… from the California Kitchen![]() 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
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.” ------------------------------------------- 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. ------------------------------------------- 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
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![]() How you doin’? Homemade butterscotch custard or pudding is one of the most underrated desserts. It doesn’t have the telltale flavor of chocolate or the fun little beads in tapioca, yet it does have that comeback flavor of rich creamery butter and brown sugar that makes it so very desirable. In my recipe, we’re combining the outstanding flavors of caramelized brown sugar and butter with vanilla and a little American bourbon. This butterscotch pudding recipe is luxuriously creamy, velvety-rich, and totally unforgettable topped with a spoonful of toffee and fresh whipped cream. Butterscotch was originally a confection whose primary ingredients were brown sugar and butter, but other ingredients such as corn syrup, cream, vanilla, and salt were also included. The earliest known recipes, in mid-19th century Yorkshire, used molasses in place of or in addition to sugar. Butterscotch was made famous in 1851 when Queen Victoria was presented ice cream covered with a butterscotch sauce, made of melted butterscotch candies and cream. However, the term “butterscotch” is also often used more specifically to refer to the flavor of brown sugar and butter together even if the actual confection “butterscotch” is not involved, such as in butterscotch custard pudding. Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 7 to 10 minutes Chill time: 1 to 2 hours Yield: 2 servings Ingredients 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch Dash salt 1 cup 2% milk (see ChefSecret below) 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten 1-1/2 teaspoons butter 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 teaspoon American bourbon 2 tablespoons homemade whipped cream 2 teaspoon toffee or brittle bits (optional but recommended) Directions
ChefSecret: To make a richer pudding substitute a portion (or all) of the milk with a little half and half or whipping cream. Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “With the threat of another outbreak of Covid-19 I went to the store the other day and noticed the shelves were a bit empty, but I wasn’t frightened enough to eat tofu yet.” ------------------------------------------- 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. ------------------------------------------- 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. #Dessert #Snack #Pudding #Butterscotch #ButterscotchPudding #Bourbon #QueenVictoria #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021 ![]() How you doin’? I must admit I love fried foods—all fried foods—do you? Since we are not going out to lunch these days, I haven’t had French fries in over nine months (full disclosure… I did stop at KFC for some extra crispy chicken twice). I am far beyond withdrawal, but I must confess I really miss my French fries. However, I’ve lost about 30-pounds without my daily potatoes so there’s a silver lining. I want to share with you the best procedure for making French fries that we developed for TGI Friday’s back when everything in their kitchens was made from scratch. You might find this procedure a bit Baroque (long and complex), but the end results are definitely worth it. Prep time: 1-1/2 hours active Soak time: 24 to 48 hours soaking overnight Final fry time: 4-1/2 minutes Yield: 4 to 6 servings Ingredients 3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-by-1/4-inch fries kept refrigerated in cold, clean water overnight (about 5-6 potatoes, depending on size) 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar 3 quarts peanut oil for frying 1 to 2 tablespoons kosher salt Directions
ChefSecret: Peanut oil is the perfect shortening for frying Perfect French Fries. After par frying, you can freeze the par-fried potatoes on a tray. After they are completely frozen, bag them up in a zip lock bag. You can then fry them from frozen whenever you’re ready from Step #10 forward. Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “The best way to avoid touching your face is to have a glass of wine in each hand.” 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. ------------------------------------------- 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. #Snack #Side #Treat #FrenchFries #PerfectFries #Russet #TGIF #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021 ![]() How you doin’? If you’ve never heard of Pudding Cakes (or Magic Cakes), you’re likely not alone. Simply put, they’re part cake and part pudding. As if by magic, a pudding cake is made from one batter. The magic happens while it’s baking. A cake pan is filled with the cake batter and then placed in a larger baking pan. The larger baking dish is then partially filled with hot water. The lower portion of the baking pan that is submerged in water becomes the pudding layer and the portion above the water line turns into cake. When you take a spoonful, it’s a wonderful combination of a light and airy cake with a creamy pudding slurry on the bottom. Pretty much the best of both worlds in one bite! Pudding Cakes come in all flavors… lemon, orange, chocolate, etc. Even though they’re not the most beautiful or highly decorated cakes, they are always guaranteed to be showstoppers packed with flavor thrills. It's a no-risk big hit in every family. You can also add chocolate to either the slurry or the cake batter. Always serve pudding cakes warm with whipped cream. Prep time: 15 minutes Bake time: 35 to 40 minutes Yield: 8 to 12 servings Ingredients For the cake batter 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup granulated sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 cup whole milk 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled 1/4 cup roasted and chopped pecans or walnuts For the pudding slurry 1-3/4 cups packed brown sugar 1-1/2 cups water 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 cup roasted and chopped pecans or walnuts Directions To make the cake batter
Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “I’ve had a lot of things to think about over the last 9- or 10- months. One is,” what was the best thing before sliced bread? ------------------------------------------- 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. ------------------------------------------- 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 #CinnamonPuddingCake #Pudding Cake #Pecans #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021 ![]() How you doin’? I love tamales! There are tamale-like dishes in countries all around the world, not just Mexico and Central and South America. What is always interesting are the different wrappers and fillings that are used from country to country—corn, potato, rice for filling and corn husks, banana and tea leaves for wrappers. I attempted to make tamales on several occasions. It can be an all-day affair—one that I don’t engage in anymore. Once you get started you have to make at least a hundred of them to make it worthwhile. But everyone in our test kitchen knows to bring in some of “mama’s” homemade tamales at Christmas time—that’s the price for a year-end bonus. Last year, I discovered a novel way to make a limited number of not-so-traditional tamales at home anytime you want them—they are Mini-Tamale Pie Muffins. Inside each crispy cornmeal muffin is a chili of seasoned ground beef and corn and bean salsa. My mini-tamale muffins are made with lean ground beef, corn and bean salsa and plenty of seasoning—you’ll think you’re on a Mexican beach vacation. These mini-muffins have all the tasty goodness of “real” Mexican food, but because the recipe is made from scratch, you won't have all of the added lard you might find in many traditional tamales, yet there is a flavor-thrill in every bite and they’re so much fun to eat. Planning a party? If you have a large group of people to feed, you can't go wrong with this easy tamale muffin recipe. Plan on about two tamale muffins per person with side of roasted corn and salsa. Your guests are sure to love the loaded mini muffins and they might just come back for seconds. Prep time: 20 minutes Bake time: 20 minutes Cool time: 5 minutes Yield: 4 servings Ingredients For the filling 8 foil muffin cup liners Food release spray (Pam works well) 2 teaspoons olive oil 8 ounces ground beef (80/20) 2 to 3 teaspoons Ed’s Taco Seasoning (see recipe below) 3/4 cup tomato-chili salsa 1/4 cup corn (frozen or fresh) 2 tablespoons water For the topping 1/2 cup cornmeal 1/4 cup all purpose-flour 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1 teaspoon dry mustard 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 large egg 1/2 cup milk 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 3/4 cup grated pepper jack cheese Directions
Ed’s Taco Seasoning Prep time: 5 minutes Yield: 1 cup Ingredients 1/4 cup sweet paprika 2 tablespoons chili powder 2 tablespoons dried oregano 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Directions
Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “It may take a village to raise a child, but I swear it’s going to take a whole vineyard to home school one.” ------------------------------------------- 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. ------------------------------------------- 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. #Entrees #Side #Snack #CornMuffin #TamalePie #MiniMuffin #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021 |
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