Easy recipes | Good Dinner Mrs Mellen

Tag: Easy recipes
- Chocolate Covered Easter Eggs
  
  Posted at 8:20 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Apr 4th
  These easy to make chocolate covered Easter Eggs will delight all your family members young and old alike. I sometimes omit the coconut and just make cream eggs and peanut butter. You can serve them plain or decorated with purchased sugar appliqués. However, you choose to embellish these candy eggs will be a big success.
  
  CHOCOLATE COVERED EASTER EGGS
  
  EGGS
  
  8 tablespoon butter softened
  
  4 cups confectioners sugar
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla
  
  3/4 cups sweetened condensed milk
  
  7 ounces sweetened coconut
  
  2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
  
  CHOCOLATE COATING
  
  1 package(12 ounces) Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
  
  6 tablespoon butter
  
  2 tablespoon heavy cream
  
  Sugar decorations
  
  Cream butter gradually with confectioners sugar. Add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Mix until combined. Divide sugar mixture in half adding coconut to one half and peanut butter to the other. Shape cream mixtures into small eggs. Place on wax paper
  
  Place chocolate and butter in a large glass bowl. Then, microwave one minute on high. The chocolate will look shiny; stir to combine butter. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring after each, until totally smooth. Chocolate continues to melt once you take it out of the microwave. If you microwave the chocolate until it looks completely melted, you risk burning the chocolate.
  
  Add cream to chocolate mixture until combined.
  
  Roll eggs in chocolate and place on wax paper. Don’t coat the underside of eggs. Use a small spatula to smooth out the chocolate and cover the eggs of the filing. Decorate. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. The eggs can be made ahead and frozen. Makes 36 eggs.
  
  Enjoy!
  Share this:
  Tweet
  Print
  Email
  Like this:
  Like Loading...
  Posted in Chocolate, Dessert, desserts, Easter Recipes, entertaining, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Holiday Celebrations | Tagged Chocolate easter eggs, Easy recipes, Ghirardelli Chocolate
- Baked Ziti with Ricotta and Sausage
  
  Posted at 10:38 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Mar 15th
  Pasta, a most versatile ingredient, is a perennial favorite in my cooking repertoire. Pasta dishes are easy to make, feed a large group, versatile, and delicious. Now that my husband and I are empty-nesters, I make this Baked Ziti on Sunday for dinner then I package into smaller size portions. I freeze for future dinners when I don’t have time to cook.
  
  If you don’t want to make your own sauce you can substitute a good store-bought prepared sauce, I would use two jars. Add sausage and simmer sauce for about 5 – 10 minutes. Then proceed with the remaining recipe.
  
  You can substitute vegan sausage for chicken and make the baked ziti vegetarian. Release your creativity when you cook and follow your instincts for delicious dinners to share with family and friends. All you need to add to this meal is a salad and freshly baked bread. Oh, and don’t forget the wine!
  
  Baked Ziti with Ricotta and Sausage
  
  1 package ( 5 sausages) Chicken or Vegetable sausages
  
  3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  
  4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  
  1 teaspoon dried oregano
  
  ½ teaspoon fennel seeds, coarsely crushed
  
  Pinch of red pepper flakes
  
  1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes with their juices
  
  1 (14-ounce) can crushed or strained tomatoes
  
  2 bay leaves
  
  Kosher salt
  
  1 package (1 pound) ziti pasta
  
  8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into bite-size pieces
  
  8 ounces whole-milk ricotta
  
  ⅓ cup grated Parmesan
  
  ¼ cup basil leaves
  
  Heat oven to 400 degrees. Remove the sausage from the refrigerator 10 – 15 minutes before cooking to remove the chill from the meat. Layer the baking pan with parchment paper and place sausage evenly on the cooking sheet. Place pan in the oven on the middle rack. Bake sausages for 20-25 minutes. Cool then slice into bite-size pieces.
  
  Lower oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Add garlic, oregano, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes, and cook for 2 minutes until garlic is translucent not browned.
  
  Stir in whole tomatoes and their juice, using a spoon to break them up. Add crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, and 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a simmer. Add sliced sausage and simmer for 10 minutes to thicken slightly. Remove bay leaf.
  
  Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.
  
  Place a 1/4 cup of tomato sauce in a large baking dish. This recipe layers the pasta with ricotta, tomato sauce, and mozzarella. First, arrange 1/3 of pasta then add 1/2 ricotta. Next place 1/3 tomato sauce over pasta and ricotta. Top with 1/3 mozzarella. The next layer will again be 1/3 pasta, 1/2 ricotta, 1/3 mozzarella, and 1/3 sauce. For the final layer complete by layering the remaining pasta, sauce and finish with mozzarella. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top, then transfer to oven. Bake until pasta is tender when poked with a fork, and cheese is bubbly and lightly golden 30 minutes. (If you’d like a more deeply browned topping, run the pan under the broiler for 1 or 2 minutes.) Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.
  
  Enjoy!
  Share this:
  Tweet
  Print
  Email
  Like this:
  Like Loading...
  Posted in Casserole, dinner, Easy recipes, entertaining, family meals, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Hearty Meal, Italian, Vegetarian | Tagged Baked Ziti, Easy entertaining, Easy recipes, Italian Food
- 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!
  Share this:
  Tweet
  Print
  Email
  Like this:
  Like Loading...
  Posted in Air Fryer, Appetizer, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Healthy, Italian, Vegetables, Vegetarian | Tagged Easy recipes, eggplant fries, Healthy, Phillips Air Fryer
- 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!
  Share this:
  Tweet
  Print
  Email
  Like this:
  Like Loading...
  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
  Share this:
  Tweet
  Print
  Email
  Like this:
  Like Loading...
  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
- Classic Roasted Marina Sauce
  
  Posted at 12:23 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jan 26th
  Growing up in an Italian-American family my relatives had strong opinions on making tomato sauce and many different methods. My Aunts would spend hours debating and comparing different sauce styles. I prefer the slow-roasting recipe that was used by my grandmother and mother. Roasting Marina Sauce creates a flavorful that is not acidic or bitter.
  
  I love San Manzano tomatoes, and I use certified tomatoes. San Manzano tomatoes, named after a region in Italy, are less acidic because of the soil in that region. There are many brands and I prefer Cento certified San Manzano tomatoes. Just a suggestion, you can use any brand that works for you.
  
  The recipe calls for the whole garlic bulb and roasting releases the garlic flavor without being bitter. Don’t shy away from the large quantity of garlic.
  
  I use this sauce over pasta and with any recipe that calls for Marina Sauce. And an added benefit is that the sauce freezes beautifully for future use.
  
  Classic Roasted Marinara Sauce
  
  ¼ cup olive oil
  
  1 head of garlic, cloves chopped
  
  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 tomatoes, Cento certified San Manzano
  
  ¼ cup torn basil leaves
  
  ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  
  Kosher salt
  
  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 and cook, stirring often until onion is translucent about 5 minutes.
  
  Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until slightly darkened, about 2 minutes.
  
  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 the pot. We don’t want to waist any delicious tomato juice: Season with salt.
  
  Transfer pot to oven; roast sauce, stirring halfway through, until thick and tomatoes are browned on top and around edges of the pot, 2–2½ hours.
  Let the sauce cool slightly. Pass through the large holes of a food mill or process in a food processor until mostly smooth. I like my sauce a little chunky. Taste and season with salt.
  
  Enjoy!
  Share this:
  Tweet
  Print
  Email
  Like this:
  Like Loading...
  Posted in Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Italian, Main Dish, pasta, Tomato | Tagged Cento San Marzano tomates, Easy recipes, marina sauce, tomato sauce
- Navy Bean Stew with Escarole and Olives
  
  Posted at 10:00 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jan 25th
  In New England where I have lived for over thirty years, winter is long, cold and snowy. I make hearty Stews and Soups that are easy and flavorful. Beans are a staple for many of my recipes as growing up in an Italian American family, my mother cooked with different beans for variety and taste. If you haven’t tried escarole in stews and soups I highly recommend this versatile lettuce. Bitter when eaten uncook but once cooked the taste is wonderful.
  
  We are now a family of two as my children are grown and no longer living with us. I freeze my stews and soups in individual servings for a quick lunch or dinner.
  
  Ingredients
  
  1 head of garlic, cloves separated
  
  6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  
  1 medium onion chopped
  
  1 small fennel bulb, chopped
  
  Kosher salt
  
  1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
  
  2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary
  
  ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for serving
  
  2 bay leaves
  
  2 cups dried navy beans, soaked overnight, drained
  
  2-ounce parmesan cheese rind*
  
  4 large sprigs basil, plus leaves for serving
  
  1 cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted, torn, plus 2 tablespoons brine
  
  1 head of escarole, leaves torn into 2-inch pieces
  
  3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  
  4 1-inch-thick slices country-style bread
  
  1/4 cup parmesan cheese
  
  Slice 1 garlic clove in half crosswise and set aside; chop the remaining garlic cloves. Heat 4 Tbsp. oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Cook garlic, stirring often, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add onion and fennel and season lightly with salt. Cook, stirring often until onion is translucent and fennel and onion are browned around the edges, 8–10 minutes. Add lemon zest, rosemary, and ¾ tsp. red pepper flakes and cook, stirring often, until rosemary is very fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add bay leaves, beans, and 8 cups water and bring to a simmer.
  
  Cover pot, reduce heat to low, and gently simmer stew until beans are creamy and tender all the way through, 60–70 minutes. Add basil sprigs, olives and brine to stew, then add escarole in batches, letting wilt slightly before adding more; simmer just until escarole is tender, about 3 minutes. (If stew is too thick, add more water to reach desired consistency.) Stir in lemon juice; taste and season with more salt if needed. Pluck out bay leaves; cover the pot and keep stew warm over low while you make the toast. Heat broiler. Drizzle 2 Tbsp. oil total over both sides of bread and place on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt. Broil until bread is golden and toasted, about 2 minutes per side. Let cool slightly, then rub with the cut sides of reserved garlic clove.
  
  To serve, slice toast in half and divide among shallow bowls; ladle stew over. Top with parmesan cheese, basil leaves, and more red pepper flakes and drizzle with oil. Do Ahead: Stew can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.
  
  *If you prefer a vegan stew omit the parmesan rine.
  
  Enjoy!
  
  Don’t you just love the name of this brand of beans?
  Share this:
  Tweet
  Print
  Email
  Like this:
  Like Loading...
  Posted in Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Healthy, light dinner, lunch, Stew, Vegetarian | Tagged Bean soup, Easy recipes, Healthy, Jack Rabbit Beans, vegetarian
- 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!
  Share this:
  Tweet
  Print
  Email
  Like this:
  Like Loading...
  Posted in Chicken, Easy recipes, entertaining, Food | Tagged Cornish Hens, Easy recipes, romantic dinner
- Hot Artichoke-Olive Dip
  
  Posted at 12:06 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Nov 10th
  Entertaining should be effortless and stress-free. The easiest method that I know to entertain and enjoy your guests is to plan ahead and choose food that can be prepared in advance leaving you free to enjoy your company. I have a repertoire of quick and easy appetizers to serve for family and friends.
  
  I belong to the Dedham Junior Women’s club; a hardworking group of fantastic women committed to making a difference. Our biggest annual fundraiser is a large artisan craft fair with over one hundred crafters. A very large event that we plan for during the year culminating on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. I am one of the Chairs and I host the meetings where I experiment with new recipes on my friends!
  
  They all agreed that my Hot Artichoke-Olive Dip was delicious!
  
  Hot Artichoke-Olive Dip
  
  1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  
  1 cup sour cream
  
  1/2 cup mayonnaise
  
  4 green onions, sliced
  
  3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  
  1 garlic clove, pressed
  
  2 teaspoons Herbs d’ Provence
  
  1/2 teaspoon crushed red peppers
  
  2 cups (8 oz.) Monterey Jack cheese
  
  1 (14-oz.) can medium-size artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
  
  1/2 cup pitted Castevetrano Italian olives, sliced
  
  Crackers and assorted fresh vegetables
  
  Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together first 8 ingredients and 1 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese. Fold in spinach and artichokes. Spoon into a lightly greased 1-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese.
  
  Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until the center is hot and edges are bubbly. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve with crackers and assorted vegetables.
  
  Enjoy!
  Share this:
  Tweet
  Print
  Email
  Like this:
  Like Loading...
  Posted in Appetizer, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen | Tagged artichoke dip, Easy recipes
- Farm Fresh Tomato Quiche
  
  Posted at 11:35 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Sep 2nd
  1 9-inch uncooked deep dish pie crust, frozen then thawed, refrigerated pie crust or homemade
  
  1/2 cup parmesan cheese
  
  1 cup mozzarella cheese
  
  15-20 large basil leaves, chopped, about 1/2 cup
  
  2 cups sliced petite multi-colored heirloom tomatoes, save a few to add last
  
  6 eggs
  
  1/2 cup milk, whole milk preferred
  
  1/2 cup cream
  
  1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  
  1/4 teaspoon pepper
  
  pinch of Pink Himalayan salt
  
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  
  In uncooked pie crust, evenly sprinkle half (1/4 cup) parmesan cheese in the bottom. Next, add tomatoes, saving a few to place on top of the pie. Place mozzarella cheese over tomatoes then add chopped basil.
  
  Top with remaining (1/4 cup) parmesan cheese over the tomato slices. Set aside.
  
  In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk, cream, garlic, salt, and pepper together. Pour into the pie crust. It should cover all ingredients and fill to the top of the crust. Place remaining tomatoes on top. Sprinkle with pink Himalayan salt.
  
  Place on a cookie sheet in case of spillage. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown and soft set.
  
  Let cool 5-10 minutes before serving.
  Share this:
  Tweet
  Print
  Email
  Like this:
  Like Loading...
  Posted in Easy recipes, eggs, Food, Pie, Tomato, Vegetarian | Tagged Easy recipes, Farm Fresh Tomatoe, quiche
← Older posts
- Search for:
- Recent Posts
- Categories
  - Food (138)
  - Good Dinner Mrs Mellen (128)
  - Easy recipes (82)
  - Vegetarian (59)
  - family meals (57)
  - Main Meal (47)
  - Main Dish (47)
  - Healthy (45)
  - entertaining (43)
  - Baking (39)

%d bloggers like this: