How you doin’? I like to make one Instant Pot or Slow Cooker meal every week from which I can get 2 (or more) meals for two and chili is one of my favorites! I have shared other chili recipes in the past including a fantastic roast beef chili (Lesson #194), but this recipe—Mighty Meaty Chili—is a fan favorite as well. That’s a good thing since football season is upon us! What makes it so mighty and meaty? It starts with 4-pounds of meat.
 
The modern dish we know as chili, also known as chili con carne (chili with meat), appears to have roots in the American West, particularly the State of Texas. Legend holds that immigrants from the Canary Islands brought a recipe for chili with them when they settled San Antonio in the early 1700s.
 
Another 17th century legend attributes the first chili recipe to a Spanish nun, Sister Mary of Agreda, who never left the convent but whose spirit was said to have visited the Jumano (native people who lived in west Texas) while her body remained in Spain, in a trance. Now that’s one of the wilder origins of food I’ve ever heard.
 
Regardless of what story you believe and as time advanced, chili became more commonly prepared in northern Mexico and southern Texas. Unlike some other Texas foods, such as barbecued brisket, chili is largely consumed by the working-class Tejanos and Mexican women.
 
Ingredients 
4 pounds ground meat (can be a combination or 80/20 beef only or beef and pork)
2 cups of diced white onion
1 cup sliced green onion, tops and bottoms
4 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons ground chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 cans (10-ounce) Ro-Tel with juice
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, packed
12 ounces lager beer
3 (15.5-ounce) cans of chili beans with sauce
1 cup corn chips (I prefer Frito brand)
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Hot sauce to taste
 
Directions

1. Sauté the meat over medium heat until it starts to brown; 5 to 7 minutes. No need to add additional oil.
2. When the meat is lightly cooked add the onions and garlic and sauté for another five to seven minutes.
3. Add the chili, cumin and Ro-tel and continue to sauté until the spices are fragrant.
4. Transfer the sautéed mixture over to the slow cooker and add the cilantro leaves and beer. Mix well.
5. Cook on low heat for 6 hours.
6. After 4 hours add the chili beans and continue to cook.
7. After 5 hours check the thickness of the chili. If it’s too watery or thin add the corn chips and continue to cook covered.
8. When done adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and add hot sauce, if desired.
9. Serve topped with shredded cheese, salsa and a couple of sprigs of cilantro.

ChefSecret:  This is one of those recipes that you can easily add or delete any of the ingredients. You can make it your own. You can even make it vegan by using one of the meat analog products that are currently available.

Quip of the Day: “So this bell pepper spots a jalapeño walking on the streets and he wants to know why he's all wrapped up in layers of clothes. “Hey,” he says, “aren't you a bit hot? "No," says the jalapeño, "I'm a little chili."
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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.

#Entree #SlowCookerMightyMeatyChili #FootballChili Ro-Tel #NFL #SlowCooker #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                      ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

How you doin’? A couple of weeks ago, Good Humor-Breyers Company, home of Klondike (frozen treats), announced they would discontinue Choco Taco. My goodness, that news created a panic and caused a run on the product in supermarkets across the country. I guess customers never know how much that want something until they are told it will no longer be available.
 
Where did this all come from? In the early 1980s, Mexican fast-casual dining was booming. Americans started to eat tacos like there was no tomorrow. In 1983, Alan Drazen in Philadelphia, decided to follow the trend and invented the Choco Taco for the Jack & Jill Ice Cream Company which was later sold to Good Humor-Breyers.
 
The Choco Taco became the favorite ice cream novelty at Mexican restaurants, and consumers were eager to eat them in frozen dessert form at home so supermarkets across the US. Americans began to carry them, too! So, now that they seem to be on their way out, I just had to do a DIY recipe for Choco Tacos.
 
It all starts with homemade waffle cone shells made with sugar, vanilla and almond, they come off the waffle iron with a sweet, nutty caramel flavor — plus a thin, lacy, Florentine-like texture. They’re scrumptious all by themselves so why not double the recipe and enjoy some on their own?
 
But of course, Choco Tacos are nothing without the vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, and chocolate sauce layered inside the shell. Nor would they be complete without the chocolate coating! I use bittersweet chocolate coating (no need to temper chocolate), so it’s a little different from the original, but equally great and don’t forget the sprinkle of toasted pecan bits over the top.
 
My homemade Choco Tacos are rich, indulgent and super fun to eat. You can also cut them in half easily, so they’re great for sharing.
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Griddle time:  20 minutes
Assembly time:  20 minutes
Yield:  10 Choco Tacos
 
Ingredients 
For the Waffle Cones
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, slightly cooled
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
Cooking spray (I prefer Pam)
 
For the Choco Tacos
1-quart vanilla ice cream
7 tablespoons Smucker’s caramel sauce, divided
7 tablespoon Smucker’s chocolate sauce, divided
10 oz bittersweet chocolate coating, melted
1 cup toasted, chopped pecans
 
You can buy a waffle cone iron for $30 to $35+ on Amazon and at Walmart.
 
Directions
To make the Waffle Cones

1. Preheat a waffle cone iron to medium heat.
2. In a medium bowl whisk the egg whites and cream.
3. Add the sugar, salt, vanilla and almond extracts, and whisk until well combined, about 1 minute. Whisk in the melted butter.
4. Add the flour, whisking just until the lumps have disappeared and the batter is smooth.
5. Spray the waffle cone iron with cooking spray.
6. Using a 1/2-ounce scoop or leveled tablespoon, portion a scoop of the batter, and place it in the center of the waffle iron.
7. Close the lid, latch the waffle iron, and cook for 1 minute.
8. Check the waffle cone: if it is not yet golden brown, continue cooking for 20 to 40 seconds.
9. Once golden brown, use a flat spatula to carefully remove the waffle and drape it over a narrow rolling pin or a folded piece of aluminum foil to shape it into a taco shell.
10. Let cool for 3 minutes or until completely cool to the touch and then transfer to a plate and set aside.
11. Repeat with the remaining batter to make the rest of the shells.

To assemble the Choco Tacos

1. Pull the vanilla ice cream from the freezer, and let it temper on the counter for 5 minutes.
2. Using a 1/2-ounce scoop, carefully fill the bottom of one shell with 1-inch layer of ice cream. Use an offset spatula to smooth the ice cream.
3. Drizzle about 1 teaspoon of the caramel sauce on the ice cream.
4. Add another 1-inch layer of ice cream, and drizzle about 1 teaspoon of the chocolate sauce on it.
5. Repeat from step 2, creating 4 layers of ice cream total.
6. Fill the top and sides of the shell with ice cream, and using an offset spatula, smooth all of the edges. Place the Choco Tacos on a sheet pan in the freezer.
7. Repeat until all the shells are filled, transferring them to the freezer as you go to keep them from melting.
8. Freeze the Choco Tacos for 30 minutes or until firm.
9. While the Choco Tacos are chilling, melt your chocolate coating. When you’re done, transfer the melted chocolate coating to a bowl.
10. Gently dip the edge of the frozen taco into the chocolate coating, completely covering the ice cream and gently shaking off excess chocolate.
11. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top of chocolate.
12. Freeze for at least 1 hour to set.

ChefSecret:  After the Choco Tacos are fully frozen, wrap them in food film to prevent freezer burn.

Quip of the Day: “When I’m an old man I am going to leave small bags of candy scattered on the floor all over the house just in case I fall down.”
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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. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs.
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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.

#Dessert #Snack #IceCreamTreat #Klondike #ChocoTaco #GoodHumor #IceCream #WaffleCone #Caramel #Chocolate #2022 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                                © Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

How you doin’?  This is one serious blog! If you are as addicted to great Cinnamon Rolls as I am the following will allow you to use store-bought Poppin’ Fresh pressure packed cans of cinnamon rolls and make some really good breakfast goodies. No recipe required. No need to proof overnight. No messy bowls to clean up—just let the little Pillsbury guy do all the work.
 
Now that many of us are going back to work time doesn't allow for those slow, idyllic mornings that begin with homemade cinnamon rolls and leisurely cups of joe. Sometimes you wish there were shortcuts to give you that fresh-baked, county fair flavor. Luckily there are several ways you can tweak that can of store-bought cinnamon roll dough to make them taste like you made them from scratch in your very own kitchen.
 
1. Add Heavy Cream
Just pour heavy cream in a baking dish to cover the bottom of the pan. Arrange the premade cinnamon rolls in the pan, cover with foil and bake according to package directions. The cream adds moisture to the rolls for extra tender and pillowy pastries.
 
2. Increase the Cinnamon-Sugar Filling
Don't stop by just adding cream into the pan—most versions also include the addition of drizzle of a butter, brown sugar and cinnamon mixture over top the buns before baking. Just melt 4 tablespoons butter and stir in 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon. Drizzle the mixture over the rolls, cover with foil and bake according to package directions.
 
3. Make Your Own Icing
Toss the pre-made stuff that comes in the can and instead mix together 2 tablespoons softened butter with 2 tablespoons cream cheese, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, a pinch of salt and 1 cup powdered sugar. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time to thin the icing to your desired consistency. Slather over warm rolls as they come out of the oven and enjoy for that fresh Cinnabon flavor with no effort.
 
4. Layer On Some Caramel
Spread a layer of caramel sauce in the bottom of your baking pan and sprinkle a cup of chopped pecans atop. Place the rolls on top of the caramel/pecan mixture and bake according to package directions. Flip the cinnamon rolls upside down when they are finished baking for gooey caramel sauce-pecan topped buns.
 
5. Add a Fruit Filling
Canned cinnamon rolls can be unrolled pretty easily. Once you have a flat strip of dough, cover it with some fresh fruit like berries or sliced peaches or spoon on your favorite pie filling. Roll the dough back up in that classic cinnamon roll shape, place in a baking dish and bake according to package instructions.
 
6. Brûlée the Tops
Before baking, set one oven rack to the top position. With five minutes left of cooking, remove the rolls from the oven and dust the tops with sugar. Return rolls to the top rack in the oven and set it to broil. Broil just until the sugar is golden and crisp.

You can use any one of these hacks to make better Cinnamon Rolls or combine 2 or 3 hacks to create the best ever, easy rolls.
 
ChefSecret:  The cinnamon roll remains one of the least-changed cultural pieces brought by German and Swedish immigrants to America since their arrival in the 17th Century.

Quip of the Day: “What was Poppin Fresh's new name after he was put into the witness protection program?  John Dough!”
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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. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs.
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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. 

#Baking #Breadkfast #CinnamonRoll #Poppin'Fresh #PillsburyDoughBoy #2022 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup
                                      ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

How you doin’? All the way back in the late 1940s a couple of entrepreneurs started making a unique grilled and sealed sandwich called a Toas-Tite. The Toas-Tite sandwich press was originally designed for campfire cooking and was ubiquitous in the 1950s.

It was (and still is) quite simple. Just lay a sandwich (with cheese in the middle and buttered bread on the outside) on one side of the circular metal mold, clamp down with the other side, using a sharp knife, trim the off the crust and heat for a minute or two on each side over a campfire or on a gas stove top.
 
As a kid my brother and I loved them as it gave us the freedom to make hot sandwiches to our own taste without messing up our mother’s kitchen. There wasn’t anything we couldn’t make—salami and cheese, ham and cheese, bacon and cheese and then we got into making Toas-Tites with eggs and then even cherry and apple hand pies with a tablespoon of sweetened cream cheese.
 
Joan and I created a sandwich program for am/pm convenience stores for ARCO gas stations and produced Mighty-Melts—a square-shaped spinoff of Toas-Tites. We even got a waffle iron company to run the production molds of these “machines.” By the way, in Sidney, Australia they called Jaffles.
 
When we were disposing of some of our seldom used equipment in the test kitchen, we reluctantly sold several of the originals Toast-Tite irons and even two of the long-handled campfire versions. We even sold off the original proto-type Mighty-Melt press.
 
I bring this up because my brother recently sent me a replica of the 1949 original that he found on Amazon. I was thrilled and a made a bunch of Toas-Tites over the BBQ grill over the weekend. Our guests loved them, and they were still as great as I remembered.
 
So why are these coming back on the market 80 years later? It seemed that two sisters, Sue and Jan, had one crazy idea. Growing up in the Northwest Chicago suburbs during the sixties, their Mom’s Toas-Tite grilled cheese pudgy pie, along with hot tomato soup, was as much a part of the winter experience as skating on the pond in their backyard.
 
Fast forward 30 years at a road side table, during an outing to the Covered Bridge Festival, Sue finds a Toas-Tite Pie Iron, just like the one she remembered. It was an instant flashback with smiles and OMGs followed by “I have to have it.” But one just wouldn’t do. Jan wanted one for herself, and what about getting one for each of the kids?
 
Upon searching the internet, Jan saw that they are not the only ones wondering what happened to the Toas-Tite? Why isn’t anyone making these anymore? Now the crazy part… Sue and Jan, along with their spouses, dipped into their retirement funds and spent most of 2010 and 2011 going through all the necessary steps to bring the Toas-Tites pie irons back to the market.
 
September 2011, the sisters relaunched the Toas-Tite Pie Iron at a street fair on Broadway, in New York City. So, for those who remember the original… they’re baaaack!  Now you can make these great mighty melt Toas-Tites for your kids and grandkids just like you used to enjoy them when you were a kid.
 
Prep time:  2 minutes
Grill time:  2 minutes
Yield:  1 Toas-Tite sandwich
 
Ingredients
 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 slices of bread (large size loaf)
2 slices of American cheese (I prefer Kraft singles)
2 slices of crisp bacon, cut in half
 
Directions

1. Lay out the 2 pieces of bread and lightly butter both sides.
2. Place a slice of cheese on each slice of bread.
3. Top the cheese with the bacon, and then top it with the bread.
4. Place the sandwich in the Toas-Tite; close it and latch it shut.
5. Using a sharp paring knife run it around the outside of the Toas-Tie press.
6. Place it over an open flame for about a minute or two on both sides to toast the bread to a golden brown.
7. Open the press, plate up the sandwich and serve with chips.

ChefSecret:  Like candy bars, loaves of bread have gotten smaller and may not be big enough to cover the Toas-Tite grill. Try rolling out the bread with a rolling pin or simply cut of a third piece of bread in half and fit it in—close the grill and start cooking. 

Quip of the Day:  “I love Toas-Tites. Let’s face it, life is better between two pieces of bread.”
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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. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. 
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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. 

​#Entree #Lunch #Sandwiches #ToasTite #Bacon #Cheese #Egg #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
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                                         ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022

​How you doin’? Did you know the nut we know as the almond is technically the hard-shelled fruit of the almond tree, itself a member of the prunus family? This category of stone fruit encompasses trees and shrubs that produce edible fruit like cherries, plums, peaches and nectarines. So it is little wonder that this incestuous relationship of my Cherry-Almond Cake is so darn good. Oops, I’m not sure that came out the way I wanted it, but oh well.
 
Almonds are a waistline-friendly snack known to boost heart health and loaded with enough other health benefits to land them a coveted spot on our list of the 50 healthiest foods of all time. Per one-ounce serving, almonds are tied with cashews and pistachios at 160 calories. They also have more calcium than any other nut, plus nearly 9 grams of monounsaturated, heart-healthy fats, 6 grams of protein (peanuts have more protein) and 3.5 grams of fiber per serving.
 
When you see packaged nuts with the word "roasted" on the front, they may have been heated in trans or other unhealthy fats. Look for the words "raw" or "dry-roasted" instead. "Raw" almonds aren't exactly "Raw.” Since 2007, the USDA has required almonds to be pasteurized before being sold to the public. The FDA has approved several methods of pasteurization "that demonstrate effectiveness in achieving a reduction of possible contamination in almonds while not impacting their quality," according to the Almond Board of California.
 
According to 2006 research, one ounce of almonds contains about the same amounts of polyphenols—antioxidants thought to help fight off heart disease and cancer—as a cup of broccoli or green tea. You can consider this recipe a guiltfree pleasure.
 
Ingredients 
1-1/3 sticks unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
1-1/3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup sliced unblanched almonds, for topping
4 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup dried or candied cherries, rough chopped (you can use a mix of glacéed fruit)
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350°F.

To prepare a 9-inch springform pan

1. Use a parchment paper disk to line the bottom of the pan before buttering and sugaring it.
2. Butter the pan liberally, then sprinkle in 3 tablespoons of sugar and shake and tap the pan until the bottom and sides are coated with sugar. Don’t worry about extra sugar on the bottom.
3. Cover the bottom of the pan with sliced almonds.

To make the cake batter

1. Using a stand mixer or a handheld beater, cream the eggs and sugar until they are thick and pale and tripled in volume, about 5 minutes.
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan.
3. With a rubber spatula, quickly fold the flours, almond extract and salt into the egg and sugar mixture, followed by the melted butter and cherries.
4. Give the batter a thorough stir before pouring it into the prepared pan.
5. Tap the pan on the counter to settle the batter and pop any large air cavities.
6. Bake the cake until the top feels dry to the touch, springs back when lightly pressed and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out dry, 30 to 35 minutes.
7. Remove the cake from the oven and leave in the pan for about 5 minutes.
8. Run a knife around the sides of the pan before inverting the cake onto a rack to cool.
9. Carefully remove the bottom of the pan while the cake is still very warm.
10. Let cool completely before serving.

ChefSecret: If you want a crunchier topping—add to or replace the slivered almonds with 3/4 cup of ground almonds.

Quip of the Day:  A country that forgets its culinary history past has no future.
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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. 

#Baking #Dessert #CherryAlmondCake #Cherries #Almonds #Snack #Brunch #2022 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                              ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2022