Good Dinner Mrs. Mellen

I made this in a slow cooker which mellows the flavors to perfections. Perfect for a large crowd or to freeze in individual contains for quick meals when you have not time to cook!  For a little kick I added Tequila! Slow Cooker Spirited White Chicken Chili Ingredients 3 (14.5-ounce) cans white beans 1 medium jalapeno pepper, minced 2 medium poblano peppers, chopped 1 large onion, chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder 1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat chopped into cubes 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1/4 cup tequila 2 limes, juiced, plus lime wedges, for serving 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves Sour cream, for topping Tortilla chips, coarsely crushed, for topping (optional) Directions Drain and rinse the canned white beans. In food processor puree half of the beans until smooth. In a slow cooker bowl place whole and p...

I'm love creating new recipes for my family and friends to enjoy. Fall is a wonderful time to use all of fall's bountiful harvest. I especially like using colorful small potatoes in this recipe as they not only add flavor but extra color to a fall meal. 1/2 cup fried French green lentils 1 (28-oz) package of colorful potatoes, halved 3 tablespoon olive oil 2 large shallots, finely chopped 2 celery ribs, sliced 2 garlic cloves, chopped 3 tablespoons Fig Balsamic vinegar 2 teaspoons whole grain Dijon mustard 1 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves Bring lentils and 4 cups salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20-25 minutes. Cook potatoes in boiling salted water covered for 15 minutes or just until tender. Drain lentils and potatoes. Place in medium size serving bowl. Heat olive oil in deep skill over medium heat add shallots, celery and garlic saute for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar and mustard. Sea...

Bouillabaisse, one of my favorite fish stews, can be time consuming and labor intensive if you start from scratch by making the fish stock. Sometimes you just want to have this delicious meal quickly without too much fuss but still with the savory flavors associated with Bouillabaisse. Bouillabaisse 2 tablespoon olive oil 1 shallot chopped 1 fennel bulb, sliced thin 2  leeks, white only, sliced thin 4 cloves garlic chopped 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 2 teaspoons sea salt 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1 bottle(8 oz) clam juice, I used Snow 1 can (14.5 oz) Petite diced tomatoes, no salt added, I like Hunt's 1/2 cup white wine 1 bay leaf 1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron 1/4 teaspoon pepper  1 teaspoon herbs de Provence 1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded 1/2 pound large shrimp, cleaned  1/2 pound firm white fish, such as cod or halibut 1/4 pound calamari rings 1/4 pound scallops Heat olive oil in a medium stock pot. Add shallots, fe...

I love cheesecakes, they not only taste delicious, are easy to make but  can also be made ahead.This ultra-rich cheesecake, made with a shortbread cookie crust, taste heavenly and looks absolutely stunning when topped with the crimson sauce. An easy elegant dessert to serve to when entertaining. White-Chocolate Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce     1 cup crushed shortbread cookies (about 4 oz.)     3 tablespoons finely chopped slivered almonds, toasted     1/4 cup butter, melted     2 ounces cream cheese, softened     1 6 - ounce white chocolate baking squares with cocoa butter, melted and cooled     2/3 cup sugar     2/3 cup dairy sour cream     1 teaspoon vanilla     3 eggs     Triple-Raspberry Sauce (recipe follows) Directions     For crust: In a small bowl, combine crushed cookies and almonds. St...

A hearty soup is a wonderful meal on a wintry day. I make large batches of soups freezing in individual containers to always have different soups ready to eat all winter long. My Sausage White Bean Tortellini Soup is healthy and tasty my favorite combination! I’ve use chicken sausage and vegetable broth to cup down on fat and calories while keeping the soup hearty and flavorful. I also use low sodium vegetable broth adding a small amount of salt to the soup. If you use aromatic root vegetable such as garlic, shallots, and fennel while adding strong spices such as thyme you do not need salt to flavor the soup. Chicken Sausage White Bean Soup 5-6 chicken sausage 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup chopped shallots 1/2 cup fennel, chopped 4 cups vegetable  broth, either homemade or store bought.  I use low sodium. 1 15-ounce can white beans, such as cannellini rinsed and drained 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon dried fr...

Slow Cooker Chicken Cassoulet 2 1/2 pounds chicken  3 small split breast and 4 thighs 1 lb turkey sausage about 5 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing Kosher salt Freshly ground pepper 2 cups leeks, about 2 thinly sliced 1 medium fennel bulb—halved, cored and cut into 1/2-inch dice 1 carrot, cut into 1/2-inch dice 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoons minced rosemary 2 teaspoons minced thyme 2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth 1/4 cup dry vermouth 1/4 cup pan drippings 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained 1/2 cup panko 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese     Preheat the oven to 375°. Place chicken and sausage in baking pan, brush the chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, until just starting to browned. Transfer chicken and sausage to slow cooker. Strain drippings reserving 1/4 cup to use later.     Meanwhile, in a large, deep...