family meals | Good Dinner Mrs Mellen

Category: family meals
- Savory Bread Pudding with Heirloom Tomatoes, Herbs and Mozzarella
  
  Posted at 11:16 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Sep 11th
  First let me just say that this is a very rich dish not meant to be eaten in large portions. A wonderful lunch or dinner with a salad eating only a small serving size. Eating rich dishes and staying thin is all about portion control and exercise. It’s important to me that I don’t encourage anyone to over eat. With that said let’s get on to this wonderful bread pudding. Until recently I only thought of bread pudding as a rich dessert that I occasionally indulged. One summer in New Hampshire I ordered a savory bread pudding and I was hooked. I made my bread pudding with heirloom tomatoes that I picked fresh from my garden along with my fresh herbs. You can add different veggies to recipe. Experiment, have fun and enjoy a wonderfully richly flavorful dish.
  
  Savory Bread Pudding with Heirloom Tomatoes, Herbs and Mozzarella
  
  1(1pound) loaf crusty white bread
  
  1/4 cup olive oil
  
  1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  
  2 tablespoon fresh basil
  
  1 tablespoon fresh oregano
  
  1 garlic clove, minced
  
  3 tablespoon olive oil
  
  2 shallots, chopped
  
  2 cloves garlic chopped
  
  2 cups chopped heirloom tomatoes
  
  3 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  
  8 large eggs
  
  1 teaspoon black pepper
  
  8 ounces fresh mozzarella chopped into 1-in cubes
  
  2 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
  
  Heat oven to 375 F. Butter or spray with cooking spray a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Cut bottom crust and short ends off bread, discarding. Cut remaining bread with crust into 1-inch cubes(about 10 cups loosely packed). Place cubes in large bowl. Add oil, thyme, basil, oregano and garlic; toss to coat. Spread bread cubes out on large baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until golden and slightly crunchy, stirring occasionally, about 15-20 minutes. Return toasted bread cubes to the same bowl.
  
  Add olive oil to large skillet. Add shallot and garlic saute about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes continuing to cook for additional 5 minutes. Set aside.
  
  Whisk heavy cream, eggs, salt and ground pepper in large bowl. Mix egg mixture into bread. Place 1/3 of bread and egg mixture in prepared pan. Layer with 1/2 tomato then cheese. Continue layering 1/3 bread then 1/2 tomato and cheese then finally remaining 1/3 bread mixture. Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese. Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
  
  Preheat oven 350 F. Bake uncovered until set and top is golden about 50-60 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Casserole, family meals, Farm Fresh Produce, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Main Dish, Main Meal, Vegetarian, Weeknight dinner | Tagged bread, family meal, heirloom tomatotes, herbs, Mozzarella, savory bread pudding, vegetarian
- Roasted Swordfish with Olive Tapenade and Tomates
  
  Posted at 12:51 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Sep 6th
  Swordfish is a wonderfully densely firm white fish easy to prepare absorbing the seasonings and flavoring perfectly. I love to roast, pan sear or grill swordfish it’s so versatile. In this recipe I combined swordfish with another favorite – olive tapenade – then topped with petite tomatoes. Simply delicious!
  
  Roasted Swordfish with Olive Tapenade and Tomatoes for Two
  
  1 lb. swordfish
  
  1 lemon, juiced
  
  1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  
  1/4 teaspoon pepper
  
  olive tapenade
  
  1 cup chopped petite tomatoes
  
  2 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
  
  Preheat oven to 400 F. Place swordfish in over proof dish. Pour lemon juice on top and season with salt in pepper.
  
  Let stand while preparing olive tapenade. Place tapenade over swordfish then top with tomatoes. Sprinkle with fresh basil. Roast for 15 minutes. Serves 2.
  
  Olive Tapenade
  
  1 cups pitted Kalamata olives
  
  2 clove garlic, chopped
  
  1 teaspoon capers rinsed and dried
  
  1 teaspoon lemon juice
  
  2 teaspoons olive oil
  
  Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Puree until the olives are a fine spread. I like my black olive tapenade like a fine spread but you can try different constituencies from chopped to pureed.
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Easy recipes, family meals, Fish, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Healthy, Main Dish, Main Meal | Tagged easy dinner, for two, olive tapenade, swordfish, \
- Healthy Slaw and Undon Noodles with Honey Ginger Vinaigrette
  
  Posted at 10:19 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Aug 30th
  Summertime and I’m all about easy and quick delicious food to share with family and friends. I love to create an array of make ahead salads perfect accompaniments for cookouts and picnic; no fussing in the kitchen yet no skimping on taste either. My healthy slaw with Undon noddles fits all my requirements for a great summer salad, quick, easy and delicious.
  
  Healthy Slaw and Undon Noodles with Honey Ginger Vinaigrette
  
  1 package 10 oz. Mann’s Power Blend, Brussels Sprouts, Napa cabbage, Kohlrai, Broccoli, Carrots & Kale
  
  1 can 15.5 oz. Garbanzo Beans, drained & rinsed
  
  1 package 10 oz. Udon Noodles, cooked according to package directions*
  
  2 bunches scallions, thinly sliced, white only
  
  1/4 cup slice almonds
  
  1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  
  1/4 teaspoon pepper
  
  Honey Ginger Vinaigrette
  
  1/4 cup rice vinegar
  
  1 teaspoon honey
  
  1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
  
  1 clove garlic, minced
  
  1/4 cup vegetable oil
  
  Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  
  In a small bowl, mix the rice vinegar with honey and grated ginger until dissolved. Whisk in the vegetable oil and season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
  
  In large glass bowl combine slaw mix with beans, noodles, almonds, salt and pepper. Pour vinaigrette over and toss until combined. Chill before serving.
  
  * I used Hakubaku Organic Udon Noodles
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in entertaining, family meals, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Healthy, summertime recipes, vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged easy, Hakubaku Organic Udon Noodles, Healthy Salad, Mann's Power Blend, quick, Slaw
- Vineyard life -Clamming
  
  Posted at 10:20 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Aug 11th
  A summer vacation on the Vineyard wouldn’t be complete without a clamming excursion. I love watching my family sharing special moments clamming on Martha’s Vineyard; my summer childhood memories folded and tucked away hiding under years of summers seasons resurface with remembrances of slow cooked, brown as a berry days on the Jersey Shore. Up early beach bucket and shovel in hand I spent my morning digging for clams until my grandmother found me at lunch time. The best time of my day; just me and the seagulls jockeying for clams coexisting on the beach.
  
  Now living in Massachusetts I traded the Jersey Shore for the Vineyard and I wanted my family to experience the simple joy clamming on the beach. My husband Chris and I purchased clam rakes and a wire floating basket from Coops Bait and Tackle in Edgartown, obtained a family clamming permit(a must on the Vineyard), then with our family tested the clamming at the Lake Street landing of Lake Tashmoo.
  
  Chris, our three children, Chris Jr. Chad and Mandi, Son-in-law Dan, Daughter-in-law Jackie and our three grandchildren, Alexander, Charlotte and Madeline loved clamming as much I; we easily filled our basket as we took turns using the calm racks. Life isn’t much simpler or enjoyable than spending precious time with family while we caught our dinner.
  
  Back at our home after cleaning and soaking the clams I place the clams in a glass baking dish, added four whole garlic cloves, sea salt, a pinch of red crushed pepper then I poured a cup of dry white wine over the clams, covering the dish with aluminum foil. I heated the outside grill to 500 degrees placed the glass dish directly on the grill rack and cooked the clams for about 15 minutes or until most of the clams are open. Throw away any unopened clams. They were absolutely delicious with not one remaining at the end of our meal. The cherry on the top of a perfect day! Serve with crusty fresh bread and a caprese salad
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in clams, Easy recipes, entertaining, family meals, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Healthy, Martha's Vineyard, seafood | Tagged clamming, Coops Bait and Tackle, family vacation, grilled clams, Lake Tashmoo, Martha's Vineyard, Vineyard Haven
- Chicken, Mushroom and Wine Casserole
  
  Posted at 1:18 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  May 20th
  Chicken, Mushroom and Wine Casserole
  
  I love make ahead meals that can be easily heated to have a home cooked meal quickly. Many a Sunday you will find me in the kitchen cooking meals for the coming week. And what could be tastier than a chicken, mushroom and white wine casserole fragrantly flavored with fresh thyme. The chicken tender separating from the bone without even using a nice. Serve over Arborio rice enjoying as you dip crusty fresh bread into the wine sauce.
  
  3 pounds split chicken breast
  
  salt and pepper
  
  2 tablespoons olive oil
  
  8 ounce slice mushrooms
  
  1 leek, thinly slice, white part only
  
  1 shallot, chopped
  
  2 cloves, chopped
  
  1 cup wine
  
  2 cup chicken broth
  
  2 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
  
  1 dry bay leaf, crushed
  
  2 springs fresh thyme, finely chopped
  
  Heat oven to 350F. Salt and pepper chicken. In a casserole pan, I use a Le Creuset casserole, heat olive oil. Add chicken breasts cooking on each side until lightly browned. Remove from pan and place on a dish. To casserole pan add mushrooms, leeks, shallot and garlic. Cook for 5minutes while stirring or until all the juices are gone. Add wine, chicken broth, parsley, bay leaf and thyme. Remove casserole from stove and place in over baking for 30 minutes. Garnish with more thyme.
  
  Serve over Arborio rice.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Casserole, Chicken, family meals, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Hearty Meal, Main Meal | Tagged chicken. casserole, easy, le creuset, Mushrooms, wine
- Chicken Veronique
  
  Posted at 8:29 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Mar 31st
  This is a wonderful country french chicken dish that I have made for years. It can be made earlier in the day and reheated before serving. I dress this dish down or up depending on the occasion. If I want to make it more Sunday or company fancy I use split chicken breast, or for everyday I use an assortment of chicken pieces. Either way it is an easy and wonderful meal that will be enjoyed by everyone.
  
  Chicken Veronique
  
  Assortment of Chicken pieces ( Split breast, thighs and legs) about 3 lbs total or 6 Split Breast
  
  1 tablespoon butter
  
  2 tablespoon olive oil
  
  8 oz white mushrooms, sliced
  
  2 leeks, thinly sliced( Use just the white part of the leek)
  
  2 garlic cloves, crushed
  
  2 tablespoon flour
  
  1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
  
  1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
  
  1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  
  1/4 teaspoon pepper
  
  1 bay leaf, crushed
  
  1 can (10 3/4-oz size) chicken broth( I use low fat, low salt)
  
  1/2 cup dry white wine
  
  1 1/2 cup of seedless green grapes
  
  Small cluster of green grapes for garnish
  
  1. Rinse chicken and wipe with damp paper towel
  
  2. Heat butter and oil in large, heavy skillet, brown chicken, a few pieces at a time, turning on all sides. Remove chicken as it browns. When finished browning chicken remove any excess drippings except 2 tablespoons.
  
  3. Add mushrooms, garlic and leeks to skillet and cook for about 3 – 5 minutes until until cooked.
  
  4. Wish together flour, wine, and chicken broth add to mushroom mixture. Add salt, rosemary, thyme, pepper, bay leaf, and grapes to pan.
  
  5. Bring just to boiling, stirring. add browned chicken: reduce heat and simmer covered, until tender – about 30- 40 minutes: turn occasionally.
  
  6. I like to serve this over couscous but you can serve over white rice. Cook couscous according to package instruction. Place couscous in large casserole dish. Place Chicken on top and then pour sauce over. Garnish with cluster of green grapes.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Casserole, Chicken, company dinner, family meals, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Hearty Meal, Stew, Uncategorized | Tagged chicken stew, Easy recipe, grapes
- Hot Spicy Vegetarian Black Bean Chili
  
  Posted at 9:55 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Feb 4th
  If you like 5 alarm hot chili this is the recipe for you. Make sure you have a fire extinguisher handy when you eat this chili!
  
  3 (15.5-oz.) cans black beans, I used Goya beans
  1 large sweet onion, chopped
  3 garlic cloves, minced
  2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  4 teaspoons chili powder
  1 teaspoon ground cumin
  1/2 teaspoon pepper
  1/4 teaspoon salt
  2 (14.5-oz.) cans petite diced tomatoes, I used Del Monte
  1 can (7.75 oz) can sliced green jalapeños, I used Chi Chi’s Fiesta wheels
  1 (12-oz.) package meatless burger crumbles, I used Morning Star Farms
  1 vegetable bouillon cube
  1 -2 teaspoon hot sauce, I used Franks Hot Sauce
  Toppings: sour cream, shredded Cheddar cheese, guacamole
  
  Drain and rinse 2 cans black beans. (Do not drain third can.) Sauté onion and garlic in hot oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat 6 to 8 minutes or until tender. Stir in chili powder and next 3 ingredients; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in diced tomatoes, next 2 ingredients, drained and undrained beans, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Serve chili with desired toppings.
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  Posted in Chili, entertaining, family meals, Mexican, Super Bowl Recipes, Uncategorized, vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged Del Monte tomatoes, Franks Hot sauce, Goya beans, Hot, spicy chili, Super Bowl Chili, super bowl party
- Shrimp with Feta Cheese
  
  Posted at 9:05 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jan 18th
  Quick and easy tasting delicious recipes are always welcome when having time to cook can be changeling. I serve this shrimp dish over Arborio rice or orzo which is a rice shaped pasta. The choice is yours. Either way the dish is so good and so easy, a quick easy homemade meal.
  
  Shrimp with Feta Cheese
  
  2 tablespoon olive oil
  
  4 cloves garlic
  
  1 shallot
  
  pinch of crushed red peppers
  
  1 teaspoon mint
  
  1 teaspoon oregano
  
  1 teaspoon salt
  
  1 can(14.5 oz) Hunt’s Petite diced tomatoes
  
  1/2 lb. uncooked shrimp cleaned and deveined
  
  2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  
  2 tablespoons chopped calamata olives
  
  1/4 cup feta cheese
  
  Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add garlic and shallot cooking on low for 10 minutes until onions are translucent, do not brown. Add red pepper, mint, oregano, salt and diced tomatoes simmering for 20 minute. Add shrimp, cooking for five minutes or until the shrimp is no longer pink. Stir in lemon juice and olives. Top with feta cheese. Serve over rice or orzo. Makes 4 servings.
  
  Just add a nice tossed salad and fresh bread for a wonderfully easy and delicious meal!
  
  ENJOY!
  
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  Posted in family meals, Fish, Food, Hearty Meal, Main Dish, Main Meal, seafood, Stew | Tagged easy, Feta Cheese, orzo, quick, Shrimp
- My Mother’s Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs
  
  Posted at 9:04 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 7th
  I’ve said it before, my mother and my grandmother were my inspiration for cooking. My fondest memories growing up are watching both these wonderful cooks in the kitchen, as well a savoring the delicious meals they prepared. So when I asked my 88 year old mother for her spaghetti sauce and meatball recipe, I thought I could just share it with you all. Not so, I needed to fill in the blanks because my mother just cooks from memory. I worked with her to get the full recipes down on paper. I still think that only my mother can make her recipes sing with the most harmonies flavors. I gave this my best. I cooked all kinds of variations of her recipe and now my freezer is filled with enough sauce and meatballs for months. I must admit I did have fun cooking like my mother and grandmother, making large pots of sauce simmering on the stove. And the funny thing is that I don’t make that much traditional sauce because I have never felt that I can duplicate the flavor of my mother and grandmother’s sauce. I feel the same way about traditional pasta and Lasagna dishes. I am always disappointed with the results when I make traditional Italian recipes from my childhood.
  
  My meals never taste as wonderful as I remember.
  
  Before I start the recipe let’s talk tomatoes. My mother say you can use crushed tomatoes if you want to go cut a step, such as Pastene ground peeled, kitchen ready tomatoes. Over the years she’s used Red Pack, Tuttoroso, just good Italian tomatoes. Now I know that many will say you can only make good sauce with San Mazrano DOP tomatoes, or others swear by Muir Glen, or Cento or Pom. I am not such a purist when it comes to the tomatoes because I was spoiled by my grandmother’s home grown preserved tomatoes that she would only use. Nothing compares to her plum tomatoes. Use what you want. If I use whole peeled tomatoes, I chop the tomatoes then add along with the with the juice to the recipe. Or you can put tomatoes and their liquid through a food mill fitted with a fine disk. Do what suits you.
  
  My Mother’s Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs
  
  2 Cans of Tomatoes, 28 or 35 oz.
  
  2 Tbs olive oil
  
  1 large onion
  
  2 cloves garlic crushed
  
  1/2 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
  
  1 tsp oregano
  
  salt and pepper to taste
  
  In large pot heat olive olive, add onions cook until lightly translucent for 5 minutes. Add garlic, cook for two more minutes. Add tomatoes(chopped if whole) with liquid and seasonings. Simmer for an hour.(Add a little water or white wine if the sauce gets too thick).
  
  Meatballs
  
  1 lb ground beef
  
  1 lb ground pork
  
  2 cloves garlic crushed
  
  1 cup finely chopped onions
  
  2 eggs
  
  1 Tbs fine chopped parsley
  
  1 cup stale bread, crust removed and break bread into small pieces
  
  or you can use 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
  
  1/4 cup milk
  
  1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
  
  salt and pepper
  
  3 Tablespoon olive oil for cooking
  
  Moisten bread with milk. Combine the moistened bread with all the other ingredients except olive oil and mix meat mixture very well. Form into meatballs and fry in oil for only a few minutes on each side. Add meatballs and one tablespoon of oil that was cooked with the meatballs to sauce. Cook sauce and meatballs on low for another hour.
  
  Or if you want to bake meatballs like my mother. Preheat oven to 450. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil. Coat with olive oil and bake for 10-12 minutes. Add meatballs and one tablespoon of oil that meatballs were baked in to sauce. Cook sauce and meatballs on low for another hour.
  
  Good cooks really put passion into what they make. Cooking is an art and skill that get better with practice and time. The best advice I can give is to have no fear just cook. Try all different recipes and add your own touches that will make the meal special. What I found out over the years is that making a recipe your own is what makes that recipe special to you and your family. I have tried so many different dishes from magazines and cook books that I thought were not very good. So I just started from scratch and made the recipe how I thought it would be better and it was. So give it a try, just cook.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in cooking, family meals, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Hearty Meal, Main Dish, Main Meal, pasta | Tagged dinner, easy, meatballs, spagetti
- Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream Sauce
  
  Posted at 8:58 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 6th
  Perfect during the busy holiday season is his deliciously simple Enchiladas casserole. You add more heat to dish by adding more hot sauce and 2 not one jalapeno pepper. Have fun adding your own spin to the meal.
  
  Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream Sauce
  
  1 pound boneless chicken breast or use Purdue short cuts
  
  2 tablespoon olive oi
  
  1 bunch scallions
  
  2 cloves garlic
  
  1 fresh jalapeño chile pepper, chopped
  
  1 cup tomatoes, chopped
  
  1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro
  
  2 teaspoons Franks Hot sauce
  
  1/2 cup cream
  
  1/2 cup sour cream
  
  10 soft flour tortilla
  
  1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
  
  Jalapeño wheels
  
  Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Place chicken breast in baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes. Shred chicken and place in bowl, set aside. Heat oil in skillet, add scallions, garlic, jalapeno pepper and tomatoes. Saute, stirring for 5 minutes then add cilantro and hot sauce continuing to cook for another 2 minutes. Set aside. Put tortilla between two paper towels and microwave for one minute. Fill each tortilla with 1/4 cup chicken mixture and roll up tortilla. Place tortillas, seam sides down, in baking dish. Combine cream, sour cream and spoon sauce over tortillas. Top with cheese and Jalapeno wheels. Bake for 25- 30 minutes or until bubbly and starting to brown. Serve with sour cream, salsa and guacamole.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Casserole, Chicken, Easy recipes, family meals, Main Dish, Main Meal, Mexican, Weeknight dinner | Tagged Chicken, easy, Mexican, spicy
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