How you doin’? Whenever I see a sweet bar recipe that has dates and oats as major ingredients, I believe I am eating healthier. With all the flour, granulated and brown sugar in the recipe… this idea is debatable. That said, my Date-Oatmeal Cookie Bars are great, and the bars taste just like oatmeal cookies. It’s easier to make cookies in bar form and all you have to do is cut them after they are baked. I love them all—bars or cookies.
 
You might ask where Date-Oatmeal Cookie Bars originated. It is a Canadian dessert (don’t worry, there’s no tariff for this recipe) made of cooked dates with an oatmeal crumb topping.
 
Oatmeal cookies originated from Scottish oatcakes and transitioned from porridge to baked goods in Victorian times. The first recorded oatmeal cookie recipes appeared in the late 1800s, with Fannie Merritt Farmer popularizing the oatmeal raisin cookie. The raisins, nuts and spices commonly found in today's oatmeal cookies date back to the Middle Ages. Oats were introduced to the Americas by European explorers in the 17th century, and in 19th century America, oats were considered health foods.
 
Ingredients 
2-1/2 cups dates, pitted and chopped
2/3 cup water
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1-1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup softened butter
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 400° F.
2. Grease a 9 X 13-inch pan.
3. Start by making the filling in a saucepan over low heat by combining the dates, water, granulated sugar and lemon juice.
4. Cook for about 8 minutes, or until thick. Set aside to cool.
5. To make the pastry, combine flour, brown sugar, oats and salt in a large bowl. Mix until well blended.
6. Add the butter until mixture forms into coarse crumbs.
7. Press half of pastry mix into the prepared pan.
8. Cover with the date mixture and spread remaining pastry mixture over the top.
9. Bake the bars for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.
10. Let the pan cool on wire rack before cutting.

ChefSecret:  The original Canadian recipe was made with white shortening. My partner, Joan is from Wisconsin (the dairy state), so I changed it to butter for a more well-rounded buttery flavor and to keep the family happy.

Quip of the Day:  An elderly but hearty dairy farmer from Wisconsin once told a young female neighbor that if she wanted to live a long life, the secret was to sprinkle a pinch of gunpowder on her oatmeal each morning. She did this religiously and lived to the age of 103. She left behind 14 children, 30 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, five great-great-grandchildren and a 40 foot hole where the crematorium used to be.
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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/perspectives-on-food
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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 #NationalOatmealCookieDay #Date-OatmealCookie Bars #Dates #Oatmeal #OatmealCookies #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
                                                                                    ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025

How you doin’? I love all bacon, but not all bacon is created equal. We’ve seen coated bacon slices sell for 3 times what they were just 4 short years ago. So,  here is an inflation beater that everyone will go nuts about. I can eat this bacon all day long and this might very well be the original Man Candy.
 
Sweet & Spicy Bacon, also known as Millionaire’s Bacon, is a caramelized bacon that originated at San Francisco’s Sweet Maple restaurant. It is coated in a mixture of brown sugar, cayenne pepper and other spices before being baked. My sweet and spicy treat is a fabulous addition to any party.
 
Eating just one slice will make you feel like you won the lottery.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  25 minutes
Cool time:  20 minutes
Yield:  4 to 6 servings
 
Ingredients 
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pound thick-cut bacon, center cut preferred
3 tablespoons maple syrup
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Line a large rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
3. To make the seasoned sugar use a shallow dish wide enough to fit the bacon, whisk the brown sugar, pepper, paprika, red pepper flakes, cayenne and ginger until well blended.
4. Brush one piece of bacon with maple syrup on both sides.
5. Press one side of the bacon into the brown sugar mixture, then flip it over to coat the other side.
6. Transfer the coated bacon to the parchment-lined baking sheet.
7. Repeat brushing and dipping with the remaining bacon slices. Try not to let the bacon slices touch or overlap on the baking sheet or they will stick together.
8. Bake the coated bacon for 15 minutes.
9. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, flip the bacon over, and return it to the oven.
10. Bake until the bacon starts to caramelize on the edges, 15 to 20 minutes.
11. While the bacon is cooking, line another sheet pan with parchment paper.
12.  While the bacon is still hot from the oven, use tongs to carefully transfer each piece of bacon to the clean parchment paper. Do not put the bacon on paper towels; it will stick to it.
13. Serve once the bacon has cooled and hardened on the clean parchment paper.

ChefSecret:  Don’t stress if the sugar on the parchment paper looks black and burnt, but keep an eye on the bacon itself, as it will go from caramelized brown to burnt black fairly fast.

Quip of the Day:  Q. What color is the best cooked Sweet & Spicy Bacon?
A. Ma-hog-any.
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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/perspectives-on-food
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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.

#Bacon #CaramelizedBacon #Snacks #Sweet-SpicyBacon #PorkBelly #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
 
                                                         ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025

ow you doin’? Cherry blossoms in bloom is a sure sign of spring! This year, the cherry blossoms reached peak bloom on March 28th in Washington, D.C. How did they get there? It was a long journey. In a ceremony on March 27, 1912, First Lady Helen Herron Taft and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, planted the first two of these trees on the north bank of the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park.
 
At the end of the ceremony, the First Lady presented Viscountess Chinda with a bouquet of 'American Beauty' roses. These two trees still stand at the terminus of 17th Street Southwest, marked by a large plaque. By 1915, the United States government had responded with a gift of flowering dogwood trees to the people of Japan.
 
From 1913 to 1920, trees of the Somei-Yoshino variety, which comprised 1800 of the gifts, were planted around the Tidal Basin. Trees of the other 11 cultivars, and the remaining Yoshinos, were planted in East Potomac Park. In 1927, a group of American school children re-enacted the first planting. This event is recognized as the first D.C. cherry blossom festival. In 1934, the District of Columbia Commissioners sponsored a three-day celebration of the flowering cherry trees.
 
On December 8th, 1941, several members of Congress tried to pass a bill to destroy the Japanese cheery blossom trees.  Wiser heads prevailed.
 
Now you can celebrate the Cherry Blossom Festival wherever you are with my Cherry Blossom Cocktail—it’s easy and delicious.
 
Ingredients 
Salt as needed
1-1/2 ounces 1800 Silver Tequila
1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
1 ounce grapefruit juice
1/4 ounce cherry juice (or grenadine)
Grapefruit slice or maraschino cherry for garnish
 
Directions

1. Dip the rim of a martini glass in lime juice and salt the rim of a glass.
2. Pour the tequila, lime juice , grapefruit juice and cherry juice into shaker with ice and shake well.
3. Strain into the salt rimmed martini glass straight up or serve over ice.
4. Garnish with a grapefruit slice or cherry.

ChefSecret:  If you’re in a place where there is a cherry tree still in bloom, garnish with a sprig of cherry blossoms.

Quip of the Day:  What did the cherry blossom say to the bee? “Bee-hold my beauty!”
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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/perspectives-on-food.
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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 #CherryBlossomCocktatil #Tequila #LimeJuice #GrapefruitJuice #CherryJuice #HappyHour2025 #Cheers #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  

                                                                                 ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025

ow you doin’? I don’t know who doesn’t love a good cheesecake. Cheesecakes can be broadly categorized into two basic types--baked and unbaked—and some do not have a crust or base. Cheesecake comes in a variety of styles based on region. My cherry cheesecake is a cross between a cherry cheesecake and a cherry cream cheese pie. It's super easy to put together and tastes delicious.
 
Modern cheesecake is not usually classified as an actual cake, despite the name. Some people classify it as a torte due to the usage of many eggs, which are the sole source of leavening, as a key factor. Others find compelling evidence that it is a custard pie, based on the overall structure, with the separate crust, the soft filling, and the absence of flour. Other sources identify it as a flan, or tart.
 
The United States has several different recipes for cheesecake, and this usually depends on the region in which the cake is made, as well as the cultural background of the person baking it.
 
Chicago-style cheesecake is a baked cream cheese version that is firm on the outside with a soft and creamy texture on the inside. These cheesecakes are often made in a greased cake pan and are relatively fluffy in texture. The crust used with this style of cheesecake is most commonly made from shortbread that is crushed and mixed with sugar and butter.
 
New York–style or Jewish-style cheesecake uses a cream cheese base. Gil Marks traces the origin of the New York-style or Jewish cheesecake in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine to the 1930s, made famous in such establishments as Reuben's Restaurant and kosher-style Jewish deli and Lindy's, opened by German-Jewish immigrant Leo Lindermann in 1921.
 
Earlier cheese pie recipes called for cottage cheese. Cream cheese was invented in 1872 and made its way into American Jewish cuisine by 1929 according to Arnold Reuben, owner of the namesake restaurant, who claims credit for the recipe (as well as the Reuben sandwich). Junior's, established by Harry Rosen in 1950, is another NY Jewish establishment famous for New York-style cheesecake. Jewish baker in Decatur, Illinois Charles W. Lubin created the Sara Lee brand of supermarket cheesecakes and expanded into other cakes such as coffee cake, being sold in 48 states.
 
And now there is my Simple, No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake.  Not only is it easy to make, but as delicious as any created by Lubin, Rosen or Reuben and a lot less expensive as well.
 
Prep time:  5 minutes
Chill time: 5 hours
Yield: 1 (9-inch) cheesecake / 12 servings
 
Ingredients 
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (8 ounce) package softened cream cheese
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
 
Directions

1. Place condensed milk, softened cream cheese, lemon juice and vanilla extract into a mixing bowl; beat until well blended.
2. Pour mixture into a prepared pie crust.
3. Chill in the refrigerator for 5 hours; do not freeze.
4. When ready to serve spoon the cherry pie filling on top of pie.

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ChefSecret:  The Italian version of cream cheese that can be used in this recipe is ricotta cheese. 

Quip of the Day:  The White Elephant (a true Shaggy Dog Story—you just gotta read to the end.)

An old farmer is tending his crop one day when he spies a white elephant trampling the edge of his field. He knows that there are four different types of elephants in his area: red elephants, blue elephants, purple elephants, and white elephants.

To kill a blue elephant, you use a blue elephant gun; to kill a red elephant you use a red elephant gun, and to kill a purple elephant you use a purple elephant gun. However, scientists have so far been unable to create a white elephant gun. So, what could the farmer do?

Well, the farmer had been working his land for 50 years, so he knew some tricks. One thing was that white elephants love cherry cheesecake. So, one morning the farmer goes out to the patch of ground where the white elephant had been before and set out a cherry cheesecake with ten cherries arranged in a circle and then retreated to his house to watch. The white elephant soon came across the offering and was overjoyed; it happily gobbled it up because white elephants love cherry cheesecake.

The next morning the farmer left out a cheesecake, but this time it only had nine cherries on top, this time in a star pattern. When the white elephant found the cherry cheesecake, it was delighted and quickly ate it without noticing that there was one less cherry (white elephants can't count well past 5) because white elephants love cherry cheesecake.

The next morning the farmer left out a cheesecake with seven cherries on it, in the shape of a light bulb. The white elephant subconsciously senses that there is less of a cherry flavor, but it doesn’t really notice because it's very lucky for there to be a cheesecake in the same spot three days in a row. It eats the cheesecake because white elephants love cherry cheesecake.

The next morning the farmer sets out a cheesecake with six cherries in a semi-circle. The white elephant is beginning to think that something is wrong, because it definitely seems like there is something off about it. The elephant eats it anyway because white elephants love cherry cheesecake.

The next day the farmer put out a cheesecake with five cherries on it in a pentagon. The white elephant knows for sure that something is wrong because it can count to 5, and there used to be more than that. It grunts and waves its trunk around a little but still eats it because, well, white elephants love cherry cheesecake.

The next morning the farmer set out a cheesecake with just four cherries arranged in a square. The elephant is beginning to get upset about its dwindling cherries, but it eats it anyway because white elephants love cherry cheesecake.

The next morning the farmer left out a cheesecake with only three cherries arranged in a triangle. The elephant has now grown furious, so it storms out away from the farmer's field into his neighbor's, which the elephant proceeds to trample and destroy. Then, having cooled down a little it returns and eats the cheesecake, because white elephants love cherry cheesecake.

The next morning the farmer put out a cheesecake with just two cherries. The elephant is again so furious that it angrily runs off and destroys the neighbor's house and crushes his car. Then it comes back because white elephants love cherry cheesecake.

The next morning the farmer sets out a cheesecake with only one cherry, stuck right in the center. The elephant is in full rage mode, and it goes to the neighbor's house. Since his house was destroyed the neighbor was living in a tent. The elephant trampled the tent and crushed him to death. Then the elephant came back and begrudgingly ate the cheesecake because white elephants love cherry cheesecake.

On the final day the farmer changes things, up a little. Instead of cherries, he covers it in slices of pears. When the white elephant saw this it couldn’t believe its eyes. White elephants HATE pears! They despise pears! And there was no cherry cheesecake! The white elephant was just so angry, just so full of rage that it couldn’t even move. It just stood there and turned purple with rage and the farmer shot it with the purple elephant gun. (No elephants were harmed in the telling of this Shaggy Dog story.)
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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/perspectives-on-food
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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 #NoBakeCheesecake #CherryCheesecake #Dessert #NationalCherryCheesecakeDay #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  

                                                                               ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025

How you doin’? Growing up in my household a surprise dinner may have been when all the labels had been removed. My mother was not a very creative cook, which is why I chose a culinary career—to survive. Sorry, Mom. I have survived very well… as anyone can see I carry an extra 10 pounds on my belly—remember all those starving children in China?
 
Recently I saw an idea for cooking a complete meal with just convenience ingredients—fresh, frozen and shelf-stable. If you’re on a budget this hearty stew/soup or STOUP, as I like to call it, costs less than $4 per serving.
 
All you need to make this simple meal is just chicken broth, frozen meatballs, tortellini, jarred pesto, and baby spinach—really… that’s it. I even have a vegetarian version, substitute the chicken broth for vegetable broth and ditch the meatballs.
 
This is a simple shortcut dinner using a handful of fresh spinach that feels fresher and more special than a frozen meal, or an expensive prepared meal solution from the supermarket. My STOUP is a one-dish meal that couldn’t be easier. It’s also packed with flavor coming directly from the ingredients themselves and it feels fancy enough that I wouldn’t hesitate to serve it to unexpected guests. Everyone will think you slaved over a hot stove for hours. 
 
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time:  30 minutes
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients 
1 (32-ounce) carton organic low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1 pound package fully cooked frozen Italian-style meatballs
10-ounce package spinach tortellini
1 (6.7-ounce) jarred pesto
3-ounces fresh baby spinach
grated parmesan, optional for garnish
fresh parsley, optional for garnish
 
Directions

1. Pour the broth into a 3-quart or larger saucepan along with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil.
2. Add the frozen meatballs (no need to defrost), bring them to a simmer, and cook until warmed through, about 10 minutes.
3. Skim off any “scum” from the top.
4. Add the tortellini and simmer until they are all floating and puffed up, about 4 minutes.
5. Lower the heat and add half of the jar of pesto and all of the baby spinach. Stir to combine and wilt the spinach.
6. Give it a taste test and add more pesto to taste.
7. Serve hot.

ChefSecret:  Here’s an option for you, I like to top with my STOUP with grated Parmesan cheese and sprinkle with fresh parsley. You can also add other vegetables like carrots, mushrooms and onions... whatever makes you happy. 

For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth, skip the meatballs, and simply cook the pasta. Add all of the pesto and spinach and salt to taste. Adding a drained can of white Cannellini beans is a nice addition in place of the meatballs which makes it a heartier meal.

Quip of the Day:  Q. How do you turn stew into gold?  A. Add 24 carrots!
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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/perspectives-on-food.
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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.

#Entree #Soup #Stew #Stoup #Tortellini #Meatball #Pesto #Spinach #SpinachTortelliniSoup #PerspectivesOnFood #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
 
©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025

How you doin’? Spring has sprung, and with it comes the sweet, marshmallow goodness of Peeps. These iconic Easter treats have been delighting children and adults for decades with their colorful, sugary exterior and fluffy interior.
 
But what if I told you that Peeps aren't just for kids? That's right, these little marshmallow chicks and bunnies can be the star ingredient in some seriously delicious Easter cocktails.
 
Now, before you turn up your nose at the idea of mixing Peeps with alcohol, hear me out. Peeps add a fun, playful element to drinks that can take your Easter Happy Hour to the next level. Plus, with so many different colors and flavors available, the possibilities for Peep cocktails are endless.
 
Whether you're hosting an Easter brunch or just looking for a fun new cocktail to try, I've got you covered. In this post, I'll be sharing one of my best Peep cocktail recipes. So, grab your mixing glass and get ready to stir up a sweet and boozy Peep-inspired cocktail.
 
Just be sure to keep these festive drinks away from the kiddos… you don’t want any unintended consequences!
 
Prep time:  5 minutes
Yield:  2 servings
 
Ingredients 
1 ounce Pink Peeps simple syrup (see recipe below)
1 ounce banana liqueur
1 ounce coconut rum
1 mini bottle champagne or other bubbly of your choice
Yellow Bunny Peeps for Garnish
 
Instructions

1. Add the Peeps simple syrup, banana liqueur and coconut rum to a mixing glass.
2. Fill with ice and stir for 20 seconds.
3. Strain into 2 chilled champagne flutes.
4. Top with Champagne or sparkling bubbles
5. Garnish with Yellow Bunny Peeps

Peeps Simple Syrup
Ingredients 
1/2 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
10 pink Peeps
6 large marshmallows
2 drops red food coloring

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to a saucepan on low heat.
2. Keep on low until everything dissolves and turns into a simple syrup.
3. Strain into a clean glass jar.
4. Chill.
5. Store in a refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

ChefSecret:  Use any color Peep to make a simple syrup for other drinks.

Quip of the Day:  Q. Why didn’t the Peep cross the road?  A. Because it was a little chicken.
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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/perspectives-on-food.
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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.

#EasterBunnyPeepTini #Peeps #PeepsSimpleSyrup #Champagne #HappyEaster #HappyHour2025 #Cheers #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  

                                                                                     ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025

How you doin’? Today we’ve got a bonus cocktail for Easter because Easter is more than a box of marshmallow Peeps! Make room for eggs, including chocolate eggs.
 
For the faithful, Easter is the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection and the hope of salvation. Secular celebrations are more focused on springtime, seasonal renewal and eggs… lots of eggs (and bunnies and Peeps)! The oldest tradition, which continues to be used in Central and Eastern Europe, is to dye and paint chicken eggs.
 
This custom of the Easter egg, according to many sources, can be traced to early Christians of Mesopotamia, and from there it spread into Eastern Europe and Siberia through the Orthodox Churches, and later into Europe through the Catholic and Protestant Churches. The widespread usage of Easter eggs, according to mediaevalist scholars, is due to the prohibition of eggs during Lenten season after which, on Easter, they are blessed for the occasion.
 
A contemporary custom in America is to substitute chocolate eggs wrapped in colored foil, hand-carved wooden eggs, or plastic eggs filled with both hard and chocolate confections.

At Choclatique, our award-winning chocolate company, we created a delicious twist on traditional Easter candy with both eggs and Peeps--Chicks—featuring a delicate, hand-decorated chocolate egg cracked in the middle with a tiny chick emerging from within.
 
This just goes to show you there is still plenty of room for creativity just like the following Easter Egg Cream Cocktail. This cocktail is not related to a New York Egg Cream.
 
Prep time: 8 minutes
Yield:  1 cocktail
 
Ingredients
1-1⁄2 ounces Absolut Vanilla Vodka
1⁄2 ounce Licor 43 coffee liqueur
1⁄2 ounce crème de cacao
1⁄2 ounce Bristol Cream liqueur
1⁄2 ounce half-and-half
 
For the glass garnish
2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips or 2 squares of dark chocolate
1 teaspoon shaved dark chocolate
1 Cadbury Creme Egg cut in half
1 metal cocktail skewer
 
Directions

1. Pre-chill a Coupe glass in the freezer.
2. Using a microwave, melt some dark chocolate chips or squares in a saucer and then dip the rim of the chilled Coupe glass into the melted chocolate.
3. Prepare the garnish of grated chocolate and skewered Cadbury egg.
4. Spear the egg with a metal cocktail stick that has been heated in hot water.
5. Add the cocktail ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice.
6. Shake it like you mean it.
7. Strain the cocktail into the chilled and chocolate-rimmed glass.
8. Garnish with chocolate grated over cocktail and skewered Creme Egg.

ChefSecret: It's easier to cut the chocolate egg when straight from the refrigerator.

Quip of the Day:  Therapist: “What's been up lately?” Chocolate bunny: “I don't know, Doc, I just feel so hollow inside.”
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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/perspectives-on-food.
-------------------------------------------
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 #EasterEggCreamCocktail #Vodka #AbsolutVodka #VanillaVodka #Licor42 #CremeDeCacao #BristolCream #HappyEaster #HappyHour2025 #Cheers #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
 
                                                                            ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025

How you doin’? It’s holiday time and people all over the U.S. are preparing for Easter dinner. What is it going to be this year?... turkey, roast beef or a Spiral-Cut Ham? Personally, I’m a big fan of Honey Baked Hams (they are not a sponsor of this blog). I’ve never had a clunker from this company, but honestly, it’s not that complicated to make your own… and undoubtedly less expensive.
 
If you’re wondering how to cook a spiral ham—read along—here’s everything you need to know! 
 
Cooking a copycat Honey Baked Spiral Ham is so easy that it practically cooks itself. Everyone will love your efforts for this popular Easter dinner served up with whipped or scalloped potatoes and green beans. Spiral-Cut hams come fully cooked, all you have to do is heat and serve. What could be easier?
 
Spiral-Cut Hams are typically between 8 and 11 pounds and, as I said, are fully cooked (make sure your package says pre-cooked). This means when cooking ham, heat it all the way through. The best way to do this is to cook it at a moderate temperature so the outside doesn’t dry out before the inside is heated through.
 
To cook a spiral ham without it drying out make sure you use a meat thermometer to reach 140° F and do not overcook it. I usually remove it around 135°F and keep an eye on the thermometer to ensure it reaches 140°F. It will continue to cook for a bit after you remove it from the oven.
 
Depending on the size allow 12-15 minutes per pound at 325° F. I have cooked Spiral-Cut Hams both with and without covering it with foil. Uncovered will give a slightly crisper exterior and need a longer cooking time. Cooking covered will be shorter cooking time with an undeveloped crisp exterior. My preferred way to cook is to keep it covered with foil and then remove the foil once the glaze is added for the last 20 minutes or so. If your ham is done early, remove it from the oven and let it cool a little, so it doesn’t keep cooking beyond the desired temperature. Once slightly cooled, cover with foil and don’t carve until ready to serve.
 
By the way, no two hams are shaped the same and the shape of your ham can affect cooking time. A larger rounder ham may need a little extra cooking time compared to a flatter shaped ham.
 
If you’re glazing your ham, it should be added at the end, so it doesn’t burn. I don’t use the glaze that comes with my ham; I opt for an easy homemade glaze. See ChefSecret below. Simply brush it on during the last 20 minutes. I sometimes turn the oven up or give it a broil for a couple of minutes to make the glaze good and sticky.
 
Spiral hams are made by one continuous cut from one end to the other and come apart very easily whether they are served warm or cold.
 
A typical serving is about 6 ounces per person, so an 8-pound ham will yield about 20 servings. But who can eat just one slice?
 
This easy baked ham is moist, tender and delicious inside while the outside is brushed with a brown sugar glaze and caramelized for a hint of sweetness. I serve this baked ham for special occasions (like Easter and Christmas) but it’s simple enough to make any time of year!
 
ChefSecret:  Brown Sugar-Honey Glaze for Spiral-Cut Ham
 
Baking a ham is not hard, you just need to watch the temperature to make sure it heats through without over cooking. Adding a brown sugar glaze to baked ham takes it to the next level without being overly sweet.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  2-1/2 to 3-1/2 hours – check your thermometer
Yield:  20 servings

Ingredients
8 to 10-pound bone-in smoked ham (with water added)
1-1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup clover honey
 
Directions

1. Adjust the oven racks to accommodate a large roasting pan.
2. Fit the pan with a shallow roasting rack.
3. Preheat the oven to 325° F.
4. Unwrap the ham and rinse it under cold water.
5. Place it on the rack in the roasting pan.
6. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour 40 minutes.
7. Combine the brown sugar and honey in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the mixture is smooth, and the sugar has dissolved.
8. Pour the brown sugar glaze over the ham and continue roasting 1 hour 40 minutes more, basting at least twice with the drippings in the roaster. (To adjust the total roasting time for a smaller or larger ham, calculate 20 minutes per pound.)
9. Check for doneness by inserting a meat thermometer into a meaty spot (not into fat or touching the bone)… it should register 140° F.
10. Let the ham stand 15 minutes before slicing to allow the juices to set.

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ChefSecret:  You can make the ham up to 2 hours ahead; tent with foil and serve at room temperature.

Quip of the Day:  One Easter, a father was teaching his son to drive when out of nowhere a rabbit jumped on the road. Slamming on the brakes, the son said, "I nearly ruined Easter. I almost ran over the Easter Bunny." His father replied, "It's okay son—you missed it by a hare."
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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/perspectives-on-food
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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.

#Entree #EasterDinner #HoneyBakedHam #SpiralHam #EasterSundayDinner #Dinner #HolidayDinner #PerspectivesOnFood #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                                               ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025

How you doin’? Did you know that today is National Pecan Day?
 
While working on Pecan Praline recipes I made a few mistakes. Some of my best recipes came out of goofs. I first made this cake while chopping pecans and not watching was in the oven. I had been working on a walnut and brandy cake that had the most engaging flavor. It got away from me, but since I had a lot of chopped Pecans, I tried this simple recipe, so all was not lost.
 
It’s another one of my magical recipes that only required eggs, ground Georgia pecans and sugar to make this delicate and delicious cake. I’ll admit I was skeptical as I mixed the simple batter, but when I felt the knife slice into the crackled crust and moist center, I knew this recipe was special.
 
This remains one of my favorite cake recipes. It's great for beginner bakers and though simple, it’s elegant. Try it once and you'll keep returning to it, like I did.
 
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for one of the most magical cakes you’ll ever make—sugar, pecans and eggs
 
Ingredients 
12 ounces pecans (or blanched almonds work as well)
4 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
Confectioner’s sugar for serving
 
Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Line an 8 X 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, letting some of it hang over two sides so that you can use it to lift the cake out of the pan after it's baked.
3. Process the pecans in a food processor until they’re coarsely ground and set them aside.
4. Separate the egg whites and yolks.
5. Add about half the sugar (1/2 cup) to the egg whites and beat to stiff peaks with an electric mixer. Set aside.
6. In a separate bowl, add the remaining sugar (1/2 cup) to the yolks and use the same electric mixer to beat until pale and doubled in size. When you lift the beaters, the mixture should drizzle down slowly and hold its shape for a few seconds.
7. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the ground nuts into the egg yolk mixture until fully combined.
8. Then gently fold in half the egg whites until you can't see any white streaks.
9. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites. Try not to mix it for too long—just until you no longer see the egg whites.
10. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and bake for 35 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
11. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes before running a knife around the edges to release it from the pan.
12. Use the parchment to lift the cake out of the pan and onto a wire rack.
13. Let the cake cool completely before dusting it with powdered sugar to serve.
14.  Wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, this cake will keep at room temperature for up to five days.

ChefSecret:  This is a simple cake recipe, but it’s not necessarily easy. Here are some tips that will help you get the perfect cake you deserve:

• Use blanched nuts—without their peel. The skin tends to get bitter when exposed to heat. I’ve made this recipe with unblanched, unpeeled nuts, and sometimes you can taste some bitterness in the cake.
• Don’t overprocess the nuts. They should not start to form a paste but be ground just long enough to produce a coarse texture—this only takes about 10 seconds.
• Make the batter airy. The air that's whipped into the egg whites and yolks is the key to getting a light cake. The egg whites are beaten until stiff—they should hold their shape when you lift the mixture up with the mixer. And the egg yolks should be thick, glossy, yet airy.

Quip of the Day:  A Blonde was down on her luck. In order to raise some money, she decided to kidnap a kid and hold him for ransom. She went to the playground, grabbed a kid, took him behind a tree, and told him, "I've kidnapped you."

She then wrote a note saying, "I've kidnapped your kid. Tomorrow morning put $10,000 in a paper bag and put it under the pecan tree next to the slide on the Northside of the playground. Signed, A Blonde."

The Blonde then pinned the note to the kid's shirt and sent him home to show it to his parents.
The next morning the blonde checked, and sure enough, a paper bag was sitting beneath the pecan tree.
The Blonde opened up the bag and found the $10,000 with a note that said, "How could you do this to a fellow Blonde?"
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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/perspectives-on-food
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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.

#Baking #Dessert #GeorgeStatePecanCake #Pecans #Cake #NationalPecanDay #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
 
                                                                                  ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025

How you doin’? We are just a few days away from that dreaded April 15th known as Income Tax Day. At the moment I am on hold waiting for the IRS to find a lost payment. They said it might take as long as 30 to 60 minutes to get back to me… that’s really a HEAD BANGER. So, while I’m waiting, I might as well write a blog about my Harvey Wallbanger Cocktail from my Customs House Restaurants.
 
The Harvey Wallbanger is a modern classic cocktail that was reportedly born in the 1950s, when it was first prepared by California bartender Donato “Duke” Antone. It’s basically a Screwdriver with the addition of Galliano, an Italian liqueur.
 
The Harvey Wallbanger may have been invented in the ’50s (although that origin is debated), but it didn’t become a runaway sensation until the early 1970s when I sold it in all my restaurants. An import company’s marketing director, George Bednar, created an ad campaign that helped the drink fly off shelves as customers began to demand it by name.
 
Galliano is made with vanilla and a medley of herbs and spices, including star anise, juniper, lavender and cinnamon. It has a 42.3% alcohol content volume, so it’s no slouch in the booze department, which means it doesn’t get lost in drinks.
 
Most people know Galliano for its tall, slender, bright yellow bottle than its flavor. But with its distinct taste, even small amounts can transform a cocktail. That’s evident in the Harvey Wallbanger, which is notably different from the Screwdriver despite the scant half ounce of Galliano used in the drink.
 
The Harvey Wallbanger is a breeze to put together. You don’t even need a shaker; just build it right in the glass. The vodka and orange juice go in first, and the Galliano is floated on top. Garnish with an orange slice and cherry, and you can re-channel the golden days of disco.
 
Ingredients 
1-1/2 ounces vodka (house vodka works well—no need for the expensive stuff)
1/2 ounce Galliano L’Autentico liqueur
3 ounces orange juice, freshly squeezed is best
Garnish: orange peel
Garnish: maraschino cherry
 
Directions

1. Fill a tall glass with ice, then add the vodka and orange juice and stir.
2. Float the Galliano on top.
3. Garnish with a skewered orange slice and maraschino cherry.

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ChefSecret:  There is no substitute for Galliano, none at all.

Quip of the Day:  According to legend, Harvey was a California surfer. After losing an important contest, he consoled himself in Duke's Blackwatch bar with one of his 'special' screwdriver cocktails, (a screwdriver with a dash of Galliano liqueur). After several drinks, he tried to leave the bar but unfortunately kept bumping into the furniture and walls. Harvey the 'Wallbanger' became his nickname and the famous drink was named.
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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/perspectives-on-food.
-------------------------------------------
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 #HarveyWallbanger #Galliano #Vodka #OrangeJuice #HappyHour2025 #Cheers #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
                                                                          ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025