July 4th | Good Dinner Mrs Mellen

Tag: July 4th
- 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
- The Fourth of July on Magical Martha’s Vineyard
  
  Posted at 12:05 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jul 2nd
  My love affair with Martha’s Vineyard continues to deepen as I, like the majestic sailing ships gracing the harbors all over the island, being anchored to this magical island. Each time I return as soon as I embark from the ferry I am under the islands’ irresistible spell surrendering with all my heart to her call.
  
  Martha’s Vineyard, classic New England, steeped in history with sentinel captain homes facing the sea waiting centuries for their owners return, old farms with fields still turned each spring producing bountiful vegetables, narrow main streets dotted with storefronts brimming with merchandise beckoning visitors to leisurely stroll, turns red, white and blue to celebrate the 4th of July. After a long winter battered by continuous Nor’easters, the island is ready to embrace the summer season traditional start with an all American celebration.
  
  A visitor to the island for many years I was surprised my first year owning our vacation home on Martha’s Vineyard that we have never been here on July 4th. I read up on the island’s planned festivities finding celebrations throughout the day all over the island to enjoy with our family. America’s birthday party on the island starts at 9am with Murdick’s Run The Chop 5k in Vineyard Haven benefiting the Martha’s Vineyard Boys & Girls Club; beginning at the elementary school the route heads down to the harbor through West Chop then back to the school. An avid runner, I dressed in my patriot red, white and blue participating with other runners as spectators lined the route cheering and waving flags as we traveled down to the harbor where old-time schooners their sails standing at attention stilled by the windless day salute the runners as we pass. On to Main Street, past storefronts with patriotic windows wrapped in red, white and blue bunting; dressed for the day-long celebration. Then turning the corner from Main Street onto West Chop Road perched on top of the bluff overlooking Vineyard Sound the twenty-five-foot West Chop Lighthouse greets us standing strong for over one hundred and fifty years guiding ships into the harbor. Adjacent to the Lighthouse the West Chop Club welcomes runners with pleated flags banners decorating the clubhouse while tennis players dressed in traditional whites stop matches to encourage runners passing by the tennis courts. The last mile and a half I meander through the West Chop Woods on Franklin Street populated by ageless beach cottages nestled in the woods partially hidden down dirt driveways where their owners wait on the side of the road for runners with refreshing water as we make one last push before reaching the finish line. A perfect beginning for my first July 4th on Martha’s Vineyard! While I was running in tandem with heat and humidity, the Polar Bears gathered in Oak Bluffs, as they do daily during the summer, for a swim in Nantucket Sound: Burr a chilling 70 degrees, too cold for me!
  
  We, like many families, spent the day swimming and barbecuing by a pool or at the ocean. Then along with the rest of the island, we made our way to Edgartown for the town’s annual July 4th parade followed by fireworks over the harbor. Entering Edgartown village I am once again reminded of the town’s history; A living memorial to the great age of whaling with stately white clapboard Captain houses with rose-covered fences and gardens blooming profusely with salt air-kissed hydrangea as blue as the waters surrounding the island. On the fourth of July Edgartown is painted red, white and blue as flags and bunting decorate the shops and homes of the town. Edgartown’s parade does not disappoint, with something for all ages from antique cars, high school sports teams, fire trucks, floats and to the delight of the children candy toasted into the crowd from the parade’s participants. After the parade, we visited shops stopping for ice cream at Mad Martha’s, a family favorite, before walking down North Water Street towards Harborview Hotel to view the fireworks. On North Water Street we were welcomed by old Captain’s home with front porches festivity decorated and holiday revilers partying as they too waited for the fireworks. With perfect timing we found premier seats on the rocks by Edgartown Lighthouse; we could see the fireworks barge in the harbor from our vantage point. At preciously 9pm the fireworks display began – mesmerized our eyes fixated on the horizon as bursts of light illuminated at the sky over the harbor. A sea of oohs and aahs filled the night as spectators sighed in admiration for the display which ended with the traditional climax – multiple fireworks simultaneously set off to the delight of the crowd.
  
  The fireworks over we walked up the beach back to our car and as we drive home, the little ones fast asleep, the adults relive all the day’s highlights knowing that although the day has ended when we will leave this magical island, our memories we keep with us forever.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Martha's Vineyard | Tagged July 4th
- Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Chickpeas, Goat Cheese and Olives
  
  Posted at 6:47 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jul 1st
  Warm weather and refreshingly different salads two of my favorite things. I find salads not only fun to make trying different combinations of ingredients but easy to make. Almost any salad you can think of is do ahead and easy to transport to family and friends’ homes or on a picnic. Being of Italian heritage I love the flavors of the Mediterranean areas with wonderfully flavorful seasonings. What I like most about this salad is the interesting combination of orzo, a rice-shaped pasta, with chickpeas, goat cheese, and olives. Just add some lemon, garlic, oil and fresh oregano to bring out the other ingredients. I almost forgot I have been adding Sesame Tahini to many of my salads for a more intense taste. I think you’ll really enjoy this salad!
  
  Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Chickpeas, Goat Cheese and Olives
  
  1 1/2 cups orzo, cooked according to package instructions
  
  1/4 cup olive oil
  
  juice of one lemon
  
  1 clove of garlic, minced
  
  1 teaspoon Sesame Tahini
  
  15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  
  2 tablespoon chopped oregano
  
  1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  
  5 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
  
  1/2 cup kalamata olives chopped
  
  In a large bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, and sesame tahini. Add the chickpeas, orzo, oregano, and pepper. Gently stir in goat cheese then olives. Serve over a bed of lettuce. Chill until ready to serve.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Easy recipes, Food, Salad, Vegetarian | Tagged barbacue, Chickpeas, Easy recipe, goat cheese, July 4th, Orzo salad
- Blueberry Pie with Pecan Topping
  
  Posted at 9:32 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Jun 23rd
  I just love blueberries and blueberry pie. While traditional blueberry pie is mouthwatering delicious sometimes I just like to change it up so I created this sinful decadent Pecan crumb topped sour cream blueberry pie. They say a picture is worth a thousand words but even this picture can only go so far in capturing the nutty topping with blueberry juice bursting from the fruit all in a creamy custard. I want another piece just writing this! Don’t forget to top with Bryers French Vanilla ice cream.
  
  Pastry
  
  1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  
  1/4 cup sugar
  
  1 teaspoon cinnamon
  
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  
  2/3 cup butter
  
  2-3 tablespoon water
  
  1 egg, beaten
  
  Filling
  
  1 cup sour cream
  
  3 ounces cream cheese
  
  1 large egg
  
  3/4 cup light brown sugar
  
  1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla
  
  4 cups blueberries, washed and picked over
  
  Crumb Topping
  
  1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  
  1/3 cup sugar
  
  1/3 cup light brown sugar
  
  1 tablespoon cinnamon
  
  1/4 teaspoon salt
  
  1/2 cup butter
  
  3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  
  1. To prepare pastry, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. With pastry blender cut in butter to consistency of coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle water one tablespoon at a time, mix until pastry holds together. Shape pastry into a ball.
  
  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into an 11-inch round. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Turn extra dough at the edge into rim and flute or crimp raised edge. Just before placing the blueberry filling in pie shell, brush with beaten egg.
  
  3. To prepare filling, combine sour cream, cream cheese, egg, brown sugar, flour and vanilla in a bowl. Beat thoroughly until smooth. Preheat over to 450F. Fill pie shell with blueberries. Pour cream mixture over blueberries. Bake 10 minutes at 450F, reduce temperature to 350F and bake 35-40 minutes.
  
  4. Prepare crumb topping by mixing flour, sugars, cinnamon, salt, butter, and nuts. Blend to form a crumbly mixture.
  
  5. After baking the pie, remove the pie from oven, cool, then distribute crumb mixture evenly over top. Return to oven and bake 10-15 minutes more.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, BLUEBERRY, desserts, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Pie | Tagged Blueberry Pie, Crumb topping, July 4th
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