Good Dinner Mrs. Mellen

Baked chicken wings are so easy to make and taste delicious. I like to coat my wings in  flour combined with spices, bathed in a buttery hot sauce then bake to perfection. The chicken  meat just pulls away when you bite into these juicy wings. Perfect all year long for a casual  party! Baked Hot Chicken Wings 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 20 chicken wings 1/4 cup melted butter 1/2 cup hot pepper sauce (such as Frank's RedHot®) 1 cup blue cheese dressing 2 tablespoon blue cheese baby carrots celery Place the flour, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and salt into a resealable plastic bag shake to mix. Add the chicken wings, seal, and toss until well coated with the flour mixture. Place bag with wings into the refrigerator. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Whisk together the melted butter and hot sauce in a small bowl. Remo...

CHERRY TOMATOES PARMESAN Cherry tomatoes, the petite jewel of the tomato family, so versatile, wonderfully delicious  tossed in a salad, added to a casserole or baked parmesan style. I like to serve this dish either a side dish or as a lunch entree with a salad and fresh bread. 2 pints cherry tomatoes 2 tablespoon olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon dried oregano 2 ounce goat cheese, crumbled 4 fresh mozzarella, sliced 1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese 1/2 cup julienned fresh basil 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped 2 tablespoon olive oil Preheat oven to 400F. Toss tomatoes in bowl with oil, garlic and oregano to coat. Arrange tomatoes in 10 x 14 x 2 ceramic baking dish. Scatter goat cheese, followed by mozzarella, parmesan cheese and then basil. Combine breadcrumbs, garlic, salt, parsley, and oil. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the dish.  Bake for 40 minutes until bubbl...

Guacamole so deliciously easy to make why buy when you can make fresh. I like this simple recipe that has just the right blend of spice with a kick from fresh jalapeno pepper. If you like more heat add more jalapeno pepper. Guacamole 3 has avocados, halved, seeded and peeled 1 lime, juiced 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 1 bunch scallions, diced 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, seeded and diced 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro 1 clove garlic, minced Directions 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! www.g...

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 home made for freshness and also I can control salt and sugar in my diet. I have also added a vegan option which taste 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 ...

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 Pomo...

Living in New England hot soup on a cold snowy day is the perfect accompaniment to a salad for a heathy filling lunch. I like to make soups that are flavorful and healthy. I altered the ingredients in this soup, using almond milk instead of cow's milk. The almond milk adds just enough smoothness to the soup. I will warn you I love garlic. If you don't want as much garlic you can add only four roasted garlic cloves: Roasted garlic has a more mellow flavor, not as pungent as boiled or sautéed.   3 tablespoons olive oil 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets 3 leeks, thinly sliced, just the white part 1 bulb garlic, roasted and peeled*   3 cups vegetable stock   1/2 cup almond milk, unsweetened 1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon fresh thyme Directions Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add cauliflower, leeks, and garlic; sauté until the vegetables have caramelized (roughly 15 minutes)....

New England winters are cold, snowy, and harsh! I love to embrace the weather with old fashioned stick to your bones, comfort food; my remedy for enjoying the winter season. My beef stew is a twist on the traditional recipe, I add beets instead of potatoes. Beets are full of nutritional value and add a deep red color to the stew. If beets aren't to your liking you can substitute potatoes. I suggest you give it a try first. Beef tenderloin, so flavorful, adds a company worthy touch to this stew. As an accompaniment to the stew I toss a beautiful salad( I like arugula)*, add fresh baked bread and a bottle rich red wine for a elegant, easy company dinner. I set my table an eclectic assortment of dishes and glasses, light tapered and votive candles, dim the dinning room chandelier and build a roaring fire. Then I can sit and enjoy entertaining friends for dinner rather spending time in the kitchen. The stew can be made a day ahead and gently warmed before serving....

New Year's resolutions always include losing weight and eating healthy. Lentil soup is low calorie and high in fiber; both important for keeping your resolutions. I like to add garbanzo beans for extra protein and roughage. If you’f like a more spicy version add a tablespoon of hot sauce. 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped (1 1⁄2 cups) 2 celery stalks, finely chopped (1⁄2 cup)  3 large garlic cloves, minced (1 1⁄2 Tbsp.)  2 teaspoon ground cumin  1 cup baby carrots, sliced 1 package (15.5 oz) dried brown lentils  1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained 8 cups lower-sodium vegetable broth  1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained  2 teaspoons kosher salt  1/4 teaspoon black pepper Directions Put oil in a large Dutch oven heat medium-high. Add onion, celery, and garlic to Dutch oven. Cook over medium-high, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add cumin, and cook, stirring ...