Here in my hometown of Buffalo, in addition to being known for chicken wings, we have a local sandwich that is important, called beef on weck. It’s thin sliced roast beef that is cooked in au jus and then put on a special hard roll called a kimmelweck (the roll has caraway seeds and rock salt on top of it). The sandwich is usually topped with ketchup and horseradish. I like the flavors of the sandwich, but I find the roll almost unmanageable. It’s too big and bulky to bite into and there’s just too much of it for my tastes. So, I came up with a parchment paper solution that has all the flavors of beef on weck with none of the things I don’t like.

1 tortilla

1 tbsp ketchup

1/2 tsp horseradish

3 slices deli roast beef

1/4 tsp caraway seeds plus a pinch

1/4 tsp sea salt, plus a pinch

Preheat the oven to 400. Spread ketchup and horseradish on the tortilla, to about an inch of the edge. Place the roast beef on the tortilla and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp of salt and caraway seeds. Roll up and place seam side down on the parchment. Spray the top with cooking spray and sprinkle the remaining pinches of salt and caraway on top. Fold the parchment and bake for 12 minutes. You can also add cheese to this if you like.

Here in my hometown of Buffalo, in addition to being known for chicken wings, we have a local sandwich that is important, called beef on weck. It’s thin sliced roast beef that is cooked in au jus and then put on a special hard roll called a kimmelweck (the roll has caraway seeds and rock … Read more →

We eat a lot of asparagus here since my dad has an asparagus bed. Soon there will bags of it being sent over here. While I love it, I’m always looking for new ways to make it. This recipe is so easy and really tasty:

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed

1/4 cup light bleu cheese dressing

salt and pepper

That’s it. Place the asparagus on the parchment, drizzle the dressing over it and season it with salt and pepper. Fold up the parchment and bake for 20 minutes at 400.

We eat a lot of asparagus here since my dad has an asparagus bed. Soon there will bags of it being sent over here. While I love it, I’m always looking for new ways to make it. This recipe is so easy and really tasty: 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed 1/4 cup light bleu cheese dressing … Read more →

Summertime feels pretty far away right now, but making these fantastic crepes made me hopeful that summer will eventually come! My son likes to make these in the toaster oven when he comes home from school.

1 crepe (I find these pre-made in my produce section)

½ of a 1.55 oz milk chocolate candy bar, broken into pieces

¼ cup mini marshmallows

¼ of a graham cracker, crumbled

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the crepe on the parchment. Line up the chocolate along one side. Add the marshmallows and graham crackers. Roll up the crepe. Fold the parchment. Bake for 5 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

*Reader favorite! This one appears in The Parchment Paper Cookbook

Summertime feels pretty far away right now, but making these fantastic crepes made me hopeful that summer will eventually come! My son likes to make these in the toaster oven when he comes home from school. 1 crepe (I find these pre-made in my produce section) ½ of a 1.55 oz milk chocolate candy bar, … Read more →

I’m always looking for ways to make vegetables more exciting, hoping to entice my kids and husband into not only eating them, but enjoying them. My latest attempt was to dress up asparagus and it was quite successful.

1 bunch asparagus

1/4 cup light sour cream

1 1/2 tsp mustard (I used a ground mustard, but a Dijon would also work)

1 tsp lemon juice

salt and pepper

Place asparagus on parchment (see Technique page for instructions). Mix other ingredients in a small bowl or custard cup and spread over asparagus. Fold the parchment and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.

I really liked this. It was light but had lots of flavor and made the asparagus taste like something new and exciting!

I’m always looking for ways to make vegetables more exciting, hoping to entice my kids and husband into not only eating them, but enjoying them. My latest attempt was to dress up asparagus and it was quite successful. 1 bunch asparagus 1/4 cup light sour cream 1 1/2 tsp mustard (I used a ground mustard, … Read more →

Here’s a fun, easy recipe with a bit of an ingredient twist. I picked up a bottle of birch syrup on our summer trip to Alaska. It’s like maple syrup, but thinner and not as sweet. It’s got a really interesting flavor and is terrific on fish, chicken, and as I have just discovered, vegetables.

12 baby carrots

1/4 rutabaga

1 parsnip

salt and pepper

2 tbsp birch syrup

1/4 tsp cider vinegar

Slice the carrots as thinly as possible. Cut off very, very thin rounds of rutabaga and cut the skin off. Cut into bite size pieces. Peel the parsnip and cut into very thin rounds. Place all the vegetables on parchment (see Technique page for instructions). Drizzle the birch syrup on top. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle vinegar over top. Using a fork or your hands, lightly toss all the ingredients together. Fold up the parchment. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 40 minutes.

The results are perfectly roasted veggies with a slightly sweet and an almost smoky, woodsy flavor. The birch syrup gives it just a hint of sweetness, balanced with the tiny bit of vinegar. My kids really liked this because it was very familiar yet had an interesting, new flavor. I highly recommend picking up (or ordering) a bottle of birch syrup. I’m really enjoying its flavor and versatility!

*Reader favorite: this appears in The Parchment Paper Cookbook

Here’s a fun, easy recipe with a bit of an ingredient twist. I picked up a bottle of birch syrup on our summer trip to Alaska. It’s like maple syrup, but thinner and not as sweet. It’s got a really interesting flavor and is terrific on fish, chicken, and as I have just discovered, vegetables. … Read more →

The first time I had Swedish meatballs was in NYC. My husband and I were there on a business trip and decided to just walk until we found a place to have lunch. We ended up sitting outside at a cute little Swedish place and enjoying the meatballs. A few years later, we went back to NYC with the kids for a long weekend. I picked a restaurant out of a guidebook for dinner. It ended up being the same Swedish place,, which we didn’t realize until we were there. It was just as good the second time. After that trip, I learned how to make them myself. But can they be made in parchment? That was the challenge I set for myself and the answer is a resounding yes.

For the meatballs:

1 lb ground turkey

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper

1/2 tsp carraway seeds

1 tbsp olive oil

1 egg

1 tbsp skim milk

6 cups whole wheat noodles, cooked so they are very al dente

First, a word about the noodles. I tried this recipe several ways. It is possible to soak uncooked egg noodles in hot water for 5 minutes then use them in the packets, but the results are just a bit gummy. It is also possible to boil noodles in the microwave if you use a big enough bowl. That’s the best method if you want to do this without a pot. Or you can just cook them on the stovetop if you want. If you have leftover noodles from something else you’re good to go!

Mix turkey and all ingredients except the noodles in a bowl. Set up 4 pieces of parchment and place 1/4 of the noodles on each. Make the turkey mixture into 12 meatballs and place 3 on each pile of noodles. It’s possible to freeze the meatballs at this stage if you place them on a baking sheet until they’re solid, then transfer to a ziploc bag. This is great if you only want to make one or two packets at a time.

For each packet, add 1/4 cup light sour cream, 4 tbsp chicken broth, 1 tbsp lingonberry jelly (which is available in the jelly section of your grocery store), 1 tsp cornstarch, and salt and pepper. Gently mix everything together. It does not have to be perfectly combined. Fold the parchment (see Technique page) and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Open each packet and top with a dollop (about 1 tsp of lingonberry jelly).

This smelled so good while it was baking that the entire family came to see what was cooking! I love the flavor of the lingonberry. Using turkey, whole wheat egg noodles, and light sour cream makes this a healthy alternative to more traditional dishes.

The first time I had Swedish meatballs was in NYC. My husband and I were there on a business trip and decided to just walk until we found a place to have lunch. We ended up sitting outside at a cute little Swedish place and enjoying the meatballs. A few years later, we went back … Read more →

Looking for a simple dish to make with lots of flavor but no mess? This easy to make dish will be ready with almost no work and definitely no clean up.

1 bunch Swiss chard
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Roughly chop the chard, or rip it into pieces with your hands. Use a very large piece of parchment for this – at least 3 feet. Place the chard on the parchment. Dot with pieces of the butter. Sprinkle the balsamic around then season with salt and pepper. Fold up the paper and bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

When you open the packet, the beautiful color of the chard will please your eyes. The delicate flavors of butter and balsamic emphasize the fresh taste of the chard.

Looking for a simple dish to make with lots of flavor but no mess? This easy to make dish will be ready with almost no work and definitely no clean up. 1 bunch Swiss chard 2 tbsp butter 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar salt and pepper to taste Roughly chop the chard, or rip it into … Read more →

Acorn squash is my new pal, so I’ve been trying it out lots of different ways. I love it in this recipe with chicken and apple.

To make each individual packet:
1/2 cup cooked instant brown rice
1 chicken breast
1/2 cup peeled, roughly chopped acorn squash
1/2 of an apple, cored and roughly chopped
1 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp thyme
1 tbsp apple juice or cider
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
pinch dried mustard

You can cook the instant brown rice in the microwave in a glass bowl, or use leftover rice you have. Place the rice on the parchment and lay the chicken breast on top. Place the squash and apple on top. Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle on the cinnamon, thyme and dried mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the juice or cider and vinegar. Fold and bake at 400 for 22 minutes. Allow to rest about 3 minutes before opening.

This is a great entire meal in a packet. The flavors are wonderful for a cold winter or fall night.

Acorn squash is my new pal, so I’ve been trying it out lots of different ways. I love it in this recipe with chicken and apple. To make each individual packet: 1/2 cup cooked instant brown rice 1 chicken breast 1/2 cup peeled, roughly chopped acorn squash 1/2 of an apple, cored and roughly chopped … Read more →

As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve got a freezer full of salmon from our recent Alaska trip, so coming up with new recipes for it is a must! I recently read a great cookbook called Cooking in the South by Johnnie Gabriel, who is Paula Deen’s cousin. One recipe in there is for a salmon dish with a BBQ-like sauce. I actually intended to just make that recipe, but I realized I was missing a key ingredient – ketchup! So I improvised, and here’s the result:

1 pound salmon

2 tbsp melted butter

2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce

1 tbsp yellow mustard

1 tbsp Worchestershire sauce

1/8 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp garlic powder

4 tbsp condensed tomato soup

1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp brown sugar

salt and pepper

Place the salmon on parchment paper (I was using one large piece, but if you have individual fillets, you can cook them together or separately). Place all the other ingredients in a glass bowl or measuring cup and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir it well. Pour half of the mixture over the salmon (reserving half). Fold up the parchment and bake at 400 for 25 minutes. Serve with the reserved BBQ sauce on the side.

This fed two hungry people at my house, but could definitely feed 2 adults and 2 kids who were not famished. The sauce has a great tang and sweetness to it which really complements the salmon. Serving the reserved sauce on the side allows you to add more if you like yours heavily coated in sauce.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve got a freezer full of salmon from our recent Alaska trip, so coming up with new recipes for it is a must! I recently read a great cookbook called Cooking in the South by Johnnie Gabriel, who is Paula Deen’s cousin. One recipe in there is for a salmon dish … Read more →

I ate a lot of artichokes as a kid, back when none of my friends knew what they were, so I’m quite fond of them. They’re not the easiest thing to cook though – you have boil them for a long time and then your house smells like artichokes. I came up with a solution for an easier artichoke dish that mimics delicious stuffed artichokes:

12 ounces frozen artichoke hearts quarters
4 tbsp butter (cut into small pieces)
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, with 2 tbsp reserved
1/4 cup chopped parsley (I actually don’t chop this, but rip off little pieces with my hands)
salt and pepper

Place all ingredients on parchment. Lightly toss together. Fold up (see instructions on the “technique” page of this blog for details) and bake at 400 for 30 min. Then open the parchment, sprinkle with remaining cheese and return to the oven (leaving the packet open) for about 12 minutes.

The result? a satisfying, full-flavored dish that is is incredibly easy and requires no clean up. This is my new favorite way to make artichokes!

*Reader favorite: this appears in The Parchment Paper Cookbook

I ate a lot of artichokes as a kid, back when none of my friends knew what they were, so I’m quite fond of them. They’re not the easiest thing to cook though – you have boil them for a long time and then your house smells like artichokes. I came up with a solution … Read more →