Easy recipes | Good Dinner Mrs Mellen

Category: Easy recipes
- Roasted Hake and Peppers with Lemon Vinaigrette
  
  Posted at 12:51 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Feb 22nd
  The health benefits of a Mediterranean diet has been documented in clinical studies and shown to lead to longevity. I personally love a Mediterranean diet for the fantastic tasting food. I find that if you enjoy and savor food, you eat less and maintain a normal weight.
  
  If you are not familiar with the fish, Hake, you are missing a wonderful mild white fish that is part of the cod family. I bought this Hake on sale at Whole Foods for $7.99 per pound. I’ve added colorful peppers, green olives, thyme and a lemon vinaigrette dressing to make this fish dish pop! And it is ready in thirty minutes!
  
  1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped plus a few sprigs
  
  1 ½ pounds hake fillets
  
  ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  
  ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  
  3 large bell peppers, 1 red, 1 orange and 1 yellow, thinly sliced
  
  4 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  
  ¼ cup pitted, sliced green olives, I like Castelvetrano olives
  
  Lemon Vinaigrette
  
  ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  
  1 garlic clove, grated
  
  1 cup loosely packed Italian parsley leaves, chopped
  
  Heat oven to 400 degrees.
  
  Season fish all over with a large pinch or two of salt and pepper and rub with chopped thyme leaves. Let rest at room temperature while you prepare peppers.
  
  Toss peppers with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and ¼ black pepper and spread on a baking dish. Top peppers with the thyme sprigs. Roast, tossing occasionally until peppers are softened and golden at the edges, 15 to 20 minutes.
  
  Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees. Move peppers to the edges of the pan, making a space in the center. Lay fish out on that empty space and drizzle with oil. Scatter olives over the top of fish and peppers. Roast until fish turns opaque and is just cooked through, 6 – 10 minutes.
  
  Meanwhile, make a vinaigrette by combining lemon juice, garlic and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Whisk in remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, then whisk in parsley. Serve fish and peppers drizzled with vinaigrette.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Easy recipes, entertaining, family meals, Fish, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Healthy, Hearty Meal, Mediterranean diet | Tagged Easy recipes, Hake, peppers, Whole Foods
- Baked Penne with Pomodoro Sauce
  
  Posted at 2:38 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Feb 16th
  I love to cook but cleaning multiple pots and pans is not fun. Weeknight meals I make one pot, pan, or skillet recipes for quick and easy clean up.
  
  You can make the Pomodoro Sauce ahead and keep in the refrigerator or freeze. Then just assemble the casserole and bake. Make in advance a nice salad and serve with crusty fresh bread.
  
  You’ll have an easy home-cooked meal in a short preparation time!
  
  Enjoy!
  
  via Baked Penne with Pomodoro Sauce
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  Posted in Casserole, Easy recipes, family meals, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Hearty Meal, Italian, Main Dish, Main Meal, pasta | Tagged baked Pasta, Easy recipes, One Pot, quick meal, Weeknight dinner
- Potato Leek Soup
  
  Posted at 10:04 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Feb 1st
  New England winters bring snow and frigid temperatures and my remedy is hot flavorful soup. During the long winter months, I made copious varieties of tasty soups and stews to warm us from the inside out. I freeze leftover soup for a quick meal.
  
  Leeks, part of the allium vegetable family, is more subtle than sisters garlic and onion marry well with potatoes. You can puree this soup to a smooth texture or like I prefer just slightly puree leaving potato chunks. I find it more filling when I don’t puree all the potatoes. However, you choose to finish this soup you will be amazed by the flavor.
  
  3 large leeks (about 3 cups, chopped)
  
  2 tablespoons butter
  
  4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth for a vegetarian option
  
  8 potatoes (Yukon gold or Russet), peeled, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
  
  1 teaspoon sea salt, less or more to taste
  
  Pinch of dried marjoram
  
  1 or 2 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  
  1 bay leaf
  
  1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  
  1 cup heavy cream or half and half
  
  White or black pepper to taste
  
  fresh chives, chopped
  
  Cut off the roots of the leeks. Cut the leeks lengthwise, fan them open under running water to dislodge any dirt or mud hiding inside. Cut off the tough dark green tops and discard
  
  Slice the white and light green parts of the leeks crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place the slices in a colander and rinse with cold water to dislodge any remaining dirt.
  
  Cook leeks in butter to soften: Melt butter on medium heat in a 3 to 4-quart thick-bottomed pot. Add the chopped leeks, stir to coat with the butter.
  
  Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low, cook for 10 minutes until the leeks are softened. Check to make sure the leeks are not browning.
  
  Add the broth, diced potatoes, bay leaf, marjoram, thyme, and a teaspoon of salt to the pot.
  
  Increase the heat to high to bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to maintain a low simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through.
  
  Remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme sprig. Use an immersion blender or standing blender blend about half of the soup if you want a chunky soup, or all of it if you would like your soup to be more smooth.
  
  Add the parsley, and cook a few minutes more. Add cream or half and half. Stir until combined.
  
  Add freshly ground pepper and more salt to taste. Top with chives.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Easy recipes, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, light dinner, lunch, Potatoes, Soup, Soups, Vegetarian | Tagged easy, Freeze, Make ahead, Potato Leek Soup
- Italian Pot Roast
  
  Posted at 9:30 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jan 20th
  Sunday dinner was a tradition in my family growing up. My mother, an exceptional cook, would prepare a feast with enough food to feed our entire neighborhood. All were welcome to join us for dinner. When I married and started my own family, I continued having large Sunday family dinners.
  
  One of my mother’s famous Sunday meals was her Italian Pot Roast. She preferred an Eye Round Roast, but you can use a Shoulder or Brisket. I like to make this just like my mother on a stove, but it can be cooked in a slow cooker. After the meat is browned on the stove place all the ingredients in a slow cooker and cook for eight hours.
  
  Italian Pot Roast
  
  4 lb. Eye Roast
  
  1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
  
  salt and pepper
  
  2 tablespoons olive oil
  
  1 cup chopped carrots
  
  1 cup chopped onions
  
  1 finely chopped celery stalk
  
  2 cloves garlic, minced
  
  2 bay leaves, crushed
  
  1 teaspoon thyme
  
  1 teaspoon rosemary
  
  1 teaspoon cinnamon
  
  1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  
  1/4 cup tightly packed parsley leaves, chopped
  
  3 tablespoons tomato paste
  
  3 cups red wine
  
  1(28-ounce) can whole San Marzano tomatoes, drained and chopped*
  
  2 tablespoons flour
  
  1/4 cup water
  
  1 lb. penne pasta
  
  Cut slits in eye roast and insert sliced garlic into slits. Season the beef with salt and pepper. In a large casserole, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil until hot but not smoking. Brown beef on all sides. Transfer beef to a plate. Pour off browning fat.
  
  Add carrots, onions, and celery, stirring until golden. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Stir in bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, cinnamon, nutmeg, parsley and tomato paste. Add the wine and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the beef and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook at a gentle simmer for 3 hours, until meat is tender.
  
  Remove beef, cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Mix two tablespoon flour with 1/4 cup water. Add to the sauce to thicken. Simmer on low heat stirring until sauce thickens about 3-5 minutes. While sauce is thickening cook pasta according to package directions.
  
  Place cooked pasta on a large plater, pour the sauce over pasta. Slice beef and arrange over pasta. Serve with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
  
  *I used Cento certified San Marzano tomatoes.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Beef, company dinner, dinner, Easy recipes, entertaining, family meals, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Main Dish, Main Meal, pasta | Tagged Cento San Marzano tomates, Pot roast, sunday dinner
- Cornish Game Hens in Champagne Sauce
  
  Posted at 10:04 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jan 5th
  True Cornish game hens are young female Cornish chickens weighing about 2 pounds. They make an elegant single serve entry. And they are easy to roast like a chicken. Perfect for a romantic dinner for two or a smaller dinner party.
  
  I am a big fan of spices and seasonings when I cook, using very little salt relying on fresh and dried herbs and spices to flavor food. When I was young I would help my grandmother who immigrated from Italy harvest her vegetables for winter canning. We’d sit for hours at her red and white enamel kitchen table and I’d watch her braid fresh garlic and tie peppers together, then she would hang them in her cellar to dry. As soon as you stepped into the cellar the pungent aroma assailed your senses.
  
  CORNISH GAME HENS IN CHAMPAGNE SAUCE
  
  2 Cornish Hens
  
  1/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
  
  fresh thyme sprigs
  
  fresh rosemary sprigs
  
  2 whole garlic cloves, peeled and sliced in half
  
  1 lemon, sliced in half
  
  2 tablespoon butter, melted and cooled
  
  1/2 cup dry champagne or sparkling wine, at room temperature
  
  salt and pepper
  
  1 cup baby carrots
  
  Preheat oven 375 F
  
  Rinse hens and pat dry. Stuff each hen cavity with half of the cranberries, next thyme, and rosemary, then cloves and finish with the lemon half. Truss the hen legs. Combine butter and champagne. Pour over hens. Season with salt and pepper. Place baby carrots around the hens.
  
  Roast the hens in the preheated oven for about 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F and the juices run clear. Baste hens every 15 minutes. Remove the hens from the oven, loosely tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes before carving or serving.
  
  Serve over Israel couscous.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Chicken, Easy recipes, entertaining, Food | Tagged Cornish Hens, Easy recipes, romantic dinner
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Shallots and Cranberries
  
  Posted at 1:55 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 15th
  If you read my blog by now you know that I am obsessed with cranberries. As soon as these red jewels come to market I start to cook and bake everything with cranberries. My family loves Brussels Sprouts with cranberries and I make this recipe for our Christmas dinner; the red cranberries are an added festive touch. Many grocery stores carry the petite Brussels Sprouts which I like to use as they are nice and tender. If you use the larger variety you will need to split them in half. Another favorite ingredient that I use regularly is fig balsamic vinegar; sweet and tangy perfect with Brussels Sprouts. Versatile Brussels Sprouts are so perfect roasted alone too!
  - 2 tablespoon butter
  - 2 small shallots, chopped (about 1⁄4 cup)
  - 2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 garlic cloves)
  - 3 tablespoons fig balsamic vinegar
  - 3 pounds fresh Brussels sprouts, halved (about 10 cups) or petite Brussels, whole
  - 2 tablespoons olive oil
  - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  - 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
  - 1 cup fresh cranberries
  Step 1
  
  Melt large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots, and cook, stirring often, until shallots are softened and start to brown, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, and cook, stirring often for 1 minute. Add vinegar, and cook until thick and syrupy, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and pour into a small microwavable bowl. Cool to room temperature, cover, and chill until ready to use, up to 1 day ahead.
  
  Step 2
  
  Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss Brussels sprouts with olive oil, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1⁄2 teaspoon of the pepper. Transfer to lightly greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Roast Brussels sprouts in the preheated oven until golden and tender, about 25 minutes, stirring halfway through baking. Set aside for up to 1 hour.
  
  Step 3
  
  Microwave shallot mixture on MEDIUM (50% power) until mixture can be stirred, about 30 seconds. Add shallot mixture to Brussels sprouts. Sprinkle evenly fresh cranberries, and bake at 400°F until heated thoroughly about 15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
  
  Enjoy!
  
  gooddinnermrsmellen.com
  
  buzzchomp.com
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  Posted in Christmas Recipes, Easy recipes, entertaining, family meals, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, vegetable bake, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Tagged Brussels Sprouts, Christmas recipe, Cranberries
- Perfect Chocolate Cake
  
  Posted at 9:46 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Nov 16th
  Perfect Chocolate Cake
  
  For birthday celebrations my mother made her chocolate cake with rich fudge frosting and a chocolate filling. I believe she found this recipe in McCalls Cooking School publications, a series of cooking magazines with detailed instructions. When I married she shared with me her prize recipe and I’ve made this moist flavorful cake for birthday’s ever since.
  
  1 cup unsifted unsweetened cocoa
  
  2 cups boiling water
  
  2 3⁄4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  
  2 teaspoons baking soda
  
  1⁄2 teaspoon salt
  
  1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
  
  1 cup butter, softened
  
  2 1⁄2 cups sugar
  
  4 eggs
  
  1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla
  
  6 ounces semisweet chocolate pieces
  
  1⁄2 cup half and half
  
  3/4 cup butter
  
  2 1⁄2 cups unsifted confectioners’ sugar
  
  1 cup heavy cream, chilled
  
  1⁄4 cup unsifted confectioners’ sugar
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  1 cup heavy cream
  
  8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
  
  1 teaspoon almond extract
  
  Preheat oven to 350°F.
  
  In a medium bowl, combine cocoa with boiling water, mixing with wire whisk until smooth. Cool completely. Sift flour with soda, salt, and baking powder. Grease well and lightly flour three 9 by 1 1/2 inch layer-cake pans. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, at high speed, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla, scraping bowl occasionally until light-about 5 minutes.
  
  At low speed, beat in flour mixture (in fourths), alternately with the cocoa mixture (in thirds), beginning and ending with flour mixture. Do not over-beat.
  
  Divide evenly into pans; smooth top. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until surface springs back when gently pressed with fingertip.
  
  Cool in pans 10 minutes.
  
  Carefully loosen sides with a spatula; Remove from pans; cool on racks.
  
  Frosting: In a medium saucepan, combine chocolate pieces, cream, butter; stir over medium heat until smooth.
  
  Remove from heat. With a whisk, blend in 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar.
  
  In a bowl set over ice(I use ice cubes) beat until it holds shape.
  
  Filling:
  
  Heat the cream in a saucepan or in the microwave, until the mixture begins to steam.
  Pour over the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes. Stir — at first slowly, then more vigorously — until the chocolate is completely melted. If necessary, reheat very briefly to soften any remaining hard bits of chocolate. Add almond extract. Refrigerate ganache until thick.
  
  To assemble the cake:
  
  On plate place a layer, top side down; spread with half of the ganache. Place the second layer, top side down; spread with rest of ganache.
  
  Place the third layer, top side up.
  
  To frost: With a spatula, frost sides first, covering ganache; use rest of frosting on top, swirling decoratively.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, Baking, Cake, Dessert, desserts, Easy recipes, Food | Tagged chocolate cake, easy
- Air Fryer Roasted Brussels Sprouts
  
  Posted at 9:45 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Oct 26th
  When I first thought about getting an Air Fryer*, I’m not a gadget person, I was a little I was skeptical if it were something I would use very often. Now that I’ve owned an air fryer for a year, I love to experiment, especially with veggies.
  
  Usually, I roast Brussels Sprouts in the oven, which I find brings out the nutty flavor. When I cooked Brussels Sprouts in the Air Fryer, they turned out beautifully charred on the outside with a soft center. I added olive oil, spices, olives, and capers with a flavor-packed side dish. So easy and delicious!
  
  2 lbs Brussels Sprouts, cleaned and whole
  
  1/4 cup olive oil
  
  4 cloves garlic, minced
  
  1/2 cup sliced Mezzetta Castervetrano Italian Olives, pitted
  
  2 teaspoon capers
  
  1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
  
  1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
  
  1 teaspoon pepper
  
  1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  
  Place Brussels Sprouts in a bowl, toss with olive oil. Add remaining ingredients. Put Brussels Sprouts in the air fryer basket. You will need to cook in two batches. Set Air Fryer to 400 F and cook for 15 minutes. Place on a serving plate.
  
  Enjoy!
  
  *I have the Phillips small Air Fryer
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  Posted in Air Fryer, Easy recipes, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Healthy, Side dish, vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Tagged Easy to make, family meal, Philips Air Fryer, Veggies
- VEGETARIAN BEAN CHILI WITH MOIST CORN BREAD
  
  Posted at 5:40 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Oct 20th
  There are so many vegetarian chili recipes that make absolutely delicious healthy chili. I love to make my vegetarian chili with loads of beans and I add veggie crumbs for extra protein. My recipe is low in salt making it even extra healthy. If you use flavorful spices salt is not needed.
  
  VEGETARIAN BEAN CHILI
  
  1 tbsp. olive oil
  
  1 each red and green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
  
  1/2 cup chopped onion
  
  2 cloves minced garlic
  
  3 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) no salt added diced tomatoes
  
  2 cans (15.5 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
  
  2 can (15.5 oz.) garbanzos beans, drained and rinsed
  
  1 box (32 oz.) unsalted vegetable stock
  
  3 tbsp. tomato paste
  
  2 tsp chili powder
  
  1 teaspoon oregano leaves
  
  1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  
  1 package (12 oz) Lightlife Smart Ground
  
  Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add bel peppers, onion, and garlic; cook and stir 8 to 10 minutes or until tender.
  
  Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
  
  Makes 8 servings.
  
  Corn Bread
  
  INGREDIENTS
  
  1 cup Indian Head Yellow Corn Meal
  
  1 cup all-purpose flour
  
  1/2 cup sugar
  
  1 teaspoon salt
  
  1 Tablespoon baking powder
  
  1/2 cup oil
  
  2/3 cup milk
  
  2 eggs, beaten
  
  PREPARATION
  
  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Mix oil, egg, and milk together and add to dry ingredients, mixing until batter is uniform. Bake in a greased 9″x9″x2″ pan for 20-25 minutes.
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  Posted in Easy recipes, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Healthy, Hearty Meal, lunch, Main Dish, Main Meal, vegan, Vegetarian, Weeknight dinner | Tagged beans, CORN BREAD, Easy recipe, INDIAN HEAD CORN MEAL, vegan, VEGAN CHILI
- Cranberry Pumpkin Bread
  
  Posted at 9:01 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Oct 13th
  Two of my favorite ingredients in on delicious tea bread, pumpkin and cranberries! Tea bread or loaf bread is easy to make and can be frozen for up to two months. I love to bake and freeze then I can always have a delicious treat to serve with a cup of hot tea.
  
  “Tea makes everything better. ” Bindi Irwin
  
  via Cranberry Pumpkin Bread
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  Posted in Baking, Baking, breads, Easy recipes, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen | Tagged baking, fall recipes, Pumpkin bread, Tea Breads
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