How you doin’? Brussels Sprouts… either you love ‘em or you hate ‘em—they’re an acquired taste—really nothing in between. They are sometimes a bit stinky, a little bitter and taste a little like cabbage. That’s because Brussels sprouts, (Brassica oleracea, variety gemmifera), are a form of cabbage, belonging to the mustard family Brassicaceae. They are widely grown in Europe and North America for their edible buds called “sprouts.” Brussels sprouts may have been grown in Belgium as early as 1200, but the first recorded description of them dates back to 1587.
 
This recipe may even tempt young children (honey… kids love sweet flavors) to give them a try. Have you often wondered why kids are so finicky about strongly flavored vegetables (Brussels sprouts and asparagus)? Young people have about 7,000 taste receptors in their tiny mouths. That makes them very sensitive to strong or spicy flavors. As they grow into adulthood, many of the receptors will be burned or bitten; the adult mouth averages only 1,500 to 1,800 taste receptors. That’s the reason why as you grow older you are more willing to try foods you didn’t like as a kid.
 
Prep time:  5 to 10 minutes
Cook time:  20 to 25 minutes
Yield:  Serves 6 to 8
 
Ingredients
2 pounds Brussels sprouts
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 cup chopped cooked bacon
 
Directions

1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425°F.
2. Meanwhile, trim the bottoms from the sprouts if they appear dry or yellowed, and peel away the loose outer leaves. Cut each Brussels sprout in half through the stem.
3. Place the Brussels sprouts on a rimmed baking sheet. Add the oil and toss to coat. 
4. Season with the salt and pepper and toss to coat again. Arrange them cut side down.
5. Roast, stirring halfway through, then add the cooked bacon pieces.
6. Continue to cook until the leaves are dark brown and crisp, and the undersides of the sprouts are browned, about 25 to 30 minutes. 
7. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and honey and toss to coat.  Serve immediately.

ChefSecret:  You can speed the cooking process along by placing the Brussels sprouts in a covered, microwave safe bowl and cooking them in a microwave for about 5 minutes, before putting them in the oven. Warm the honey and the balsamic vinegar before tossing with the Brussels sprouts—it’s okay to mix them together.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “I was just thinking, why are hemorrhoids called hemorrhoids instead of assteroids?”
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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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Here is wishing you the very best for the upcoming holidays. To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind welcoming in the 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.

#ThanksgivingRecipes #Thanksgiving #BrusselsSprouts #Bacon #Balsamic #Honey#SideDishes #HolidayRecipes #Holidays2020 #Thankful #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                               ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020

How you doin’? Are you trying to get everything cooked for the holidays? If you have a lot of people coming over (wait… what am I saying??) and you don’t have two ovens, you’re going to be in a world of hurt. This recipe is for my do-ahead mashed potatoes that are stuffed back in their skins. The texture is like that of mashed potatoes, only better, and can be made ahead of time for the holiday meal.
 
These potatoes are Joan’s favorite! You can see why with the amount of dairy in these spuds. (Oh… Joan is from Wisconsin—the dairy state—this recipe will keep both the farmers and the cows contented—and you, too!).
 
Prep time:  40 minutes
Bake time:  1 hour
Re-bake time: 30 to 40 minutes
Yield:  8 Servings
 
Ingredients:
5 to 6 large Russet potatoes, scrubbed clean (5 pounds)
2 tablespoons Kosher salt, divided
3 large egg yolks
4 tablespoon finely grated garlic
1-1/4 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup sour cream
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon finely ground black peppercorns,
1 cup finely-shredded Cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon chopped chives (optional)
2 tablespoons crisp bacon, finely chopped (optional)
 
Directions:

1. Preheat an oven to 400⁰ F.
2. Lightly oil the potatoes and sprinkle with a little coarse salt.
3. Fork-prick the potatoes one time to prevent them from exploding in the oven.
4. Place potatoes on large on a sheet pan and baked them in the oven for about an hour.
5. When the potatoes are soft to the touch and give a little, take them out of the oven to cool.
6. After the potatoes have cooled enough to handle, cut them in half and carefully scoop out the innards and set the empty potato skins aside.
7. Put the potato innards them through a ricer or a food mill (or mash them by hand if you don’t mind a few lumps) directly into a large bowl. Save the
8. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, garlic, cream, sour cream, butter and pepper. Season generously with salt.
9. Mix the egg mixture into the potatoes.
10. Gently fold in the shredded cheese (being careful not to over mix).
11. Using a pastry bag or large spoon transfer the potatoes back into the baked skins. Decoratively swirl the surface and sprinkle with a little paprika.  
12. Re-bake the stuffed potatoes, rotating once, until golden brown and slightly puffed, about 30 minutes.
13. Garnish with chopped chives and crispy bacon (if using).

ChefSecret:  If you’ve done the math then you know you should only need 4 potatoes to make 8 servings. I don’t like the way they look using just the right number of potatoes—they are flat and even with the skin—so I bake a couple of extra potatoes and use the extra meat to overfill the skins; I toss away the extra skins. It is also an insurance policy to have extra skins in case you break one (that happens to me all the time).
 
Baked & Stuffed Duchess Potatoes can be assembled a day ahead. Cover with food film and refrigerate. Increase re-bake time by 5–10 minutes.
 
Covid-19 Quip of the Day:  I don't know why my fishing buddy is worried about Coronavirus, he never catches anything.
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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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Here is wishing you the very best for the upcoming holidays. To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind welcoming in the 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. Thanks for reading.

#ThanksgivingRecipes #Thanksgiving #DuchessPotatoes #StuffedPotates #SideDish #HolidayRecipes #Holidays2020 #Thankful #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                              ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020

How you doin’? Growing up in my house this was always a forgotten dish—the one that was stuck in the back of the fridge and discovered when the leftovers were being put away. It is such an important side dish as it cuts some of the richness with the tartness of the cranberries.
 
It is very simple to make and one of the best cranberry relishes ever. This easy and delicious recipe takes only 15 minutes to make with just a few ingredients probably on hand. It is spiced with cinnamon and sweetened with orange juice… the best combination of sweet and tart! The perfect complement to your holiday meal.
 
Prep time:  5 minutes
Cook time:  10 minutes
Chill time:  4 hours or overnight
Yield:  8 servings
 
Ingredients
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup orange juice (fresh or bottled)
1/2 cup water
1 envelope Knox gelatin (optional—see ChefSecret below)
12 oz fresh cranberries, rinsed
1/8 teaspoon of kosher salt
1 cinnamon stick
1 piece of orange peel (by using a potato peeler or paring knife)
 
Directions

1. Combine the sugar, orange juice and water (and gelatin, if using) in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir to combine.
2. Add the raw cranberries, salt, cinnamon stick and orange peel.
3. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently.
4. Continue cooking, for about 10 minutes, or until most of the cranberries have popped. I like to leave a handful of berries whole.
5. Let cool for at least 30 minutes.
6.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

ChefSecret:  This is a make-ahead course.  Can be made up to 3 days in advance. If you prefer your relish a little firmer, add 1 envelope of Knox gelatin as you are adding the liquid ingredients and whisk well.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day:  “Day 246 or something at home and the dog is looking at me like, “See, this is why I chew the furniture!”
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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. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. 
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Here is wishing you the very best for the upcoming holidays. To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind welcoming in the 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. Thanks for reading.

#ThanksgivingRecipes #Thanksgiving #Cranberries #CranberryRelish #SideDishes #HolidayRecipes #Holidays2020 #Thankful #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                        ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020

How you doin’? I will be honest with you… this is not one of my favorite foods—green beans of any kind. But they are the perfect green veggie to serve at a Thanksgiving Day feast.
 
My dislike of green beans dates back to my student days at the Cordon Bleu in Paris. For the first 6 weeks of class (for which we paid a lot of money) all you worked on was GREEN BEANS… haricot vert for our French friends. We learned how to string them, cut, mince and dice them, sauté, fry and bake them. In short, we were required to learn how to do everything to green beans but grow them. Within 6-weeks the class size was half of what we started with and we got a lot more personal attention to progress our culinary talents.
 
So how do you like your green beans?
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  15 minutes
Yield:  4 to 6 servings
 
Ingredients
2 cups French-styled green beans, cooked, drained and still hot
1/4 cup slivered blanched almonds
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 to 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
 
Directions

1. Steam the green beans for about 10 minutes over moderate heat.
2. Sauté almonds in butter over low heat until golden, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, add salt, garlic and lemon juice. 
3. Pour over hot cooked green beans.

ChefSecret:  The almonds are the best part of this dish. Be careful not to burn them. Cook them until they are just light golden brown.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day:  “My mom always told me I wouldn’t accomplish anything by lying in bed all day. But look at me now, ma! I’m saving the world!”
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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. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. 
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Here is wishing you the very best for the upcoming holidays. To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind welcoming in the 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. Thank you for reading.

#ThanksgivingRecipes #Thanksgiving #GreenBeansAlmondine #Almonds #GreenBeans #SideDish #Vegetables #HolidayRecipes #Holidays2020 #Thankful #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                            ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020

How you doin’? Many people are never sure whether to serve mashed potatoes or yams (sweet potatoes) for their Thanksgiving Day feast. Either works for me. Since your oven and range top are probably going to be tied up with a multitude of other foods you may need to cook your spuds in the Instant Pot. Once your sweet potatoes are ready, you can enjoy them however you'd prefer—mashed, in sweet potato casserole with marshmallows, or simply with a little butter and brown sugar. Any way you decide to cook them they will be a treat for family and friends.
 
Have you ever wondered where sweet potatoes came from? Sweet potatoes originated in Central and South America. But archaeologists have found prehistoric remnants of sweet potatoes in Polynesia from about A.D. 1000 to A.D. 1100, according to radiocarbon dating. Scientists have hypothesized that those ancient samples came from the western coast of South America.
 
Scientists believe that sweet potato was domesticated thousands of years ago in Central America. After his first voyage to the Americas in 1492, Christopher Columbus took sweet potatoes back home to Spain and eventually to all of Europe. So now you know the rest of the story.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Instant Pot cook time:  35 minutes
Yield:  4 cooked sweet potatoes
 
Ingredients
4 medium sweet potatoes
 
Scrub brush
Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker
Stainless steel trivet
1 cup water
Tongs
 
Directions

1. Using a vegetable scrub brush thoroughly scrub the sweet potatoes.
2. Place the stainless-steel trivet inside the Instant Pot. Add 1 cup of water. Place the sweet potatoes on top of the trivet.
3. Lock the lid and turn the pressure release vent to the "sealing" position.
4. Cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 15 minutes. Note that it will take about 10 minutes for the pressure to build.
5. Allow the PRESSURE TO RELEASE NATURALLY for 10 MINUTES.
6. Once the 10 minutes are up, release the rest of the pressure on QUICK RELEASE.
7. Carefully open the lid and remove sweet potatoes using tongs.
8. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

ChefSecret:  Mash the cooked sweet potatoes along with butter, cinnamon and salt Taste them. If you’d like them sweeter, add up to 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. Sprinkle with mini-marshmallows and pecan pieces and bake in an oven until hot and the marshmallows are toasty.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “Nothing like relaxing on the couch after a long day of being tense on the couch.”
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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. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. 
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Here is wishing you the very best for the upcoming holidays. To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind welcoming in the 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.
Thanks for reading.

#ThanksgivingRecipes #Thanksgiving #SweetPotatoes #InstantPot #Yams #SideDish #HolidayRecipes #Holidays2020 #Thankful #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                             ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020