…from the Perspectives’ KitchenHow you doin’? Today is National Cinnamon Roll Day! Yay! I love airport and shopping mall food court food cinnamon rolls. When I was writing my first book, Stolen Secrets, I studied one of the “leading cinnamon roll makers” for several months. At the time they were instructing all their in-store co-workers to not turn on the exhaust hoods to let the cinammony aroma waft through the airport or mall until someone complained. Most importantly, I was told that the formulation was never to be changed and that they were always to have some rolls baking in the oven—even if it was just a half tray during slower hours to generate that tantalizing aroma. I tested and tested and tested again until my recipe produced the same frosted gooey, buttery cinnamon buns, loaded with all the cinnamon and sweet icing of your favorite food court treat and now you can make them right in your own kitchen! You can make the dough and prep the rolls a day ahead and refrigerate them overnight. Just take them out in the morning, let them come to room temperature and then pop ‘em in a preheated oven! Be warned… it’s hard to resist eating the rolls fresh from the oven, so perfectly gooey and delicious they hardly need the sugary, rich icing, but I never hear any complaints when I spread it over the top. Prep time: 20 minutes Bake time: 19 to 20 minutes Total time: 1 hour 35 minutes Yield: 12 cinnamon rolls Ingredients For the dough 1 cup warm milk, or buttermilk (no warmer than 110⁰F) 2 packages quick acting dry yeast 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup margarine, melted (yes, margarine, not butter) 2 large eggs, room temperature 1 teaspoon salt 4 cups bread flour For the filling 1 cup brown sugar (packed) 2-1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon 1/3 cup softened unsalted butter (yes, now it’s real butter) For the icing 1 (3oz) package cream cheese (softened) 1/4 cup butter (softened) 1-1/ 2cups confectioners’ sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon salt Directions To make the dough
ChefSecrets:
Take it up a notch and turn a cinnamon roll into sticky bun. Pour a 1/2 cup of melted butter in bottom of the baking dish, sprinkle 1 cup of brown sugar over the butter, then add 1/2 cup chopped pecans and place the cinnamon rolls in the pan. Bake as directed above. Remove the rolls from the oven and invert the contents onto a large serving platter; let the syrup drip over the top of the rolls. In case you’re wondering, no need for the cream cheese icing. Quip of the Day: Q: What do you call the same thing as a cinnamon roll? A. A synonym roll! ------------------------------------------- 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, 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. #CinnamonRolls #Brunch #Breakfast #Yeast #HomemadeCinnamonRolls #CinnabonHack #2023 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023
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…from the Perspectives’ KitchenHow 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
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. 😊 ------------------------------------------- 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. #Appetizers #Snacks #Brie #Phyllo #MarconaAlmonds #2023 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ KitchenHow 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
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. ------------------------------------------- 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 …from the Perspectives’ KitchenHow 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
To make the strawberry-lemon curd
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. ------------------------------------------- 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 #StrawberryLemonadeBars #Shortbread #Strawberries #LemonCurd #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ Kitchen 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
Quip of the Day: Q. A watermelon proposes to its sweetheart: “Honeydew want to get married?” A: “Oh yes”, she replies, “but we cantaloupe!” ------------------------------------------- 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. #Snacks #Watermelon #DriedWatermelon #2023 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 |
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