easy | Good Dinner Mrs Mellen

Tag: easy
- Sunday Best Roasted Chicken
  
  Posted at 12:19 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Feb 23rd
  Lazy Sundays are perfect for cooking wonderful family meals. Sunday dinner, a tradition in our home, has all our family coming together to enjoy sharing time and food as a family once again. I learned to cook form my mother who masterfully created a different feast every Sunday. In our Italian American family, we honored the tradition of large family Sunday dinners. My life busy lifestyle is drastically different from my mother’s but I enjoy, like she, leisurely Sundays preparing a bountiful meal without hurrying through the preparation.
  
  Roasted Chicken is easy to create with many different seasonings that bring out the flavor of the chicken. I love to experiment with different ways to make a whole chicken from marinating to roasting. However, you choose to cook a whole chicken to be creative and have fun!
  
  Perfect Roasted Chicken
  
  1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
  
  Kosher salt
  
  1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
  
  1 lemon, halved
  
  1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
  
  2 olive oil
  
  2 teaspoon ground sage
  
  2 teaspoon ground thyme
  
  1 teaspoon salt
  
  1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  
  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
  
  Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt inside out of the chicken.
  
  Place on a large plate cover and refrigerate overnight. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Put the chicken in a roasting pan. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic.
  
  Brush the outside of the chicken with olive oil, sprinkle sage, thyme, salt, and pepper over chicken. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.
  
  Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Chicken, company dinner, family meals, sunday dinner | Tagged easy, roasted chicken, sunday dinner
- Potato Leek Soup
  
  Posted at 10:04 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Feb 1st
  New England winters bring snow and frigid temperatures and my remedy is hot flavorful soup. During the long winter months, I made copious varieties of tasty soups and stews to warm us from the inside out. I freeze leftover soup for a quick meal.
  
  Leeks, part of the allium vegetable family, is more subtle than sisters garlic and onion marry well with potatoes. You can puree this soup to a smooth texture or like I prefer just slightly puree leaving potato chunks. I find it more filling when I don’t puree all the potatoes. However, you choose to finish this soup you will be amazed by the flavor.
  
  3 large leeks (about 3 cups, chopped)
  
  2 tablespoons butter
  
  4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth for a vegetarian option
  
  8 potatoes (Yukon gold or Russet), peeled, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
  
  1 teaspoon sea salt, less or more to taste
  
  Pinch of dried marjoram
  
  1 or 2 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  
  1 bay leaf
  
  1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  
  1 cup heavy cream or half and half
  
  White or black pepper to taste
  
  fresh chives, chopped
  
  Cut off the roots of the leeks. Cut the leeks lengthwise, fan them open under running water to dislodge any dirt or mud hiding inside. Cut off the tough dark green tops and discard
  
  Slice the white and light green parts of the leeks crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place the slices in a colander and rinse with cold water to dislodge any remaining dirt.
  
  Cook leeks in butter to soften: Melt butter on medium heat in a 3 to 4-quart thick-bottomed pot. Add the chopped leeks, stir to coat with the butter.
  
  Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low, cook for 10 minutes until the leeks are softened. Check to make sure the leeks are not browning.
  
  Add the broth, diced potatoes, bay leaf, marjoram, thyme, and a teaspoon of salt to the pot.
  
  Increase the heat to high to bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to maintain a low simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through.
  
  Remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme sprig. Use an immersion blender or standing blender blend about half of the soup if you want a chunky soup, or all of it if you would like your soup to be more smooth.
  
  Add the parsley, and cook a few minutes more. Add cream or half and half. Stir until combined.
  
  Add freshly ground pepper and more salt to taste. Top with chives.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Easy recipes, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, light dinner, lunch, Potatoes, Soup, Soups, Vegetarian | Tagged easy, Freeze, Make ahead, Potato Leek Soup
- Winter Slaw
  
  Posted at 9:21 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Nov 23rd
  Slaws are a hot menu item these last few years. And so different from the slaws of my childhood. I remember growing up my Aunt would bring the Cold Slaw for Thanksgiving. She would combine shredded cabbage and carrots with a purchased coleslaw dressing. Today’s slaws have move far from the coleslaw my aunt made so long ago.
  
  Although I have fond memories of my family’s Thanksgivings, I enjoy experimenting with different textures and flavors creating slaws for every season. I’ve made my winter slaw with a lemon vinegarette, adding a fresh taste to the kale and cabbage. And an added benefit is this dish can be prepared ahead.
  
  Winter Slaw
  
  4 cups shredded kale, stems removed (4 ounces)
  
  1 teaspoon salt
  
  1 tablespoon olive oil
  
  4 cups shredded savoy cabbage
  
  1 cup shredded purple cabbage
  
  1 cup shredded carrots (2 medium)
  
  Lemon Vinegarette
  
  3/4 cup packed finely snipped Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
  
  1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  
  1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  
  zest of 1 lemon (1/4 tsp packed)
  
  1 tsp Dijon mustard
  
  2 garlic cloves minced or pressed (1 tsp)
  
  1/2 tsp salt
  
  1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  
  ½ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds), toasted
  
  In an extra-large bowl combine the kale, salt, and olive oil. Using your hands, rub the kale to help soften it and brighten its color. Rinse the kale in a colander under cool running water; drain well and return to the bowl. Add the savoy cabbage, purple cabbage, and carrots; toss to combine. Set slaw aside.
  
  For the dressing, in a food processor or blender combine the parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cover and process or blend to combine.
  
  Add the dressing to the vegetable mixture; toss to coat. Sprinkle pepitas over the salad.
  
  Prepare the slaw and dressing as directed. Cover and chill separately for up to 24 hours. Sprinkle slaw with pepitas, add dressing and toss before serving.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Food, Healthy, Salad, Thanksgiving, vegan, Vegetarian | Tagged easy, kale, salad, vegan, Winter Slaw
- Perfect Chocolate Cake
  
  Posted at 9:46 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Nov 16th
  Perfect Chocolate Cake
  
  For birthday celebrations my mother made her chocolate cake with rich fudge frosting and a chocolate filling. I believe she found this recipe in McCalls Cooking School publications, a series of cooking magazines with detailed instructions. When I married she shared with me her prize recipe and I’ve made this moist flavorful cake for birthday’s ever since.
  
  1 cup unsifted unsweetened cocoa
  
  2 cups boiling water
  
  2 3⁄4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  
  2 teaspoons baking soda
  
  1⁄2 teaspoon salt
  
  1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
  
  1 cup butter, softened
  
  2 1⁄2 cups sugar
  
  4 eggs
  
  1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla
  
  6 ounces semisweet chocolate pieces
  
  1⁄2 cup half and half
  
  3/4 cup butter
  
  2 1⁄2 cups unsifted confectioners’ sugar
  
  1 cup heavy cream, chilled
  
  1⁄4 cup unsifted confectioners’ sugar
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  1 cup heavy cream
  
  8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
  
  1 teaspoon almond extract
  
  Preheat oven to 350°F.
  
  In a medium bowl, combine cocoa with boiling water, mixing with wire whisk until smooth. Cool completely. Sift flour with soda, salt, and baking powder. Grease well and lightly flour three 9 by 1 1/2 inch layer-cake pans. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, at high speed, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla, scraping bowl occasionally until light-about 5 minutes.
  
  At low speed, beat in flour mixture (in fourths), alternately with the cocoa mixture (in thirds), beginning and ending with flour mixture. Do not over-beat.
  
  Divide evenly into pans; smooth top. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until surface springs back when gently pressed with fingertip.
  
  Cool in pans 10 minutes.
  
  Carefully loosen sides with a spatula; Remove from pans; cool on racks.
  
  Frosting: In a medium saucepan, combine chocolate pieces, cream, butter; stir over medium heat until smooth.
  
  Remove from heat. With a whisk, blend in 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar.
  
  In a bowl set over ice(I use ice cubes) beat until it holds shape.
  
  Filling:
  
  Heat the cream in a saucepan or in the microwave, until the mixture begins to steam.
  Pour over the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes. Stir — at first slowly, then more vigorously — until the chocolate is completely melted. If necessary, reheat very briefly to soften any remaining hard bits of chocolate. Add almond extract. Refrigerate ganache until thick.
  
  To assemble the cake:
  
  On plate place a layer, top side down; spread with half of the ganache. Place the second layer, top side down; spread with rest of ganache.
  
  Place the third layer, top side up.
  
  To frost: With a spatula, frost sides first, covering ganache; use rest of frosting on top, swirling decoratively.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, Baking, Cake, Dessert, desserts, Easy recipes, Food | Tagged chocolate cake, easy
- 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
- Moroccan Couscous and Orange Salad
  
  Posted at 10:59 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jul 4th
  I just love fresh delicious summer salads, that sing with taste. So wonderful to use fresh fruits and vegetables to add interest and color to a summer salad. I enjoy all different types of food and I especially like to use seasoning from all over the world to punch up the flavor of a salad. I started experimenting with Couscous and Moroccan spices and simply loved this salad. It’s like sunlight in a bowl!
  
  Moroccan Couscous and Orange Salad
  
  1 cup couscous
  
  1/2 cup dried cranberries
  
  1 cup boiling water
  
  1 large orange or yellow bell pepper cut into bite-size slices
  
  1 bunch of scallions, thinly sliced, just the white part
  
  1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  
  1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  
  1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
  1 16 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  
  1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  
  3 tablespoon olive oil
  
  3 tablespoon white vinegar
  
  juice of one navel orange
  
  one navel orange, peeled and sliced into bite-size pieces
  
  Place couscous and cranberries in a medium bowl. Add boiling water, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for about 5 minutes or until water is completely absorbed.
  
  Add the next seven ingredients to couscous and cranberries mix thoroughly.
  
  Whisk oil, vinegar and orange juice together. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Add cut orange.
  
  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Healthy, summertime recipes, Vegetarian | Tagged couscous, easy, healthy recipe, July 4th, Moroccan spices
- Bourbon Baked Beans
  
  Posted at 9:15 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jun 22nd
  For summertime entertaining, barbecues, pool parties, picnics with family and friends I prepare easy to make ahead meals so I can relax with my guest. We hostess just want to have fun too!
  
  Baked beans are great for celebrating July 4th, an all American side dish. Why buy already prepared baked beans from a can when you can easily make homemade. I like to use a variety of different beans, black, kidney, pinto, navy beans, you choose your favorite. I lean to more vegetarian and vegan food so I make these beans vegan and flavored with bourbon.
  
  You can put the baked beans together a day ahead, refrigerate and bake the day you want to serve.
  
  BOURBON BAKED BEANS
  
  6 15- to 16-ounce cans assorted beans, black, red kidney, pinto, northern beans, drained
  
  1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  
  1 large onion. chopped
  
  2 cloves garlic, minced
  
  1 1/4 cups purchased barbecue sauce
  
  1/2 cup bourbon whiskey
  
  1/3 cup tomato paste
  
  2 tablespoon cup dark molasses
  
  3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  
  2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
  
  2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
  
  1 tablespoon soy sauce
  
  2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  
  1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  
  1 teaspoon liquid smoke, optional
  
  2 tablespoon dark brown sugar
  
  Preheat oven to 350°F. Place beans in a large bowl. Cook onions in oil until translucent about five minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic cooking for an additional five minutes. Cool then add to beans. In a medium bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients except for parsley. Pour over beans and stir until combined. Transfer to a 113 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Bake uncovered until liquid bubbles and thickens slightly about 1 hour. Cool 10 minutes.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Barbecue, vegetables,easy,, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, vegan, vegetable bake, Vegetarian | Tagged baked beans, easy, Side dish, vegan
- Baked Cod with Panko Parmesan Crust
  
  Posted at 11:19 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jun 2nd
  Codfish versatility lends to many different toppings. In New England, where beautiful fresh fish is prevalent, many restaurants still serve the traditional Ritz cracker topping which is delicious. I love to create new toppings to enhance the flavor of cod. Being of Italian heritage I gravitate toward Mediterranean flavors used by my family when I was growing up. My recipes are strongly influenced by my mother and grandmother who were wonderful cooks and shared their passion with me. I am grateful for and indebted to their high standards, serving wonderfully prepared fresh food flavored with their love of family. I am the cook I am today because of these two exceptional women.
  
  4 cod fillets(3 ounces each)
  
  1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  
  1/2 cup unseasoned panko breadcrumbs
  
  1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
  
  2 cloves garlic, crushed
  
  1 teaspoon dried oregano
  
  1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  
  1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  
  1 tablespoon olive oil
  
  1/2 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
  
  1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives
  
  2 teaspoons capers
  
  Preheat oven to 425F.
  
  Place cod in a baking dish then pour lemon juice over. Let sit while preparing the breadcrumb topping.
  
  In a small bowl combine breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic, oregano, pepper, salt, and oil. Toss to mix.
  
  Cover fish with breadcrumb mixture. Top with tomatoes, oil, and capers. Bake for 15 -20 minutes or until the topping starts to brown. Do not overcook. Serve hot or at room temperature.
  
  Serves 4.
  
  Enjoy!
  
  You can also find my recipes @buzzchomp.com
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  Posted in family meals, Fish, Food, Main Dish, Main Meal, Weeknight dinner | Tagged cod fish, easy, Healthy, mediterranean topping
- Guacamole
  
  Posted at 4:36 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Feb 3rd
  Making Guacamole is so easy resulting in a fresh delicious homemade rather than a packaged version. I keep the ingredients on hand so when friends drop by I can serve Guacamole.
  
  3 Haas avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
  
  1 lime, juiced
  
  1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  
  1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  
  1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  
  1/2 medium onion, diced
  
  1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
  
  2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
  
  1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
  
  2 clove garlic, minced
  
  In a large bowl place the scooped avocado pulp and lime juice, toss to coat. Drain, and reserve the lime juice, after all of the avocados have been coated. Using a potato masher add the salt, cumin, and cayenne and mash. Then, fold in the onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then serve.
  
  Enjoy!
  
  gooddinnermrsmellen.com
  
  buzzchomp.com
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  Posted in Appetizer, Easy recipes | Tagged easy, guacomole, super bowel food
- The Best Blueberry Pancakes
  
  Posted at 10:57 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jan 21st
  Pancakes and blueberries; sunshine meets the earth: My favorite pancake combination. Making pancake batter, not using a mix is so easy and quick. I like to make my own batter for freshness and also I can control salt and sugar in my diet. I have also added a vegan option which tastes just as delicious.
  
  2 large eggs
  
  1 1/4 cup milk*
  
  3 tablespoon melted butter or vegetable oil*
  
  1 1/2 cup King Arthur unbleached flour
  
  3/4 teaspoon salt
  
  2 teaspoon baking powder
  
  2 tablespoon sugar
  
  Blueberries
  
  Beat the eggs and milk until light and foamy, about 3 minutes at high speed of a stand or hand mixer. Stir in the butter or vegetable oil.
  
  Whisk the dry ingredients together to evenly distribute the salt, baking powder and sugar.
  
  Gently and quickly mix into the egg and milk mixture. Let the batter rest for at least 15 minutes; it”ll thicken slightly.
  
  Heat a heavy frying pan over medium heat, or set an electric griddle to 375°F. Lightly grease frying pan or griddle. The pan or griddle is ready if a drop of water will skitter across the surface, evaporating immediately.
  
  Drop 1/4 cup of batter onto the lightly greased griddle. Bake on one side until bubbles begin to form and break, about 2 minutes; add blueberries, then turn the pancakes and cook the other side until brown, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Turn over only once. Serve immediately.
  
  Yield: 1 dozen large (4 1/2″) pancakes
  
  *For a vegan variation substitute vegetable oil for butter and almond milk for cow’s milk.
  
  Enjoy!
  
  gooddinnermrsmellen.com
  
  buzzchomp.com
  
  gooddinnermrsmellen@blogspot.com
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  Posted in Breadfast, Easy recipes, Food, vegan | Tagged blueberry pancakes, Breakfast, easy, quick, vegan option
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