family meal | Good Dinner Mrs Mellen

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- 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 bitting 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, slice 1/4 inch thick
  
  Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine ricotta, 1/2 burrata, parmesan cheese, oregano in medium size bowl. Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain and set aside. Place 1/4 cup of Pomodoro sauce in bottom of 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 sauce pan 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 slice 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
- 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. Morning 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 over 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 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
  
  Pre heat over to 275 F. Heat oil in 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 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. Poor over chicken in dutch over 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
- Savory Bread Pudding with Heirloom Tomatoes, Herbs and Mozzarella
  
  Posted at 11:16 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Sep 11th
  First let me just say that this is a very rich dish not meant to be eaten in large portions. A wonderful lunch or dinner with a salad eating only a small serving size. Eating rich dishes and staying thin is all about portion control and exercise. It’s important to me that I don’t encourage anyone to over eat. With that said let’s get on to this wonderful bread pudding. Until recently I only thought of bread pudding as a rich dessert that I occasionally indulged. One summer in New Hampshire I ordered a savory bread pudding and I was hooked. I made my bread pudding with heirloom tomatoes that I picked fresh from my garden along with my fresh herbs. You can add different veggies to recipe. Experiment, have fun and enjoy a wonderfully richly flavorful dish.
  
  Savory Bread Pudding with Heirloom Tomatoes, Herbs and Mozzarella
  
  1(1pound) loaf crusty white bread
  
  1/4 cup olive oil
  
  1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  
  2 tablespoon fresh basil
  
  1 tablespoon fresh oregano
  
  1 garlic clove, minced
  
  3 tablespoon olive oil
  
  2 shallots, chopped
  
  2 cloves garlic chopped
  
  2 cups chopped heirloom tomatoes
  
  3 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  
  8 large eggs
  
  1 teaspoon black pepper
  
  8 ounces fresh mozzarella chopped into 1-in cubes
  
  2 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
  
  Heat oven to 375 F. Butter or spray with cooking spray a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Cut bottom crust and short ends off bread, discarding. Cut remaining bread with crust into 1-inch cubes(about 10 cups loosely packed). Place cubes in large bowl. Add oil, thyme, basil, oregano and garlic; toss to coat. Spread bread cubes out on large baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until golden and slightly crunchy, stirring occasionally, about 15-20 minutes. Return toasted bread cubes to the same bowl.
  
  Add olive oil to large skillet. Add shallot and garlic saute about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes continuing to cook for additional 5 minutes. Set aside.
  
  Whisk heavy cream, eggs, salt and ground pepper in large bowl. Mix egg mixture into bread. Place 1/3 of bread and egg mixture in prepared pan. Layer with 1/2 tomato then cheese. Continue layering 1/3 bread then 1/2 tomato and cheese then finally remaining 1/3 bread mixture. Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese. Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
  
  Preheat oven 350 F. Bake uncovered until set and top is golden about 50-60 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
  
  Enjoy!
  
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  Posted in Casserole, family meals, Farm Fresh Produce, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Main Dish, Main Meal, Vegetarian, Weeknight dinner | Tagged bread, family meal, heirloom tomatotes, herbs, Mozzarella, savory bread pudding, vegetarian
- Chicken with Wine and Mushroom
  
  Posted at 7:13 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 26th
  Growing up I was fortunate to have a wonderful cook for a mother. My mother is one of those intuitive cooks who effortlessly just knows how to marry spices for the most flavorful food. I learned how to cook watching my mother in her kitchen making her magic from cooking to baking. A solitary cook my favorite time to cook is when I am alone in my kitchen channelling my mother remembering my special time spent with her so long ago.
  
  One my favorite chicken recipes from my mother is chicken paired wine and mushrooms. Chicken is very versatile capturing flavor from the ingredient you add. I especially like rosemary added to chicken releasing a flavorful aroma to the sauce. After cooking in the over for an hour and half the flavors are perfectly combine with the chicken so tender breaking away from the bone.
  
  Chicken with Wine and Mushroom
  
  4 lbs. cut up chicken, 8 pieces
  
  2 tablespoon olive oil
  
  8 oz slice mushrooms
  
  1 shallot, chopped
  
  4 cloves garlic, minced
  
  8 oz. slice mushroom. I like to use baby portobello
  
  1/4 cup flour
  
  2 cups white wine
  
  2 cups chicken broth, low salt
  
  2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
  
  1 teaspoon salt
  
  1/2 teaspoon pepper
  
  Preheat oven to 350F. Heat oil in pan. Brown chicken in large sautéing pan or frying pan about 10 minutes on each side. Remove as pieces brown placing on a paper towel cover plate. Drain oil from pan leaving just one tablespoon. Add shallot and garlic sautéing until translucent do not brown. Add mushrooms cooking for another 5 minutes. Place chicken in dutch over, top with shallot, garlic and mushrooms. Sprinkle with rosemary, salt and pepper. Set aside why making sauce. In sautéing pan add flour to drippings cooking to combine for a few minutes. Add wine and chicken broth bringing to a boil. Lower heat simmer until thick. Remove from heat pour over sauce over Chicken. Bake for 1hour and 30 minutes. I like to serve over 1 lb. fettuccine tossed with olive oil or you can try egg noddles, rice, couscous. Saves 4-6.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Chicken, Easy recipes, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Main Dish, Main Meal | Tagged Chicken, chicken stew, family meal, Mushrooms, wine
- Beef Bourguignon over Pasta
  
  Posted at 5:04 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jan 23rd
  Beef Bourguignon over Pasta
  
  2 tablespoon olive oil
  
  2.5 lb boneless beef chuck, cut in 1.5 inch cubes
  
  3 tablespoons brandy
  
  1/2 lb. small white onions, peeled (about 12)
  
  12 whole cloves
  
  8 ounces whole or sliced mushrooms
  
  2.5 tablespoons flour
  
  2.5 teaspoons meat-extract paste (not liquid)
  
  2 tablespoons tomato paste
  
  1 1/2 cups red wine
  
  3/4 cup dry sherry
  
  3/4 cup ruby port
  
  1 1/2 cup beef stock
  
  1/8 teaspoon pepper
  
  1 bay leaf
  
  1 pound of pasta
  
  Recipe Instructions
  
  Slowly heat 4 quart Dutch oven with tight-fitting lid. olive oil; heat, but do not burn.
  
  In hot oil, over high heat, brown beef cubes well, using a fourth at a time, or just enough to cover bottom of Dutch oven.
  
  Remove beef as it browns. Continue until beef is browned, adding more oil as needed. Return beef to Dutch oven.
  
  In a small saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons brandy just until vapor rises. Ignite, pour over beef. As flame dies, remove beef.
  
  Add 2 olive oil to Dutch Oven; heat slightly. Stud each onion with a clove. Add onions; cook over low heat, covered, until onions brown slightly. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
  
  Stir in flour, meat-extract paste and tomato paste until well blended. Stir in wine, sherry, port and stock.
  
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  
  Bring wine mixture just to boiling, stirring. Remove from heat. Add beef, pepper, and bay leaf; mix well.
  
  Bake, covered, stirring occasionally, 1.5 hours, or until beef is tender, adding remaining brandy, remove bay leaf. Can be served along, over rice or pasta.
  
  Serves 6
  
  Taste better if made day ahead. Store in refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  
  Can be reheated microwave or on stove top.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in family meals, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Main Meal, pasta | Tagged Beef, family meal, frech food, hearty dinner, pasta
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