…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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…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen 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
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. ------------------------------------------- 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 #Treats #IceCreamSandwich #GoodHumorBar #SummertimeTreat #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ KitchenHow you doin’? Our company develop the Smashed Stacked for Marine World / Africa USA in Redwood City in the early 1980s. The guest had a choice of 1, 2, or 3 1/4-pound grilled and smashed patties. Smashed thin on the grill, they were quick to cook. Since this theme park innovation years ago smashed burgers are now served in a variety of places including the Smash Burger chain. Many burger restaurants are trying to outdo themselves by delivering 8 to 10-ounce burger patties on eggy, toasted brioche buns with a giant steak knife stuck through the top to prevent it from falling apart. Personally, I don’t like them much. It’s take a real commitment to eat one of these messy giant stacks—once you start you can’t put it down or it will definitely fall apart. Unlike ordinary hamburgers that have thick patties, smash burgers are smashed thin, pressed down on the griddle with a heavy cook’s spatula. The center is neither rare pink nor juicy. Instead, the burgers have a consistent thinness and crust in every bite. They are cooked on the hottest griddle possible so that the thin patties get a fiery sear that takes them almost to the point of burning. However, that crispy, griddled char gives the patty its distinctive flavor and texture. The original Marine World Smashed Stack was inspired from Gaby’s, a diner in LA (my childhood favorite for their burgers and hot fudge sundaes), streamlined for Marine World and later adopted by Freddy’s, Smash Burger and Shake Shack. Now this burger style has an army of supporters. So why not turn the patty into a taco—a Smashed Taco Americano? Smash Burger Tacos are one of hottest burger trends this summer. I’ve seen them pitched on Tic Toc and YouTube—it’s pretty clear this fun and fresh spin on burger patties will be around for a long time. Although ingenious, the Smashed Taco Americano is incredibly simple to make. It is nothing more than a thin burger patty, cooked directly into a tortilla, loaded up with burger toppings, and folded like a taco. It is the ultimate smash-up of summer favorites, with the flavor of a burger and all the convenience of a taco. The tortilla is actually griddled in the burger grease, giving it the crisp, flavorful crust of a fried quesadilla. It’s crispy on the outside, but cheesy and meaty on the inside—kind of feels like a bun-less burger with all the familiar flavors of a burger in an entirely new build. Grab a handful of burger meat (about 4 ounces), season it generously with salt and pepper, and cook it on a flat griddle on high heat. Don’t go for lean burger meat blend—you’ll want the extra grease to cook the tortilla. Place a flour tortilla on top and smash it down until flattened Once the patty is totally browned, flip it over. Top it with a slice of American cheese, then cover with the lid of a pan to let the cheese melt, the burger cook fully, and the tortilla crisp up in the pan. All that's left to do is top your “taco” with your favorite toppings, like shredded lettuce, chopped pickles, diced onions, and a creamy, zesty burger sauce. Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 1/4 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons ketchup 1 teaspoon mustard 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce 1 pound fresh ground round (not a lean blend) 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 flour tortillas (6-inch) 2 slices American cheese, cut in half lengthwise 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce 1/4 cup diced lightly grilled red onion Directions 1. Combine mayo, ketchup, mustard, relish and hot sauce in a small bowl; set sauce aside. 2. Heat a griddle over extremely high heat. 3. Scoop beef into 4 loose portions and place them in mounds on the hot griddle and start to cook. 4. Season evenly with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes 5. Place a tortilla on top of each beef portion and press down to flatten the beef into the shape and size of the tortilla. Don’t be timid or bashful, push it down hard. 6. Cook until tortilla is golden-brown, 2 to 3 more minutes. 7. Flip each patty-tortilla over (patty side up) and top with cheese. 8. When the cheese has melted and the tortilla has lightly browned, top with lettuce and onions. Drizzle with sauce, remove from the griddle and fold in half like a taco. 9. Serve immediately. ChefSecret: Take the Smashed Taco in a different direction with smashed chorizo meat, Tex-Mex toppings like chopped tomato, pico de gallo, guacamole, cilantro and sour cream. Quip of the Day: A balanced diet is a taco in both hands. ------------------------------------------- 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. #Entrees #Snacks #SmashMeatTacos #SmashedBugerTacos #2023 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 …from the Perspectives’ KitchenHow you doin’? Lawry’s California Center was the Southern California home office for Lawry’s Foods and Restaurants. It was 26 acres of curated gardens, just moments from downtown LA. This urban oasis was the creative spark for the company. La Cocina was the center’s original south-of-the-border-style restaurant where menu offerings were all made with Lawry’s retail products. Everything except salsa… that was not a Lawry’s retail product which was a shame because salsa soon surpassed ketchup in sales as the leading condiment of choice. You’ll know what I mean if you’re a regular salsa-snacker… chances are, you have an open jar in your refrigerator right now. Some like it hot. Some like it mild. Whichever way you like it, salsa is undeniably one of those food items you'll never regret having on hand. Snack on it with chips, use it as a taco Tuesday accoutrement, or spoon some over eggs to add a zesty touch to your daily breakfast or weekend brunch. A great tasting salsa offers the flavors of fresh tomato, onions and garlic, lime juice and a bit of cilantro. And with so many options for conveniently jarred or fresh-packed salsa on the market, you're likely to find the perfect one to suit your taste. There’s a difference between homemade and jarred salsa. Recipes for a homemade salsa commonly call for ripe tomatoes, yellow and green onions, an acid such as lime or lemon juice, garlic, and fresh cilantro. Jalapeño peppers are optional for adding a kick of heat to the ingredients to your own taste. Seasonings include seasoned salt and maybe an earthy touch of cumin or chipotle. A salsa made in your own kitchen is made with fresh ingredients and will last for about 1-3 days when properly covered and refrigerated. A store-bought salsa with relatively the same ingredients will contain preserving agents. An airtight unopened jar of a commercially-produced salsa can stay fresh for up to a year, even without any refrigeration. Jarred salsas are specifically made to be stored on shelves and in pantries for extended periods of time—12-18 months in a cool and dark kitchen cabinet or pantry. You should always check the expiration date printed on the jar before opening a container and serving. Unlike salsa, which can take on a lot of different variations, the ingredients in pico de gallo don't really vary from recipe to recipe and are always fresh. While traditional salsa has a thinner consistency with more liquid, pico de gallo is chunkier, with each chopped ingredient distinctly visible. That said, pico de gallo is still technically a type of salsa. If you’re like me and don’t like to fuss too much to make a homemade salsa and like it kind of on the chunky side here’s a no-fail recipe that will please every time. Pico de gallo is a great condiment enhancer to any party appetizer with tortilla chips or use it as a topping for tacos, hamburgers or even hotdogs fresh and hot off the outdoor grill. For more intense flavor, chill for up to 3 hours before serving. Prep time: 20 minutes Chill time: 1 to 3 hours Ingredients 6 roma (plum) diced tomatoes 3/4 cup minced red onion 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 1 tablespoon minced jalapeño pepper, seeded, seam removed 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin salt and ground black pepper to taste Directions
ChefSecret: Jalapeños can be found red or green. The only difference is that reds are left on the vine a little longer. Red jalapeño peppers are a little milder in heat with a lot fuller jalapeño flavor. Quip of the Day: What did the Mexican hangman serve his victims as a last meal? Pico de Gallows! ------------------------------------------- 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 #Sauces #PicoDeGallo #Salsa #Tomatoes #Jalapenos #2023 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 … from the Perspectives’ KitchenHow you doin’? At the Lawry’s California Center test kitchen Sandy and I used to spend lunch time trying to come up with new recipes that used Lawry’s products. This Taco Ring is still one of my favorites that we collaborated on. It is a dramatic, delicious appetizer or main dish that everyone loves. Lawry’s Taco seasoned ground beef and melty cheese wrapped in a buttery, flaky Pillsbury crust are perfect for game day, Taco Tuesday, or any night of the week! A Taco Crescent Ring brings together all the flavors of traditional tacos wrapped in a soft and flaky pastry instead of taco shells. Not only is this one of the best dinner ideas for picky kid eaters, it can also be an easy appetizer for food-loving adults. Try it once, and without a doubt, it will be a family favorite in no time! Prep time: 10 minutes Cook/bake time: 35 minutes Yield: 10 servings Ingredients 1 pound ground beef 1 package taco seasoning (I prefer Lawry’s brand) 4 ounces chopped green chilies (small can—do not drain) 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided) 2 cans (8 ounces) crescent roll dough (I prefer Pillsbury brand) Directions
ChefSecrets: Keep the crescent dough cold until ready to use. You can substitute ground turkey or ground chicken for the ground beef. You can add diced onions to the meat mixture when cooking. Once the beef and onion are cooked down, add the taco seasoning and green chilies. My favorite taco toppings are shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, black olives, taco sauce, pico de gallo, salsa, salsa verde, queso dip, jalapeños, shredded cheddar cheese, refried beans and guacamole. Quip of the Day: You cannot make everybody happy all the time, after all, you are not a taco. ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Do you want to share a with our readers? 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. #Baking #Appetizers #Entrees #CrescentRolls #TacoRing #Lawrys #Pillsbury #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023 |
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