How you doin’? This time of year, I like entertaining from the barbecue. I love serving a special potato side with steaks. There are times when baked potatoes and double stuffed are just not enough. I don’t want to worry about over- holding bakers hot and the mess of dealing with toppings outside on the patio.
 
At the Assay Office in San Francisco where we had the smallest kitchen in the world, to relieve pressure on service and make it faster, we served these rich, super creamy restaurant style au gratin potatoes with all steak and chop entrees. People gobbled them up fast… so fast we left them wanting more. They were so popular, we sold them in large casserole dishes to go.
 
When made at home, you’ll find au gratin potatoes are great with most main dishes and as leftovers. Warmed up in the microwave with eggs and bacon the next day, they are a terrific treat. Warning:  They’re not dietetic, light or low fat dishes, just great tasting.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Cook time: 65 minutes
Rest time: 5 minutes
 
Ingredients 
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (to prepare the pan)
3 to 4 russet potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
4 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup grated medium Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup grated Mozzarella cheese
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Butter a 9 X 13-inch baking pan.
3. Spread potatoes evenly in the pan.
4. Whisk together heavy cream, milk, garlic, flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Pour cream mixture over the potatoes.
5. Cover the baking pan with foil.
6. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, then remove the foil.
7. Continue baking until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, about 40 minutes.
8. Remove the potatoes from the oven and sprinkle with the 3 cheeses on top and give them a light turn.
9. Return the potatoes to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted; about 10 minutes.
10. Allow the potatoes to cool/rest for 5 minutes before serving.

ChefSecret:  You can use any fast melting cheeses. I also like to add 2 tablespoons of Blue Cheese to get an extra zing.

Quip of the Day:  Q. What’s a potato’s favorite TV show?  A. Starch Trek.

Do you have a question or comment? Send your favorite recipes, pictures or thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. 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.

#SideDish #AuGratinPotatoes #Cheddar #Gruyere #Mozzarella #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #T2T #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
                                                                                                   ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

How you doin’? Summertime is picnic time and the perfect menu for such an occasion is Cold & Crispy Chicken, Cabbage Coleslaw and Potato Salad—South Carolina All Seasons Potato Salad. Whether dining at the local park or enjoying a bedspread picnic, this menu will be enjoyed by all in attendance.
 
So where did this side dish originate?  It was first introduced to Europe from the New World by Spanish explorers in the 16th century. The early potato salads were made by boiling potatoes in wine or a mixture of vinegar and spices. The more American version of potato salad is rooted in German cuisine and came here with European settlers. My potato salad includes eggs, celery, carrots, relish, scallions and peanuts, and can be served chilled or warm. The results will be Spud-Tacular!
 
This salad is made with mayonnaise. If you’re taking this potato salad on a summer outdoor picnic, keep it chilled at a safe temperature (ideally below 40 degrees).
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Cook time:  30 minutes
Yield:  8 servings
 
Ingredients 
6 to 8 large Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in 1-inch cubes
4 large chopped hard cooked eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup sweet relish
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped scallion tops
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
 
Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Drain potatoes of hot water, then run cold water over them to stop the cooking process.
4. Combine cooked potatoes and eggs with mayonnaise, celery, carrots, relish, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
5. Gently mix and serve warm (immediately) or cold/chilled.
6. Garnish with chopped scallions and chopped peanuts.

ChefSecret: For easy-to-peel and the creamiest hard cooked egg yolks, place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring the water just to a boil; cover, remove from heat and let eggs stand in the hot water for 12 minutes. Strain the hot water off the eggs and run cold water with ice cubes over the eggs to let them cool completely. When the eggs are cool peel and chop; set aside.

Quip of the Day:  Q. Why did the potato blush? A. Because it saw the salad dressing.

Do you have a question or comment? Send your favorite recipes, pictures or thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. 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.
 
#Salad #PotatoSalad #YukonGoldPotatoes #HardCookedEggs #SouthCarolina #Scallions #ChoppedPeanuts #NationalPeanutBoard #NPB  #HappyIndependenceDay #Cheers #2023 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                                                ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

How you doin’? There are so many great legacy foods I like to serve for Thanksgiving Dinner. This fresh broccoli casserole is a family favorite (at least my family) for holidays and get-togethers. So why did I bypass the predictable string bean casserole?
 
When I was going to cooking school the first 6 weeks in Paris were centered on making recipes only with green beans. We cut them, minced them, baked them, steamed them, sautéed them—anything you could do with this vegetable we were tasked to do. After 6 long  weeks at least 50% of the students quit out of frustration, which, by the way, was the reason for the exercise… to reduce the number of students.  And sorry, but no refunds. So, I came up with this recipe so I wouldn’t have to taste another green bean dish.
 
My Thanksgiving Day Cheesy Broccoli Casserole is an inexpensive recipe you are going to want to pass down to your family for years to come because it's so cheesy and delicious!
 
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Yield:  10-12 servings
 
Ingredients 
4 heads fresh broccoli, chopped
3/4 cup shredded mild cheddar
3/4 cup pepper-jack cheese
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup (I prefer Campbell’s Soup)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups crushed, seasoned croutons or turkey bread stuffing mix
 
Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Butter or spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
3. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
4. Cook the broccoli in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain, and set aside.
5. In a saucepan over medium heat, mix the 2 cheeses, cream of mushroom soup (do not add water), and salt and pepper. Stir until cheese is melted.
6. Add the broccoli, stirring to coat. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
7. In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Mix in the croutons, and sprinkle over the broccoli mixture.
8. Bake the casserole for 30 minutes in the preheated oven until the topping is browned and the broccoli is tender, but not mushy.

ChefSecret: Be careful not to overcook which will make the broccoli a bit stodgy.

Quip of the Day:  A doctor walked into an exam room to see a patient with carrots sticking out of his ears and broccoli up his nose. The doctor said: “I can tell right away that you haven’t been eating properly.”
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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, 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. 

​#ThanksgivingRecipes #Thanksgiving #SideDish #Broccoli #CheesyBroccoliCasserole #CampbellsSoup #HolidayRecipes #Holidays2022 #BeThankful #QuarantineKitchen #RedCross #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                  ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

ow you doin’? Collard Greens are a perfect and historical side dish for the holidays. They date back to prehistoric time (yes, Fred and Wilma Flintstone used to eat them) and they’re one of the oldest members of the cabbage family. Collard Greens are also known as the tree cabbage. Some may think that Collard Greens originated in Africa but they were first served in the Eastern Mediterranean.
 
Collard Greens were introduced to America when the first Africans arrived in Jamestown, Virginia in the early 1600s. That’s when the early colonies got their first taste of the dark green, leafy vegetable. Collard Greens may even have been present at the first Thanksgiving.

Collard Greens are so nutritionally packed, it’s like putting money in your personal healthy bank. Collards are versatile and delicious, both cooked and raw, as most Southerners know. Collards are a member of the Brassica family and closely related to cabbage, kale and broccoli, and they are pretty enough to be grown as garden ornamentals.
 
Many culinary historians agree that the green craze in the South is supported by tastes for spring greens among Celtic and Germanic Southerners, but it was really pushed forward by people of African descent.
 
Brine time: 30 minutes
Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  at least 1 hour
Yield:  4 to 6 servings
 
Ingredients 
2 large bunches collards, rinsed well
1/2 pound smoked ham hock or salt pork , split
1/2 cup salt, for brine (see ChefSecret below)
Buttermilk cornbread, for serving
Hot sauce, for serving
 
Directions

1. Prepare the collards for cooking by cutting the large stems from the center of the leaves.
2. Stack the leaves and cut them crosswise into 1-inch strips.
3. Add 2-inches of water to a saucepan large enough to hold the raw collards. The leaves should be pushed down tightly; they will wilt to about one-quarter the volume as they cook.
4. Add the ham or pork and bring the water to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour, or until tender. Stir occasionally, checking to be sure there is enough liquid to prevent scorching; add water if necessary. Taste the liquid and add salt if needed.
6. Pull the ham hocks and separate the meat from the gristle.
7. Drain the greens and put them in a serving bowl and mix in the meat from the ham hock. Serve with your favorite hot sauce.

ChefSecret:  Brine by soaking the leaves briefly in a salt-water brine made by adding 1/2 cup salt to enough water to cover the leaves. Brine for 30 minutes, then rinse well and drain. Ask your butcher to split the ham hock on his band saw into about 4 pieces.

Quip of the Day: “My wife planted collard greens in our kitchen… she calls them her own personal Wall-greens.”
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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. 

#ThanksgivingRecipes #Thanksgiving #SideDish #CollardGreens #HamHocks #HolidayRecipes #Holidays2022 #BeThankful #QuarantineKitchen #RedCross #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                   ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

How you doin’?  It’s that time of the year! Before you know it, Thanksgiving will be here and then it’s a quick slide into the year-end festivities. To help you prepare for Thanksgiving, we’ll be blogging holiday recipes every weekday for the next two weeks. You’re welcome!
 
So… Funeral Potatoes… no, this isn’t a joke and it isn’t a belated Halloween dish. Best of all neither you (nor any of your loved ones) have to be dead to enjoy them! I saw this recipe on my Allrecipe feed and thought it was worthy of sharing, with a few changes of course. While funeral potatoes may be a bit unsettling, once you know the whole story it makes perfect sense. 
 
In Utah and surrounding states where Mormons tend to make up a large percentage of  the population, potluck luncheons are a standard practice after funerals. Cooking for many grieving mourners (Mormon or otherwise) is never easy. Crowd-feeding (not funding) dishes that can be simply made are a godsend during times of grief.

Funeral Potatoes are a cheesy potato casserole made with all convenience foods—canned or frozen... perfect for the novice cook. If you’re not on the keto diet this is a great comfort food for the tearful broken hearted. 
 
It's hard to say exactly when that dish became "funeral potatoes," though it's easy to believe that the designation arrived organically over time. There's evidence of the term's use online dating back to at least 1996, though this dish has probably been considered "to die for" for a fair amount longer. 
 
This is a great dish while at funerals where it is known as Funeral Potatoes. But during other happy times it might be named Christmas Potatoes, Thanksgiving Potatoes or even Easter Potatoes. Want to make them during the week?... just call ‘em Mom’s (or Dad’s) Best Potato Casserole.
 
Prep time:  5 minutes
Cook time:  10 minutes
Yield:  8 to 12 servings
 
Ingredients 
1 (16 ounce) jar store-bought cheese sauce
1 cup sour cream
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
1-1/4 cups water
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (2 pound) package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup broken potato chips
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 325⁰ F.
2. Butter a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the cheese sauce, sour cream, mushroom soup, celery soup, water, 1/2 of the butter and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Place the potatoes in the prepared dish, add soup mixture and mix well.
5. Mix the crumbs and potato ships with remaining melted butter and sprinkle over top of potato casserole.
6. Bake at 325⁰ F for 40 to 50 minutes or until casserole is bubbling and crumbs are lightly browned. If browning too quickly, put a sheet of foil over the top.
7. Allow the casserole to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

ChefSecret: You can use fresh cubed potatoes or tater tots in place of frozen hash browns—whatever you have in your freezer or pantry.

Quip of the Day: A consultant’s prayer—“Lord keep your arm around my shoulders and your hand over my mouth.”
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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.

#ThanksgivingRecipes #Thanksgiving #SideDish #PotatoCasserole #FuneralPotatoes  #HolidayRecipes #Holidays2022 #BeThankful #QuarantineKitchen #RedCross #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
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                                                    ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022