How you doin’? Super Bowl is just over two weeks away (Feb 13th). What are you planning on serving the hungry throngs that are all coming over to your house to watch the big game? Super Bowl just wouldn’t be Super Bowl without Buffalo Wings. I love my Buffalo wings, but I hate the mess and smell of frying wings in my kitchen. That smell seems to permeate the whole house for days. Here’s a better solution.
 
Slow Cooker Chicken Wings are the perfect solution! They are fall off the bone tender and loaded with real Anchor Bar flavor. Make it authentic and serve these luscious wings with carrot and celery sticks and cool ranch dressing studded with blue cheese crumbles.
 
A slow cooker (Crock Pot or Instant Pot—slow cook setting) is an easy and great way to cook chicken wings fresh or frozen! If you cook them from frozen, you will have to drain off some of the excess cooking liquid after cooking. Brush the wings with a little bit more sauce and give them a quick broil. After broiling, place the wings back in the slow cooker or on a warming tray to keep them warm.
 
I always have trouble not eating the whole batch, they are so deliciously tangy and melt-in-your-mouth tender. Don’t forget the ranch dip!
 
By the way, there is a difference between Buffalo sauce and hot sauce. Hot sauce is basically just hot peppers, salt and vinegar. Buffalo sauce is smoother than hot sauce, and richer in flavor. The butter creates a spicy and silky sauce that tastes restaurant quality at home. Store bought Buffalo sauce is usually made with oil, not butter. My homemade sauce is made with melted butter—that’s why it tastes so darn good! All you need to do is whisk 2 parts Franks Original Hot Sauce (not Franks Wing Saue) to one part melted butter (or margarine). What’s easier than that?
Toss your favorite wings in this spicy sauce, or use it to dip your veggies, fries, burgers, shrimp, you name it! Store it in an airtight glass container and refrigerate. It will last several weeks in the refrigerator.

Quick History of Buffalo Wings (named after the city, not the animal)
On a Friday night in 1964, Dominic Bellissimo was tending bar at the now famous Anchor Bar Restaurant in Buffalo, NY. Late that evening, a group of Dominic’s friends arrived at the bar with ravenous appetites. Dominic asked his mother, Teressa, to prepare something for his friends to eat.
Teressa had deep fried some wings and flavored them with a secret sauce she just made up. The wings were an instant hit and it didn’t take long for people to flock to the bar to experience this new taste sensation. From that evening on, Buffalo Wings became a regular part of the menu at the Anchor Bar. This phenomenon has spread across the globe.

Prep time:  5 minutes
Cook time:  3 hours
Yield:  6 to 8 servings
Calories:  295 per serving
 
Ingredients 
4 to 5 pounds chicken wings (with drumettes, if desired), fresh or frozen
Buffalo Wing Sauce
1-1/2 cups Franks Original Hot Sauce, plus a little more for finishing
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter

For Serving
A bunch of cut carrot sticks
A bunch of cut celery sticks
Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
Blue cheese crumbles to taste
Garnish with paprika and chopped chives
 
Directions

1. Combine the Buffalo wing sauce ingredients—Franks and melted butter; set aside.
2. Place wings in a 6-quart slow cooker (or Instant Pot) and cover with the prepared Buffalo wing sauce. Stir to combine.
3. Cook on HIGH for 2-1/2 TO 3 HOURS for FROZEN wings or on LOW for 3 HOURS for FRESH wings.
4. Once wings have reached 165°F, remove them from the slow cooker and place them on a foil lined sheet pan; discard the cooking liquid.
5. Preheat broiler to high. Brush with additional Buffalo sauce and broil until lightly browned and crisp, about 5 minutes per side.
6. Serve with celery, carrots, extra Buffalo sauce and Ranch dressing for dipping.

ChefSecret:  I always double up on the Buffalo Sauce so I have enough to use for topping and other dishes.

Quip of the Day:  “Which football player wears the biggest helmet on Super Bowl Sunday? The one with the biggest head.”
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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, 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 #InstantPot #SlowCooker #Snack #Lunch #Dinner #BuffaloChickenWings #BuffaloSauce #Chicken #Buffalo #SuperBowl #AnchorBar #FranksHotSauce #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                       ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2022

​How you doin’? If you watched the Rose Parade on TV this year then you know that SoCal has been much colder than usual making it soup time. Soups are the perfect warming foods… from your tummy to the cockles of your heart. This is a traditional Italian soup recipe full of healthful, nourishing ingredients including lots of vegetables, beans and tomatoes. It’s a meal you will want to cozy up with not only when it’s chilly outside, but any time of year.
 
Minestrone has a rich history that dates back hundreds of years. Its popularity began to take off in the 2nd century BC when Rome conquered different regions of Italy. During this time of geographic growth, a wide variety of new vegetables were introduced.
 
Minestrone varies by season and by region: In the northern region of Lombardy, minestrone might include pasta and winter squash; farther south, in Tuscany, cannellini beans and cabbage or kale; in the coastal city of Genoa in the northwestern region of Liguria, it could be finished with pesto (my favorite). Joan’s Instant Pot Minestrone Soup as written is one of the very best Instant Pot soup recipes. It's full-flavored, easy to make, and healthy, too!
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Cook time:  4 minutes
Pressure release time:  30 minutes
Yield:  8 servings
Calories:  only 285 calories per serving

Ingredients 
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1-1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
6 cups low sodium vegetable broth
2 cups chopped Yukon gold potatoes 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 28-ounce can fire roasted crushed tomatoes, drained
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, cannellini beans or Great Northern beans (rinsed and drained)
3/4 cup dry short pasta (small shells or elbow pasta), cooked separately
1/2 cup chopped green beans
 
For Finishing (optional, for serving)
A splash of lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (skip if keeping vegetarian)
 
Directions

1. Set a 6-quart Instant Pot to SAUTÉ and heat the olive oil until shimmering.
2. When the oil is hot, add the chopped onions, carrots and celery. Sauté, stirring often, until the vegetables soften, about 7 minutes.
3. Add the minced garlic, dried oregano, dried thyme, salt and pepper; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Press CANCEL to turn off the sauté function.
4. Sprinkle with the flour and coat the sauteed vegetables, herbs and spices.
5. Pour in the broth and stir, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
6. Add the potatoes, beans (not green beans), tomato paste, and fire roasted crushed tomatoes. Stir.
7. Close the Instant Pot lid and seal the pressure release valve. Set the pressure cook time to 4 MINUTES at HIGH PRESSURE. The Instant Pot will take about 20 to 25 minutes to reach temperature and pressure.
8. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pot on the stove, according to the package directions for al dente. Rinse and drain the cooked pasta.
9. When the cook time on the Instant Pot ends, allow the pressure to RELEASE NATURALLY for 5 MINUTES.
10. Then QUICK RELEASE the remaining pressure by carefully and slowly turning the valve to the venting position.
11. Stir the green beans and cooked pasta into the soup.
12. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
13. If desired, serve the soup with lemon juice and/or a small pinch of red pepper flakes, to taste.
14. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
15. Serve hot.

ChefSecret:  Joan’s Healthy Recipe Minestrone is merely a suggestion of ingredients that can be used. You can vary the vegetables in this soup depending on what you have in the refrigerator and your personal taste.

• Vegetables with longer cook times, like sweet potatoes and butternut squash, should be added to the soup when sautéing. The pressure cook time will stay the same.
• Peas, zucchini or yellow squash would be added after pressure cooking, but before adding the cooked pasta and beans. Simmer the soup using the sauté function until the vegetables are tender.
• Chopped fresh spinach or kale can be stirred into the cooked soup without further cooking.

Quip of the Day: “I saw this guy on the scale in the gym the other day sucking in his stomach. I said, ‘that’s not going to do any good to lower the weight.’ ‘Sure it is,’ he replied, ‘that’s the only way I can see the dial on the scale.’”
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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, 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 #InstantPot #Soup #Minestrone #Vegetarian #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup​

                                                ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2022

​How you doin’? I love soup! There are no if’s, and’s or but’s. Here’s a winter twofer for you. A soup that can be 100% vegan or a heartier version with ham, pork, beef or chicken. In this recipe I use lightly sautéed white mushrooms and pearl barley. You can use most any variety of mushroom—white, brown or Portabella—it all depends on the final flavor profile that suits your tastes.
 
Mushroom-Barley Soup may go back hundreds of years to the Middle East. My recipe is a simple and hearty Polish soup made from barley and various root vegetables. It was one of the standards in many homes in Eastern Europe and particularly in Poland. The aroma of a fresh-cooked soup signaled a delicious bowl of a hearty opening for dinner. Mushroom and Barley are the two essential ingredients. I added the meat to make it a complete, easy-to-make meal.
 
Prep time:  5 minutes
Cook time:  40 minutes
Yield:  4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces white mushrooms, rinsed and thick sliced
4 tablespoons red onions, finely chopped
1 cup celery, rinsed and finely diced
1/2 cups carrots, finely sliced
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
32 ounces, chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup pearl barley, rinsed and sorted
1 pound dice ham (1/2-inch cubes)
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
 
Directions

1. Set an Instant Pot to SAUTÉ.
2. Heat the oil in the inner pot and add the mushrooms, onion, celery, carrots and bay leaves. Sweat until the vegetables start to soften; 5-8 minutes.
3. Stir in the flour, mix in to create a roux and then add the broth and barley; mix well.
4. Add the meat, garlic, parsley, basil, salt and pepper.
5. Bring to a boil while stirring.
6. CANCEL the SAUTÉ function.
7. Set the Instant Pot on HIGH for 15 MINUTES.
8. NATURALLY RELEASE for 10 MINUTES.
9. Be carefully when opening the lid on the Instant Pot to prevent steam burns.

ChefSecret:  You can use cubed pork shoulder instead of ham or make it vegan by using vegetable stock and omitting the meat.

Quip of the Day: “The most difficult part of being vegan is waking up at 5 am to milk the almonds.”
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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, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Have a wonderful safe and healthy holiday season. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. 

#Entrees #InstantPot #HamMushroomBarleySoup #Soup #MushroomBarley #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                      ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin”? The longer the pandemic continues the more we crave “comfort foods.” This is a recipe that restaurants serve to use up “ends and pieces” or the trimmings of the beef that was cut in-house. Since many restaurants no longer cut their own meat, beef dishes like this have all but disappeared from many menus.
 
When you pressure cook in an Instant Pot the beef tips will be very tender and quite delicious. The braising and pressure cooking create a wonderful, unctuous (in a good way), rich gravy. Personally, I prefer to serve this amazing beef dish over mashed potatoes—that’s what mashed potatoes were invented for. The gravy even makes instant mashed potatoes taste great. But if you prefer, you can also serve them over rice or wide egg noodles.
 
Prep time:  25 minutes
Cook time:  25 minutes
Natural pressure release time:  10 minutes
Yield:  4 servings 
 
Ingredients 
For the dredge seasoning
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon corn starch
2 teaspoons steak seasoning
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1-teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
 
For browning the beef
2 pounds beef filets tips, cut in 2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons olive oil
 
For the gravy
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chopped yellow onion
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1/3 cup red wine 
1-1/2 cups beef stock
1-1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
 
Directions
To make the dredge seasoning

1. In a gallon sized bag, mix together the seasoning ingredients. Set aside.

To brown the meat

1. Turn on the pot's SAUTÉ setting (high temperature).
2. Cut the meat into 2-inch cubes and put them into the bag with the seasoning mixture. Close and shake the bag to coat the meat with the seasoning.
3. When the pot is hot, add the oil. Then add half of the steak cubes in one layer. Brown both sides, but don't cook through. Remove to a plate.
4. Repeat with the second half of the meat and remove to a plate.

To make the gravy

1. Still on the SAUTÉ setting, add the butter and onion to the pot. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pot, loosening up all of the browned bits.
2. Add the garlic, stir and sauté about 30 seconds.
3. Add the red wine to deglaze the bottom of the pot.
4. Add the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf and thyme. Cook well to blossom the spices.
5. Cancel the SAUTÉ setting.

To cook the beef

1. Add the browned beef cubes back to the pot. Seal the lid and the release the valve.
2. Set to HIGH PRESSURE for 25 MINUTES.
3. When the cook time finishes, let the Instant Pot NATURALLY RELEASE for 10 MINUTES.
4. After ten minutes, release the valve to vent to release the remaining pressure.
5. Stir, taste the gravy and adjust with salt and pepper, if necessary.
6. Serve over mashed potatoes, wide egg noodles or rice.

Chefs Secret:  Not quite thick enough for your taste? Whisk together 3 tablespoons of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of cold water until dissolved.  Turn on SAUTÉ function again and stir in the amount of cornstarch mixture until thickened to your taste.
 
Quip of the Day: “God, grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked, the good fortune to run into the ones I do, and the eyesight to tell the difference.”
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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 #BeefTips #MashedPotatoes #Beef #BeefFilets #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                           ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

​How you doin’? I’m in a ducky mood today so that’s the subject of today’s edition of my recipe blog. Duck is the main ingredient of many delicious Chinese dishes. Some of the most popular ways of cooking duck include roasting, smoking, frying and steaming. I’ve brought it to a new level—Instant Pot! They couldn’t do that during the Ming Dynasty.
 
The Chinese have been eating roast duck since the 13th century, when it was first prepared for one of the emperors of China. Duck was popularized during the Ming Dynasty when Peking Duck was a delicacy at the royal table. Although the dish has evolved over the years—in many different cooking styles—duck continues to be an haute symbol of Chinese cuisine. It's one of the most important dishes in the cuisine and is iconic within Chinese cooking.
 
Migrating birds are copious over China. Both ducks and geese make plentiful fly-overs, but the “royal” birds were undoubtedly farm-raised with special care taken to what they were fed assuring that they were always tender and flavorful.
 
Duck tastes wonderful and is one of the healthier meats you can choose with good reason. Duck is a lean meat–comparable in fat and calories to a skinless chicken or turkey breast. It's also an excellent source of selenium and zinc, both of which encourage good cellular metabolism. Since duck is a red meat, it contains higher amounts of iron than other poultry.
 
When cooking, it is important to render out the subdermal layer of protective fat just under the skin. If roasting bring the oven temperature up to 450⁰F to start the rendering process. Then turn it down to 350⁰F when you start to see the fat running; then finish cooking.
 
In my Asian-Style Duck with Cashews I use smoked duck breast (8 to 9-ounces). It is already fully cooked so you don’t have to spend the time roasting it. Smoked duck comes at a price--$19 to $25. You can find it at upscale supermarkets, specialty poultry stores or on Amazon. The duck with dark sauce is an elegant and eye-pleasing dish served on a bed of steamed rice with bok choy, wild mushrooms and shallots.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Cook time:  7 minutes
Instant Pot time:  3 minutes, plus 10 minutes natural release
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients 
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon Asian five spice powder
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (or more if you like it spicey, less if you don’t)
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 cups sliced smoked duck
1 medium red onion, quartered
1/2 cup celery ribs, bias cut
2 cups large broccoli florets
1/4 cup chicken broth or stock
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons corn starch mixed with four tablespoons chicken stock or water
1 cup roasted cashews
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
 
Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, honey, ginger, garlic, five spice, and red chili flakes; set aside.
2. Set your Instant Pot to SAUTÉ and heat the peanut oil.
3. Cook the smoked duck slices for about 3 minutes.
4. Stir in the onion, celery and broccoli and cook for 3 more minutes.
5. Stir in the ketchup mixture and the chicken broth.
6. Seal the lid on the Instant Pot and set PRESSURE to HIGH for 3 MINUTES. It will take about 5 minutes to come to pressure.
7. When done do a NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE after 10 MINUTES.
8. Release the pressure and unlock the lid of the Instant Pot.
9. Check the seasoning for salt and pepper and adjust to your taste.
10. Add the cornstarch mixture and cashews.
11. Select the SAUTÉ mode and allow the sauce to thicken for 1 to 2 minutes.
12. Spoon the cook duck mixture over steamed rice.
13. Garnish with chopped parsley.

ChefSecret:  This is the perfect recipe to use smoked duck. If you can’t find smoked duck, use a raw duck breast and cook it skin side up for about 30-40 minutes (per the oven instructions above) until a thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest part of the breast.

Quip of the Day: “I went to a bookstore the other day and asked the salesperson, "where's the self- help section?" The clerk said, “If she told me, it would defeat the whole purpose.”
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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 #InstantPot #SmokedDuckBreast #Cashews #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                        ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021