How you doin’? Are you a Brie cheese lover? What is Brie, you ask? Brie cheese is made with rich and creamy milk, therefore, Brie is rich and creamy with a center that could only be described as voluptuous.
 
The flavor is subtle and unique as is the milk which is lightly flavored from the wild grasses and flowers upon which the cows (or goats) feed. These also vary by region and season and that’s why Brie cheeses from different locales can have such distinctive—and local—flavors.
 
Brie is a soft, creamy, buttery cheese that originated in France and is now produced internationally. It has a creamy interior with a soft, edible rind of white mold. Brie is traditionally made from cow's milk but can also be made from goat's milk. The cheese is high in fat and rich in calcium with relatively high sodium content. It's also a good source of protein and vitamins A and B-6.
 
Creamy-Crispy Brie Bites have a crispy phyllo exterior, creamy melted Brie, or honey or honey-sweet apricot jam, tart Granny Smith matchsticks, crunchy Marcona almonds and a touch of earthy thyme. These little bites are like a whole cheeseboard spread in a single bite. They’re great as an appetizer or snack. The looks of the crisp edges with ridges are so compelling, you certainly won’t have any leftovers to be repurposed.
 
Ingredients 
1 package frozen prepared phyllo dough shells
12 1-inch cubes of Brie Cheese
3 tablespoons honey or apricot jam
6 teaspoons chopped Marcona Spanish almonds
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
36 match-cut pieces of sour apple (Granny Smith)
 
Ingredients

1. Preheat an oven to 375° F.
2. Place the phyllo shells on a parchment-line sheet pan.
3. Place 1 cube of Brie into the center of each shell.
4. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of apricot jam or honey into each shell.
5. Sprinkle the Brie with chopped almonds and chopped thyme leaves.
6. Bake for 10 minutes until the Brie is soft and gooey.
7. Garnish with matchstick sliced apples and serve.

ChefSecret:  While the rind is edible, I prefer to trim the cheese for this purpose. You can top the Brie with anything, sweet or savory, that you like, from fruit and jam to nuts and bacon.

Quip of the Day:  You sure are the brie’s knees. 😊
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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.
#Appetizers #Snacks #Brie #Phyllo #MarconaAlmonds #2023 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
                                                                                                      ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

How you doin’? Did you know that a form of pickles got their start in India over 4000 years ago and slowly made their way to the Middle East, Europe, and eventually North America? Ancient Mesopotamians began soaking cucumbers in acidic brine as a way to preserve them. Since then, they have been a staple in cultures around the globe, renowned for their heartiness, health benefits and delicious taste.
 
While pickles are ubiquitous in American styles of food, they didn't really reach our shores until the late 1800s to early 1900s. European Jews, many of whom settled in New York, brought the tasty snack with them. In New York, kosher pickles became popular in Jewish communities and delis and quickly spread from there.
 
At the end of summer during the Great Depression the excess cucumber crop was sliced, salted, pickled and put up in jars for the cold, lean months ahead. Times were so lean during the Depression one can only imagine what a treat it was to fill a sandwich with these sweet crunchy coins (bread and butter pickles, as they came to be known).
 
My Bread and Butter Sweet Pickles have plenty of sugar for sweetness, as well as mustard seeds, celery seeds, turmeric, peppercorns, and garlic… a jar filled with flavor frills.
 
While some people are intimidated by the thought of “pickling” or “canning”, pickles are really easy to make and healthy, too—fermented pickles are a good source of healthful probiotics. Probiotics protect the bacteria in your gut. Having healthy gut bacteria can minimize symptoms of an irritable bowel and it can help us digest food and absorb nutrients. Oh, by the way, most recipes are low in calories.
 
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Chill time: 2 to 4 hours
 
Ingredients 
1/4 medium yellow onion, sliced
2 red jalapeño peppers, thinly sliced into rings
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
2 pounds pickling cucumbers, sliced into coins or long quarters
2 cloves garlic, thin sliced
2 tablespoons everything bagel seasoning
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon Sriracha sauce, hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
 
Directions

1. Combine the onions, peppers, salt, vinegar, sugar, and water in a microwave proof bowl and bring to a simmer; about 4 minutes.
2. Add the sliced cucumbers into the hot brine, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set on the counter to cool for about 20 minutes.
3. Stir in the sliced garlic, bagel seasoning, celery seeds, peppercorns and Sriracha hot sauce.
4. Refrigerate the whole mixture for 2 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
5. Keep fresh pickles refrigerated for up to 6-weeks.

ChefSecret:  You don’t have to boil the pickles and the brine if you are going to eat them fresh within 6 weeks. If you want kosher dill pickles, add pickling spice to the brine without the sugar.

Quip of the Day:  I said to the woman at the deli, “I’d like to buy a couple of corned beef and pastrami sandwiches, with pickles.” She replied, “Sorry..."We only take cash or credit cards.”

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.

 #Sides #Condiments #Bread-And-Butter-Pickles #Cucumbers #Brine #Fermentation #Probiotics #2023Recipes #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
                                                                    ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

How you doin’? One of the true pleasures of summertime is a tall, frosty glass of just-made lemonade. And right now, with strawberries in full season, lemonade sweetened with fresh, crushed strawberries is the best warm weather drink (okay, it can even be a little better with a shot of vodka).
 
Likewise, we love lemon bars this time of year including the type of lemon curd served in Paris cafés. Great as they are we are never ones to shy away from putting our own twists on classic recipes. At the risk of trying to compete with those French eateries, try my delightful, strawberry-kissed lemon bars with a crumbly shortbread crust laced with lemon zest.
 
For the curd, use a traditional stovetop cooking method, using one whole cup of puréed fresh strawberries, as well as a big splash of lemon juice, sugar, eggs and a bit of cornstarch. After a few minutes of whisking and boiling the mixture, strain it through a sieve to get rid of any little berry bits and seeds. Then then stir in half a stick of butter, for richness, and a tablespoon of lemon zest, for extra zing. It bakes up sweet-tart and creamy, with pink hue reminiscent of beautiful summer sunsets and slices of ripe, red watermelon.
 
You now have a sweet and tangy curd, but the best part is the perfect ratio of curd to crust. The shortbread crust is a little thicker than most so there’s plenty of salty, buttery and slightly citrusy crustiness on the bottom to balance out the puckery sweetness of the strawberry-lemon curd atop. These bars are perfect for summer barbecues and brightening up the dessert table at any special event.
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Bake time:  25-30 minutes, then 15 to 20 minutes for the second bake
Cool time:  2 hours
Yield:  9 bars
 
Ingredients 
For the crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup cold and cubed unsalted butter
 
For the strawberry-lemon curd
1 cup hulled and quartered fresh strawberries
1-1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
1-1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
 
Directions
To make the crust

1. Preheat an oven to 350° F.
2. Line an 8 X 8-inch baking pan with 2 pieces of parchment paper, layering them perpendicular to one another and allowing the excess to hang over the edges of the pan. This will help you remove the bars after they’ve set-up.
3. In a food processor, combine the flour, confectioners’ sugar, kosher salt, baking powder, lemon zest and almond extract. Pulse to combine.
4. Add the cold unsalted butter and pulse until the mixture just comes together. Depending on the flour you may need to add an additional tablespoon of butter.
5. Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Be careful not to overwork the dough and press too hard.
6.  Bake until the edges are golden, 25 to 30 minutes.
7. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and set aside.

To make the strawberry-lemon curd

1. In a food processor or blender, purée the strawberries until smooth.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons lemon juice to create a slurry.
3. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the granulated sugar, eggs and egg yolks.
4. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry, 1/2 cup strawberry purée, remaining lemon juice and kosher salt.
5. Cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 45 seconds, whisking continuously.
6. Remove from the heat and strain the mixture through a sieve into a medium bowl.
7. Stir in the unsalted butter and lemon zest until thoroughly combined.
8. Transfer the strawberry-lemon curd to the cooled prepared pan, shake to even out the filling, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the curd is set and slightly jiggles when shaken.
9. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill.
10. To serve, transfer the strawberry-lemonade bars to a cutting board and divide into 9 pieces.
11. Dust with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.

ChefSecret:  You can use the same recipe substituting lime, orange or grapefruit instead of the lemon… just follow the same recipe

Quip of the Day:  Q. Did you hear about the hip New York hotspots for citrus fruits?
​                                A. They’re called Lemon bars.
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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 #StrawberryLemonadeBars #Shortbread #Strawberries #LemonCurd #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup   
                                                                       ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

How you doin’? If someone offered you dehydrated water, you’d think they were scammin’ you, right? So if someone offered you dehydrated watermelon you’d probably think the same thing. But here’s a snacking recipe that is healthier than a Jolly Rancher, more portable than a watermelon, easier to make than a fruit roll-up and safer to eat than watermelon shots.
 
The world’s best dried fruit is dehydrated watermelon! Watermelon Chews are sweet and chewy with a pleasant vegetal taste that you don’t get from the fresh stuff. Best of all, you don’t even need a dehydrator to make it.

But you will need an oven and a little patience. Just slice the watermelon triangles  super thin, drizzle the triangles with lime juice to give it some zip, and then let it dry out in a hot oven for about five hours. The edges get a bit crispy, which is a good thing as a great contrast in texture to the fruit-leathery texture in the middle.
 
Dehydrated watermelon is great for all manner of summer snacking. Put some in a backpack for post-hike and bike nibbles. Toss some in your kid’s lunch bag before sending them off to day camp or school. Bring some on your next road trip or camp outs and leave the Cheetos and trail mix at home. I keep a container in the test kitchen for sugar- and calorie-free treats
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Bake time:  5 to 5-1/2 hours
Yield:  8 servings
 
Ingredients 
1 mini seedless watermelon
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Non-stick cooking spray (I prefer Pam Original)
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 400° F.
2. Place 3 wire racks onto 3 rimmed baking sheets. Spray each wire rack with cooking spray.
3. Cut the rind off the watermelon and slice the watermelon into ¼”-thick triangles.
4. Place the slices on the wire racks, leaving ¼” between each slice. Drizzle the slices with a little lime juice.
5. Bake for 5 to 5 ½ hours, or until the slices have dried out and are quite thin, like chips.
6. Immediately remove the slices from the wire racks and place on a piece of parchment paper to cool.
7. Enjoy immediately.

ChefSecret:  Leftovers? If there are any... simply store them in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Quip of the Day:  Q. A watermelon proposes to its sweetheart: “Honeydew want to get married?” A: “Oh yes”, she replies, “but we cantaloupe!”
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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.
 
#Snacks #Watermelon #DriedWatermelon #2023 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                                          ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 

How you doin’? Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding… every kid in the neighborhood used to perk up when they heard the Good Humor Man’s bells as he drove up and down Crescent Drive. Mom, can I have a dime for a Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich? That was my favorite. The Good Humor Man had a truck full of classics… Drumsticks,  Sidewalk Sundaes and their version of a Sandwich—an Ice Cream Sandwich.
 
Their history started in 1920 in Youngstown, Ohio, when confectioner Harry Burt created a chocolate coating compatible with ice cream. His daughter was the first to try it. Her verdict? It tasted great but was too messy to eat.
 
Burt’s son suggested freezing the sticks used for their Jolly Boy Suckers (Burt’s earlier invention) into the ice cream to make a handle and things took off from there.
 
The Good Humor name came from the belief that a person’s "humor", or temperament, was related to the humor of the palate.
 
Soon after the Good Humor Bar was created, Burt outfitted a fleet of twelve street vending trucks with freezers and bells from which to sell his creation. The first set of bells came from his son’s bobsled. Good Humor bars have since been sold from everything from tricycles to push carts to trucks.
 
After waiting three years for a patent, Burt took a trip to Washington, D.C., in 1923 with a five-gallon pail of Good Humor bars for the patent officials to sample. It worked – his patent was granted.
 
This very simple ice cream sandwich (recipe) is exactly like the ones you’ll remember from childhood. It tastes just like the ones purchased from the Good Humor Man’s ice cream truck with a soft, sticky, chewy cookie around soft, plain vanilla ice cream.
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Bake time:  10 minutes
Additional time:  30 minutes
Freeze time:  15 minutes + 3 hours
Yield:  6 ice cream sandwiches
 
Ingredients 
Non-stick vegetable cooking spray
1/2 cup, plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup sifted Dutch-process cocoa powder
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole milk, at room temperature
6 scoops vanilla ice cream

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350⁰.
2. Make room in your freezer for a sheet pan (later in the process).
3. Line a sheet pan with a Silpat silicone liner.
4. Spray the liner with cooking spray and rub it in to be sure it's completely covered.
5. Dry whisk the flour, salt, baking soda and cocoa together in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Sift mixture if the cocoa seems clumpy or chunky.
6. Mix butter, both sugars and vanilla in another bowl with a spatula until you have a smooth paste.
7. Add flour mixture along with milk and stir until batter is smooth and stiff. Clean off the spatula with a cookie scoop and drop 12 scoops batter onto the prepared baking sheet.
8. Roll out and score with a spatula so you have 12 even rectangles.
9. Dock the cookies with a fork to prevent them from bubbling when baking.
10. Bake in the center of the preheated oven until the tops of the cookies no longer look wet and shiny, 9 to 10 minutes.
11. Remove from the oven and tap and shake the pan on the counter 5 times to settle and compress the cookies.
12. Transfer baking sheet into the freezer until cookies are firm, about 15 minutes.
13. Remove from the freezer and remove cookies from the pan by lifting the silicone liner carefully under each one.
14. Poke 10 or 12 holes in the surface of each cookie with the sharp edge of a chopstick. Return to the freezer until ready to assemble.
15. When ready to assemble, remove the cookies from the freezer. Turn one cookie upside down, place 1 scoop ice cream on top and add another cookie on top to create the sandwich.
16. Serve immediately or wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for 3 hours before serving. Repeat to make the remaining ice cream sandwiches.
17. You can eat these right away or freeze them for a few hours. The cookies will absorb moisture from the ice cream and get even softer.

ChefSecret: You don’t need to use an expensive ice cream, just use a basic, cheap, grocery-store vanilla ice cream which has a lot of air whipped into it. This will make it easier to handle.

Quip of the Day:  Q. Why does the ice cream man go so slow? A. Because he’s a sundae driver.
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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.
 
#Snacks #Treats #IceCreamSandwich #GoodHumorBar #SummertimeTreat #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
                                                                             ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023