Tag: Laurie Lufkin Cooking

Hearty Chicken and Olive Stew with Bacon Fennel Cornbread

Posted on by laurielufkin

So here are the recipes to go with this weeks “Inspired Cooking.”  My show airs tonight on Cape Ann TV, channel 12 at 8:30.  The same episode aires again Friday afternoon at 4:30 and again Sunday morning at 11:30.  Hope you will tune in!

This week, with Fall upon us, I decided to make something good and hearty to keep us warm.  I wanted to use similar ingredients in two of the dishes, onions and fennel, and come up with totally different results.  I thought it might be fun if I took some pictures of what my kitchen looks like when I am getting ready to shoot  the show–you will see how tiny it is but strangely enough, works great for TV!

This is a pic of the corner of my kitchen, next to the stove.  The bacon is frying up for the cornbread.   I measure out the ingredients twice, once to make right away for the test batch and then one set in matching bowls on trays so that I have everything ready for the show.

I always make everything at least once beforehand so that if it doesn’t work or needs some adjustments, I can do that before we start taping.  The only exception to this rule is if I have made something hundreds of times, like my lemon squares, for instance.

This is what the kitchen looks like from where Rob, my fantastic camera man stands (he is great–takes care of everything but the shopping, cooking and cleaning and I “pay” him in food from the show!)  Sometimes he stands on a milk crate to get overhead shots of whats in the pan.  The only thing that would make this set up better is if the stove where on the other side of the kitchen.  Luckily, I have my nice little induction burner and it all works out pretty well.

And this is what it looks like after we are done taping–food all plated, kitchen clean (wonder if those Food Network celebs have to do their own shopping/prep/dishes/cleanup–NOT) and then we take the still shots of the final dishes.

I have to tell you, it is a ton of work but I LOVE every second of it!

And finally,  here are the recipes from the show:

 

Fontina Cornbread with Fennel and Bacon

4 strips bacon, chopped
2 cups diced fennel
1 cup diced onion
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup sour cream
12 oz shredded fontina cheese
1-15 oz can creamed corn

In a large saucepan, render bacon over medium low heat until meat is browned and crispy.  Remove meat from pan with a slotted spoon to a paper towel covered dish, and fennel, onion, butter and thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cook over medium low heat until vegetables are soft and caramelized.  Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, re-seasoning with salt and pepper if desired.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs.  Add the sour cream, vegetable oil, creamed corn and all but ½ cup of the fontina and stir until well blended.  Add the dry ingredients and stir again until just blended.  Fold in vegetable mixture and reserved bacon and pour in to prepared pan.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until tester comes out clean.
Enjoy!

Hearty Chicken, White Bean and Olive Stew

3 bone in chicken breasts with skin, trimmed
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup fennel, diced
1 cup sweet onion, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
1 ½ teaspoons thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1-15.5 oz can diced tomatoes in sauce
2 bay leaves
5 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup pitted olives of your choice (not brined) drained and cut in half
1-1lb 13 oz can navy or small white beans, rinsed and drained
8 tablespoons prepared basil pesto

Heat the oil in a heavy 7 quart Dutch oven over medium heat.  Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper and place them skin side down in hot oil to brown, turning frequently to prevent scorching.  Brown the skin and remove breast to a plate.

To the pot, add the fennel, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary and saute until vegetables are translucent, about 5-minutes. Sprinkle in flour and stir until flour turns slightly brown, about 2 minutes.  Stir in the tomatoes, stock, tomato paste and bay leaves and the browned chicken to the pot.

Bring the mixture to a low boil and then reduce the heat to low.  Allow the chicken to cook, uncovered but submerged, until cooked through, about 25 minutes.  Remove the chicken to a cutting board and allow to cool to a workable temperature.  Remove skin and bones from breast and cut or pull chicken into bite sized pieces.

Remove bay leaves from pot, add beans and olives and allow broth to thicken and reduce slightly.   When broth is thickened, return chicken to the pot, stir and re-season with salt and pepper to taste.  Bring soup back to a simmer. Ladle soup into serving bowls and drizzle with one tablespoon prepared basil pesto.  Serve immediately.

 

Another helpful piece of information about baking cookies

Posted on by laurielufkin

I just came across this and though it might be helpful now that we are running in to the holiday baking season.  This is from http://www.cooksillustrated.com:

We think most cookies are best when they are chewy. This means taking them out of the oven when they are slightly underdone—in fact, the cookies are often so soft they will droop over the end of a spatula. Bake cookies on parchment and cool on baking sheet for a few minutes; after they have set up slightly, slide the parchment onto a cooling rack. if the cookies have crevices, the crevices should appear moist. When baking smooth cookies, look at the edges, which should be lightly browned; the center should be set but not fully dry.

I  also find that when you can smell them, time to check the oven as they are done or just about done.

Chocolate Chip Cookies The Way I Like Them

Posted on by laurielufkin

I wanted to share with you my chocolate chip cookie recipe.  This recipe makes these traditional cookies just the way I like them, soft in the middle, crispy on the edge and not terribly sweet.  You can use this recipe, minus the chips, as a great base cookie recipe and add in your own favorites–nuts, dried fruit, chips or whatever you like –and perhaps the best idea for the day after Halloween–chopped up leftover Halloween Candy!  Make these today-they are simple, delicious and if you take them to work with you tomorrow your coworkers who might NOT eat more candy will probably eat some cookies!

Chocolate Chip Cookies The Way I Like Them

4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoon kosher salt*
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup shortening (butter flavored or traditional)
½ cup salted butter
2 ½ cups light brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
3 cups chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet)**

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cover 4 large baking sheets with parchment paper, silicone baking mats or spray with nonstick cooking spray.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, kosher salt* and baking soda and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together shortening, butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.   This is what “light and fluffy” looks like:

On high speed, add eggs, one at a time and vanilla until well incorporated.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture.  When incorporated, add chocolate chips and beat until combined.

Using a small ice cream scoop, dish out cookie dough on to prepared pan, 12 to a sheet.

Place sheets in oven, two at a time, and bake for 5 minutes.  After 5 minutes, turn cookie sheets around, front to back and move top sheet to bottom and vice versa.  Bake for another 5 minutes until brown around the edges and puffed in the center.  Allow to cool on sheet for 5 minutes and remove to a rack to cool.

*I use kosher for baking because I like that hit of salt in my cookies.  Use table salt if desired.
**I used semisweet in this recipe but try out different mix ins.  You could use 1 cup white chocolate chips, one cup dried cranberries and one cup chopped pecans.  This is a great base recipe so use your imagination to make it your own.

This recipe makes 9 dozen cookies.  It can easily be halved.

Cinnamon Orange Cranberry Swirl Coffee Cake

Posted on by laurielufkin

This recipe is a take off on my Mom’s Cranberry Swirl Coffee Cake–a Sue Lufkin classic recipe!

You can add nuts if you want to the filling and sprinkle some on top but I have too many nut allergy people in my life to do this.    If you don’t feel like making the candied orange zest, then don’t.  Replace the orange zest with toasted walnuts, change the name and presto–new cake!

I baked the cake in the photo in a Nordic Ware Fleur De Lis bundt cake pan but any 8″ tube pan will work.  I also only did one layer of the cranberry/orange mixture as you will see in the photo at the end of the recipe.   Enjoy!

Yummy—Cinnamon Orange Cranberry Swirl Coffee Cake

For the cake:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoons fresh orange zest
1 cup sour cream
1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce, stirred
1/3 cup candied orange peel  (directions to follow)
¼ cup sweetened dried cranberries

For the glaze:

¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
1-2 tablespoons orange juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees,  Grease and flour an 8” tube pan or a 9-12 cup bundt pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in dry ingredients a little at a time, alternating with the sour cream.

Stir together  all but 1 tablespoon orange zest with the cranberry sauce and set aside.

Place 1/3  of the batter in the prepared pan.  Spread half of the cranberry and orange mixture over the batter and swirl with knife.  Reepeat with remaining batter and  cranberry mixture, ending with the batter.  Smooth top of the cake and bake in preheated oven for 45-55 minutes until cake tester comes out clean.

Cool cake in pan 10 minutes and turn out on to serving plate t cool completely.  When cake is cool, whisk together confectioners’ sugar and orange juice.  Drizzle over cake and sprinkle cake with remaining chopped candied orange zest and dried cranberries.

For the zest:

*you can make less of this if you want to but you might as well make a bunch of it all at once.  Keeps for months in the sugar and is great on and in baked goods .  Also fun on the edge of a martini glass.

4 cups granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
2 ½ cups water
3 oranges, peeled, and as much pith removed from the peel as possible, cut into ¼” strips

In a small sauce pan, bring the sugar and water to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.  Remove from heat.

In another pan, place zest and cover with additional water.  Bring to a boil, strain and repeat two more times.  Dry the pan, pour the sugar syrup over the blanched zest and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and allow to cook until the zest is tender and translucent.  Allow to cool slightly and remove to a cooling rack. When cool, toss in additional sugar.  Put some of the sugar in an airtight container and store in a cool dry place till ready to use.

*Keep the drained syrup and store in the refrigerator–it is orange spiked at this point and excellent to sweeten cocktails or brush on layers of cake to keep them moist before frosting.

As always, feel free to ask my any questions you might have about this or any of my recipes.

So Lily and I didn’t win the Parent-Child Cookie Contest at the Topsfield Fair…………but these are darn good!

Posted on by laurielufkin

We really did try!  Here is the cookie recipe that I gave you a couple of weeks ago but with a filling added to make it a sandwich cookie!  They are so good but didn’t bring home a ribbon.  Oh well….Like I tell Lily, you win some, you lose more but you will never win if you don’t try!  I hope you enjoy these and please let me know what you think.

This was our presentation plate for the judges:

Fruity Fall Flavors Cinnamon Sandwich Cookies

For the filling:

4 tablespoons cinnamon chips
½ teaspoon vegetable shortening
4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons dulce de leche*

In a small microwave safe bowl, combine chips and shortening.  Microwave on high power for one minute and stir until smooth.  In a medium bowl beat together cream cheese and dulce de leche until blended.  Beat in melted cinnamon chips until smooth.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the cookies:

1 cup all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
7 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
7 tablespoons butter flavored shortening (you can use all butter but the cookies will be flatter and that’s 0k)
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup sweetened dried cranberries
½ cup dried apples, diced
2/3 cup cinnamon chips**
2 ½ cups old fashioned oats

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 4 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg and set aside.

In another bowl, beat together butter, shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla extract until well combined.  With mixer running on low speed, slowly incorporate flour mixture.  Mix in cranberries, apples, cinnamon chips and oats and beat again until just combined.

Scoop by rounded tablespoonfuls (use a tiny ice cream scoop if you have one so they call come out round and the same size and cook at the same time) on to prepared baking sheet, 12 to a sheet. Bake for 9 minutes cookies are slightly browned on the bottom.   Remove from oven and allow to cool on parchment.

To assemble, spread two teaspoons prepared filling on the bottom side of one cookie.  Top with another cookie, bottom side down.  Repeat with remaining cookies and enjoy!

*this can be found in a small can in the international food section with the other milk products, it is made by Nestle and is called “La Lechera.”  Look at the photo below.  The cans on the left side are sweetened condensed milk, the cans on the right side are what you want.  It is a very thick brown caramel in a can about the size of sweetened condensed milk.  I found it in the new Market Basket in Gloucester in the section with the Goya foods.   This is what it looks like:

**They still don’t have these in at the new Market Basket–ask the manager to get them next time you are there–if we all keep asking, I bet they will stock them.  In a pinch, you can use butterscotch chips and add some cinnamon, about a teaspoon, to the dry ingredients

Autumn Harvest Cranberry Filled New England Bundt Cake

Posted on by laurielufkin

If you are feeling like you want to stretch your baking muscles this lovely fall day, try this recipe.  In 2008 I competed in NECN new’s TV Diner Bake Off and this was the winning recipe.  Other than the Topsfield Fair, this was my first head to head competition and after I won, I realized I was totally hooked on contesting!

Here’s the link to the judging portion of the show:

http://www.necn.com/tvdiner/3rd-Annual-TV-Diner-Bakeoff-cookies-and-bundt-cake/1205596656.html

This is a filled bundt cake with a glaze.  There is a lot of batter and this recipe requires a large bundt pan (like the Nordic Ware original pan) that can hold 10-15 cups of batter plus the filling.  If you have a basic tube cake pan it will work as well.   Check your pan and often times they are marked with the measurement.  If all else fails, fill a one cup measuring cup with water and see how many cups your pan holds.    Make sure to grease your pan well.  I use a canola oil baking spray and go over it twice.   As always, you can email me with any questions about the cake (or any recipe I have) before you get started.  This one is worth the effort, believe me!

Taste of New England Harvest Bundt Cake

For the Filling

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup Vermont maple syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons Cape Cod whole berry cranberry sauce
1/3 cup dried Cape Cod cranberries, chopped

For the Cake:

3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
3/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
1 cup butternut squash or pumpkin puree (canned is fine)
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Topping

1/2 cup Macintosh, Granny Smith or other tart New England apple sauce
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons apple brandy
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup New England hazelnuts, toasted and chopped ( may substitute walnuts)
1/4 cup sweetened dried Cape Cod cranberries chopped

In a medium bowl prepare the filling. Beat together cream cheese, egg, cornstarch and maple syrup.  Add brown sugar, butter, salt and cinnamon, cranberries and cranberry sauce until combined.  Refrigerate until ready to use but for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heavily grease a 12 cup Bundt pan and set aside.

In another bowl sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt and set aside.

In a large bowl beat granulated sugar, brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. With mixer running, add eggs one at time and mix until blended. Beat in squash, sour cream and vanilla until well combined. Beat in the flour mixture until just combined.

Spoon one third of the batter into the pan. Spoon filling in a circle on top of batter but do not allow filling to touch the edge of the pan (a tiny ice cream scoop is perfect for this). Top with remaining batter.

Bake for 55-65 minutes until golden brown and cake tester comes out clean.

Remove from oven and place on cooling rack for 15 minutes. Turn out on to serving plate to cool completely.

Before serving, make the glaze.  Whisk together apple sauce, confectioners sugar, cinnamon, brandy, heavy cream and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Drizzle glaze over cake and sprinkle with hazelnuts and cranberries. Enjoy!

Fantastic Fall Flavors….all in one cookie!

Posted on by laurielufkin

Fall Fruit Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
7 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
7 tablespoons butter flavored shortening
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup sweetened dried cranberries
½ cup dried apples, diced*
2/3 cup cinnamon chips**
2 ½ cups old fashioned oats

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 4 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg and set aside.

In another bowl, beat together butter, shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla extract until well combined.  With mixer running on low speed, slowly incorporate flour mixture.  Mix in cranberries, apples, cinnamon chips and oats and beat again until just combined.

Scoop by rounded tablespoonful on to prepared baking sheet, 12 to a sheet. Bake for 9 minutes cookies are slightly browned on the bottom.   Remove from oven and allow to cool on parchment.

Makes approximately 48 cookies

*you can substitute any other dried fruit you wish, just make sure it does not have additional sugar added

**I have asked the mgr. at the new Market Basket to get these–they are made by Hershey’s) you can omit the chips all together if you wish and increase the fruit.  You could also add 1 tsp of cinnamon to the dry mixture instead.  Or, you can substitute another type of chip if you wish and still add the cinnamon

Overloaded with Apples but don’t feel like making a pie? Try this!

Posted on by laurielufkin

This recipe is the my original creation from the 2008 Hood Holiday Recipe contest–it was the Grand Prize winner so I thought I would share it with you.   This recipe goes together fairly quickly, is delicious and can feed 10-12 people easily.  The dessert separates in to two layers,  moist cakey top and a pudding like custardy bottom in the oven–Use up your apples in a different way.

Have not made this one on the show yet but I probably should!

The store bought eggnog should be on store shelves shortly but if you want to make it right away, sweeten some heavy cream with sugar and nutmeg and it should work out just fine.   Or what the heck, make a batch of eggnog to practice for the holidays!

FESTIVE EGGNOG APPLE PUDDING CAKE

4 cups apples, cored, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups all purpose flour
4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground nutmeg, divided
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
2 1/2 cups store bought eggnog, divided
2 large eggs
1 stick butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
Vanilla bean ice cream, if desired
whipped cream, if desired

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Butter a 9-inch round casserole dish. In a small bowl, toss apples, lemon juice, and cinnamon until coated and put into bottom of casserole dish. Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg, and brown sugar. Stir in by hand 1 cup eggnog, eggs, vanilla extract, and melted butter until combined. Spread batter over apples. In another bowl, combine granulated sugar and cornstarch. Pour this mixture over the batter and spread out to cover.

In a saucepan, heat remaining 1 1/2 cup eggnog and water to a boil. Slowly pour hot liquid over sugar mixture in small amounts allowing liquid to soak in a little each time. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg over eggnog mixture and place casserole in the oven. Bake for 55-65 minutes or until top is crisp and brown.

Serve warm with ice cream and whipped cream and enjoy!

Another Blue Ribbon Recipe-Harvest Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins with Cinnamon Pistachio Streusel Topping

Posted on by laurielufkin

Here’s a great holiday morning recipe!  This recipe was a blue ribbon winner last year.  Enjoy!

Harvest Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins with Cinnamon Pistachio Streusel Topping

Streusel Topping:
½ cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons softened butter
½ cup chopped pistachios

Muffins:

1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
4 large eggs
1 vegetable oil
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoons ground powdered ginger
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon and brown sugar.  With fingers, mix in butter until mixture is crumbly.  Stir in nuts and set aside.

Prepare pans with non-stick cooking spray or cupcake liners

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or with electric hand mixer, beat pumpkin, eggs, canola oil, water and vanilla extract until well combined.

Sift flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, soda and salt to combine.

Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and beat until just combined.  Stir in dried cranberries.

Using a medium scoop, fill prepared muffins tins ¾ full.   Top each muffing with 2 tablespoons streusel topping.

Bake for 23-25 minutes until toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffin comes out clean.

Allow to cool slightly before removing from baking pan.

Makes 24 muffins