How you doin’? Whenever I have a reason to make Florentines, I’m doin’ well! Florentine lace cookies are wafer thin, toffee-like, and buttery—that is, they are not your average cookie. In fact, I hesitate to even call them a cookie… it’s a Florentine. As Florentines bake, they spread out to form delicate lace patterns, hence their name.
 
Florentines are simple to make and gorgeous to look at. This cookie technique is versatile and adaptable to many kinds of nuts or chocolate. They also keep well so they're perfect if you're looking for an idea for homemade gifts for any cookie lover on your list—just stack them up in a box or a beautiful clear tube and tie them with a bow!
 
As with other food lore there are many different stories that all claim to know where the Florentine, as we know it today, originated–some say Florence while others credit Austrian bakers. The most well-known legend, however, claims that the Florentine was first made in France at the Palace of Versailles for King Louis XIV. The “cookie” was thought to have been created by the King’s #1 pastry chef for his visiting in-laws, the Medici family of Florence—whose Tuscan relative, Catherine de’ Medici had been Queen Consort of France in the 16th Century. Due to these close ties to Florence, it is not surprising that the French would have thus named the delicacy after Florence. King Louis XIV left Paris and moved his court to live at the Palace of Versailles from 1682 to 1715 so, if this legend is true, the likely time of creation was during this period.
 
There is also another little piece of evidence that supports this story of the Florentine’s roots. Many of the main ingredients of the Florentine are typically French, but perhaps the most concrete piece of evidence comes from the base of these biscuits. The base is known as a ‘roux’, which is a French cooking technique, and perhaps alludes to the fact that the Florentine is a French delicacy that simply took the name of a place that was admired or was deemed to be important to the King at the time of its creation.
 
Prep time:  50 minutes
Bake time:  1 hour (10 to 12 minutes per pan)
Cool time:  30 minutes
Yield:  18 chocolate-filled cookies
 
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups whole raw almonds
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Line your sheet pans with a Silpat, non-stick (silicone) liner. If you don’t have a Silpat, use buttered parchment paper.
3. Place the almonds in the bowl of a food processor; alternate pulsing and running at full speed every few seconds until finely chopped and crumblike. Be careful not to go too far; you don't want them too fine and pasty.
4. Combine the butter, brown sugar and honey in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir a few times and cook until melted and dissolved. Bring to a boil, then carefully remove the mixture from the heat.
5. Add the vanilla extract, salt and flour, and whisk until smooth.
6. Add the chopped almonds and mix with a spatula until everything is combined.
7. Drop eight uniformly sized, rounded spoonfuls of batter (each about 2 teaspoons) onto the prepared sheet. Fine-tune the cookie shapes with a spoon to make sure they are evenly spaced.
8. Place in the center of the preheated oven and bake until golden brown and a bit darker around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Set a timer.
9. Remove from the oven and slide the pan liner off the baking sheet and directly onto the countertop. Allow to sit until cool and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes, then gently peel cookies off the liner.
10. Repeat to bake remaining dough.
11. Spread melted chocolate over the flat side of one cookie. Place a second cookie, flat-side down, on top to make a sandwich and press very gently to seal. Repeat to form remaining cookies. Check out the ChefSecret for other options
12. Let sit until chocolate has firmed up, about 30 minutes.

 
ChefSecrets:  You can use most types of nuts— pecans, hazelnuts walnuts or even macadamia nuts— and any type of chocolate you'd like, milk, dark or white. You can simply dip a single cookie or you can skip the chocolate and eat them as is which will result in twice as many cookies. Honey is the secret as it adds a pronounced caramelized, burnt-honey flavor. If you let your melted chocolate cool slightly, you will get a little thicker consistency and avoid the chocolate from squeezing out through the holes of the Florentines.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day:  “I don’t think a video could better define the younger generation better than a kid making a Tik-Tok video while being tested for Covid-19 in the hospital and asking “fans” on GoFundMe to pay for the test.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to send 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 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 and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. 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.

#Baking #Dessert #Cookie #Snack #Florentine #Honey #Silpat #LouisXIV #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                            ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? From the archives of the Choclatique website, here is one of our best cookie recipes—in fact, and I’m going out on a limb here, it’s the best damn cookie I’ve ever eaten EVER. It was inspired by the original Toll House formulation, but considerably amped up with four kinds of chocolate chips and chunks.
 
Ever since Ruth Graves Wakefield and her chef Sue Brides invented the original Toll House cookie back in 1933 bakers have been trying to improve on the original. The Toll House Inn was in Whitman, Plymouth County. It was about halfway between Boston and New Bedford and a safe place to stop. It was a place where passengers had historically paid a toll, changed horses, and ate a home-cooked meal. When the Wakefields opened their business, they named the establishment the Toll House Inn. Ruth cooked and served all the food and soon gained local fame for her lobster dinners (yum) and desserts (yum, yum). People from across the region visited the Toll House. Her chocolate chip cookies soon became very popular.
 
I can tell you from personal experience, the original recipe is hard to beat—well, that is until now. And I’m not sure whether we’ve improved on the original or invented a totally new type of chocolate chip, chocolate cookie. To my taste most any cookie is good, and these cookies are exceptional. They are loaded with lots of chocolate flavors, have a wonderful texture and they are simple to make.
 
Large or small, these 4X chocolate chunky cookies are a little crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. For best results, refrigerate the batter for up to 48-hours before baking, as this allows the dough to fully form a mature well-blended flavor and texture.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Refrigerate time:  1 hour up to 48 hours
Bake time:  10 to 12 minutes
Cool time:  30 minutes
Yield: 12 large cookies
 
Ingredients
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup, plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted if clumpy
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup dark chocolate chunks
3 tablespoons white chocolate chips
 
Directions

1. Combine and beat the brown sugar, butter, granulated sugar and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy, forming a deep brown mixture.
2. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until mixture lightens and becomes soft and smooth, about 3 minutes.
3. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder and baking soda together in a separate bowl.
4. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients until mostly incorporated but leaving some white traces of flour.
5. Using a spatula, fold in the milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and white chocolate chips and chunks.
6. Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 48 hours to let the flour re-hydrate and the flavors to blossom.
7. When ready to start baking, preheat the oven to 350⁰ F.
8. Divide cold dough into 2 1/4-ounce round, flattened portions and place them on a Silpat or parchment-lined sheet pan with at least 2-inches between. These cookies spread when they bake.
9. Bake until the edges start to brown and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Do not over bake; the centers will not look fully done until the cookies are cool.
10. After 5 minutes out of the oven, carefully transfer the baked cookies to a cooling rack.
11. Cool until cookies are completely set, about 30 minutes.

ChefSecret:  For extra-large, flying saucer-sized cookies, divide the dough into just 5 portions and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “Attention, Attention, your Nose and Mouth are now considered ‘Private Parts.’ Keep them covered until further notice.”
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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 and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. 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.

#Baking #Dessert #Cookies #ChocolateChipCookies #ChocolateChunks #TollHouse #Snack #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                         ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? You don’t have to be one of the Keebler elves to whip up a batch of these cookies. A Pecan Sandie is basically a simple type of shortbread cookie made with pecans… rich, buttery, and delicious. Pecan Sandies may have originated in Arab cuisine hundreds of years ago. They are an American staple and are called Sandies because of their color and their “sandy,” crumby, shortbread-like texture. This version has ground up pecans inside which not only adds flavor but makes them super crumbly and buttery and they just melt in your mouth!
 
Cookies that have a sandy texture are made with dry dough with more fat content, less sugar and less liquid. The more you cream the sugar with butter, the more the cookie will spread because additional air is incorporated, which expands when baked.
 
These sugar cookies are quick and easy to make and all the ingredients for this recipe are probably in your pantry and fridge—butter, sugar, flour, vanilla extract and citrus zest. In less than 30 minutes you will be serving warm, soft, buttery pecan cookies.
 
Prep time:  5 minutes
Bake time:  15 to 20 minutes
Yield:  12 cookies
 
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar, plus additional sugar for rolling/topping (optional)
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon citrus zest, such as lemon, lime, or orange
1 cup finely chopped pecans, roasted
1/4 cup Demerara sugar (or raw sugar)
 
Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325⁰ F.
2. Place the softened butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or hand mixer). Using the whisk attachment, cream the mixture until it's light and fluffy, about 3 minutes at medium speed.
3. In a separate bowl, sift the flour using a fine-mesh strainer or a flour sifter. Add half the flour to the butter mixture and mix it in before adding the second addition of flour.
4. Add the vanilla extract, citrus zest and chopped pecans.
5. Form the cookies into 1-inch balls and roll each ball in demerara sugar.
6. Place the cookie balls on an ungreased baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Gently flatten the cookies with your palm after adding the sugar, lightly pushing the sugar into the dough so it sticks.
7. Bake the cookies for 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. Rotate the sheet pans halfway through the bake.
8. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before carefully removing them to a wire rack. They will be very crumbly when they're warm, so be careful when moving them.
9. You can enjoy the cookies warm.
10. Let the cookies cool completely if storing them in an airtight container. Store them in a single layer with a piece of wax paper in between the layers.
11. These cookies last at room temperature for up to four weeks; in the freezer the cookies for up to six months.

ChefSecret:  You can use other chopped nuts or even mini chocolate chips as a replacement or an addition.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day:  “Did you hear the one about the priest who baptized a baby with a Super Soaker to follow social distancing guidelines?”
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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 also being 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 and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. 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.

#Baking #Dessert #Cookies #PecanSandies #Pecans #Snack #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #FeedingAmerica

                                            ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? Do you have a sweet tooth? If you’re craving something sweet, look no further than my pound cake recipe. It’s light, delicious and a welcome treat any time of year. And if you’re not a fan of almond there are other delicious flavors to choose from like Butter, Vanilla, Strawberry, Lemon Yogurt and Key Lime pound cake—let your imagine run wild.
 
Pound cakes used to be heavy. During the covered wagon years, you didn’t need a written recipe. It was quite simple… 1 pound of flour, 1 pound of sugar, 1 pound of butter and 1 pound of eggs. Hence the name, pound cake. With no leaveners or flavors, they needed to be accompanied by sauce or fresh fruit.
 
Pound cakes aren’t all that fancy, but you can dress them up a little. Try using simple fruit syrups. When the cake comes out of the oven drizzle it with a with a warm simple syrup. It will keep the cake moist and flavorful. You can never go wrong with a side of fresh fruit or mixed berries. You can also add some dessert sauces like caramel, dulce de leche, hot fudge sauce or pecan praline… all good choices. You can keep it very simple with a light dusting of powdered sugar, and of course a dollop of homemade whipped cream or a dollop of sweetened sour cream schlag.
 
Ingredients:
Food spray
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2-1/2 cups sugar
6 large eggs
2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup Greek yogurt
Powdered sugar, for topping
 
Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325⁰F. Spray a 10-inch fluted Bundt pan with cooking spray and dust with 1 tablespoon of flour. Shake out any excess.
2. Sift together flour, salt and baking soda. Place in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter for 3-4 minutes or until it pales and is light and fluffy.
4. Add the sugar and continue to beat for 1 minute longer.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, until yolk just disappears.
6. Add Greek yogurt and extracts, mixing until just combined.
7. In small increments, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until just mixed. Do not over mix.
8. Pour into prepared Bundt pan.
9. Tap on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
10. Place in the center of your oven and bake for 60-70 minutes. Insert a cake tester or a toothpick at 60 minutes; the cake is done when the tester comes out clean.
11. Remove the cake from the oven and cool on a wire cooling rack for 10-15 minutes.
12. Invert the cake on a plate, tap the outside a few times with a wooden spoon, to release and then flip it over.
13. Allow cake to cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar.

ChefSecret: Now that you have the basics down, you can experiment with these other flavors. You can also substitute the Greek yogurt with sour cream.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “At the grocery store last weekend there was this big “X” by the register for me stand on… I’ve seen too many Road Runner cartoons to fall for that one.”
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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 and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. 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.

#Baking #Dessert #PoundCake #LemonPoundCake #GreekYogurt #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                              ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? There is this middle generation in the United States that never learned to cook by being tied to their mother’s, grandmother’s or even their father’s apron strings to learn how to cook. A lot of our country’s traditions are tied to the foods we eat. Now, while so many of us are locked down is the perfect time to teach our children a little bit about cooking.
 
It doesn’t have to be complicated, and it isn’t just limited to the “girls.” It’s an opportunity to teach everybody in the family (dads included) to try their hand at cooking. I am not suggesting that everything should be made from scratch or that the ingredients must be expensive… just a little something to get everyone’s feet just a little wet and begin to learn how to cook.
 
This recipe starts with refrigerated biscuit dough—the kind that Poppin’ Fresh jumps out of in all the Pillsbury commercials. Poppin' Fresh, more widely known as the Pillsbury Doughboy, is an advertising mascot for the Pillsbury Company, appearing in many of their commercials. I worked at the production house where the Doughboy was born. Many commercials from 1965 until 2005 concluded with a human finger poking the Doughboy's stomach. The Doughboy responds when his stomach is poked by giggling. I still have the original Doughboy Model in “my collection of stuff.”
 
Okay, get off your cell phone and Facebook and supervise your kids to bake homemade Monkey Bread with the help of Poppin’ Fresh. This recipe is for Mable and Monty and their moms or dads. They’ll love this recipe because it is so much fun to eat and it is so simple to make—and they can do a lot of them themselves which they’ll love.
 
Prep time for kids:  5 minutes
Prep time for adults:  15 minutes
Bake time:  35 minutes
Yield:  8 to 12 servings
 
Ingredients
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
3 (10 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuit dough (Pillsbury or private label house brand)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Grease a tube pan with food release spray.
3. Mix 3/4 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons cinnamon in a large plastic bag. Set aside.
4. Quarter the biscuits with kitchen shears. Dip shears in water after each cut to keep the biscuits from getting too sticky.
5. Place about 8 pieces of biscuit dough at a time in the plastic bag; shake in the sugar mixture and place the pieces in a sprayed tube pan. Do this until all biscuit dough pieces are used.
6. Melt the butter and mix in 3/4 cup sugar; stir until the sugar is dissolved.
7. Pour mixture over biscuits.
8. Bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes.

ChefSecret:  If desired, a thin mixture of confectioners’ sugar and milk frosting can be poured over warm pull-a-part Monkey Bread pieces.  You can also add fruit, like raisins or bananas, and also nuts and chocolate chips.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “When all is said and done and the government does a postmortem on the Covid-19 pandemic they will find out it was a conspiracy between the makers of Charmin and Scott toilet tissue.”
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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 and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. 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.

#Baking #MonkeyBread #Bread #Pillsbury #PoppinFresh #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                               ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021