Vegetables | Good Dinner Mrs Mellen

Category: Vegetables
- Farm Fresh Grilled Vegetables
  
  Posted at 10:00 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jun 20th
  My town like many towns has a wonderful weekly farmer’s market each week where local farms sell fresh produce. Beautiful ripe heirloom tomatoes glistening with morning dew, the deepest aubergine eggplant, plump zucchini along with a red, orange, and yellow peppers just beckoning to be grilled.
  
  3 red peppers
  
  3 orange peppers
  
  3 yellow peppers
  
  2 large eggplants
  
  2 large zucchinis
  
  1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  
  1/4 teaspoon fresh pepper
  
  1/2 cup olive oil
  
  1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  
  1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
  
  1 tablespoon fresh french thyme, finely chopped
  
  Remove stems and seeds from peppers then slice in quarters. Slice eggplant and zucchini horizontally. Place vegetables in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine olive oil, lemon juice, basil, and thyme. Pour over vegetables then toss. Let sit for 30 minutes to marinate flavors. Preheat grill. Grill vegetables turning every five minutes until tender. Arrange on a platter. Serve at room temperature. You can grill a day ahead and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Barbecue, vegetables,easy,, Farm Fresh Produce, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, summertime recipes, vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Tagged Easy recipe, farm fresh, Father's day, Grilled vegetables
- Mediterranean Potato Salad
  
  Posted at 7:33 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jun 7th
  Bright, colorful, farm-fresh vegetables make the most beautifully inviting salads that look beautiful and taste fantastic! I love multicolor petite potatoes, deep purple is my favorite color. Traditional mayonnaise-based potato salad is a classic staple in my summer salad repertoire that I will continue to make for summer gatherings. These past few years, I have added a light Mediterranean potato salad with my new favorite potatoes.
  
  Mediterranean Potato Salad
  
  1 package(1 pound) baby gourmet potatoes
  
  1 bunch scallions, chopped
  
  1/2 cup kalamata olives
  
  1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
  
  1/2 cup olive oil
  
  1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
  
  1 clove garlic, crushed
  
  1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  
  1/4 teaspoon pepper
  
  2 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
  
  1/4 cup crumbled feta
  
  Place potatoes in a pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft when pierced by a knife.
  
  Drain and cool potatoes in a colander, then cut potatoes in half and place in a bowl. Add scallions, olives, and tomatoes.
  
  In a glass jar, combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper. Shake or stir to combine. Pour half of the dressing over the potatoes. Refrigerate remaining dressing for up to one week. It is a tasty salad dressing.
  
  Toss potatoes. Top with chopped basil and feta cheese. Toss again. Refrigerate until serving. It can be made a day ahead.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Mediterranean diet, Potatoes, Salad, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Tagged easy summer salads, Feta Cheese, kalamata olives, mediterranean, potato salad
- Asparagus and Leek Goat Cheese Quiche
  
  Posted at 11:35 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Apr 27th
  Springtime in New England our markets are bursting with fresh asparagus, which is one of my favorite veggies. I love to combine asparagus with leeks then flavor with thyme and lemon. I used this combination to make this rich goat cheese quiche. A wonderfully easy dish, I used store-bought piecrust, saving time, and cleanup while maintaining the rich fresh favor.
  
  Asparagus Leek and Goat Cheese Quiche
  
  1 (14.1-oz.) pkg. refrigerated piecrusts
  
  2 tablespoon olive oil
  
  2 cups thinly sliced leeks
  
  1 chopped shallot
  
  1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces)
  
  1/2 kosher salt
  
  1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  
  1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  
  1 whole milk
  
  1/2 heavy cream
  
  4 large eggs
  
  4 oz crumbled goat cheese tablespoons
  
  1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
  
  1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  
  1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  
  1/2 teaspoon pepper
  
  1 tablespoon lemon zest
  
  Preheat oven to 425°F.
  
  Unroll piecrust; stack on a lightly floured surface. Roll stacked piecrust into a 12-inch circle. Fit piecrust into a 10-inch deep-dish pie plate or a lightly greased tart pan with removable bottom; press into fluted edges. Flute and pitch if using a pie plate. Trim off excess piecrust along edges if using a tart pan.
  
  Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Add leeks, shallots, asparagus, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and cool 5 minutes. Reserve 10-12 asparagus spears for decoration.
  
  Whisk together eggs, milk, cream, nutmeg, goat cheese, mozzarella, salt, pepper and lemon zest
  
  Spoon asparagus mixture in the prepared pie dish. Gently add egg mixture. Arrange reserved asparagus spears on top. Bake in the preheated oven until set, about 45-50 minutes, covering with foil to prevent excess browning if necessary. Cool on baking sheet on a wire rack 20 minutes before serving.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, eggs, family meals, Farm Fresh Produce, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Hearty Meal, Springtime, vegetable bake, Vegetables, Vegetarian, Weeknight dinner
- Baked Stuffed Eggplant
  
  Posted at 12:05 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Apr 24th
  Eggplant is so versatile. I grew up in an Italian American family where my mother cooked eggplant regularly. In the summer she used freshly picked eggplant from my grandparent’s bountiful garden. In addition to the traditional Eggplant Parmesan, my mother used eggplant creatively. We had roasted eggplant, in ratatouille, baked, all dishes that she just “threw together”. Her words, not mine. All equally outstanding!
  
  I like to make baked stuff eggplant, hollowing out the soft meat, and using it as the base for the stuffing. Every time I make stuffed eggplant I tend to change the filling for a new adventure with eggplant. The recipe below is my Italian version of baked stuffed eggplant; olive, artichokes, capers, and mozzarella cheese. I love to experiment!
  
  1 large eggplant
  
  2 tablespoon olive oil
  
  1 shallot, chopped
  
  2 cloves garlic, chopped
  
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  
  1/4 teaspoon pepper
  
  1 tablespoon capers
  
  1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives
  
  1 can(14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
  
  1/4 cup plain panko bread crumbs
  
  1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  
  1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
  
  4 oz. fresh mozzarella sliced 1/8 inch thick
  
  2 tablespoon parmesan cheese
  
  Preheat oven to 350F.
  
  Cut the eggplant in half and scoop out the center, leaving enough meat inside the skin so that it holds its shape when baked. Chop the removed eggplant meat into cubes.
  
  In a medium pan heat olive oil. Add shallot and garlic, saute for 5 minutes until the shallot is translucent. Add eggplant meat, season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking on medium for 5- 10 minutes. Stir while the eggplant cooks making sure it doesn’t stick to the pan. The eggplant should become soft but not browned. Add capers, olives, and artichoke hearts and cook for another 5 minutes.
  
  Remove from heat. Add panko breadcrumbs and herbs to eggplant mixture, stir until combined. Fill bottom eggplant shell with 1/2 of the cooked eggplant meat. Layer half of the sliced mozzarella. Add remaining eggplant meat and then the remaining mozzarella. Place eggplant top over and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
  
  If you want you can also divide eggplant meat equally between the top and bottom eggplant shells. Top each eggplant with half of the mozzarella and sprinkle with parmesan. Bake for 50 minutes. Mozzarella cheese should be melted.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Eggplant, Farm Fresh Produce, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Italian, vegetable bake, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Tagged Baked Eggplant, easy, Side dish
- Veggie Pasta
  
  Posted at 12:49 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Apr 23rd
  While my husband and I have been social distancing during the pandemic, running out on a whim to purchase ingredients or locating specific products has been challenging. Instead I’ve been creative using what I have on hand to make dinner. I love to cook so I usually have certain stables in the pantry and garlic, shallots, olives are a necessity in my kitchen. If you stock your pantry with canned tomatoes, artichokes, olives, olive oil, pasta, and have garlic, shallots, or onions on hand, a meal is easy to put together without running to the store.
  
  I also like to keep a few Asian ingredients for a quick easy meal but my repertoire isn’t very extensive. I realized during this time of social distancing that although I love Asian dishes we normally go out to a restaurant for Thai or Chinese food. Take out is an option, which we have tried during the pandemic. Now I want to expand my cooking and include more healthy Asian dishes. I love cooking with fresh veggies. I look forward to this new cooking adventure. Who knew that after all these years I could find more outlets for my cooking skills.
  
  My favorite weekday meal requirements are simple: flavorful, easy, and little clean-up, two dirty pan limit! And my Veggie pasta is perfect!
  
  2 tablespoons olive oil
  
  4 cloves garlic, minced
  
  1 large shallot, chopped
  
  1 can(14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, no salt. I like Hunts tomatoes
  
  1/2 cup dry white wine
  
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  
  1/4 crushed red pepper
  
  1/2 can(14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained and sliced in quarters
  
  1/2 cup Castelvetrano Italian olives, I love Mezzetta olives
  
  1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
  
  4 oz fresh mozzarella, chopped
  
  1/2 box thin spaghetti
  
  Heat olive oil in a medium pan. Add garlic and shallot, saute for 5 minutes until the shallot is translucent. Add diced tomatoes, and wine. Season with salt and red pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add artichokes hearts, olives, and basil. Simmer for 5 minutes
  
  While the tomato mixture is simmering, cook spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain and put in large bowl
  
  Add mozzarella to the tomato mixture cooking just until the cheese starts to melt. Remove from heat and toss with spaghetti.
  
  Serve with fresh Parmesan Cheese.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Easy recipes, family meals, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Hearty Meal, Italian, Main Dish, Main Meal, Mediterranean diet, Tomato, Vegetables, Vegetarian, Weeknight dinner | Tagged cheese, Easy recipes, pasta, quick meal, Veggie Pasta
- Air Fryer Eggplant Fries with Marinara Sauce
  
  Posted at 10:02 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Mar 8th
  I am normally not a gadget person when it comes to cooking, My Phillips Air Fryer changed my perception of cooking appliances. I use my air fryer so often that it has become a cooking stable in my repertoire of recipes.
  
  Eggplant is a favorite vegetable from my childhood. My mother, if you follow my blog you know she is my soul and inspiration as a cook, used eggplant repeatedly when she cooked. Not just to make traditional Eggplant Parmesan but in a variety of interesting dishes that she served to her family.
  
  I combined using my air fryer with my love of eggplant to create Eggplant fries. Served with my quick marinara sauce for a delicious appetizer or side dish.
  
  Eggplant Fries
  
  1 large eggplant
  
  1/2 cup flour
  
  2 eggs, lightly beaten
  
  2 Tbs. water
  
  1 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
  
  1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  
  Preheat air-fryer to 375F. Coat fryer basket with cooking spray.
  
  Cut eggplant in half lengthwise. Slice into 2 inch long strips. Place it in a colander, sprinkle generously with salt (don’t worry, you’ll be rinsing most of it off before you cook it) and let it sit for about an hour. Before using, thoroughly rinse the eggplant and pat dry.
  
  Put the flour into a shallow bowl. Stir together eggs and watering another shallow bowl. Put panko and parmesan cheese in a third shallow bowl. Dredge eggplant in flour and then in egg and then in pinko-cheese, shaking off the excess. Arrange half of eggplant or third if using a small air-fryer in the prepared basket. Coat with cooking spray.
  
  Cook 10-12 minutes, turning once until eggplant is golden and crispy. Repeat with remaining eggplant.
  
  Serve with Marinara Sauce.
  
  Quick Marinara Sauce
  
  1 28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes, I love certified D.O.P.
  
  ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  
  7 garlic cloves, peeled and slivered
  
  pinch crushed red pepper flakes
  
  1 teaspoon sea salt
  
  1 large fresh basil sprig, or 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  
  Pour tomatoes into a large bowl and crush with your hands. Pour 1 cup water into can and slosh it around to get tomato juices. Reserve.
  
  In a large skillet (do not use a deep pot) over medium heat, heat the oil. When it is hot, add garlic.
  
  As soon as garlic is sizzling (do not let it brown or garlic will become bitter), add the tomatoes, then the reserved tomato water. Add whole chile or red pepper flakes, and salt. Stir.
  
  Simmer sauce until thickened, about 15 minutes. Place basil sprig, including stem on the surface. Let it wilt, then submerge in sauce and simmer the sauce for an additional 5 minutes. Discard basil and chile (if using).
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Air Fryer, Appetizer, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Healthy, Italian, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Tagged Easy recipes, eggplant fries, Healthy, Phillips Air Fryer
- Aunt Ann Marie’s Baked Stuffed Potatoes
  
  Posted at 11:45 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 21st
  I remember the first time I helped my Aunt Anna Marie makes these richly flavorful potatoes. I was a young girl and she was having a large family party for one hundred people and she gave me the job of making the baked stuffed potatoes. Aunt Anna Marie was a wonderful cook, she used no recipes just cooking by experience and instinct.
  
  Aunt Anna Marie was an Italian war bride so following Italian tradition we cooked in her basement kitchen since the main kitchen immaculately perfect and was never used; just for show. As she busied herself preparing the more important entrees occasionally she would check my progress with the potatoes instructing me to add a little of this, a pinch of that. I loved every minute of cooking with my aunt. And I was one of her favorite helpers.
  
  After I had a home I added Aunt Anna Marie’s baked stuffed potatoes to my repertoire. One Christmas Eve I made her potatoes for my family and continued the tradition throughout the years. Preparing her potatoes for our Christmas eve dinner I am flooded with wonderful back memories of helping my Aunt Anna Marie so many years ago.
  
  Enjoy!
  
  four large russet potatoes, scrubbed
  
  1/4 cup butter, melted
  
  1/2 cup half and half
  
  1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus 1/2 cup for sprinkling
  
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  
  1/8 teaspoon pepper
  
  2 teaspoon paprika
  
  Slit potatoes on the side, but not all the way through. Bake potatoes in the microwave on potato setting. Or bake in a 350 F oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool 2 minutes. Slice potatoes in half and gently scoop out the potatoes leaving a little potato attached to the skin. Be careful not to break the skin, leave the potato skin for the shell.
  
  Bake at 350 F for 20 – 30 minutes until golden brown.
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Potatoes, Vegetables | Tagged Baked stuffed Potatoes
- 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
- 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. Pre-heat Air Fryer at 400 F for 10 minutes. 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
- Bake Tomato Casserole
  
  Posted at 9:39 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Sep 14th
  I love locally grown tomatoes. Farm fresh tomatoes taste wonderfully alive with flavor and bright with color. You can see and taste the difference. I am fortunate that the town that I live in has a summer farmers market and I have generous friends that share their bountiful produce. Lately, I’ve been seeing a rainbow of color tomatoes from golden yellow to deep purple come to market which makes a beautiful colorful tomato casserole.
  
  I serve this casserole as a side dish with dinner or for lunch with a salad and crisp fresh bread.
  
  3 cups assorted cherry tomatoes
  
  2 tablespoon olive oil
  
  1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
  
  1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  
  1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, basil, rosemary, and french thyme
  
  Preheat oven to 350F. Place tomatoes, olives, and herbs in a bowl, gently toss to combine. Transfer tomato mixture to a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.
  
  Bake for 20-25 minutes until tomatoes are bubbling and topping is golden brown.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, lunch, Side dish, Tomato, vegetable bake, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Tagged easy, farm fresh tomato, quick, tomato bake, tomato casserole
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