Good Dinner Mrs. Mellen

I've said it before, my mother and my grandmother  were my inspiration for cooking. My fondest memories growing up are watching both these wonderful cooks in the kitchen, as well a savoring the delicious meals they prepared. So when I asked my 88 year old mother for her spaghetti sauce and meatball recipe, I thought I could just share it with you all. Not so, I needed to fill in the blanks because my mother just cooks from memory. I worked with her to get the full recipes down on paper. I still think that only my mother can make her recipes sing with the most harmonies flavors. I gave this my best. I cooked all kinds of variations of her recipe and now my freezer is filled with enough sauce and meatballs for months. I must admit I did have fun cooking like my mother and grandmother, making large pots of sauce simmering on the stove. And the funny thing is that I don't make that much traditional sauce because I have never felt that I can duplicate the flavor of my mother and g...

A perfect colorfully tasteful fall salad that will not only taste wonderful but look gorgeous. Beets are just such a good healthy addition to any meal. I make a lot of beet dishes cause they are just so good especially freshly roasted as I prepared them for this fall salad.  1 lb red or yellow beets peeled and cut into quarters. You can use half red and half yellow. 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 1 Gala apple, thinly sliced 3 cups baby arugula 3 cups baby kale 1/4 cup toasted chopped walnuts 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar 1 tsp. sea salt 1 tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. spicy brown mustard In a medium size roasting pan sprayed with cooking oil place beet and roast at 400F for 30 minutes turning once. Remove from over and sprinkle with vinegar. Cool and refrigerate for 4 hours or over night. Place sliced red onions in bowl and cover with 1 tablespoon vinegar for 30 minutes th...

I first tasted Popovers a long time ago at the famous Boston restaurant, Pier 4. The waitresses would come to your table offering you mouth watering, freshly baked Popovers. It was wonderful. I became a lover of Popovers right after my first bite. Think crusty on the outside, with a hot soft doughy center. And so delicious, with just a little butter that melts immediately on the hot Popover. Over the years I have seen the Popover taken to new culinary delights by stuffing them with seasoned scrambled eggs, or using them in entrée recipes. But I am a purest when it comes to Popovers; I just love them plain, with butter. I've made this recipe forever and it has never failed me. It is easily doubled and is perfect every time. One thing about baking Popovers; you need to use a special Popover Pan. Originally all the pans were heavy cast iron, but now there are wonderfully light, easy to clean pans that make perfect popovers ever time! I like the William-Sonoma no...

I love to make pies especially Summertime peach pie.  Serve plain or with the best vanilla ice cream just warm from the oven simply a fantastic end to a summer meal. Crust 3 1/2 cup flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup sugar, optional 3 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 1 tablespoon white or cider vinegar 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon ice water Pie Filling 8 peaches slice thin 3/4 cup light brown sugar juice of one lemon 3 tablespoon of quick-cooking tapioca 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoon butter Pie Crust:  Pulse flour, sugar and salt in a food processor. Add 1 diced stick cold butter, process until combined. Add 2 more diced sticks cold butter. Add 2 more diced sticks cold butter, pulse 10 seconds or until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Add one tablespoon vinegar. Gradually pour in 1/3 cup water pulsing 10 seconds until combined. Turn out onto a clean surface and f...

Peaches have are one of my favorite fruits. My grandparents always had peach tree in their yard. My grandmother would can a large batch each summer for winter eating. Growing up in Levittown Pennsylvania all the house were landscaped with one apple, one pear and one peach tree. I waited all summer for the peaches to grow and ripen, picking at the just perfect time. Our peach tree produced an abundance of fruit enough to just eat fresh and for my mother peach pies. When I want to make a quick and easy peach dessert I turn to a cobbler. You can make a cobbler with peaches, blueberries, nectarines and more, just use your favorite fruit.  I like this cobbler for the bisque topping as opposed to a sweet crumbly topping. The peaches are the star not the topping. 8 large peaches, sliced into thin slices 1/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoon cornstarch For biscuit topping 1 1/3 cup flour 2 tablespoon sugar 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking so...

Wednesdays find me at the wonderful Dedham Farm Market to choice the simple ingredients for a delicious easy meal. Today I was not disappointed with all that I purchased at the Farm Market. Luscious purple peppers, sweetly flavored Thai eggplant, just picked corn, plump tomatoes, bursting blueberries, spicy lettuce, leaping off the boat fish, and more.  Once home I quickly made a simply delicious evening meal. Mussels in white wine sauce, fresh corn, grilled zucchini and swordfish. For the mussels I just sautéed garlic and shallots in 2 tablespoon olive oil for five minutes. Add 2 cups sliced cherry tomatoes, 1 cup white wine, 1 tablespoon each basil and thyme. Cook on low for another five minutes. Add 2 pounds mussels cover and simmer on low until mussels open about 10 minutes. I purchased small ball shaped zucchini and cut in half. Spray lightly with pam, season with fresh basil, thyme and oregano. Place on hot grill and cook for 15 minutes. For the swordfish I just dri...

Ah, what  a wonderful combination, cheesecake and devil's food cake together in a fantastic tasting cupcake. I am not just bragging,  these cupcakes just won best tasting cupcake in the First Annual Sheep Skate Yarn and Craft store cupcake bake off. Cake 2 cups(packed) brown sugar 1 3/4 cup cake flour - I like King Arthur's 3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa- I use Ghirardelli 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup buttermilk 1 cup strong coffee, room temperature 1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 large eggs Cheesecake Filling 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 1/3 cup sugar 1 large egg 1 tablespoon flour 1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips Icing 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened at room temperature 3 cups confectioners sugar, sifted 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon vanilla 2 tablespoon milk or heavy cream Chocolate Batter:  Preheat oven to 350 F. Line cup cake pans with baking cups. I made 12 large cup cakes or you can do 24 regular. ...

Sunday I had an urge to grill Cornish Game Hens. A very easy but a tasty Sunday dinner. I served them with grilled vegetables, fresh corn and a salad.  From my mother I learned to be very fussy when cleaning any type of poultry. First I split the hens, cutting not on the breast side but the back side, butterflying the birds. I like to first put sea salt in the cavity of the bird for about 10 minutes. I then thoroughly rinsed the hens. I then but the birds in a large bowl and covered with water. I added one sliced lemon, four sliced garlic cloves, a tablespoon of sea salt, a teaspoon fresh ground pepper, 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil, a tablespoon fresh rosemary, and a tablespoon thyme. I refrigerate for two hours to let the hens become flavorful. Heat grill to medium. Drain hens and pat dry. Rub a little olive oil on the breast of hens, season with chopped basil, rosemary, pepper and thyme. Place hens on grill breast side up.  Grilled cover turning every ten minutes for ab...

Summertime and wonderful fruit pies what could be more perfect. A delicious piece of pie with vanilla ice cream simple but oh so good!  I especially love the combination of nectarine and blueberries.  I made my own pie crust and the recipe follows. But for a quick and easy pie you can buy the refrigerated pie crust. I like the Pillsbury brand.  Don't be intimidated by a home made pie crust, as I've always said, the more you practice the better you become.  If time is an issue you can make the pie crust the day before and refrigerate over night,  then just roll out the dough the next day, add the filling, bake and in no time you have a wonderful home made pie. Pie Crust Makes 2 crusts 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 sticks chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 " cubes 1/4 cup vegetable shortening 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. sugar 1 Tbsp. salt Process flour, butter, vegetable shortening, sugar and salt  in a food processor until butter is c...

Growing up my mother made the most wonderfully delicious Cinnamon Buns or as we liked to call them, sticky buns.  Years ago my mother shared with me her recipe for her sweet yeast bread which I've incorporated into these absolutely scrupulous Cinnamon Buns.  Dough: 1 cup milk at room temperature 1 package of yeast 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg 3 tablespoon butter, soften 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour Filling:  3/4 cup(packed) brown sugar 2 tablespoon cinnamon 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened 1/4 cup raisins 1/4 cup chopped walnuts Glaze: 4 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 cup powdered sugar 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Heat milk in a small saucepan until tiny bubbles form. Take 1/4 cup of hot milk and let cool until lukewarm. (2-3 minutes)   Add yeast to 1/4 cup milk, stir and let dissolve for five minutes.  Pour the remaining milk into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. ...

Blueberries are my favorite fruit! When I buy blueberries for baking, I need to buy twice as many to compensate for all that I eat!.  As much as I love blueberries I love to make pies. A marriage made in heaven, pie crust and blueberries.  The blueberry pie I made today is very rich and yummy. A wonderful combination of blueberries, sour cream, cream cheese with a walnut crumb topping.  Think blueberries bake in a rich custard, surrounded by pie crust topped with a cinnamon walnut crumb topping.  Rich, Rich, Rich! Crumb Topped Blueberry Pie Pastry 1 3/4 cup flour 1/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 2/3 cup butter 2-3 tablespoon apple cider or water 1 egg, beaten Filling 1 cup sour cream 3 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 large egg 3/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup flour 1 teaspoon vanilla 4 cups blueberries, washed and dried Crumb Topping 1/2 cup flour 1/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2...

I think I am on a theme here of making wonderful cupcakes. I modified a cake recipe to create this outrageous cupcake.  A dense chocolate cupcake frosted with a sinful chocolate ganache topped with a chocolate dipped strawberry.  Combining two favorite flavors chocolate and strawberry into a heavenly treat! Cup Cakes 1/2 cups sem- sweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 (16-ounce) package light brown sugar 3 large eggs 2 cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream 1 cup hot water 2 teaspoons vanilla Melt semi-sweet chocolate chips in microwave at high for 30 second intervals until melted, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Beat brown sugar and butter at medium speed in an electric mixer 5 minutes or until well blended. The time really depends on the type of mixer you use. The stronger the mixer the less mixing time. Add eggs one at a time mixing just until blended. Add melted chocolate mixing...

I love chickpeas, adding to salads, stew, sauces and a plus is that chickpeas are a good source of protein.  Combining tofu with chickpeas not only adds interesting texture to this salad but added protein. As I've always shared I love to find healthy recipes that also taste good, low in fat and high in protein. My Curried Chickpea and Tofu salad fits all my requirements.  I've enjoy tofu dishes in oriental restaurants unfortunately I haven't incorporated tofu into my home cooking. Looking for a way to add more tofu in my diet I came up with this recipe. What I like about this recipe is it is easy to make, can be made ahead, looks wonderful and fits well into summer meals. Enjoy! Curried Chickpea and Tofu Salad 3 15 to 15 1/2-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon curry or to taste 2 cloves garlic, pressed 1 bunch green onions, sliced, just white bulbs 3/4 cup shredded carrots 1 cup ...

My love of baking started when I helped my Mother bake cookies at Christmas time. Since then  I've never stopped  baking cookies for Christmas. Baking isn't very hard and I am always amazed when I hear people say I don't like to bake. What's not to like, sugar, butter, chocolate, all those wonderful ingredients in one place. Baking is very precise, you need to measure the correct amount of ingredients and follow the recipe especially if you're a beginner. Once you get some experience with baking you can add your personality. Christmas cookies make wonderful personal gifts to share with family and friends. And so many beautiful boxes, bags, tins can be used as containers for your cookies gifts. A few tips that will help novice bakers. Read all the recipe through before you start and assemble everything that you need. Do any preparation before you start, if the recipe calls for chopped nuts, chop and set aside, eggs separated, same thing.  This will make the flow ...

This is a soup that is rich on flavor but low on fat and calories. It taste like a creamy soup without any dairy product. A healthy choice for a light meal. Leek, Garlic and Cauliflower Soup 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 large leeks, sliced 1 head cauliflower, remove leaves and thick core and coarsely chop 1 head of garlic, roasted 2 tablespoon dry white wine 3 14-ounce cans chicken broth, use light 1 teaspoon snipped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed salt Cracked black pepper sniped fresh thyme sprigs (optional) 1. In a Dutch oven, heat butter and oil over medium heat.  Add leaks; cook about 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. 2. Slowly add wine.  Cook and stir about 2 minutes or until wine is almost all evaporated.  Carefully add broth and cauliflower.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 30 minutes or until vegetables are very tender.  Cool slightly. 3. Transfer mixture , in ba...

Now that the leaves are changing and the air is crisp my thoughts and taste turn to wonderful, warming soup. After working outside, getting my garden ready for a long winter nap, I just love to come inside and warm up with this Tortellini and Escarole soup. It's delicious and easy to make. And naturally good. Tortellini and Escarole Soup 3 Tablespoon olive oil 3 clovers garlic crushed 2 shallots, chopped 1 head of escarole, thoroughly washed and cut into bit size pieces 1 box organic low salt chicken broth 1 package cheese tortellini(9 oz) fresh or frozen Parmesan cheese (optional) Cook garlic and shallots in olive oil on low for 5 just until shallots  are translucent. Don't brown garlic (it taste bitter if you do). Add escarole, stir, coating escarole with olive and cook for another 5 minutes just until the escarole is wilted. Add chicken broth, tortellini, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over individua...

You know sometimes you just want to get a tasty dinner in a hurry.  I sometimes feel that those of us who enjoy cooking sometimes become cooking snobs.  It's all about using just the right ingredients, technique, making everything from scratch and bragging about it.  That is not always "real world".   And for novice cooks this can be intimidating.  When I have the time and am in the mood, I enjoy tackling very intricate recipes.  I find preparing that type of meal fun and an accomplishment.  When time is lacking I look for short cuts that are not short on flavor.  I always use natural ingredients and fresh ingredients when available.  Yes I love to get the freshest plum tomatoes and make a big patch of marinara sauce freezing extra sauce for future use.  For a quick meal I make what I think is pretty good marinara sauce that I can get together in 30 minutes.  Then I change what I add to make different recipes.  My mother c...

I've said it before, my mother and my grandmother  were my inspiration for cooking. My fondest memories growing up are watching both these wonderful cooks in the kitchen, as well a savoring the delicious meals they prepared. So when I asked my 88 year old mother for her spaghetti sauce and meatball recipe, I thought I could just share it with you all. Not so, I needed to fill in the blanks because my mother just cooks from memory. I worked with her to get the full recipes down on paper. I still think that only my mother can make her recipes sing with the most harmonies flavors. I gave this my best. I cooked all kinds of variations of her recipe and now my freezer is filled with enough sauce and meatballs for months. I must admit I did have fun cooking like my mother and grandmother, making large pots of sauce simmering on the stove. And the funny thing is that I don't make that much traditional sauce because I have never felt that I can duplicate the flavor of my mother and g...

I have a little problem. I was going to make this pie, take a picture and post it to show how delicious this peach pie is but I have only one person share the pie with, my husband! I do enjoy cooking but I love to bake. I could bake all day, cakes, pies, pastries, you name it, I'm there. My problem is unless I have company etc, I don't have enough people at my house to eat all these backed goods! So I just will share the recipe today but next time I will bake and take a picture! Maybe I can through a baking party and have everyone come and eat up all that I baked! This is a sinful pie so rich and delicious. I love peaches, fresh or cooked in pastry. Growing up my grandparents had peach trees and the fruit was wonderful. When we moved into the house that I grew up in we had a peach tree and I loved picking and eating the fruit that this tree produced. Outrageous Peach Pie Pastry 1 3/4 cup flour 1/4 cup sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp salt 2/3 cup butter 2-3 Tbsp apple ci...

I am always amazed when I go into a restaurant and see how much they charge for mussels. Right now mussels are so fresh and reasonable at the grocery store or fish market. And they are so easy to make, serve as an appetizer or over pasta as a meal. A wonderful summer meal that is ready in no time. I make mussels a few different ways depending on what I feel like. I do either mussels marinara or mussels in a white wine sauce both are delicious. Mussels Marinara 3 lbs of mussels 3 Tbs olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 shallots chopped 1 cup white wine 1 can(14.5 oz) petite cut tomatoes 1 Tbs fresh oregano 1 TBS fresh parsley 1 Tbs fresh basil pinch of crushed red Italian peppers(optional) 1/2 tsp pepper Rinse and clean mussels thoroughly. Cut the "beard" off, that dark string that is attached to some of the mussels. If the mussels are very dirty scrub with a brush. (You can also soak in a bowel with water just covering the mussels. Add 1/2 cup of flour and s...