How you doin’? There is a new French bakery and café that opened just down the street from where I live. The ladies who own the place are from Lyon. They barely speak English but have wonderful genuine French recipes. Their French almond cream is to die for. I can tell you conversing with them strains my high school French, but I was able to capture this recipe for saving stale bread—it’s called a Bostock.
 
It is a non-discriminating recipe, whether you bake bread from scratch or source from local bakeries or the grocery store. It’s short of amazing how quickly last night’s leftover stale bread which was destined for bread crumbs and croutons is turned into something that puts French Toast for breakfast to shame. Yes, even those sad, day-old croissants that lost their flaky texture can be converted into something magnificent even, better than the original.
 
Leave it to the French to figure out how to take a breadstuff past its prime and elevate it to cult status. Likely originating in bakeries trying to get rid of second-day stale bread, this process of adding a sugar syrup and re-baking with an almond cream topping is a genius way to make almost any stale baked bread rise to perfection again!  
 
While traditionally made with thick slabs of bread like sweet brioche, the technique can be used with great success with almost any plain or sweet bread.
 
Ingredients
4 thick slices of stale bread
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups water
7 ounces almond paste (not marzipan)
2 large eggs
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1/2 cup raw slivered almonds
Sliced fruit (optional)
1/4 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar (optional)
 
Directions

1. Heat an oven to 425° F.
2. Using thick-sliced bread ensures that at least one side has exposed crumb. If you are using a croissant, split it in half.
3. Arrange the bread cut side up on a sheet pan lined with parchment, foil or a silicone baking mat.
4. Make a sugar syrup with one part sugar to two parts water, heating just until the sugar is dissolved.
5. Brush the exposed side generously with the syrup until the bread is well-saturated, but not soggy.
6. Make an almond cream by blending a 7-ounce package of almond paste (be sure to buy paste and not marzipan!) with two large eggs, a generous pinch of kosher or fine sea salt, a few drops of almond extract and vanilla bean paste in a food processor.
7. Pulse until just smooth.
8. Spread some almond cream on top of each soaked piece of bread or pastry.
9. Top with sliced or slivered almonds. You can also add sliced fruit below the almonds if desired.
10. Bake for 6-12 minutes until the tops are nicely golden brown.
11. Serve warm with a bit of confectioners’ sugar if you like.

ChefSecret:  If you have a lot of bread left, prepped Bostock can be frozen uncovered in a single layer on a sheet pan and then stashed in freezer bags. Bake straight from frozen, increasing the baking time by a couple of minutes. Any leftover baked Bostock is a great addition to bread pudding.

Quip of the Day:  Baking is cheaper than therapy.
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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. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross.

 #Baking #SweetAlmondBostock #Almonds #Bostock #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup                                     

                                                                                         ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

How you doin’?  This is a great soup that can even be made vegetarian with just a few substitutions… and the best part is that it is still rich and delicious (see ChefSecret). It is fast to prepare in your trusty Instant Pot.
 
As in many cases relating to the history of foods the origin of tortellini is disputed. Both Bologna and Modena, cities in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, claim to be the birthplace. The first recipe I found for "torteletti" appears in 1570 from Bartolomeo Scappi. Vincenzo Tanara's writings in the mid-17th century may be responsible for the pasta's renaming to tortellini. In the 1800s, legends sprang up to explain the recipe's origins, offering a compromise. Castelfranco Emilia, located between Bologna and Modena, is featured in one legend in which Venus stays at an inn. Overcome by her beauty, the innkeeper spies on her through a keyhole, through which he can only see her navel. He is inspired to create a pasta in this shape.
 
This legend would be at the origin of the term ombelico di Venere (Venus' navel), occasionally used to describe tortellini. In honor of this legend, an annual festival is held in Castelfranco Emilia. Another legend suggests that the shape comes from Modena's architecture, which resembles a turtle.
 
No matter the history or which story you believe, my Instant Pot Creamy Tortellini Soup is very delicious! Make it a little spicey with Italian sausage… or without.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  2 minutes, plus pressure build-up and release
Natural Release:  5 minutes
Yield:  6 servings
 
Ingredients 
For the basic soup
1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 pound bulk mild Italian sausage
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
4 tablespoons minced garlic
3 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice
 
Added after pressure cooking
8 to 10 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini (you can also use refrigerated ravioli)
1 cup loosely-packed fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup heavy cream
 
For the garnish
2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley (flat parsley)
1/2 cup ground Parmesan cheese
 
Directions 
To make the stock

1. Set an instant Pot to the SAUTÉ setting.
2. When the pot is hot add the oil and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just turning translucent.
3. Add the carrots and celery; cook for a minute.
4. Add the sausage, breaking it up as it cooks. Cook until most of the pink is gone.
5. Add the red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, oregano, basil and thyme leaves. Stir well.
6. Then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring to incorporate.
7. Pour and stir in the chicken broth, wine and the diced tomatoes.
8. Close the lid and seal the release.
9. Set the timer for 2 MINUTES on HIGH pressure. The pot will take several minutes to come to pressure.
10. When the cook cycle has finished, allow NATURAL RELEASE for 5 MINUTES.
11. Carefully open the release valve and vent the remaining pressure.
12. When the pressure is released carefully open the lid.
13. Add the tortellini and stir. Make sure all of them are submerged.
14. Then place the lid back on leaving the steam vent open so it doesn't build pressure.
15. Let the soup rest for about 10 minutes. The tortellini will cook in the residual heat of the soup.
16. Open the lid and add the spinach and stir well.
17. Pour in the cream and stir to incorporate.
18. Garnish as desired and serve hot.

ChefSecret:  To make this soup vegetarian, skip the sausage, replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth, use a veggie-filled tortellini and use almond milk instead of cream.

Quip of the Day: “Wrinkles mean you have laughed, grey hair means you have thought, tears mean you have cared and scars mean you have lived.”
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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. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross.

​#InstantPot #Soup #TortelliniSoup #Modena #Bologna #Emilia-Romagna #ItalianSausage #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  

                                                                           ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

How you doin’? Avocado toast is so passé these days, yet toast remains one of our most favorite foods—and we like it in all its forms.

Hot toast, golden brown, buttered and delicious right out of the toaster. It’s a joy and a comfort any time of day—with a wonderful aroma-filled cinnamon shake-on, perched on the side of a breakfast plate or smothered with peanut butter. Toast is also a terrific midnight snack. But we also like fancy, grilled dinner toast, the kind that frames the sides a steaming bowl of mussels and garlic-infused broth.
 
Mushroom & Egg Toast falls somewhere between humble home toast and restaurant toast. It’s sourdough, lovingly slathered in olive oil and a pinch of flake salt, grilled, and then piled up with a creamy herb cheese, oyster mushrooms, and a crispy fried egg. The mushrooms are cooked in miso, vinegar, herbs, and aromatics, so they’re meaty and intensely savory. Break that lush egg yolk over the top of them, and you have a rich, satisfying dish, full of flavor and chewy, crunchy, creamy texture. What more could you ask for?
 
You can serve this dish any time of day. It makes a phenomenal brunch, and an easy, midweek dinner, served with a green salad and a bottle of wine—kind of a pleasant mix of both comfort and luxury.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  15 minutes
Yield:  1 to 2 servings
 
Ingredients 
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 ounces oyster mushrooms
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon white miso paste (found in the Asian section)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 teaspoon minced chives
1 large egg
2 slices sourdough bread (cut on bias)
2 tablespoons garlic and herb cheese spread (I prefer Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs Spread)
1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1/4 cup microgreen salad mix for garnish
1 to 2 teaspoons balsamic salad dressing
 
Directions
To prepare the mushrooms

1. In a medium sauté pan, warm 3 teaspoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Next, add the mushrooms. Let them sauté a little in the pan. Cook until the water released from the mushrooms has evaporated and they begin to caramelize.
3. Add the sherry vinegar and toss together.
4. Add the honey and miso and toss again to combine.
5. Add in 1 tablespoon of the butter and sauté until it’s melted and incorporated with the miso, about 1 minute.
6. Toss in the chives, season to taste with salt and pepper, and set the mixture aside.

To make the egg

1. In a medium, non-stick pan, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter over medium heat.
2. Crack the egg into the pan and fry it until the whites are set and the edges begin to crisp. Remove the pan from heat and set it aside. Be careful not to overcook; leave the eggs slightly runny.

To make the toast

1. Preheat a grill pan to high.
2. Drizzle the remaining olive oil on the sourdough slices and season lightly with the salt and pepper.
3. Place the bread slices down onto the grill pan, press lightly, and cook for 30 seconds, or until the bread is golden brown.
4. Flip the bread over and grill the second side.

To assemble the toast

1. Transfer the grilled bread slices to plates. Spread each slice with about a tablespoon of seasoned cheese, and then top each with the mushroom mixture, the egg, and a pinch or two of greens.

ChefSecret:  You can use whole wheat or girthy seedy or nutty breads instead of French bread if you prefer.

Quip of the Day:  If loving mushrooms is wrong, I don’t want to be right.
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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, 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 and/or American Red Cross. 

#Breakfast #Brunch #Eggs #Mushrooms #Sourdough #Mushroom-Egg-Toast #Boursin #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
                                                                                ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

How you doin’? Last August, Joan came back from a family reunion with a couple of loaves of Zucchini Bread made from her former neighbor Pat’s special recipe and beautiful zucchini from her garden… moist and delicious, with lots of Vitamin A.
As many of you will remember from Cooking lesson #31 Nut Tree Orange Nut Bread I love baking quick breads. If you don’t remember, link in here or go to the Perspectives website and find it on the search bar.

So here’s the skinny on Zucchini Quick breads—it doesn't taste much like zucchini, since zucchini doesn't really have a well-defined flavor, but there is a twinge of “green” flavor in the background. The zucchini add a nice moistness to the bread.

Okay, you planted zucchini in your home garden and when it ripens it all ripens at the same time. This is a great way to use up all the ripe crop while making a tasty, sweet loaf that you can freeze for later enjoyment.

I call this a bread, but it really is very cake-like.  It is a beautiful and delicious loaf, not to mention super-fast and easy to make. And that, along with the fact that there is no proofing required, is why it is called “Quick Bread.”
 
Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Bake time:  50 minutes
Cool time:  35 minutes
Yield:  2 loaves, about 16 servings
 
Ingredients 
1 tablespoon kosher salt
4 cups grated zucchini
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tablespoon molasses
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
 
Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Generously butter two loaf pans.
3. Mix the kosher salt into grated zucchini and let sit for 10 minutes.
4. Transfer the mixture to a strainer and rinse very thoroughly under cold water to remove the salt. Let it drain for 15 to 20 minutes before using.
5. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg together in a mixing bowl. Set aside and reserve until needed.
6. Combine the beaten eggs, molasses, sugar and vanilla in another large mixing bowl and whisk until mixture is smooth and turns a pale yellow, about 2 minutes.
7. Grab a handful of the drained zucchini and put it into a kitchen towel and squeeze out any excess water before transferring into the egg-sugar mixture. Repeat until all the zucchini has been transferred.
8. Pour in the melted butter and stir until combined.
9. Stir the pecans into the batter, followed by the flour mixture. Use a spatula to mix until the flour disappears.
10. Deposit the batter into the prepared loaf pans.
11. Tap the pans on the countertop to settle the batter and get rid of any air pockets.
12. Bake in the center of a preheated oven until golden brown on top and a cake tester poked in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes.
13. Let the loaves cool for 10 minutes in the pan, and then turn them out on to a cooling rack for another 25 minutes.
14. Let cool completely before serving.

ChefSecret:  You can use any nut you like, some people prefer walnuts instead of pecans. You can also add butterscotch, toffee or dark chocolate chips if you like.

Quip of the Day:  “Question: What is a zucchini’s favorite sport? Answer: Squash.”
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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. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. 

#Baking #Snack #Breakfast #Brunch #QuickBread #ZucchiniBread #Zucchini #2022 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                                 ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

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

1. Pull and skin the chicken meat; set aside. (See ChefSecret for alternate proteins)
2. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the cream cheese on high power until soft, about 20 seconds.
3. Add the half-and-half and whisk until completely mixed; set aside.
4. Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bell peppers, jalapeños and garlic; sauté until soft, 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Sprinkle the flour over the sautéed peppers and garlic; stir to combine.
6. Add the dried shallots, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper.
7. Add the cooked chicken, cream cheese mixture, chicken stock, salsa, cumin, oregano, and tortillas; bring to a boil to slightly thicken.
8. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
9. Add the chili beans and simmer for another hour.

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.”
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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 #ChickenSoup #Chicken #Peppers #Shallots #Cayenne #SalsaVerde #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                          ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2022