom of pan. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
4. Preheat an oven to 375⁰ F.
5. Add the whole eggs to the dough, beating in one egg at a time. Dough should be stiff but smooth.
6. Immediately drop 1/4-cupfuls of dough 3 inches apart on parchment lined sheet pans.

Note: For a neater appearance, use a pastry bag with a 3/4-inch plain tip and pipe dough onto baking sheet.

1. In small bowl, combine the egg yolk and milk.
2. Brush each puff with the glazing mixture, taking care not to let liquid drop onto pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes until puffed, golden brown and firm.
4. Cool puffs on wire racks, pricking each with a cake tester or toothpick to allow steam to escape; or leave them in turned-off oven with door dropped open for about an hour until firm.

Note: If baked pastry is filled before it is cool and firm, it will be soggy and may collapse. Baked puffs should have hollow, moist interiors and crisp outer shells that are lightly browned.

1. Cut off the tops and fill with whipped cream (use a pastry bag with star tip or scoop with a large spoon). Replace tops of puffs and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

To make the whipped cream filling

1. Chill a bowl and the beaters.
2. Add the whipping cream and beat on high.
3. When the cream begins to hold shape add the vanilla extract and sugar.  
4. Stop beating just before cream gets stiff.
5. Chill until ready to use.

ChefSecret:  I use the same puff recipe for making baked French-style eclairs and fried New Orleans beignets.

Quip of the Day:  Why did the pastry chef get angry at the dough? It was acting like a puff pastry.
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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.
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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.
 
#Dessert #WisconsinStateFair #CreamPuffs #StateFairCreamPuffs #WhippedCream #FairFood #2024Recipes #T2T #URM #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
 
                                                                            ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024

How you doin? Just because Joan and I owned Choclatique, an award winning chocolate company, most people think we are chocolate snobs—we’re not! In my mind, there’s no such thing as bad chocolate—it’s kind of like sex—some is better than others.
 
I grew up on Hershey’s and See’s chocolate and I still have a warm spot in my heart for both. Hershey’s has the world of chocolate kisses covered. One summer I started rolling the foil from the kisses until I had a soft ball size ball and a spare tire around my stomach. Hershey’s kisses still have a great function for making desserts.
 
These Strawberry Ice Cream Cone Cups are a dessert dream come true—a golden Blondie cup topped with a scoop of velvety ice cream, a drizzle of sweet HERSHEY’S Strawberry Syrup, then topped with a sweet surprise–a HERSHEY’S KISSES Strawberry Ice Cream Cone Candy. It’s the perfect recipe that incorporates all of the delicious summer flavors in every bite.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Bake time:  18 minutes
Yield:  12 blondie cone cups
Cool time:   2 hours, 15 minutes
 
Ingredients 
For the chewy blondie cups
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
12 small scoops of vanilla or strawberry ice cream
12 HERSHEY'S KISSES Strawberry Ice Cream Cone Candy https://tinyurl.com/bddkaj23
2 tablespoons pink chocolate sprinkles
4 tablespoons strawberry syrup
 
Directions
To make the chewy blondie cups

1. Heat an oven to 350° F.
2. Line 12 muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper or foil baking cups.
3. Stir together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
4. Stir together the melted butter, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl.
5. Add the eggs and stir until well blended.
6. Stir in the flour mixture, blending well.
7. Fill each prepared muffin cup about 1/2 full of the batter.
8. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until tops are lightly browned and cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean.
9. Remove the muffin pan from oven.
10. Using the back of a spoon immediately press indentation into the top of the blondies to form shallow cups.
11. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

To assemble the Strawberry Ice Cream Cups

1. Remove paper liner from blondie cup, place on dessert plate.
2. Top with ice cream, strawberry syrup and sprinkles.
3. Garnish with HERSHEY'S KISSES Strawberry Ice Cream Cone Candy.
4. Serve immediately.

ChefSecret:  You can easily change this over to a milk chocolate dessert with a Hershey’s Chocolate Kiss and chocolate syrup.

Quip of the Day:  Why did the Hershey kiss go to space? To fulfill its Milky Way dreams!
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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.

#Dessert #StrawberryIceCreamConeCups #Blondies #IceCreamDessert #HersheyKisses #2024Recipes #T2T #URM #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
                                                                              ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024

How you doin’? We have been consulting with the National Peanut Board (NPB) for nearly 20 years and we know well the benefits of eating peanuts. We have addressed their annual meetings and have developed new products for them and some of their members for years.
 
Peanuts are just damn good and damn good for you. I eat peanuts at least once a day in one form or another. So, when I found this article from my LinkedIn feed from The Peanut Institute (one of the other peanut associations), I wanted to share it with you along with my recipe for a scrumptious Peanut Butter Pie.
 
If it feels like things have gotten more expensive lately, it’s not just your imagination. Recently, food prices have been escalating, leading many families to look for meals and recipes that help stretch their dollar further.
 
When it comes to eating on the cheap, though, things like fast food or processed snacks can end up being pretty costly — from putting a dent in your budget, to hindering your long-term health, to even damaging the planet.
 
But unlike those typically unhealthy options, peanuts provide benefits that can help on all three fronts!
 
Better Eating on a Budget
 
Peanuts and peanut butter account for about two thirds of all nut consumption in the United States annually, and it’s easy to see why. For starters, in one single serving (about one ounce) of roasted peanuts, you’ll find a diverse assortment of 19 vitamins and minerals, heart-healthy fats, 0 cholesterol and 7g of hunger-satisfying protein.
 
Peanuts aren’t just incredibly nutrient-dense; they’re also cost-effective. In fact, dollar for dollar, peanuts and peanut butter are one of the most affordable protein sources around, beating out all other nut and animal-based proteins. Which is certainly a good thing, as trading animal-based protein for plant-based protein might just help you live a longer life.
 
But it’s not just longevity that peanuts can help with. In fact, peanuts and peanut butter can offer benefits for every stage of life:

• Support for healthy development in children, including the brain, bones, muscles and immune system. Peanuts also contain arginine, which is an amino acid associated with higher growth velocity.
• Protection against certain cancers, with antioxidants and phytosterols that have shown to be beneficial against brain, skin, stomach, colon, breast, pancreatic and prostate cancers.
• Healthy weight management support, through greater hunger satisfaction. In a recent study, it was found that participants who snacked on peanuts and peanut butter tended to consume fewer calories than those who ate other nuts, including almonds.
• Keeping our minds sharp as we age, thanks to compounds that increase brain blood flow, protect against Alzheimer’s disease, and even fight anxiety and depression. Niacin in particular is associated with a reduced rate of cognitive decline.

 
Good for you, and better for the planet.
 
So why are peanuts more affordable than other nuts? The short answer is that peanuts are just made differently. Literally. Because peanuts are technically legumes, they’re easier to grow and harvest than pricier tree nuts. But those aren’t the only benefits peanuts can offer the planet:

• They require less water than tree nuts. Compared to almonds, peanuts need less than half of the water to grow. (2,782 vs. 8,000 cubic meters per in-shell ton)
• They enrich soil with nitrogen to make the land more fertile — including producing 90% of their own nitrogen. Which means they help create a more sustainable world.
• They produce fewer greenhouse gasses. Peanut butter produces just 2.9 units of CO2 emissions, which is less than half that of eggs (4.8 units) and less than a quarter for cheese (13.5 units).
• Combine those facts with the long shelf life of peanuts and peanut butter, and you have a convenient, sustainable, cost-efficient choice that you can always keep on-hand.

 
For a healthy budget, body and planet, choose peanuts.
 
From trimming the fat on your expenses to supporting a healthy lifestyle and planet, peanuts and peanut butter offer big benefits at a bargain. Plus, with their exceptional protein content, they can help your meals stretch further, without sacrificing nutrition or satisfaction.
 
Article Credit: The Peanut Institute
 
                                                       Peanut Butter Pie
 
Peanut Butter Pie is a hardcore joy for the serious dessert and peanut butter lovers. It is one of my easiest desserts to make, just allow enough time to cool before serving.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Chill time:  1 hour
Cook time:  10 minutes
Yield:  8 servings 
 
Ingredients 
For the crust 
25 whole chocolate sandwich cookies, (I prefer Oreos)
4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
 
For the peanut butter filling
1 cup creamy peanut butter (I prefer Skippy)
One 8-ounce package softened cream cheese
1-1/4 cups confectioner’s sugar
One 8-ounce package thawed whipped topping (I prefer Cool Whip)
 
Directions
To make the crust

1. Preheat an oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Crush the cookies until they're fine crumbs. Pour the melted butter over the top and stir with a fork to combine.
3. Press into a pie pan and bake until set, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. 

To make the peanut butter filling

1.  Beat the peanut butter with the cream cheese until smooth.
2. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
3. Add in the thawed whipped topping and beat until smooth, scraping the sides as needed. 
4. Pour the filling into the crust, evening out the top with a knife or spatula.
5.  Chill for at least an hour before serving.

Alert: This is pie is ultra-rich. Cut small into slivers—your guests will thank you!

ChefSecret:  To measure the peanut butter in a cup measure accurately, lightly spray the cup with a little food release (Pam).

Quip of the Day:  Q. How do peanuts communicate with each other? A. Through their shell-phones.
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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.

#Dessert #PeanutButterPie #Skippy #ThePeanutInstitute #NPB #NationalPeanutBoard #Oreos #CoolWhip #2024Recipes #T2T #URM #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
 
                                                                                    ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024

How you doin’? Summertime is peach time, and I can’t think of a better after barbecue dessert than Grilled Peach Cobbler. 
 
In general Cobblers are a Southern classic dessert category and fresh peaches are in season right now.
 
Cobblers are sort of a free-form dessert, as variable as the home kitchens that create them. There’s no messing around with making and rolling doughs for pies. You’ll find that you can top them with everything from lattice pie crusts to sweet and crunchy Dutch crumble to buttery biscuit blobs.
 
Scooping biscuits is about the easiest solution and I love my scooped recipe with a fun twist—topped with buttermilk cornmeal biscuits. They’re mixed up in a bowl, and then scooped into a cast-iron pan with the peaches before baking.
 
So simple: two dishes, no kneading, no folding, no mess and no real culinary talent required. The biscuits bake up super fluffy and flavorful with a buttermilk tang, a nutty butter bite and, of course, the corn. Those savory layers are wonderful with the spicy-sweet filling of grilled summer peaches, sweet cream butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom.
 
Perfect for friends and family, this is a scoop-yourself-dish, served warm from the cast iron skillet right from an oven, or the grill of your barbecue. Of course, no cobbler would be complete without heaping scoops of vanilla ice cream.
 
Prep time:  50 minutes+
Grill time: 3 minutes (for the peaches)
Bake time:  45 minutes+
Cool time:  10 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
 
Ingredients 
2 pounds fresh peaches, sliced
vegetable oil (to prep the peaches for the grill)
3/4 cup unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup fine cornmeal
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 cup buttermilk
2 pints vanilla ice cream, for serving
 
Directions

​To make the cobbler filling

1. Preheat an oven to 400° F.
2. Thick slice the peaches and remove the stone (pit).
3. Lightly brush each slice with a little vegetable oil and place the slice on a hot grill long enough to get grill marks, about 3 minutes. Remove the peach slices from the grill.
4. In a large cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat, add the peaches, tossing gently until they begin to release their juices, 4 to 6 minutes.
5. Dice 1/4 cup unsalted butter and scatter over the peaches.
6. Cook, stirring continuously, until the butter has melted, 2 to 3 minutes.
7. Stir in the light brown sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt and continue cooking until the sugar has dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes more.
8. In a small bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch to create a slurry, then stir it into the peach mixture. Remove the skillet from the heat.

To make the biscuit batter

1. Melt the remaining 1/2 cup unsalted butter. Set aside.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, baking powder, granulated sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
3. Whisk in the buttermilk and the melted butter until combined.
4. Using a large spoon, plop the batter over the top of the peach filling.
5. Place the skillet on a rimmed baking sheet and transfer to the oven.
6. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the biscuit tops are golden brown in color and the filling is bubbling.
7. Transfer the pan of cobbler to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes.
8. Top with scoops of vanilla ice cream.

ChefSecret:  I like the enhanced flavor of the grilled peaches especially if the cobbler is a dessert following a meal of barbecue meats.  It makes a subtle difference, but it’s worth the effort.  If you decide to use canned peaches, skip this step and drain the peaches.

Quip of the Day:  I'm on a seafood diet. I see food and I eat it.
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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.

#Dessert #Baking #Cobbler #Peaches #GrilledPeaches #VanillaIceCream #2024Recipes #T2T #URM #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
 
                                                                              ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024