Hearty Meal | Good Dinner Mrs Mellen

Category: Hearty Meal
- 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
- BAKED RIGATONI WITH WHITE SAUCE AND MUSHROOMS
  
  Posted at 10:28 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Mar 17th
  In the winter I like to make hearty, flavorful meals that are quick and easy; especially living in New England where we have harsh winters. When the snow starts to fall, drifting against my front door I go to my pantry looking for pasta. Instead of Lasagna noodles, I used Rigatoni to make an easy Baked Rigatoni filled with mushrooms, cheeses and topped with a Bechamel sauce. This is a basic sauce white sauce that anyone can make. Don’t let the French name fool you. Make a large salad arranging tomatoes, cucumbers, on endive lettuce. Top with feta cheese. Pour a light light balsamic vinaigrette over the salad. Serve with crisp fresh bread. And don’t forget a glass of wine!
  
  Ingredients
  
  1 pound box DeCecco Rigatoni no.24
  
  2 1/2 cups whole milk
  
  5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  
  1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  
  2 teaspoon of sea salt
  
  1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  
  2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  
  8 ounces portobello mushrooms, sliced
  
  three leeks, thinly sliced
  
  1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  
  1 carton (8 ounces) whole milk ricotta
  
  8 ounces fresh mozzarella, divided in half.
  
  1/2 cup freshly ground Parmesan, plus 1 tablespoon
  
  Directions
  - Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  - Heat 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large (12-inch) saute pan. When the butter melts, add the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and they release some of their juices. Add sliced leeks and thyme. If the mushrooms are dry add another tablespoon oil. Saute for an additional 5 minutes to make sure leeks and mushrooms cook evenly Set aside.
  - In a small bowl combine ricotta, 1/2 mozzarella chopped and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. Set aside until assembly.
  - Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt. Add the rigatoni and cook for 14 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside.
  - For the white sauce, bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan. Set aside. Melt 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) of the butter in a large saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture all at once. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring first with the wooden spoon and then with a whisk, for 3 to 5 minutes, until thick. Set aside off the heat.
  - To assemble the baked rigatoni, spread some of the sauce in the bottom of an 8 x 10 baking dish. I used a Le Creuset dutch oven. Arrange a layer of noodles on top, then 1/2 cheese mixture topped with1/2 of the mushrooms, then sauce. Repeat 1 more time, layering noodles, cheese, mushrooms, and sauce. Top with a final layer of noodles and sauce, remaining mozzarella, sliced and sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon Parmesan. Add a touch of nutmeg on top.
  - Bake the lasagna for 45 minutes, or until the top is browned the sauce is bubbly and hot. Allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes and serve hot.
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Casserole, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Hearty Meal, Main Dish, Main Meal, pasta, Vegetarian | Tagged BAKED RIGATONI, DECECCO RIGATONI, Easy recipe, Hearty Meal, WHITE SAUCE
- Baked Penne with Pomodoro Sauce
  
  Posted at 9:51 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Feb 10th
  Some days when the wind is cold and biting with no sun in sight I know making a hearty pasta dish is just perfect comfort food for dinner. All the ingredients for my Baked Penne I purchased at Trader Joe’s except I made my own Pomodoro sauce. Trader Joe’s has a tasty prepared Pomodoro sauce which will cut down the time to make an easy home-cooked meal. Put the casserole together the night before and bake for dinner the next day. Delicious, easy and a quick home-cooked meal!
  
  1 pound penne pasta, cooked according to package directions
  
  8 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese
  
  8 ounces Burrata mozzarella, two balls chopped
  
  1/4 cup parmesan cheese
  
  2 teaspoon dry oregano
  
  Pomodoro Sauce* or Trader Joe’s Rustico
  
  8 ounce cooked chicken sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick
  
  Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine ricotta, 1/2 burrata, parmesan cheese, oregano in a medium-size bowl. Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain and set aside. Place 1/4 cup of Pomodoro sauce at the bottom of the baking dish(13-inch x 9-inch). Add half penne to baking dish over sauce. Top with cheese mixture, layer with 1/2 remaining sauce, penne and top with rest of sauce. Finish with remaining Burrata. Bake 35- 40 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbling.
  
  *Pomodoro Sauce
  
  1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  
  1 medium onion, minced
  
  4 garlic cloves, minced
  
  1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
  
  1 28 ounce can pureed Pomodoro tomatoes
  
  1/2 cup red wine
  
  Kosher salt
  
  3 large fresh basil sprigs
  
  In a saucepan over medium heat saute onion and garlic in oil for two minutes. Add red pepper flakes, tomatoes and wine. Cook for 5 minutes. Add salt, basil and sliced sausage. Simmer for ten minutes.
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Casserole, Easy recipes, family meals, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Hearty Meal, Main Dish, Main Meal, pasta, Weeknight dinner | Tagged easy meal, family meal, pasta, quick meal, Sausage, Trader Joe's
- Hearty Beef Stew with Beets and Carrots
  
  Posted at 10:55 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jan 12th
  New England winters are cold, snowy, and harsh! I love to embrace the weather with an old fashioned stick to your bones, comfort food; my remedy for enjoying the winter season. My beef stew is a twist on the traditional recipe, I add beets instead of potatoes. Beets are full of nutritional and add deep red color to the stew. If beets aren’t to your liking you can substitute potatoes. I suggest you give the beets a try, you will be surprised by how delicious and tasty beets are in the stew. Beef tenderloin, so flavorful, adds a company-worthy touch to this stew. As an accompaniment to the stew I toss a beautiful salad( I like arugula)*, add freshly baked bread and a bottle rich red wine for an elegant, easy company dinner. I set my table with an eclectic assortment of dishes and glasses, light tapered and votive candles, dim the dining room chandelier and build a roaring fire. Then I can sit and enjoy entertaining friends for dinner rather than spending time in the kitchen. The stew can be made a day ahead and gently warmed before serving.
  
  2 pounds beef tenderloin, cut 1-inch cubes
  
  Flour (for dredging)
  
  2 tablespoons butter
  
  2 tablespoons oil
  
  4 cloves garlic, minced
  
  2 shallots, chopped
  
  2 cups dry red wine
  
  2 cups beef stock
  
  2 cups homemade tomato sauce
  
  4 sprigs of fresh thyme
  
  1 bay leaf
  
  1 onion peeled and studded with 4 cloves
  
  3 red beets, peeled and sliced
  
  2 cups of baby carrots, sliced
  
  1 cup fennel, thinly sliced
  
  Salt and ground black pepper
  
  1/2 cup chopped parsley
  
  Preheat oven 400F. Dredge meat in flour. Melt butter and oil in a large pot. Cook the beef to rare, remove from pot. And set aside. Cook garlic and onions in the pot until translucent, don’t brown.
  
  Add wine, and beef stock to the pan, scrape up any pieces stuck to the bottom. Add tomato sauce, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 1/2 hour.
  
  Add beef, onion, beets, carrots, fennel. Cover and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Toss with parsley and serve.
  
  *Arugula Salad
  
  1/2 pound fresh arugula (3 large bunches)
  
  Lemon Vinaigrette:
  
  1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (two lemons)
  
  1/2 cup olive oil
  
  1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  
  1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  
  1/4-pound piece Parmesan cheese
  
  Cut off stems of arugula. Wash by filling the sink with cold water and toss for the arugula for a few minutes. Spin-dry the leaves and place them in a large bowl.
  
  In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pour enough dressing to moisten arugula. Toss well and place on individual salad plates.
  
  Use a cheese knife or vegetable peeler to shave the parmesan into large shards and arrange on the arugula.
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Hearty Meal, Main Dish, Main Meal, Stew | Tagged beef stew, beets, company dinner, Easy recipe, Make ahead, wine
- Brussels Sprouts Apple Salad with Pistachios and Shaved Parmesan Cheese
  
  Posted at 6:19 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Nov 8th
  Brussels Sprouts that neglected and shy little bulbs have become trendy – the darling of the vegetable world. Healthy, tasty, versatile, a chameleon, changing depending on the pairing – never boring or the same. Steamed, baked, roasted, raw in a salad your choices of preparation are endless. For a deliciously healthy autumn salad, I love fresh raw Brussels Sprouts combined with apples, pistachios and shaved parmesan cheese- dressed with a light lemon vinaigrette.
  
  Brussels Sprouts Apple Salad with Pistachios and Shaved Parmesan Cheese
  
  4 cups thinly sliced Brussels Sprouts
  
  2 Granny Smith Apples, chopped
  
  1/2 cup chopped unsalted pistachios
  
  1/4 cup shaved Parmesan Cheese
  
  Lemon Vinaigrette
  
  3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  
  1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
  
  2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  
  1 teaspoon dried oregano
  
  1 clove garlic, minced
  
  1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  
  1/4 teaspoon fresh grounded black pepper
  
  1/2 cup olive oil
  
  Combine Brussels Sprouts, apples, pistachios and cheese in a bowl. Toss with lemon vinaigrette. (If you prefer you can serve vinaigrette on the side.) I like my salad lightly dressed. Refrigerate remanding vinaigrette for up to two weeks.
  
  Lemon Vinaigrette: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Healthy, Hearty Meal, light dinner, lunch, Salad, Vegetables | Tagged apples, Brussels Sprouts, Healthy, pistachios, salad
- Quick and Easy Pasta Fagioli
  
  Posted at 1:31 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Oct 13th
  Traditional Pasta Fagioli is made with a pork product such as pancetta, ham or pigs’ feet(old-time Italian) but growing up my mother always made meatless Pasta Fagioli on Fridays. I have fond memories of eating Pasta Fagioli on crisp fall nights before rushing off to a Friday night football game. Over the years I have added my own touches to my mother’s Pasta Fagioli to make it an easy totally vegetarian meal.
  
  Pasta Fagioli
  
  1 cup chopped shallots
  
  3 cloves garlic, crushed
  
  2 tablespoon olive oil
  
  3/4 cup dry white wine
  
  2 (16 oz) cans vegetarian baked beans, Bushes
  
  1 can (8 oz) no salt Tomato Sauce Hunts
  
  1 can (15.5 oz) Garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained, Goya
  
  1 can (14 oz) vegetable broth
  
  1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  
  1 cup dried ditali pasta
  
  1/4 cup snipped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried basil
  
  1 tablespoon snipped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  
  1. In large pot cook shallots, garlic and olive over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  
  2. Sir in wine, baked beans, garbanzo beans, vegetable broth, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil: reduce heat. Simmer, covered for 20 minutes.
  
  3. Cook, pasta al dente(firm but not hard), drain. Stir cooked pasta, basil, oregano into bean mixture. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Make 4-6 servings. Serve with fresh grated Parmesan cheese on top.
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Hearty Meal, lunch, Main Dish, Stew, Vegetarian | Tagged Beans & macaroni, Bushes bean, easy, Goya beans, Hunts Tomato Sauce, lunch
- Turkey Porcini Lasagna
  
  Posted at 12:04 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Sep 30th
  Turkey Porcini Lasagna
  
  I adapted this recipe to use turkey ground meet and turkey sausage. The sauce is very flavorful and the vegetables add a wonderful richness. I like to make a large pan of Lasagna and cut into serving pieces and freeze. You can make the Bolognese sauce a day ahead or freeze until you are ready to make the lasagna. In fact I make soups, chilies, sauce with meatballs, and more in large quantities and freeze. I always have something ready for dinner even if I don’t have time to make a meal. Give this recipe a try for a large group or make to freeze into individual serving sizes.
  
  Bolognese (Turkey) Sauce
  
  I wanted to make a “meat” sauce that tasted wonderful but didn’t use red meat to cut down on fat and calories. I used ground turkey and turkey sausage to make this flavorful sauce. And the sauce is EASY to make!
  
  1/2 lb. Italian sausage, remove casings
  
  1/2 lb. ground turkey
  
  1 cup chopped onion(1 large)
  
  1/2 cup finely chopped carrot (1 medium)
  
  1/2 cup chopped green pepper(1 small)
  
  1/4 cup chopped celery
  
  4 cloves garlic, minced
  
  1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  
  1 6-ounce can tomato paste
  
  1/2 cup dry red wine or chicken broth
  
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  
  1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  
  1/2 cup whole milk
  
  1/4 cup fresh basil
  
  2 tablespoons snipped fresh oregano
  
  In a 4-quart Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground turkey, carrot, sweet pepper, celery, and garlic over medium-high heat until meat is good and onion is tender, using a wooden spoon to break up meat as it cooks. Drain off fat.(using lean turkey you don’t have much fat)
  
  Stir in tomatoes, tomato past, wine, salt and black pepper. Bring to boiling: reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in milk, basil, and oregano.
  
  Lasagna
  
  Porcini Filling
  
  15 dried lasagna
  
  1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  
  Italian parsley (optional)
  
  Porcini Filling
  
  1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
  
  4 cloves garlic minced
  
  3 tablespoon butter
  
  3 tablespoon flour
  
  1 1/2 cup whole milk
  
  1/2 cup dry white wine
  
  1 15 ounce carton ricotta cheese
  
  1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  
  1/4 cup snipped Italian parsley
  
  1/4 cup snipped fresh basil
  
  Make Porcini filling: Place mushrooms in a small bowl adding enough boiling water to cover. Let stand for 10 minutes; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again. Chop mushrooms set aside. In a large saucepan heat butter saute garlic for about 30 seconds. Stir in flour until combined. Slowly stir in milk and wine. Cook and stir until thick. Remover from heat. Stir in mushrooms, ricotta, Parmesan cheese, parsley and basil.
  
  Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Pre heat oven to 350 F. Use a 14 x 11 inch baking dish. Spread 1 cup of the meat sauce on bottom of baking dish. Top with three noodles and 2 cups of meat sauce. Top with three more noodles and half of Porcini filling. Repeat layering noodles, meat sauce, noodles and Porcini filling. Top with remaining three noodles and meat sauce.
  
  Cover lasagna with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake for an additional 20 to 30 minutes more. Let stank for 20 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley (optional)
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Food, Hearty Meal, Main Dish, Main Meal, pasta | Tagged family meal, turkey lasagna
- Slow Cooked Chicken Casserole
  
  Posted at 1:36 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Sep 27th
  SLOW COOKED CHICKEN CASSEROLE
  
  September is here and fall is in the air in New England. Mornings are cool and leaves are turning burnished shades of autumn. Time to pull out the warm sweaters for a brisk walk in the woods. Summer meals are replaced with hearty casseroles flagrantly scented with fresh herbs still flourishing in the garden. I made this chicken casserole in a low oven and you could use a slow cooker too. Either method produces tender chicken that just pulls away from the bone, melting in your mouth!
  
  6 pounds of mixed chicken pieces, breasts, legs, and thighs.
  
  2 tablespoon olive oil
  
  1 large onion chopped
  
  4 cloves garlic minced
  
  8 ounces sliced mushrooms
  
  1 tablespoon minced rosemary
  
  1 tablespoon minced thyme
  
  1 teaspoon kosher salt
  
  1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  
  1 cup dry white wine
  
  2 tablespoon flour
  
  Preheat over to 275 F. Heat oil in a pan to high. Add chicken pieces searing to brown on each side. One browned remove chicken placing in dutch over. I love Le Creuset from France. Expensive yet so worth the price as they cook food beautifully and last forever. Cook onion in the pan until translucent. Add garlic; cook for a few minutes then add mushrooms stirring until juices evaporate. Add rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper combine for a minute before adding wine. Bring to boil then simmer adding flour mixing to thicken the sauce. Pour over chicken in the dutch oven and slow cook for two and a half hours.
  
  You can make this ahead the day before and warm up to eat.
  
  Serve with rice or butter noodles.
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Casserole, Chicken, Easy recipes, family meals, Food, Hearty Meal, Main Dish, Main Meal, slow cooker, Weeknight dinner | Tagged chicken. casserole, Easy recipes, family meal, le creuset, Mushrooms
- Baked Eggplant Parmesan
  
  Posted at 4:17 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Sep 20th
  Autumn quietly arrives in New England – crisp mornings turn into warm sunny afternoons with the glorious fall sun setting a few minutes earlier each day: Farmers markets stocked with the last of nature’s bounty before the first frost ends harvesting. Beautiful plump eggplant beckons me as I fill my market basket with copious quantities perfect to make my Baked Eggplant Parmesan. Coming from a long line of Italian cooks I’ve eaten and made this southern Italian dish my entire life. Like my mother I don’t fry my eggplant – I prefer to bake – forgoing the extra fat from frying. And I’ve updated the recipe using Panko bread crumbs for a lighter breading. I love to taste the eggplant, not the breading. One more item – I only use San Marzano tomatoes. I like my sauce sweeter with less acidity. The San Marzano variety of plum tomato grows in the rich volcanic soil of the Sarno River valley, near Mount Vesuvius, resulting in a sweet flesh with low acidity. Its thick skin makes it easy to peel off. Plus, it’s meatier than Romas and other plums and has fewer seeds: all good things for making the sauce. Like French Champagne, San Marzano tomatoes are grown under strict rules designed to protect and promote regional agricultural products. In Italy, D.O.P. or Denominazione di Origine Protetta rules ensure that only growers within a defined area adhering to specific farming and canning methods can sell tomatoes labeled San Marzano. I assure you the extra cost is worth producing the most delectable sauce for all your cooking dishes that require canned tomatoes.
  
  BAKED EGGPLANT PARMESAN
  
  INGREDIENTS
  
  Marinara
  
  ¼ cup olive oil
  
  1 head of garlic, cloves crushed
  
  1 large red onion, chopped
  
  ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  
  1 tablespoon tomato paste
  
  ¼ cup dry white wine
  
  2 28-ounce cans whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes *
  
  ¼ cup torn basil leaves
  
  ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  
  Kosher salt
  
  Eggplant and Assembly
  
  4 pounds Italian eggplants (about 4 medium), peeled, sliced lengthwise ½–¾ inch thick
  
  Kosher salt
  
  3 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
  
  1½ teaspoon dried oregano
  
  1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  
  1½ cups finely grated Parmesan, divided
  
  1½ cups all-purpose flour
  
  5 large eggs, beaten to blend
  
  ½ cup finely chopped basil and parsley, plus basil leaves for serving
  
  6 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, grated (about 1⅓ cups)
  
  8 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
  Marinara
  
  Preheat oven to 350°. Heat oil in a large heavy ovenproof pot over medium. Cook garlic, stirring often, until golden, about 4 minutes. Add onion and red pepper flakes, cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste stirring until combined. Add wine, bring to a boil, and cook until almost completely evaporated about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, breaking up with your hands, and their juices; add basil and oregano and stir to combine. Swirl 1½ cups water into one tomato can, then the other, to rinse, and add to pot; season with salt. Simmer for 2–2½ hours stirring occasionally.
  
  Let the sauce cool slightly. Pass through the large holes of a food mill or process in a food processor until mostly smooth. Taste and season with salt.
  
  Do Ahead: Sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.
  Eggplant and Assembly
  
  Lightly season eggplant slices all over with salt; place in a single layer on several layers of paper towels inside a rimmed baking sheet. Top with another layer of paper towels and more slices; repeat as needed. Top with a final layer of paper towels. Let the eggplant sit until it has released excess liquid, 45–60 minutes. This step gives the eggplant a creamy texture when baked.
  
  Meanwhile, pulse panko, oregano, pepper, and ¾ cup Parmesan in a food processor until very finely ground. Transfer to a shallow bowl.
  
  Preheat oven to 350°. Place flour in another shallow bowl and eggs in a third shallow bowl. Working one at a time, dredge eggplant slices in flour, then dip in egg, allowing excess to drip off. Coat in breadcrumbs, packing all around, then shaking off excess. I don’t fry my eggplant instead I bake. Place eggplant on parchment-lined cookie sheet baking for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned.
  
  Toss chopped herbs, low-moisture mozzarella, and remaining ¾ cup Parmesan in a medium bowl. Spread 1 cup sauce over the bottom of a 13×9″ baking pan; top with a layer of eggplant slices. Drizzle 1 cup sauce over and sprinkle with one-third of cheese mixture. Add another layer of eggplant, followed by 1 cup sauce and half of the remaining cheese mixture. Repeat layers with remaining slices, sauce, and cheese mixture. Cover with foil and bake 45–60 minutes until the sauce starts to bubble.
  
  Remove from oven and arrange fresh mozzarella over eggplant. Increase oven temperature to 425° and bake, uncovered, until cheese is bubbling and browned in spots, 15–20 minutes longer. Let rest 30 minutes. Top with basil leaves just before slicing.
  
  Do Ahead: Eggplant Parmesan can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool; cover with foil and chill. Reheat in a 350° oven, uncovering halfway through, until bubbling gently at edges.
  
  * I used Cento San Marzano tomatoes.
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Farm Fresh Produce, Food, Hearty Meal, vegetable bake | Tagged Cento San Marzano tomates, Eggplant, Parmesan
- Chicken, Mushroom and Wine Casserole
  
  Posted at 1:18 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  May 20th
  Chicken, Mushroom and Wine Casserole
  
  I love to 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 of split chicken breast
  
  salt and pepper
  
  2 tablespoons olive oil
  
  8-ounce sliced mushrooms
  
  1 leek, thinly sliced, 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 the stove and place it 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
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