How you doin’? What’s not to like with this recipe. It’s a yummy one-biter! It can easily be brought to a potluck dinner. Whenever I asked “what can I bring?” Crispy Apple Crumb Cups top the list.
 
I use a good all-purpose McIntosh apple which, by the way, is the Canadian national apple. McIntosh apples are good for eating as well. They are well known as dessert apples that break down quickly and require a shorter cooking time than most other apples. When first picked, McIntosh apples are sweet, juicy and tart with a bit of a spicy flavor thrill.
 
What will this recipe deliver? Sweet cinnamon-scented apples held in a buttery crispy oatmeal cup with a crunchy sweet topping. I like to make sweet treats to share with friends. I do this a lot with chocolate, but I came up with this inexpensive recipe so that I could bake and take apple crisp to share with family and friends.
 
Prep time: 45 minutes
Bake time: 20 minutes
Yield: 48 mini apple cups
 
Ingredients 
3 large McIntosh apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups rolled oats
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1-1/2 cups butter, diced
 
Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Grease 4 12-cup mini-muffin tins.
3. Mix the apples, water, granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon together in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Simmer until apples are partially cooked, about 5 minutes; remove from heat. Set aside.
4. Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl.
5. Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
6. Place a heaping tablespoon of the crust mixture into a mini muffin cup and press it into the cup so that it covers the bottom and pushes up the sides of the cup. Make the crust go all the way to the top of the little muffin cup and patch any holes with more crust mixture.
7. There will be crust mixture left over. Place about 2 teaspoons of apple filling in the crust pockets.
8. Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of the remaining crust mixture on the filling.
9. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown; 15 to 20 minutes.

ChefSecret:  This is a Budget Recipe. Why? You probably have most of these ingredients in your pantry already. Don’t let them get one day older, make this inexpensive recipe and save a couple of bucks.

Quip of the Day: “Good moms let you lick the beaters. Great moms turn them off first.”
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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 #Apples #Snack #CrumbCups #McIntoshApples #CrispyAppleCrumbCups #HolidayRecipes #Holidays2022 #BeThankful #QuarantineKitchen #RedCross #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                   ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

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’? In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a bit of a sweet freak. I like to start the morning with a treat—healthy if possible—and end the night with just a touch of sugar. These Honey-Molasses Bran Muffins are a great head start on the day. This recipe bakes up deliciously tender muffins that feature wheat bran and whole wheat flour for flavor and fiber, and raisins, honey, molasses and applesauce for sweetness and texture.
 
In the area where I live, Vons Markets hot bakery sometimes has pretty darn good bran muffins, but they usually run out before I get there. So now I just put on my best baker’s apron and get the big bowl and wooden spoon out and in less than a half an hour I’ve got fresh, healthy morning muffins.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Bake time:  15-20 minutes
Yield:  12 to 15 medium-size muffins
 
Ingredients 
1 cup wheat or oat bran (I prefer Bob’s Red Mill brand)
1-1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour (for this recipe I used King Arthur brand)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup roasted and chopped pecans
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup applesauce (I used No Sugar Added)
1 cup milk
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup honey
1-1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 large beaten eggs
2 tablespoons demerara sugar (raw sugar)
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 400° F and center a rack in the oven.
2. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin (Pam) or line with paper or foil baking cups (or both).
3. In a large bowl, combine wheat bran, flour, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder.
4.  Stir in nuts and raisins.
5. Add in the applesauce, milk, molasses, honey, vanilla extract, oil and eggs and stir just until moistened.
6. Scoop into prepared muffin tin.
7. Sprinkle a little demerara sugar on top of the batter and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.

ChefSecret: This is a basic bran muffin recipe to which you can easily add other ingredients—substitute dried cherries, cranberries or chopped prunes for the raisins. You can use straight honey or molasses instead of the mix. If you really have a sweet tooth add dark brown sugar in place of the other sweeteners. You can use almond extract in place of the vanilla. You can make it your own and change it up every time you make them.

Quip of the Day: “Why is a baseball team like a bran muffin? They both depend on the batter."
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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 #Muffins #HoneyMolassesBranMuffins #BobsRedMill #KingArthur #Vons #2022 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                                   ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

How you doin’? This is the perfect cookie for tailgating. It tastes little bit like the rich and fudgy version of a chocolate sheet cake found in New York bakeries, but a lot easier to bring to the party.
 
Make sure to frost these cookies while both the cookies, and the frosting, are still warm, because the frosting sets up quickly! Top them chopped pecans and store them in airtight containers to maintain the freshness.
 
But where did the custom of tailgating originate, you ask?  The modern tailgate likely has its roots in college football, first played at College Field in New Brunswick, New Jersey, between Rutgers and Princeton in 1869. Local lore insist it was both a fine game and a fine party. The party and its basic elements, though, might have earlier origins. But it’s unlikely that covered wagons had tailgates.
 
It may just be that with the advent of wooden-sided station wagons (known as woodies) in the 1930s, fans used the rear fold-down tailgates as seats or buffet tables. Thus, pregame partying was increasingly called “tailgating.” While some credit Yale sports information director Charley Loftus, it's not clear who, if anyone, coined the term or the practice.
 
Tailgating is primarily an American or Canadian pre-game celebration, and it often involves consuming large amounts of alcoholic beverages while barbecuing and grilling food. Tailgate parties occur in the parking lots at stadiums and arenas, before and occasionally after games, festivals, and concerts.
 
Prep time:  40 minutes
Bake time: 10 minutes
 
Ingredients 
For the cookies
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I prefer Guittard chocolate chips)
1-1/8 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa (I prefer Guittard cocoa powder)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (I prefer Medaglia D’oro)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup room temperature buttermilk
 
For the chocolate frosting
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa (I prefer Guittard cocoa powder)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
 
Directions
To make the cookies

1. Place the chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted; about 5 minutes. Let them cool.
2. Preheat an oven to 350⁰ F.
3. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
4. Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat using an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
5. Beat in the egg and vanilla and almond extracts until thoroughly combined.
6. Mix in the melted chocolate until thoroughly incorporated.
7. Stir in 1/2 of the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
8. Pour in the buttermilk.
9. Stir in the remaining dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
10. Using a scoop, drop rounded balls of dough 1-1/2 inches apart on prepared sheet pans.
11. Bake in the preheated oven until cookies are just set, 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overbake.
12. Remove the sheet pans from the oven and allow the cookies to cool slightly on the baking sheets. Do not remove cookies from the baking sheets.

To make the chocolate frosting

1. Combine the butter, heavy cream, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and salt in a saucepan set over low heat. Whisk until the butter is melted and mixture is smooth and combined.
2. Mix in the confectioner’s sugar 1 cup at a time, whisking thoroughly after each addition. Keep whisking over low heat until the frosting is smooth and shiny; 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Remove the chocolate frosting from heat and immediately pour about 1 to 2 tablespoons over each cookie while they are still warm.
4. Use the back of a spoon to gently smooth out frosting as needed.
5. Let the cookies cool until the frosting is set completely before gently removing them from the sheet pans.

ChefSecret: Do not overbake. These cookies will dry out with even an additional minute in the oven. Baking time will differ depending on the size of cookies you scoop and the oven. Remove them immediately from the oven when the tops of the cookies feel set. Keep them on the sheet pans.
 
The frosting can be reheated if it begins to set up too quickly. Simply place back on to low heat and whisk until it is a pourable consistency again. Additional heavy cream may be added to the frosting as well. Caution: too much cream will interfere with the frosting's set-up.

​Quip of the Day: “I think about this the closer we come to April 15th… Modern day slaves are not in chains; they are in debt to the federal government.”
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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. 

#Baking #Cookies #LVR #RaidersNationa #TailgateCookies #FudgyChocolateCookies #Guittard #2022 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                                     ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

​How you doin’? I’m a little old fashioned… a balanced dinner to me is a small salad, entrée, starch (potato or corn) and a green veggie. But what dinner could be complete without dessert? Well, this is the one you’ve been waiting for. This is a great everyday dessert that everyone will love! Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream.
 
Apple crisp is a dessert made with a streusel topping. An apple crumble is a dessert of baked apples topped with streusel topping. In the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, the term 'crumble' refers to both desserts, but in the US the two are distinguished. In Canada, both terms are used ambiguously.
 
Ingredients usually include cooked apples, butter, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and often oats and brown sugar, ginger, and/or nutmeg. One of the most common variants is apple rhubarb crisp, in which the rhubarb provides a tart contrast to the apples.
 
Other optional fruit crisps can be made by substituting peaches, berries or pears for the apples.
 
Surprisingly, apple crisp or crunch is a relatively modern dish. It is notably absent from the first edition of the Fannie Farmer Cookbook (1896), which is a comprehensive collection of American recipes.
 
The earliest reference to apple crisp in print occurs in 1924, with a recipe in the Everybody's Cook Book: A Comprehensive Manual of Home Cookery, Isabel Ely Lord. In 1924, apple crisp also makes an appearance in a newspaper article in the Appleton Post Crescent on Tuesday, December 9, 1924 (Appleton, Wisconsin). Its popularity further spread during World War II, when food rationing limited access to pastry ingredients used for making apple pies.
 
Despite its relatively recent invention, apple crisp or crumble has become an American and British tradition especially during the autumn, when apples are plentiful. The dish is also very popular in Canada, especially in areas where berries and fruit are readily available.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Bake time:  40 mins
Yield:  9 x 13-inch baking dish / 8 to servings
 
Ingredients
1 package refrigerated rolled pie crust dough
 
For the crisp topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons rolled oats
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
 
For the apple filling
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
8 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced, or more to taste
 
Optional white icing (see ChefSecret)
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 400⁰ F.
2. Roll out the pie crust onto a work surface to desired thickness; press into the bottom of a buttered 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

To make the crisp topping and assemble

1. Mix the flour, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, brown sugar, oats and salt in a medium bowl; add butter and mix until crumbly; set aside
2. Mix the granulated sugar, flour and 2 teaspoons cinnamon together in a large bowl and toss in the apples.
3. Pour the apple mixture over the crust and spread into an even layer.
4. Using your fingers pinch and sprinkle the topping over the apple mixture.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
6. Reduce the oven temperature to 350⁰ F and continued to bake for another 30 minutes or until the apples are tender and the top is crisp.
7. Mix all the optional icing ingredients and set aside.
8. Pour the white icing over crisp when cool.

ChefSecret:  Create a fast and easy white icing. It’s incredibly versatile and gives almost any cookie, cupcake, brownie or other dessert a delicious boost when spread or drizzled on top. You can also use it on a pound or Bundt cake, quick bread or as a sweet fruit dip.
 
The icing requires 4 ingredients you likely have in the kitchen: confectioners' sugar, milk, butter and vanilla extract. It doesn't require any cooking, just a quick whipping with a whisk. It is a fantastic last-minute icing for all your baked goods.
 
Ingredients
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
 
Directions

1. Combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in small bowl.
2. Mix well until the glaze is a smooth consistency.
3. Drizzle in the melted butter and mix until the butter is completely incorporated.
4. Pour over your warm apple crunch and enjoy!

Quip of the Day: “A core belief is that apple puns make me smile.”
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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.

#Dessert CinnamonAppleCrunch #AppleCrumble #AppleCrisp #FallApples #Yum #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                                      ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022