Good Dinner Mrs. Mellen

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...

Pasta is a deliciously quick, easy meal that you can prepare for a wonderful week meal. I like to customize my sauces by adding different ingredients.  I strongly recommend using San Marzano tomatoes from Italy my personal favorite. A plumb tomato the  flesh is much thicker with fewer seeds, and the taste is stronger, sweeter and less acidic than Roma tomatoes.  If you decide to use San Marzano tomatoes look for the label to be marked certified. Another splurge that I sometime indulge is buying fresh pasta especially fettuccini. Well worth the extra cost for a special meal. When I am cooking with canned tuna I always use Italian style tuna packed in olive oil which adds more flavor than regular can tuna. Pasta with Italian Tuna 2 tablespoon olive oil 4 clove minced garlic 1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives 2 teaspoon chopped capers 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1 can(28 oz) San Marzano Peeled Tomatoes, Cento 2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaf...

During the Holiday Season when busy is the norm with frantically list writing busy coming in a close second, I love to prepare perfectly delicious easy meals so inviting after a hectic day, just beckoning you breath and enjoy . Carving out a peaceful meal time is essential to keeping stress away and promoting healthy eating for me and my family. I don't believe in eating on the run. I'm flabbergasted as I walk down the street surrounded by people eating food as they walk, my only rule breaker is ice cream. I subscribe to the motto that food is to be prepared with care and you should take time when you eat food.  Sit, relax, enjoy, let your body savory the flavors as well as giving your system time to digest your food. When you relax enjoying a meal you don't over eat either. Being present at the meal insures that you enjoy each bite signaling that you are satisfied and full. Even during this rushed season in addition to stoping to experience the festi...

Summertime's farm fresh tomatoes are my favorite ingredient to use for everything from salads to pastas. With a bountiful crop of basil I made an easy pesto sauce, roasted farm fresh colorful cherry tomatoes and tossed with cooked pasta. A wonderfully easy, quick summer time dinner that everyone will enjoy! Farm Fresh Tomatoes Pesto Pasta 1 pint tricolor cherry tomatoes 2 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 sea salt 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1 cup basil leaves 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/3 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon butter 1 pound thin spaghetti, cooked according to directions. Preheat oven to 350. Toss tomatoes, oil, salt and crushed pepper. Place in baking dish roasting for 20 minutes or until tomatoes start to burst.  In a food processor combine remaining ingredients except for spaghetti. Processor until smooth.  Toss pesto with hot spaghetti, top...

Springtime cooking for me always includes foods with asparagus and lemons. Add pasta, prosciutto and cream for an easy deliciously simple meal. My passion for good food leads me to create easy meals that are fresh and flavorful with simple ingredients. Eating food for nourishment doesn't mean that we need to sacrifice on taste. Food is meant to be savored, enjoyed with family and friends not to be rushed eating standing up or walking down the street. Make an easy beautiful meal, invite family and friends to relax while you all create lasting memories to cherish.     Ingredients         1 pound spaghetti or linguine         Kosher salt         3 tablespoons olive oil         1 cup thinly sliced shallots (about 2 large)         4 ounces Prosciutto, cut into thin strips    ...

I love to create easy weekday meals that just burst with flavor. Being of Italian heritage I learned at an early age from my mother that you should only consume food that taste delicious. Meticulous preparation was so important to my mother who enjoyed the art of cooking instilling in me that food is love that your share with family and friends. I have continued her tradition preparing meals with the focus on flavor and taste. All you need to add as my mother is fond of saying is a pinch or this, a dash of that, just doctor it up! Still at ninety five she knows how to make food sing with flavor. Roasted Cauliflower with Italian Tuna over Pasta 1 head cauliflower, chopped six skin-on garlic cloves 2 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 salt 1/4 black pepper 1/4 red pepper flakes 1 cup Parmesan cheese 3 tablespoon butter two tablespoons pine nuts, toasted 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, toasted Italian yellow fin tuna in olive oil 1 tablespoon capers 1 pound pasta or spaghetti On a shee...

Beef Bourguignon over Pasta 2 tablespoon olive oil 2.5 lb boneless beef chuck, cut in 1.5 inch cubes 3 tablespoons brandy 1/2 lb. small white onions, peeled (about 12) 12 whole cloves 8 ounces whole or sliced mushrooms 2.5 tablespoons flour 2.5 teaspoons meat-extract paste (not liquid) 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 1/2 cups red wine 3/4 cup dry sherry 3/4 cup ruby port 1 1/2 cup beef stock 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1 bay leaf 1 pound of pasta Recipe Instructions Slowly heat 4 quart Dutch oven with tight-fitting lid. olive oil; heat, but do not burn. In hot oil, over high heat, brown beef cubes well, using a fourth at a time, or just enough to cover bottom of Dutch oven. Remove beef as it browns. Continue until beef is browned, adding more oil as needed. Return beef to Dutch oven. In a small saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons brandy just until vapor rises. Ignite, pour over beef. As flame dies, remove beef. Add 2 olive oil to Dutch Oven; heat slightly. Stud each onion...

Ingredients 4 pints cherry tomatoes, halved. I like to use multi colored cherry tomatoes 1/2 cup olive oil 4 cloves minced garlic 18 large basil leaves, sliced thin 1 tablespoon capers 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 pound fresh linguine 4 ounces fresh Mozzarella, cut into cubers 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese Directions Combine the cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, basil leaves, capers, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and the pepper in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature for about 4 hours. Before serving heat a large pot of water with 1 tablespoons salt to a boil and add the pasta. Cook al dente according to the directions on the package. Drain the pasta well, toss with fresh mozzarella then add the cherry tomatoes, tossing again. Serve with fresh grated Parmesan cheese. Four servings Enjoy! gooddinnermrsmellen.com   buzzchomp.com  

      Easy casseroles can be prepared ahead for quick tasty meals even if you have no time. My spring Pasta bake can be assembled the day before, refrigerated, then baked the next day. Or you can bake, freeze and reheat. Either option gives you a easy delicious meal. And I just love spring asparagus! Ingredients PASTA 2 tablespoon olive oil 2 cloves garlic 1 shallot, minced 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1" pieces  1/2 cup (4 oz.) salted butter 1/2 cup (2 oz.) all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons dry mustard 1 teaspoon table salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 cups half-and-half 2 cups whole milk 1 (16-oz.) block Swiss cheese, shredded 2/3 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded 1 (16-oz.) pkg. rainbow bow-tie pasta, prepared according to pkg. directions TOPPING ...

Seafood Pasta for two Cooking for two can be challenging at times. Pasta is easy to make for a cozy dinner for two and I love meals cooked in one pot. Seafood stew over pasta is tasty, easy and wonderfully simple to make even for a novice cook. Add a fresh made salad and crusty bread finish with a crisp white wine for a delicious gourmet dinner. Or how about for a romantic Valentine's Dinner with your sweetheart!  2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves chopped garlic 1 shallot chopped 1 can chopped tomatoes 1 bottle clam juice 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, I like Penzy’s Tuscan Sunset pinch saffron pinch sea salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon crushed hot red peppers 1/2 pound clams 1 pound mussels 1/4 sea scallops 1/2 pound spaghetti Heat oil in pan adding garlic and shallots cooking until translucent just releasing the flavors. Add tomatoes, clam juice, Italian seasonings, saffron, salt, black pepper and red pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes stirring occa...

I wanted to make a "meat" sauce that tasted wonderful but didn't use red meat to cut down on fat and calories. I used ground turkey and turkey sausage to make this flavorful sauce. And the sauce is EASY to make! 1/2 lb. Italian chicken sausage, remove casings 1/2 lb. ground turkey 1 cup chopped onion(1 large) 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot (1 medium) 1/2 cup chopped green pepper(1 small) 1/4 cup chopped celery 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes 1 6-ounce can tomato paste 1/2 cup dry red wine or chicken broth 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 cup park skim ricotta 1/4 cup fresh basil 2 tablespoons snipped fresh oregano In a 4-quart Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground turkey, carrot, sweet pepper, celery, and garlic over medium-high heat until meat is good and onion is tender, using a wooden spoon to break up meat as it cooks. Drain off fat.(using lean turkey you don't have much fat) Stir in tomatoes, tomato p...