How you doin’? It is true… Blondies have more fun! Looking for a sweet treat you've never made before? My Blondie recipe is made with malted milk balls.
 
This is a party Blondies recipe—these may look like ordinary Blondies, but these moist and chewy squares have a secret ingredient that makes them totally scrumptious. The slightly nutty flavor of chopped-up malted milk balls is what makes this dessert totally unique and unexpected. Everyone will enjoy a malty twist on a timeless treat.
 
Blondies are similar to brownies, but they are made with brown sugar instead of cocoa and are often baked in a pan and then cut into squares or rectangles. Other ingredients such as walnuts or chips can be added to the mixture. Blondies are soft and chewy. The name “blondies” comes from their light color, which contrasts with the dark color of traditional brownies.
 
There are various names Blondies go by… they can also be called blonde brownies or butterscotch brownies. It's understood that much like the brownie, blondies originated in the USA. Brownies were invented in 1893 at Palmer House by Bertha Palmer, a socialite and philanthropist, who achieved a reputation as a skilled musician, proficient linguist, writer, able politician and baker.  The first recipe for blondies was published in 1896 by Fannie Farmer, a pioneer of modern American cookery.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Bake time:  30 minutes
Cool time:  1 hour
 
Ingredients 
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) softened unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups malted milk balls chopped, divided
 
Directions

1. Heat an oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Butter a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan.
3. Beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in large bowl until well blended.
4. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat well.
5. Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
6. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in 1-1/2 cups of the crushed malted milk balls.
7. Spread in prepared pan
8. Sprinkle top with remaining 1/2 cup crushed malt balls.
9. Bake the Blondies for 30 to 35 minutes or until top is golden brown and center is set.
10. Cool completely in the pan on wire rack.
11. Cut the baked and cooled Blondies into bars.

ChefSecret:  I have a love / hate relationship with Whoppers being that I once consumed and entire large box of Whoppers at one seating. I discovered I can get 43 malt balls in my mouth at the same time. It was great while I was eating them, but I found out they don’t taste as good when they are coming up—but enough of that—I got over it as you found out from this recipe.

Quip of the Day:  Two blondes fell down a hole. One said, "It's dark in here, isn't it?" The other replied, "I don't know… I can't see.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Send your thoughts to [email protected]. 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, 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, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

#Dessert #Baking #MaltedMilkBalls #Whoppers #Blondies # #2024Recipes #T2T #URM #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
 
                                                                                 ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024

How you doin’?  Even though the dog days of summer might still be here, Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer. This is a Labor Day cocktail that will make you wish summer wasn’t coming to an end at all. My End of Summer Grilled Watermelon Margarita will keep those good vibrations going for just a little while longer.
 
Since watermelon is a classic summer food, why not take that watermelon off the table, put it on the grill and then in a cocktail glass? This uniquely summer cocktail blends high heat with cool melon for the ultimate refreshing summer libation.
 
Prep and cook time:  45 minutes (takes a little time, but I’s well worth it)
Yield:  8 servings
 
Ingredients 
1-1/2 pounds peeled and cubed seedless watermelon
11 limes
1 medium red grapefruit
16 ounces tequila reposado
4 ounces orange liqueur such as Jalisco 1562 Orange Liqueur or Patron Citronge
Tajín Clásico or other chili lime seasoning, for the garnish
 
Directions

1. Use a melon baller to scoop out 8-16 balls from the watermelon; chill to use for the garnish.
2. Using a chef knife, slice the remaining watermelon into 2-inch chunks.
3. Heat a BBQ grill to medium-high until hot, 5-10 minutes.
4. Place the watermelon pieces on the grill and char lightly, turning occasionally, until caramelized, 4-6 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and let watermelon cool to room temperature.
6. When cool blend the grilled watermelon in a blender until smooth. Chill until ready to use.
7. Cut 1 lime into 8 wedges.
8. Cut the remaining limes and grapefruit in half and juice, keeping the juices separate. Chill until ready to use.
9. Pour 1 ounce of lime juice onto a small plate.
10. Place 3 tablespoons of Tajín on to another small plate.
11. Dip the rims of the glasses into the lime juice, rotating so the outer rim of the glass is coated in lime juice. Then dip into the Tajín to coat the outer rim.
12. Combine 2 ounces of the tequila reposado, 1 ounce watermelon juice, 1 ounce lime juice, 1/2 ounce  grapefruit juice and 1/2 ounce orange liqueur in a cocktail shaker with ice.
13. Shake vigorously like you mean it to combine.
14. Pour in the cocktail glass and garnish with a lime wedge. Drop a watermelon ball(s) into the glass or place 2-3 on a cocktail pick and place on the rim.
15. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make a total of 8 cocktails.

ChefSecret:  If you don’t have a melon baller, cut the watermelon into 1-inch cubes.

Quip of the Day:  Q. Why is there a ring of salt around the rim of a margarita glass?  A. To keep the spirits from escaping.
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. 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, 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, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

#Cocktail #HappyHour #EndOfSummerGrilledWatermelonMargarita #Tequila #PatronCitronge #Tajin #Watermelon #SummertimeHappyHour #Cheers #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
 
                                                                            ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024

How you doin’? There are all levels in making chocolate confections—from fine molded truffles to beautiful slabs of creamy fudge. Not too many of us have the bandwidth or skill to make decorative truffles, but most of us can whip up a batch of chocolate fudge. Any occasion is made sweeter with large squares of delightful fudge.
 
Check out my easy fudge recipe made with unsweetened cocoa powder. Be the first in your family to show up at the end of summer Labor Day picnic or family get-together with homemade fudge in hand.  Everyone will be asking you how to make fudge from scratch!
 
Make up one pan for yourself and double the recipe for the rest of your family and friends. An easy fudge recipe should be a staple in every kitchen all year ‘round.
 
Check out the ChefSecret below to learn how to enhance an already great confection. If you’re feeling extra frivolous, add nuts, marshmallows and other sweets for a delicious spin on the fudgy classic.
 
Prep time:  5 minutes
Cook time:  25 minutes
Cool time:  1 hour, 30 minutes
Yield:  1-3/4 pounds
 
Ingredients 
3 cups granulated sugar
2/3  cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I prefer Guittard Dark Cocoa Powder)
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1-1/2 cups whole milk
1 stick unsalted butter (1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
 
Directions

1. Line an 8-or 9-inch square pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan.
2. Butter the foil.
3. Mix the sugar, cocoa and salt in a heavy 4-quart saucepan; stir in milk.
4. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full rolling boil.
5.  Boil, without stirring, until mixture reaches 234°F on candy thermometer or until small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water, forms a soft ball which flattens when removed from water. (Note: for an accurate temperature, the bulb of the candy thermometer should not rest on bottom of the saucepan).
6. Remove the mixture from heat.
7. Add butter and vanilla. Do not stir. Cool at room temperature to 110°F (lukewarm).
8. Beat the mixture with a handheld electric mixer until fudge thickens and just begins to lose some of its gloss (about 5 minutes).
9. Quickly spread the mixture in the prepared pan; cool completely for an hour and a half.
10. Cut into squares.
11. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature.

​ChefSecret: Follow the directions exactly. Beat too little and the fudge is too soft. Beat too long and it becomes hard and grainy.
 
Be creative for a nutty addition… beat cooked the fudge as directed. Immediately stir in 1 cup chopped almonds, pecans or walnuts and spread quickly into the prepared pan.
 
To cut a little of the sweetness, top the fudge with a few pinches of sea salt.
 
Quip of the Day:  Recently my aunt came to me and asked if I would like some fudge. I enthusiastically accepted.
Her: "Male Fudge or Female Fudge?"
Me: "What's the difference?"
Her: "Male Fudge has nuts!"
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Do you have a question or comment?  Send your thoughts to [email protected]. 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, 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, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

#Confection #Snack #ChocolateFudge #Fudge #EndofSummerFudge #Guittard #LaborDayTreats #2024Recipes #T2T #URM #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
 
                                                                              ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024

How you doin’? It isn’t too often that I find a recipe on someone else’s blog that I feel I have to make immediately. That was the case with this recipe that I sourced from the National Peanut Board (NPB) LinkedIn site.
 
As many of you know, we have worked with the NPB for years and they always have great recipes that are home meal maker easy—we have created many of them.
 
Peanuts have so much going for them—they’re healthy, they’re versatile and they taste great in all their forms—from nut butters to roasted in the shell to dips and salsas and even salad dressing like the one included in this recipe. And oh, by the way, my favorite Butterfinger bars and Chocolate peanut butter cups are included in my personal favorites. It seems the peanut possibilities are endless.

The Peanut Butter Lime Dressing included in this recipe can be used “as is” or as a dressing on other salad styles or as a satay-style sauce for chicken wings, skewered pork or beef strips.  Make a little extra and keep it in the frig.
 
Prep time:  45 minutes
Cook time  15 minutes
Chill time:  30 minutes
Yield:  6 to 8 servings
 
Ingredients 
For the Peanut Butter Lime Dressing
1/2 cup smooth, natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon honey or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons ice water, plus extra
 
For the Charred Corn Slaw
3 ears of corn, husks and silks removed
1 small head green cabbage (about 2 ½ pounds), cored and finely shredded
1 large carrot, peeled into ribbons
1 red bell pepper, cored and finely sliced
4 finely sliced green onions
1/4 cup finely sliced fresh mint leaves
1/3 cup roughly chopped roasted and salted peanuts
 
Directions 
To make the Peanut Butter Lime Dressing

1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a sharp “S” blade, combine the peanut butter, garlic, ginger, lime zest, lime juice, honey, cumin, salt and pepper. Pulse the food processor a couple of times to combine.
2. With the motor running, pour the ice water in through the feed tube. The dressing should pale in color, resulting in a slightly fluid, but still creamy texture.
3. Add more water by the teaspoon, if necessary. Once it’s at the proper consistency, check the dressing for seasoning and adjust to taste. Set it aside.

To make the Charred Corn Slaw

1. Bring a medium-large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the corn to the water and place the lid on top.
2. Boil the corn until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Carefully remove the corn from the pot with tongs and place it on a paper towel lined plate.
3. Preheat the grill to high. Place the drained corn directly on the grates and grill, rotating the cobs until char marks appear on all sides, about 6-7 minutes.
4. Remove the corn from the grill and place it back on the plate, allowing it to cool a bit.

To assemble the slaw

1. In a large bowl, combine the shredded cabbage, carrot ribbons, red bell pepper, green onions and mint.
2. Carefully cut the charred corn kernels off the cobs and add them to the large bowl as well.
3. Pour the Peanut Butter Lime Dressing over the vegetables.
4. Add pinches of salt and pepper and lightly toss to combine the charred corn slaw.
5. Garnish the top of the slaw with the chopped roasted peanuts, green onions and mint.

ChefSecret:  You could prepare all of the ingredients up to 2 days in advance. Cut everything except for the mint, place it all in your serving bowl and cover the top. Place the dressing, mint, and chopped peanuts in separate containers. Then, just thoroughly toss everything with a good pinch of salt and pepper at your destination! If you don’t have a grill, you can char the corn in a grill pan or a cast iron skillet. My grill grates are well-seasoned cast iron, so I didn’t need to apply any oil to the corn before grilling. If you have regular steel grates, you may have to give them a spritz of oil.

Quip of the Day:  The mama corn wasn’t worried about her chubby son. “He’s not fat,” she said, “he’s just a little husky.”
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. 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, 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, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

#Salad #Entree#CharredCornSlaw #PeanutButterLimeDressing #Peanuts #PeanutButter #NPB #NationalPeanutBoard #CoolSummerSalads #Summertime #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                                                   ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024

How you doin’? When my dad was running concessions at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, I got hooked on going to rodeo events when they came to town. I loved to be around the horses... they are truly magnificent animals. 
 
Cassie, our hotel general manager, has kids who are active and winners on the rodeo circuit. Last fall, Joan and I met up with her family at South Point Hotel and Casino where they have rodeo events several times a month. It’s always exciting to watch these brave equestrians, but even more so when they are kids you know. Now we go there several times per month to watch these beautiful creatures and their handlers in action.
 
These rodeo goers travel all around the United States on the circuit competing for prizes from “just for the hell of it” to a million dollars.  Last week I had one of the rodeo moms tell me that it an expensive hobby and the least expensive part of the sport is buying the horse!
 
When Perspectives was designing the bar program at Universal City for the Cripple Creek Saloon—a cowboy bar at the Los Angeles theme park—we developed this recipe that I still make at home today. It pairs perfectly with my 14-hour Texas-style smoked beef ribs.

So put on your best 10-gallon hat, that special belt buckle, spit-shined shit-kickers (cowboy boots) and chaps… then belly up to the bar and enjoy a Rhinestone Cowboy Cocktail. Now, that’s what you call “Cowboying!”
 
Prep time:  7 minutes
Yield:  1 cocktail
 
Ingredients 
1-1/4 ounce white rum
1 ounce Bacardi Dark rum
1 ounce apricot brandy
2 ounces fresh orange juice
2 ounces pineapple juice
1/2 ounce Sloe Gin
1/2 ounce 151 Proof Rum
Orange peel
 
Directions

1. Fill a bucket glass with scooped crushed ice.
2. Build the cocktail over the ice starting with the white rum, Bacardi, apricot brandy and orange and pineapple juices.
3. Over the back of a spoon slowly bleed the Sloe Gin over the ice.
4. Float the 151 rum on top of the Sloe Gin.
5. Garnish with a slice of  orange peel.
6. Carefully light the 151 and serve.

ChefSecret:  Because of its high alcohol content, Bacardi 151 is particularly flammable among liquors. For this reason it was often used as the ignition source for "flaming shots" and cocktails.

Quip of the Day:  On the rodeo circuit the more secure way to double your money is by folding it in half and putting it back into your pocket.
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. 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, 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, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

​#Cocktail #HappyHour #RhinestoneCowboy #Rum #151Proof #SloeGin #Bacardi #SummertimeHappyHour #Cheers #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  

                                                                               ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024