I see some of our fellow citizens are finally going back to work. I think many of the changes we made in our lives over the last several months will stick around including preparing our own meals.

Many of our readers have finally figured out what to do with the Instant Pot they got for Christmas a couple of years ago. If you don’t have the time or inclination to cook for the family for a week over a weekend you can conjure things up in minutes with your Instant Pot. I am using mine more than ever.
 
No matter what the weather, I love soup. Even on the hottest summer day, a bowl of soup seems to make me cooler. My recipe for Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup is thick and cheesy with and loaded with broccoli. This recipe is easy to double to insure you have enough for later in the week. 
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  15 minutes
Yield:  4 to 6 servings
 
Ingredients
To make the soup
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup diced potatoes
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 cups chicken broth
1-1/2-pounds chopped broccoli florets, fresh or frozen
 
To thicken the soup
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter
 
To finish the soup
6 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
4 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
2 cups half and half
 
To garnish the soup
4 to 6 whole broccoli florets, microwaved
6 teaspoons shredded Cheddar cheese
 
Directions

1. Before starting, measure all your ingredients and have at your side.
2. Prepare all the vegetables and shred the cheeses.
3. Turn on the Instant Pot SAUTÉ setting. When hot, add the butter and olive oil.
4. Add the onion and cook for a 4-minutes.
5. Add the carrots and the potatoes and cook for 3-minutes to soften.
6. Add the black pepper, red pepper flakes, salt, nutmeg and garlic. Cook for a couple minutes, stirring continuously.
7. Add the broth and stir.
8. Add the broccoli, but don't stir. Put the lid on and lock it in place. Make sure the steam release is sealed.
9. CANCEL the SAUTÉ function. Then press the PRESSURE COOK button. Then the + or - to select 5 MINUTES on HIGH PRESSURE.
10. When the cooking cycle is finished, allow for a 5-MINUTE NATURAL RELEASE.
11. Turn OFF the Instant Pot.
12. Use a stick blender (immersion blender) to breakdown all the veggies.
13. Mix the flour and butter together in a microwave safe dish and microwave for 15 seconds. Then mix very well until it is smooth.
14. Turn the SAUTÉ setting ON and mix in the flour/butter mixture and stir until it starts to thicken.
15. Stir in the cheeses.
16. CANCEL the SAUTÉ function and add in the half and half. Stir well.
17. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
18. Portion out the soup and garnish each bowl with some shredded cheese and a broccoli floret or two.

ChefSecret:  If you don’t have a stick blender you can use a blender, but don’t fill it any more than half full to prevent splash over and burns. If you prefer a thinner soup, reduce the amount of "thickener" you add.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day:  “And, it’s starting all over again… Due to the recent worsening of an outbreak of Stupidity and Panic-Purchasing by complete idiots, the nation is again experiencing a shortage of toilet paper and common sense. Expect supplies to be replenished once these sheep-minded morons have all starved to death in their homes surrounded by toilet paper, but without anything to eat.”
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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.

#Soup #InstantPot #BroccoliCheddarSoup #CreamOfBroccoliSoup #Broccoli #Cheddar #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                             ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020

How you doin’? Fall is here and there is a chill in the air. Are you feeling a little peaked or under the weather? That’s the way I felt on one of my last trips to Rome.
 
Le Terme Del Colosseo is a beautiful restaurant located between the Colosseum and the Imperial Forums. I was feeling a little under the weather when I visited Rome and didn’t want a whole lot to eat. That could be considered a crime in Rome when you feel you must try everything on the menu, or at least I do. I told the waiter of my dilemma. He said I have just the solution for you. It is Zuppa Di Orzo Di Pollo Al Limone (Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup). He described it as an Italian version of Jewish matzo ball soup—Jewish penicillin—and that it would have me feeling great in a half hour.
 
It wasn’t on the menu, but he asked the chef to make it for me. That’s just the way this restaurant is along with many others in Italy. If they have the ingredients, many chefs will cook special orders for you.
 
If you are going to Rome any time soon (post Covid-19), be sure to put Le Terme del Colosseo on your “must do” list. It is convenient for lunch while sightseeing, and dinner is a real experience where diners are entertained by "Roman Fantasy"… costumed singers who will take your breath away. Their repertoire includes all the most famous and well-known Italian folk and opera songs and therefore is suitable for all—Italian and non-Italian alike.
 
When my steaming caldron of special soup arrived tableside, I could see it was comprised of tender chunks of chicken in a lemony broth with orzo pasta, carrots, onions, celery and shards of baby spinach. The waiter cracked an egg, separated the yolk from the white and streamed the egg white into the hot soup (something like a Chinese egg drop soup).  This has now become one of my favorite soups to enjoy on cool fall evenings.
 
By the way, it worked! Thirty minutes after the soup arrived, I was combing through the menu for my next courses.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Cook time:  1 hour
Yield:  6 servings about 3 quarts
 
Ingredients
4 ounces orzo pasta (uncooked)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 carrot, chopped, or more to taste
1 rib celery, chopped
1/2 yellow onion (medium), chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 lemon, zested
6 ounces cooked chicken breast, chopped
1 large egg separated (just use the egg white for this recipe) optional
1 cup baby spinach leaves
1 lemon, sliced for garnish
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
 
Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
2. Cook the orzo in the boiling water until partially cooked through, but not yet fully soft, about 5 minutes; drain and rinse with cold water until cooled completely. Set the pasta aside.
3. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
4. Cook and stir the carrot, celery and onion in hot oil until the vegetables begin to soften and the onion becomes translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
6. Season mixture with thyme, oregano, salt, black pepper and bay leaf; continue cooking another 30 seconds before pouring chicken broth into the hot pot.
7. Bring the broth to a boil. Partially cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the vegetables are just tender, about 10 minutes.
8. Stir in orzo, lemon juice and lemon zest into the broth.
9. Add the chicken.
10. Cook until the chicken and orzo are heated through, about 5 minutes.
11. Stream in the egg white if using.
12. Add the baby spinach; cook until the spinach wilts into the broth and the orzo is tender about 2 to 3 minutes longer.
13. Ladle the soup into bowls.
14. Garnish with lemon slices and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

ChefSecret:  You’ll love the look of the egg white threads throughout the soup. It really upscales the whole offering making it ideal for a main course.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day:  “Does anyone else think Halloween was totally unnecessary this year.  Afterall, I’ve been wearing a mask and eating candy for the last 7 months.”
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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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Here is wishing you the very best for the holidays. To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind welcoming in the holiday season. 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.

#Soup #ChickenSoup #Orzo #LeTermeDelColloseo #HolidayRecipes #Entrees #Holidays2020 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020

How you doin’? Hopefully, you had as good a holiday weekend as could be expected. Thanksgiving and Black Friday are in the rearview mirror and Christmas and the New Year are still in front of us. In Los Angeles, we been advised to stay in place for another 3 weeks while “they” (whoever “they” are) are trying to get things back under control. In a new report “they” are reporting that the positive rate will rise to 1 in 148 people and may triple or quadruple before the end of the year if we don’t lock down now. Who knows for sure? Hopefully with a couple of successful new vaccines, 2020 will all be a memory and we can get back to some sense of normal shortly. Now let’s talk about some “infectiously” great soups to keep you warm as the weather begins to change.
 
Hail to the Bisque… the second most popular seafood soup after chowders. Bisques are hearty, creamy and all around awesome! This Corn Bisque is good with or without the seafood. Serve it with crusty French bread and maybe a cold beer!
 
Exactly what make a Bisque different from a chowder or ordinary soup? Bisques are smooth, creamy, highly seasoned soups of French origin, classically based on a strained broth of crustaceans—lobster, langoustine, crab, shrimp or crayfish.
 
The name is derived from Biscay, as in Bay of Biscay. The crustaceans are certainly bis cuites "twice cooked." They are first sautéed lightly in their shells, then simmered in wine and aromatic ingredients before being strained, followed by the addition of cream.
 
Bisque is made by extracting flavor from imperfect crustaceans not good enough to send to market, but good enough for soup. In an authentic bisque, the shells are ground to a fine paste and added to thicken the soup. Bisques are traditionally thickened with rice, which can either be strained out, leaving behind the starch, or pureed or milled during the final stages. That was one of the questions asked on the culinary school final—and I got it right.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  30 minutes
Yield:  8 servings
 
Ingredients
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup chopped white onions
42 ounces chicken broth
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 ears corn, kernels cut from cob
1/2 cup half-and-half
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
16 ounces lump crab or lobster meat
 
Directions

1. Heat the butter in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Stir in onion; cook until soft and translucent.
3. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil.
4. Stir in garlic, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper.
5. Stir corn into boiling broth. Simmer about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low.
6. Remove 2 cups of soup and set aside to cool slightly.
7. Pour the rest into a food processor.
8. Pour in half-and-half. Puree for 30 to 45 seconds and set aside.
9. In a small bowl, stir together the flour and milk. Slowly stir into 2 cups reserved soup and return it to the pot. Stirring constantly, simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Then stir in pureed mixture.
10. Reduce heat to low, stir in crab or lobster meat, and cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes.

ChefSecret:  If fresh corn on the cob is out of season substitute with 6 cups of frozen corn.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day:  “Where do sick boats go to get healthy? The dock! ”
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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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Here is wishing you the very best for the upcoming holidays. To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind welcoming in the holiday season. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America.

#Soup #Bisque #Crab #HolidayRecipes #Entrees #Holidays2020 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                            ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020

How you doin’? Some say that chicken soup is the Jewish penicillin. Maybe that’s the perfect cure for Covid-19. What do you think? Probably not, or the good doctors at the CDC or WHO would have come up with that solution.
 
It was once thought that the longer you simmered the soup, the more flavorful the result. Fortunately technology has enabled us to achieve that slow-cooked flavor in a shorter amount of time. With the Instant Pot, we’re able to cut down the cook time without sacrificing any of the flavor.
 
The Instant Pot concentrates the chicken with flavor, while tenderizing the meat at the same time, resulting in a deeply flavorful soup in a fraction of the time. If you’re all about that slow-cooked flavor, but don’t have the time or patience, you’ll want to try this Instant Pot recipe. This homemade chicken soup recipe, with Matzo Balls and Egg Noodles, is easy enough for even the most challenged cook.
 
Prep time: 15 minutes
Instant Pot Cook time: 20 minutes (plus 20 to build pressure and 15 minutes for the release)
Sauté & Noodle cook time: 20 minutes
Yield:  10 to 12 cups
 
Ingredients
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon paprika
1 4 to 5-pound whole chicken, giblets removed
1 small onion, sliced
2 stalks of celery, sliced
2 large carrot sticks, sliced
1 parsnip, sliced
4 cloves of garlic, whole, crushed
6 cups cold water
4-dried bay leaves
10-large allspice berries (optional)
Noodles (optional)
Matzo Balls (optional)
Italian parsley, chopped for garnish
 
Directions

1. Press the SAUTÉ button on Instant Pot, and let it heat up.
2. Combine the salt, pepper, turmeric and paprika; mix together well.
3. Pat the chicken dry. Coat it with the spice mixture, making sure to get underneath the skin and inside the cavity.
4. Once the Instant Pot is hot, brown the whole chicken in the pot about 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken and set aside.
5. Add the onion, celery, carrots, parsnip and garlic to the pot, and sauté until onions are translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
6. Place the chicken breast-side-down on the Instant Pot trivet, and lower it into the pot, on top of the vegetables.
7. Pour the water in along the sides of the pot, so as not to wash away the seasonings on the chicken.
8. Add the bay leaves and allspice berries.
9. Cover with the lid and secure. Make sure the valve is locked in place and press the MANUAL PRESSURE button.
10. Set the Instant Pot to HIGH PRESSURE to cook for 20 MINUTES. It will take about 20 minutes to build up the pressure. After cooking, NATURALLY RELEASE THE PRESSURE FOR 15 MINUTES, then carefully release the pressure valve and let the pot depressurize completely before opening lid.
11. Remove the chicken, bay leaves and allspice berries (if using) and skim the fat layer from the top of the soup. Save the chicken fat for the matzo balls.
12. Return the pot to the SAUTÉ function, and add uncooked noodles and or matzo balls, if desired. Cook until noodles are al dente about 12 minutes.
13. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat from the bones, and return it to the soup.
14. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.
    

ChefSecret: Now let’s talk matzo balls… the secret to perfect matzo balls may be to use the packaged stuff--Manischewitz Matzo Ball Mix.  I have had many homemade matzo balls, but the best ones come straight from the box. Just follow the directions on the box and make the perfect balls! 
Okay, you say you’re a scratch cook and want to make them the old-fashioned way—well knock yourself out!

                                Almost, But Not Quite Perfect Matzo Balls
 
Ingredients
4 eggs, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons chicken fat (from the above soup) or vegetable oil
1 cup matzo meal
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup hot water
12 cups salted water for boiling
 
Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, mix together the eggs and chicken fat. Stir in the matzo meal and salt and add 1/4 hot water. Lightly mix, but don’t overmix.
2. Cover the dough, let it rest and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
   
3. Bring the water to a boil over high heat to cook the matzo balls. 
4. Form the matzo dough into balls the size of walnuts.
5. Add the matzo balls to the boiling water, cover, and cook for 20 minutes (don't even peek!).
6. Bring the chicken broth to a simmer. Remove matzo balls from hot water with a slotted spoon and add to the simmering chicken broth just a few minutes before serving.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day:  “My husband purchased a world map and then gave me a dart and said, “Throw this and wherever it lands—that’s where I’m taking you when this pandemic ends.” Turns out, we’re spending two weeks behind the fridge. I’ve got to learn to get better at darts!”
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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. We have 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, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind—that’s the American way.  If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entree #Soup #InstantPot #Bubbe #MatzoBalls #ChickenSoup #Chicken #EggNoodles #Manischewitz #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                               ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020

How you doin’? Look on the bright side… we are another day closer to seeing our world back to some sense of normalcy. There are a couple of things I would like to talk to you about today.

While we are still on “lock-down” it’s a good time to experiment a little in the kitchen—do not be frightened to try new things. Through consumer research over the years, we’ve learned that most meal providers have a repertoire of only 5 items they feel comfortable cooking for their families—and one of them is hashed-over restaurant leftovers. Cooking from scratch has been overtaken by cooking for convenience. The latter is more exp     ensive and adds to the weekly cash register tape from your local grocer. So, save some bucks and try cooking from scratch. Here’s a great starter recipe for you.

Yesterday, Joan had a hankering for her favorite California Pizza Kitchen Smashed Pea & Barley Soup. This soup has been a once a week must for the last year. Joan orders the SP&B and I get the Tortilla Soup—it’s kind of the best restaurant comfort food for lunch. So, I went into the test kitchen and fired up my trusty Instant Pot and started whipping up this CPK hack. It’s a hearty split pea soup with barley, carrots, onions, savory herbs and green onions. This is a recipe hack just like the popular soup sold at California Pizza Kitchen… Joan says it’s really close; I think it’s better—give it a try. Joan says, it’s like a warm comforting hug in a bowl!  Of course, we both look forward to visiting the CPK near the office again soon.
 
This soup is naturally vegan. However, if you want to add some extra richness to the soup you can add in chunks of ham and/or cook the soup with a ham hock. You can also garnish with crumbled bacon when serving.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  15 minutes (plus 10 minutes pressure release)
Yield:  8 servings
 
Ingredients
 1 cup dried split peas, rinsed and sorted (check for rocks)
1 cup cup uncooked pearl barley
8 cups water (or beef or vegetable stock for added flavor)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon reduce sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1-1/2 cups diced carrots
1/2 cup minced yellow onion
1/3 cup finely diced celery
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (for a touch of brightness)
Salt and pepper, soy sauce to taste
1/2 cup green onion circles
 
Directions

1. Add the split peas, barley, water (or beef or vegetable stock), bay leaves, salt, soy sauce, thyme, garlic powder, sage, cumin, carrots, yellow onion and celery into the Instant Pot.
2. Cover the pot and secure the lid. Make sure the valve is sealed.
3. Set the MANUAL/PRESSURE cook button to 15 minutes.
4. When the time is up let the pot sit for an additional 10 minutes. Carefully open the valve to vent.
5. Remove the lid.
6. Now you have a decision to make… you can use a stick blender to puree the soup or leave it as is… a little chunky, but still soft and well cooked.
7. Stir in the lemon juice. Add extra salt, pepper and soy sauce to taste.
8. Ladle into bowls, garnish with green onion circles and serve.

ChefSecret:  The Instant Pot cooking methods shaves off about 2-1/2 hours of cooking time.

#Soups #Entrees #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #ComfortFoods #Lunch #CPK