Cook Like James

Traditional New England Baked Beans

Baked Beans are a staple of New England cooking - in fact Boston gets its nickname “Beantown” from a long history of making baked beans. Take a drive through some of the small towns in New Hampshire, Maine or Vermont and you’ll undoubtedly find signs for a “Bean Supper” at a local town hall or church. It's a fundraising ritual almost as old as the country, started by women's auxiliary groups during the years after the Revolution, as a way to raise money to pay the local minister. Boston Baked Beans are always slowly baked with molasses and a few other simple ingredients and traditionally served with Brown Bread (see recipe from Yankee magazine here-  http://bit.ly/uExc9O )

Download Traditional New England Baked Beans recipe

4 ounces salt pork, trimmed of rind and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 ounces bacon (2 slices), cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1 medium onion, chopped fine

1/3 cup mild molasses

¼ cup maple syrup

1 ½ tablespoons Gulden’s spicy brown mustard

1 pound dried small white beans (about 2 cups), rinsed and picked over

Table salt

Water

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

1 tablespoon mild molasses

 Ground black pepper

1. Adjust rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 300 degrees. Add salt pork and bacon to 8-quart Dutch oven; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and most fat is rendered, about 7 minutes.

2. Add onion and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 8 minutes. Add 1/3 cup molasses, maple syrup, mustard, beans, 1 ¼ teaspoons salt, and 9 cups water; increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil.

3. Cover pot and set in oven. Bake until beans are tender, about 4 hours, stirring once after 2 hours.

4. Remove lid and continue to bake until liquid has thickened to syrupy consistency, 1 to 1 1/2 hours longer.

5. Remove beans from oven; stir in remaining tablespoon of molasses, vinegar, and additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

 

Best Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Marshmallow Fluff Buttercream

    

This is the time of year that I look for delicious pumpkin recipes. This is a great version of the classic chocolate Whoopie Pie ( click here for Original Recipe ). The fluffy marshmallow buttercream sandwiches the cinnamon-spiced, tender cakes perfectly.

 Download Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Marshmallow Fluff Buttercream recipe

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

¾ cup cake flour

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. soda

½ tsp. salt

9 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup plus light brown sugar

½ cup sugar

2 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

1 ½ teaspoons nutmeg

¾ teaspoon allspice

½ teaspoon cloves

½ teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 ½ T molasses

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons canned pumpkin

¼ cup buttermilk

 1.    Preheat oven to 400°F.Lightly grease cookies sheets with oil or line with parchment paper.

 2.    Sift flours, soda, powder, salt together in a small bowl and set aside.

 3.    Cream butter, sugars, the spices, and vanilla with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 ½ minutes. Stop the mixer twice to scrape down sides.

 4.    Add the eggs, one at a time, blending about 10 seconds after each addition.

 5.    Add the molasses and pumpkin and mix about 10 seconds until blended. Scrape the bowl and add the buttermilk and beat for 5 seconds.

 6.    Fold in the flour mixture by hand, the beat on low for about 5 seconds. Scrape the bowl and beat for another 10 seconds until smooth and velvety.

 7.    Drop the batter by generous rounded tablespoons (or use small ice-cream scoop) about 2 inches apart.

 8.    Bake about 12 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

 

Marshmallow Fluff Buttercream Filling:

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

5 heaping tablespoons Fluff ( order Fluff here )

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Pinch of salt

½ tsp. vanilla

1.    Place all ingredients in mixing bowl and beat on low speed until all the sugar is absorbed.

2.    Scrape bowl down and then beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.

3.    Sandwich the whoopie pies with the filling, about 2 generous tablespoons for each pie. Makes about 14 pies.

Big Island Pineapple Upside Down Muffins

I just got back from a quick trip to the Big Island in Hawaii where my friend had a plate of individual pineapple upside down cakes waiting on the kitchen table. They were absolutely scrumptious and came from the local Mamane Bakery in Kamuela. I decided to try them at home using my standard muffin batter and create a slightly less sweet tribute to Pineapple Upside Down Cake.  I often like to substitute up to 1 cup of whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour for an equal measure of the all-purpose flour which give the muffins a nice wholesome flavor.

Download Big Island Pineapple Upside Down Muffins recipe   

 

Pineapple Topping

1 20 ounce can pineapple slices (in juice)

¾ cup (12 tablespoons) brown sugar

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour (or mixture of whole wheat and white)

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon cardamom

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg

2 large eggs

1 cup milk, cream, or half & half

2⁄3 cup sugar or packed light brown sugar

1⁄2 cup vegetable oil or butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1.  Remove 6 whole slices of pineapple and let drain on a paper towel lined plate.  Reserve the remaining pineapple for another use.

2. Preheat oven to 400°F and adjust rack to middle position. Lightly spray standard muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.

3. Spoon 2 teaspoons of melted butter into each muffin cup. Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Break each whole pineapple slice into 4 equal pieces. Place 2 pieces of pineapple over brown sugar/butter fitting each slice with the curve of the muffin cup; set aside

4. Whisk together flour, baking powder, cardamom, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

5. In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, oil (or melted butter) and vanilla.

6. Gently stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients just to combine (do not overmix). Divide the batter evenly over pineapple mixture using large spoon or ice cream scoop.

7. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in 1 or 2 of the muffins comes out clean, about Let cool for 2 to 3 minutes and then invert muffins onto wire rack or kitchen towel. Let cool, pineapple side up, until ready to serve – warm or at room temperature.    

 

 

Easy Herb Roasted Turkey Breast

Easy Herb Roasted Turkey Breast

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I thought it was time to experiment with some turkey recipes. Some years I have a house full of people and often cook two big birds, but other times it’s just a small group and cooking a huge turkey just seems to be too time consuming. Roasting a turkey breast is a great solution for small gatherings and it makes a great dinner any time of year – not just at Thanksgiving! Most of the “experts” (Alton Brown, Emeril, Cooks Illustrated, etc.) recommend brining in a saltwater solution to season the meat and keep it moist, juicy and succulent and though it does add to the prep time, it’s really worth it.

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon minced rosemary leaves

1 tablespoon minced sage leaves

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 whole natural turkey breast (6 to 7 pounds), bone-in and skin-on, trimmed of excess fat and patted dry with paper towels (If using a kosher turkey breast - soaked in salt water during processing or self- basting turkey breast - injected with salt and water -  do not brine)

1 cup water or dry white wine

Brine the Turkey Breast

1. Dissolve 1/2 cup of table salt (or 3/4 cup of kosher salt) in 4 quarts of cold water in a large container; submerge the turkey breast in brine, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for three to six hours. (Do not brine the turkey breast any longer, or it will be too salty.) Rinse the turkey breast under cold water and dry it thoroughly with paper towels.

Roasting the Turkey

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Mix butter, garlic, minced herbs, lemon zest, and pepper in medium bowl with rubber spatula until thoroughly combined. Rub the mixture evenly all over turkey breast. You can also carefully separate turkey skin (avoid breaking skin) from meat over breast and rub butter mixture directly on meat.

2. Spray V-rack with nonstick cooking spray and set inside large roasting pan. Place turkey in rack with skin side facing up; pour water or wine into roasting pan.

3. Roast turkey for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Continue to roast turkey until thickest part of breast registers 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 1 hour longer.

4. To ensure that the juices in the meat have time to redistribute, let the roasted turkey breast rest, covered loosely with foil,  for 20 minutes before attempting to carve it. Skipping this step will result in a flood of turkey juices on your carving board.

5. Slice and serve turkey with pan juices or make a pan gravy.

 

Best Ever Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

Best Ever Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups coined the slogan "two great tastes that taste great together" and I completely agree. I made these the other day for a friend who exclaimed, “these are the best ever!” and while that might be a slight exaggeration, I must admit they are my current favorite “treat”. 

Download Best Ever Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars recipe

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ cup smooth peanut butter

½ cup sugar

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup oatmeal, quick or rolled

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and adjust rack to middle position. Lightly butter 9x9 baking pan.

2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, soda and salt together into a medium size bowl and set aside.

3. Beat butter, peanut butter, both sugars and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy – about 1 ½ minutes. Scrape bowl down with rubber spatula.

4. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat on medium-low to combine, about 10 seconds. Increase to medium speed and beat for 30 seconds. Scrape bowl down to combine all ingredients.

5. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low to combine, about 10 seconds.  Add the chocolate chips and oats and mix to combine.

6. Spread the dough evenly into prepared pan.

7. Bake until the bars are deep golden on the edges and the center is lightly golden and puffed about 20 -25 minutes.

8. Let bars cool in pan on wire rack and then cut into squares.

Easy Tuscan White Bean Soup – La Ribollita

Easy Tuscan White Bean Soup – La Ribollita

I love making big batches of soup on the weekend. I store some of it in the refrigerator, and the rest I freeze in quart containers for when I need a quick lunch or dinner. I also prefer using homemade chicken stock, which I also keep in the freezer. Whenever I have a rotisserie chicken from the market, I throw whatever is left in a pot with an onion, celery, some peppercorns and cover with 3 or 4 quarts of water and boil for an hour or two to create a rich and flavorful stock.  This traditional Italian soup is one of my favorites – it uses mostly basic ingredients, but is so delicious. The flavors intensify as it sits, so it’s even better the next day.

Download Easy Tuscan White Bean Soup recipe 

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

6 ounces pancetta (or bacon), cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1 large onion, chopped medium

1 leek, cleaned and chopped

2 medium celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

8 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press

2 tablespoons tomato paste

¼ - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (preferably homemade)

2 cups water

4 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well

2 medium bay leaves

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed

1 medium bunch kale or collard greens (about 1 pound), thick stems trimmed, leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 8 cups loosely packed)

1 (2-ounce) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1 sprig fresh thyme

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1. Heat oil and pancetta in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook pancetta, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and fat has rendered, 6 to 10 minutes.  Add onion, leek, celery, and carrots. Cook vegetables, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, 10 to 16 minutes. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, water, beans, bay leaves, diced tomatoes, Parmigiano-Reggiano rind, and greens. Increase heat to high and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables and greens are fully tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

2. Remove pot from stove and submerge rosemary and thyme sprig in stew. Cover and let stand 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaves, Parmigiano-Reggiano rind, thyme and rosemary sprig; Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, use back of spoon to press some beans against side of pot to thicken stew. Serve lightly drizzled with olive oil.