Good Dinner Mrs. Mellen

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....

Nothing say summer more than a beautiful Caprese Salad. I love using farm fresh Heirloom tomatoes in alternating colors. You can use any type of tomatoes as long as the are freshly kissed by the sun not a water down hot house variety. Here in New England we anxiously wait through our long, cold, snowy winters for the local summer produce to appear in famers markets in all the charming towns indicative to our area. In the town that I live in Wednesday is farmer's market day or if I am on Martha's Vineyard you'll find me Saturday mornings at the West Tisbury Farm market. Being of Italian heritage tomatoes are part of our fabric and growing up I benefited from my grandparents large garden with filled with all different tomatoes varieties; some like plum tomatoes my grandmother canned to use during the winter; others like  Bonnie Original ,  Big Beef ,  Red Beefsteak  heirloom, Better Boy and  Cherokee Purple , we sliced for salad and sandwiches. My gr...

Portobella Mushroom Sandwich  Portobella mushrooms are so versatile and delicious along with being a filling alternative to meat. Grilling Portabella mushrooms marinated enhances the rich flavor.  Grilling the mushrooms on a barbecue makes a wonderfully flavorful sandwich. Quick, easy, delicious and simple to prepare.  3 portobello mushrooms   1/4 cup olive oil 3 tablespoons chopped onion 4 garlic cloves, minced 4 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 8 ounces Brie, slice thick l large tomato, sliced  10 fresh basil leaves olive oil for brushing  1 loaf Italian bread, sliced in half    Clean mushrooms and remove stems. Place caps on a plate with the gills up. In a small bowl, combine the oil, onion, garlic and vinegar. Pour mixture evenly over the mushroom caps and let stand for 1 hour. Brush bread with oil. Grill mushrooms over hot grill for 10 minutes. Grill bread for the last two minutes. Remove mush...

Summer to me means fresh juicy blueberries- just fresh picked, ripped to perfection! My problem with blueberries is I can eat a whole pint before I even bake a cake or a pie.  What I love about my blueberry coffee cake is that it fits my requirements for summer, simple, easy, delicious and make ahead. This cake is short on time and long on taste.     PECAN STREUSEL     ¾ cup all purpose flour     1 cup pecans, chopped     ½ cup firmly-packed light brown sugar     ¼ cup granulated sugar     1 teaspoon ground cinnamon     1 teaspoon ground cardamom     1 teaspoon salt     1 stick cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces          CAKE     1 ½ cups all purpose flour     ¾ cup granulated sugar     2 teaspoons baking powder     ½ teaspoo...

I love experiment with different ideas to create new recipes.  Since I learned to cook at a young age from my mother I developed like most experienced cooks the ability to create dishes that not only taste delicious but fill that need for putting a meal on the table quickly. I believe that if you are going to eat food should taste wonderful inviting you to sit down even on a week night for a tasty meal with you family. My Mexican Chicken Parmesan is deliciously easy taking about 45 minutes from start to setting the meal on the table! Perfect during the busy Holiday Season. Mexican Chicken Parmesan for Two 2 large Chicken breast 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 cup flour 1  cup plain Panko Bread Crumbs 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 egg 1 carton(8 oz) fresh Salsa, medium 1 cup Mexican four cheeses 1 jalapeno peppers, sliced Spray baking dish with cooking spray. Season both sides of chicken with salt and black pepper. Place flour ...

Dinner for two can be a challenge especially after cooking for a large family as you find it hard to scale down the ingredients and portions. One of the many reasons I like to use pasta or rice as a base then add to create a delicious dinner for two. Seafood lends well to dinner for two. In this meal I used count neck clams which are meaty and flavorful marrying with wine and seasonings for a lusciously delightful taste. Ingredients 2 tablespoon olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 shallot, minced 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped 1 cup dry white wine pinch of saffron 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 pound count neck clams, well scrubbed 4 ounces thin spaghetti, cook according to package In a saute pan add olive oil, garlic, shallot and thyme. Saute on medium heat for 8-10 minutes, garlic and shallots should be translucent, not browned. Add wine, saffron, salt and pepper simmering for 5 minutes. Add clams, cover, continue to cook for 5-10 minutes...

Who doesn't love deviled eggs! You can add anything to the egg filling to create all different types of eggs. Also deviled eggs are great for formal Easter dinner, a picnic, barbecue, just so versitile.  I love to change up the ingredients in my eggs to create tasty new treats. I love all things Mediterranean so I couldn't resist making an egg that captures the taste uniquely Mediterranean. Mediterranean Deviled Eggs 12 large eggs 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 teaspoon yellow mustard 1/8 teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives 1 tablespoon minced capers 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan Cheese slice kalamata olives Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with enough water that there's 1 1/2 inches of water above the eggs. Heat on high until water begins to boil, then cover, turn the heat to low, and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and leave covered for 14 minutes, then rinse under cold water continuously...