How you doin’ pardner? I imagine that this is what Roy Rogers, Dale Evans and Hop-Along Cassidy might have feasted on in the 1950’s. So, move over, wimpy dips—this recipe for my Texas Grilled Corn Cowboy Caviar is hearty and party ready. This classic summer side is chock-full of sweet, smoky grilled corn, creamy beans, juicy tomatoes, and tangy onions. Every bite is a garden-fresh mélange of wonderful flavors and textures.
This recipe makes enough for the entire bunk house full of cowboys, so you’ll definitely want to share it with friends. Make a big batch and bring it to your family or friend’s 4th of July barbecue this weekend—or invite your pals over for a happy hour campfire and keep the leftovers in your fridge for snacking on later.

Prep time:  20 minutes
Yield:  10 servings

Ingredients
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
4 ears of fresh corn (use fresh… it’s summer!)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 15-ounce can rinsed black beans
1 15-ounce can rinsed black-eyed peas
3 diced tomatoes
1 diced red bell pepper
1 minced jalapeño pepper
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves with tender stems
1 thinly sliced green onion, tops and bottoms
 
Directions

1. To make the dressing, combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic and granulated sugar in a small bowl.
2. Whisk until emulsified and season with salt, black and cayenne peppers. Set aside.
3. Heat your grill to medium-high heat.
4. Brush the corn with the extra virgin olive oil.
5. Grill the corn, rotating frequently, for 10 minutes or until slightly charred all around. Let the corn cool for 5 minutes.
6. On a large cutting board, remove the kernels from the cob by carefully running a sharp knife down the side of the cob. Put a kitchen towel under the cutting board to catch the runaway kernels and steady the board.
7. Transfer the kernels to a large serving bowl.
8. Add the black beans, black-eyed peas, tomatoes, bell pepper, jalapeño, red onion, cilantro leaves and stems and green onion.
9. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir with a rubber spatula until fully combined.
10. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips!
11. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

ChefSecret:  You can serve this spaghetti-western style on rounds of grilled Italian bread bruschetta style.

Quip of the Day:  What style is it when someone who wears cowboy clothes? Ranch dressin’. This is as corny as my Texas Grilled Corn Cowboy Caviar.
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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.

#SideDish #Salad #GrilledSweetCorn #TexasCornCaviar #4thJulySalad #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
 
                                                                         ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024

How you doin’? When I was growing up my mother used to think of “cute” names of meals to make them more inviting—dinner omelets we called Conglomeration—eggs mixed with most anything. Taste Ticklers were sweet and sour Danish meatballs. Egg salad with avocado was Green Egg Surprise. Everything was a surprise in our house. You would have thought she had trouble getting me to eat—that wasn’t true. I haven’t thought about Egg Surprise in years until I saw a recipe in the Gelson’s flyer recently.
 
What is Green Egg Surprise? It’s very green egg salad made with perfectly ripe avocados, a little chopped garlic, dill and parsley, and freshly squeezed lemon juice. It’s super creamy and fresh and I love adding the herbs to the mix for more flavor thrills. The herbs give the salad a nice flavor and spring flair without squashing its essential egginess. Even without all the mayo, this tastes like a great egg salad we all know and love.
 
The beauty of avocado egg salad, of course, is that it’s easy to make—you can even let the kids help you out by doing the mashing. And then it’s just a matter of piling it on a toasty everything bagel. Yes, it will taste great on any sort of bagel, but the combo of creamy, herby, crunchy, oniony, seedy and garlicky is pretty damn magical.
 
Bagel sandwiches are a no-brainer for a fancy midweek lunch or weekend brunch. Bagels are always delicious, and people are generally surprised and delighted to see egg salad—it’s one of those classics that most of us forget to make at home.
 
Prep Time:  15 minutes
Cook Time:  25 minutes (eggs)
Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients 
2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and medium diced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt or to your taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to your taste
6 everything bagels, cut in half and toasted
And, yes… there is no mayonnaise
 
Directions

1. In a large bowl, mash the ripe avocados with the back of a fork until mostly smooth.
2. Mix in the eggs, dill, parsley, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil until incorporated.
3. Season with kosher salt and black pepper.
4. Divide the avocado egg salad between the toasted bagels and sprinkle some chopped dill on top for garnish.
5. Serve at room temperature.
6. You can store leftover egg salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

ChefSecret:  If you don’t have fresh dill or parsley on hand, you can use chives, tarragon or cilantro instead. I cook my eggs just until the water boils. I take the eggs off the heat and let them steep in hot water for 17 minutes. Then I plunge them in cold ice water with ice cubes until completely chilled. Surprise—those eggs will be perfect.

Quip of the Day:  Where can you go to learn more about eggs?  The hen-cyclopedia.

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Do you have a question or comment? Send your favorite recipes, pictures or thoughts to [email protected]. 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.
 
#Entree #Salad #Sandwich #Bagel #EggSaladSurprise #Avocado #AvocadoEggSalad #EverythingBagel #Bagel #Lunch #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
 
                                                                                ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024 

How you doin’? I really hate boring salads—you know the ones that have a little iceberg lettuce and a tomato slice with a bottled commercial dressing? We can do so much better than that.
 
The bestselling salad at my first restaurant was The Conglomeration. It was a large salad made with chopped iceberg, romaine, crisp bacon, chopped hard cooked egg, cucumber, shredded carrots, diced celery, chopped olives, red onion and chunks of soft white cheese. All of this was tossed with my secret Champagne vinaigrette—a masterpiece! The more “orts” (ingredients) the better. We even took care to serve it on a Hawaiian monkey pod, garlic rubbed salad plate.
 
When we found out this was the bestselling salad, I put our kitchen staff’s talents to invent and test new mixed salads. I declared our restaurant would never serve ho-hum salads. Even our Angel’s Fruit & Yogurt Salad was loaded with flavors and textures.
 
Our guests used to ask me, why can’t I make salads like this at home? You see,
restaurant salads are delicious because of the variety and freshness of the ingredients. Most people don’t keep a wide variety of fresh veggies on hand for fear they will spoil before consuming. So please trust me, there's more to making salads than heaping on a pile of deep-fried croutons and boatloads of cheese.
 
Here is what you can do from your very own kitchen to make the best salads ever:

• The ingredients can decide whether your salad turns out just okay or over the top. Restaurant-quality salads start with restaurant-quality ingredients. In most restaurants, cooks prepare and cut all the ingredients in advance (except don’t cut tomatoes too far in advance) and then keep them chilled. This does not compromise freshness. As a home cook, only shop for just a handful of fresh, in-season ingredients that you'll use right away; that actually gives you an edge over those in professional kitchens.
• Wait until the last minute to wash delicate ingredients like lettuce. The cold water refreshes the lettuce and keeps it nice and crisp. Make sure to spin or shake the lettuce dry; excess water on the surface will make the lettuce limp and dilute your dressing.
• In my restaurants, when an order for one of our entree salads came in, a prep cook first tossed all the ingredients in a chilled metal bowl twice the size of the salad. To finish the job, he would use his gloved hands to make sure that all of the ingredients were well-combined before transferring the salad to the serving plate and garnishing it. Use this method and you will never again have naked greens at the bottom of the bowl while all of the dressing stays on top.
• Many of us try to watch the amount of salt we use, but in salads it is important to  season every element with just a pinch of salt—even the lettuce. This results in every bite tasting full-flavored and fresh. Salt is a big difference between salads at home and salads in a restaurant. This doesn't mean you have to make your salads salty! Just hold back some salt when seasoning your dressing.
• Dressings are an all-important part of a successful salad. We all know that using bottled dressings is super easy and some are okay, but just okay. But homemade dressings can also be easy. A vinaigrette takes just a minute to prepare… pour all the ingredients into an empty jar and shake it until combined. It’s about 10 times fresher, better for you and more delicious than most store-bought dressings. Just shake together sherry vinegar, olive oil, pepper, salt, dried herbs and coarse whole grain mustard.
• While I love lot of orts in my salad, remember to balance colors, flavors and textures with a mix of cooked and raw ingredients, proteins, grains, veggies, fruits, herbs and a great homemade dressing. As you will see below, all of these components make the perfect entrée salad. Make sure you have something crisp like cucumber, something soft like goat cheese and something fatty like avocado. And be sure to incorporate different kinds of flavors—sweet, sour, savory and bitter—for a better than restaurant quality homemade salad.
• Finally, adding just a little thinly sliced-then-quartered lemon brightens up all the flavors in your masterpiece!

 
Ingredients 
4 ounces spring lettuce mix salad blend
4 tablespoons grilled chopped chicken breast
3 tablespoons grilled fresh corn
3 tablespoons low-sodium, canned black beans, drained
3 grape tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons red or yellow bell peppers, diced
1-1/2 tablespoons Mexican cheese blend
1 tablespoon hulled pepitas, toasted
2 ounces Spicy Cilantro-Avocado Dressing, (see recipe below)
3 thin slices of fresh lemon, quartered
... and whatever you want to add
 
Directions

1. Add the spring lettuce mix to a chilled salad bowl.
2. Starting at the 12 o’clock position, place the chicken at the top.
3. Then going around the bowl, evenly space the corn, black beans, tomatoes and peppers.
4. Top the salad and fixings in the bowl with the cheese, and pepitas.
5. When ready to serve either pour the dressing evenly over the salad greens or toss, if desired.

ChefSecret:  I sometimes use leftover chilled chicken meat or better yet warm fried chicken tenders in this salad.

                                      Zesty Avocado-Cilantro Dressing
 
Prep time:  5 minutes
Cook time:  15 minutes
Total time:  20 minutes
Yield:  16 ounces+
 
Ingredients 
2 ounces toasted macadamia nuts
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon fresh, peeled garlic
1/2 teaspoon fresh, seeded and ribbed diced red jalapeño pepper
3/4 cup  fresh, peeled and pitted avocado
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
5 ounces cold water
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
 
Directions

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add the toasted macadamia nuts and boil them for 15 minutes, to soften. Rinse them under cool water to stop the cooking process and drain well.
2. Add all of the ingredients to a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth, adding more water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed to thin out the consistency.
3. Store in an airtight container. Cover, label, date, refrigerate. 

ChefSecrets:  Freshly-roasting the macadamia nuts adds another level of flavor to the salad dressing.

Quip of the Day: “Why is it called a Caesar Salad? ‘Cause Caesar ruled the romaines.”
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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.
 
#EntreeSalads #Salads #PerfectSalads #Lunch #Dinner #Vinaigrette #CilantroAvocado #Dressing #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
 
                                                                            ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024

How you doin’? When looking for a great steak place in the greater Las Vegas area I tend to lean toward local Henderson restaurants. In fact, if you talk to most locals, the only time they venture down to the strip is when they have guests or clients in town.
 
Green Valley Ranch’s upscale Hank’s Fine Steaks and Martinis is the perfect go-to place. The restaurant offers fine surf 'n' turf beneath crystal chandeliers with impeccable table side service. Professional table side service these days in many Las Vegas restaurants and Hanks does it well. But don’t think of a stuffy, old fashioned kind of place or service. Hank’s is contemporary in design and the service is all about hospitality, making it a comfortable go-to restaurant for special occasions or just a great night out for dinner. 
 
With all the wet and dry-aged beef options you want to start your meal with a light Wedge Salad. You don’t want to spoil your appetite with something like their excellent Lobster Chowder or French Onion Soup Gratinee—a little too rich to go with Chateaubriand. My personal preference is for the house Wedge Salad with homemade Ranch Dressing.
 
This is not just any store-bought, bottled or dry mix ranch—it is house made Ranch Dressing at its finest.  There are a couple of things that make my Ranch Dressing special. First, I redefined the mayonnaise, sour cream and buttermilk ratios so the texture is just right. It’s thin enough that you can toss it, and it’s got the perfect amount of stick-to-it-iveness so that it clings to lettuce wedge, salad goodies and is dippable without being globby. No one likes an over-dressed giant glob of dressing on their lettuce wedge. My Ranch Dressing is light, tangy and herby, thanks to a perfect blend of parsley, chives and dill.
 
Now for the greens--Wedge Salads are just about as simple as they come but that’s their appeal as they complement the steak course to the fullest. They are sophisticated, yet simple and special at the same time. This Wedge Salad is what you might expect to order at a country club, fancy restaurant or my house. The wedge of juicy, well chilled iceberg lettuce is the perfect blank canvas for all your favorite toppings like. Seasonally sweet cherry tomatoes, black pepper rimmed bacon, some fresh-cut chives for a pretty pop of green along with options of black olives, pickled sweet red onions, toasted croutons, plenty of crumbled bleu cheese and whatever else you love.
 
This Wedge Salad is perfect for a lunch entrée or for a great starter for a steak or lobster dinner. Remember to keep it simple, just salt and pepper, because you’re going to want to drag that steak through the leftover dressing.
 
                                                  Ranch Dressing
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Yield:  2 cups
 
Ingredients 
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
2 teaspoons minced fresh dill
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
 
Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and whisk together until well blended. Don’t use a blender or food processor or it will beat up the green herbs—you want to see the specs of green.
2. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

ChefSecret:  I like to make a double recipe. Once you have a jar full of the stuff, you’re going to want to dip, dunk and drench everything in it, like blistered shishito chile peppers, air-fried pickles and jalapeño poppers. It’s also amazing on the classics, from wee baby carrots to pepperoni pizza, and of course, this wedge salad.
 
                                                    Wedge Salad
 
Prep time: 15 minutes
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients 
1 firm, fresh head iceberg lettuce, cut in quarters
1 cup ranch dressing
6 strips chopped crispy-cooked peppered bacon
10 cherry tomatoes cut in half
4 teaspoons chopped chives
1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese
 
Directions

1. Remove the outer lettuce leaves as necessary.
2. Cut the lettuce into 4 wedges.
3. Wash, thoroughly drain and chill the wedges.
4. Place the quarters of iceberg lettuce, angled side up, on a salad plate.
5. Pour 1/4 cup of dressing over each lettuce wedge.
6. Evenly sprinkle the wedges with the chopped bacon, cherry tomatoes, chives, bleu cheese crumbles and any other desired goodies.
7. Serve immediately on a chilled plate with a chilled fork.

Quip of the Day:  Q. Why did the cowboy ride a horse while eating salad? A. Because he loved the ranch dressing.
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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, 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.

​#Entree #Salad #WedgeSalad #RanchDressing #Lunch #Dinner #2023Recipes #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
                                                                                                       ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

How you doin’? My weekly personal grocery bill has gone up nearly $75/week in the last year. That’s a big hit due to the continual rise in inflation. One of our restaurants opened under similar circumstance many years ago—higher prices are restaurant killers.
 
The success of Fanny’s Fish Market wasn’t about whole pieces of fish filets, jumbo shrimp and lobster tails. Fanny’s Fish Market was all about seafood infused sauces and meals. Our seafood sauce over a variety of pastas or salads mixed with bits and pieces gave plenty of rich seafood flavor at far lower costs. Seafood enhanced soups and chowders served in extra-large bowls with large slices of hot, cheesy garlic bread offered full meals at bargain prices.
 
Fanny’s opened on the pier at Foster City Estuary. It was an immediate success—profitable the first month it opened. With the restaurants’ healthy variety and reasonable prices you could (and many did) come in 3 or 4 times a week.
 
Here’s my home version of Fanny’s famous Sea Creature House Salad. The secret to our soups, salads and pasta dishes is a great thick piece of cheesy-buttered, toasted, crusty garlic bread.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Rest time: 5 mins
Yield:  4 personal salads / 1/2 cup dressing
 
Ingredients 
For the dressing
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning (see recipe below)
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
 
For the salad
2 (5 ounce) packages American salad mix (lettuce blend with other seasonal ingredients)
3/4 cup sliced pitted black olives
3/4 cup thinly sliced red pickled pepperoncini
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion or pickled red onion
2 plum tomatoes, sliced
1/4 cup sliced and quartered cucumber
1/2 cup warm garlic seasoned croutons
1/3 cup “baby” cooked shrimp—71-count (tiny sea creatures)
 
Directions

1. Combine olive oil, mayonnaise, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic and Parmesan in a food processor, and process until thoroughly combined.
2. Combine salad mix, olives, pepperoncini, onion, tomatoes, cucumber and croutons in a large bowl.
3. Top with shrimp.
4. Drizzle salad with dressing; toss to coat.
5. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

ChefSecret:  You don’t have to buy a special spice mix to make it Italian. You probably have all the ingredients in your own spice cabinet. Feel free to adjust the ratio of spices and the yield to make whatever size of batch you would like to your taste. You’ll find this spice mix works with hundreds of other recipes from soups to pasta, grilled meat and marinades.
 
                                 Ed’s Special Italian Seasoning Blend
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried sage

Whisk all seasonings together in a bowl until combined. Better yet process through a spice grinder for a few seconds. Use immediately or store in a sealed container.

​Quip of the Day:  My doctor recently asked if anyone in my family suffered from mental illness and I said, "No, we all seem to enjoy 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.
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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.

#Entree #Salad #ShrimpSalad #FannysFishMarket #SeaCreatureSalad #BayShrimp #BabyShrimp #Lunch #Dinner #2023Recipes #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                                  ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023