Good Dinner Mrs. Mellen

I learned at a young age how to handle and prepare poultry from my mother, an outstanding cook - her turkey is far superior to any that I have tasted. My mother taught me to soak turkey over night in a bath of salt to tender and remove harmful bacteria. First my mother would freeze a fresh turkey, she believes it seals in the flavor. Then time to soak the frozen turkey over night. Next through rinsing, draining and patting dry of the bird. I love rituals so my mothers holds a special pace in my turkey preparation. I've bought fresh turkey from the farm, from high end and frozen from lower end grocery store. My only hard fast rule is all natural. How you dress and cook the turkey plays an import part in how good your turkey taste. A Simply Perfect Roast Turkey 1 (18 pound) whole turkey 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened salt and pepper to taste 1 1/2 quarts turkey stock 8 cups prepared homemade stuffing Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Place rack in the ...

Autumn quietly arrives in New England -  crisp mornings turn into warm sunny afternoons with the glorious fall sun setting a few minutes earlier each day: Farmers markets stocked with the last of nature's bounty before the first frost ends harvesting. Beautiful plump eggplant beacons me as I fill my market basket with copious quantities perfect to make my Baked Eggplant Parmesan. Coming from a long line of Italian cooks I've eaten and made this southern Italian dish my entire life. Like my mother I don't fry my eggplant - I prefer to bake - forgoing the extra fat from frying. And I've updated the recipe using Panko bread crumbs for a lighter breading. I love to taste the eggplant, not the breading. One more item - I only use San Marzano tomatoes. I like my sauce sweeter with less acidity.  The San Marzano  variety of plum tomato grows in the rich volcanic soil of the Sarno River valley, near Mount Vesuvius, resulting in a sweet flesh with low acidity. Its thick ski...

In New England we celebrate Autumn with gusto like the strong winds creating falling leave whirlpools on front lawns then whisking the colorful leaves away to decompose in the woods.  Fall is a glorious season inviting all to partake in the cornucopia of scents and tastes indicative of the season. I love to bake aromatic cakes, pies and cookies filling my home with spicy fragrances; a perfect companion to falling temperatures complimenting the  change from summer to fall. On a brisk fall day what could be more appropriate than a piece of spice cake with a cup of tea sitting by the fire watching the changing jewel tone leaves float quietly to the ground.  For cake 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for greasing bundt pan 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting pan 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 cups canned soli...

Good Dinner Mellen loves pies and one of my favorite pie to bake is apple. I love the smell of apples, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice baking in the oven; the scent escaping throughout the kitchen. Who can resit a piece of warm apple pie topped with rich vanilla ice cream. Pastry : 2 1/2 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sugar (optional) 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice  water Measure flour and salt into a bowl. Cut into  butter  thoroughly with a pastry blender.  Sprinkle in the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing with a fork until flour is moistened and dough almost cleans the side of the bow l . Gather the dough into a ball, then shape, divide the dough in half and shape into 2 flattened rounds.) Chill dough for at least one hour.  On a lightly floured  board r oll  each  dough rounds 2 inches larger all around than the inverted pie pan. Place past ry on  parchment  or wax  paper  ...