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 →

I love surprising my readers with what can be made in parchment. So today I have another fun idea for you – tortellini. And I made this one in my toaster oven since my oven is broken and waiting for a part. This recipe feeds two.

9 oz refrigerated fresh tortellini

1/4 cup frozen peas

salt and pepper to taste

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces

1/4 tsp Italian seasonings or basil

1/4 cup pesto sauce

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp chicken broth

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Place the tortellini on a piece of parchment (see Technique page for instructions). Spread the peas on top. Add the chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Drop dollops of the pesto over the food. Sprinkle Italian seasoning, chicken broth, and olive oil. Sprinkle on Parmesan cheese. Using a fork, gently mix and toss the ingredients together a bit so you no longer see large clumps of pesto. Fold the parchment and bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.

This was delicious and super cute in the packet. You can swap out lots of different ingredients in this one – try ham or cooked Italian sausage instead of the chicken. Instead of the peas, you could use spinach, broccoli, or mushrooms.

The tortellini cooks perfectly and all the flavors are sealed in, making this dish fresh tasting and vibrant.

I love surprising my readers with what can be made in parchment. So today I have another fun idea for you – tortellini. And I made this one in my toaster oven since my oven is broken and waiting for a part. This recipe feeds two. 9 oz refrigerated fresh tortellini 1/4 cup frozen peas … Read more →

I called this post Martha Momdays instead of Martha Mondays because the recipe chosen for today by Lyndsey at Tiny Skillet, sauteed sole, is exactly how my mom used to make it, or almost. The only difference is that this recipe uses a lot more butter and oil. I doubled this recipe so I could feed four with it. I put the butter and oil in the pan and melted it and it was just too much to my eye. So I scooped out about 2 tbsp. Much better. When we were in Seattle over the summer I had sole at a restaurant there and it was supposed to be sauteed, but it arrived fried to a crisp and I didn’t want to relive that experience!

The sole cooks really quickly  (after being dusted with flour) and then you mix up the quick sauce of pan juice, lemon juice, zest, sliced almonds and parsley. Quick and perfect.

I haven’t had sole in a long time, so this was a treat. I am still trying to work my way through the salmon Mr. MarthaAndMe and DudeMartha caught in Alaska and haven’t been buying much seafood, other then shrimp. I was eyeing up the grouper in the fish store, so I may have to go back and buy some of that for another night.

This is a perfect recipe for a week night when you don’t feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen, but want something delicious and full of flavor.Mr. MarthaAndMe is an especially big fan of this one.

Interested in joining Martha Mondays? Just leave a comment letting me know and I’ll add you to roster. You’ll get a turn to choose a project every couple of months and can cook or craft along with us, posting your results.

I called this post Martha Momdays instead of Martha Mondays because the recipe chosen for today by Lyndsey at Tiny Skillet, sauteed sole, is exactly how my mom used to make it, or almost. The only difference is that this recipe uses a lot more butter and oil. I doubled this recipe so I could … Read more →

The recipe for this was in our Sunday paper. I’ve never tried any of Jamie Oliver’s recipes, but this one sounded good. The little intro that accompanied it explained that Jamie likes this for Sunday dinner. In the winter especially, I do like to make Sunday dinners, so this appealed to me.

I had a bit of an oops with this one. I misread the recipe and forgot to add the broth with the potatoes. Eek. I realized it when I went to add the chicken and added it then. Of course it didn’t thicken enough and the potatoes did not cook completely either. I ended up siphoning some of the juices out and thickening them with flour and adding them back in. Don’t let my disaster scare you away though. This was really, really delicious and when I reheated the leftovers the next day (getting the potatoes cooked through) it was fab. The onion and garlic give this a real oomph of flavor. Having sweet and regular potatoes gives it color and an interesting mix of flavor. I will make this again – and this time I’ll make sure I’m awake enough to follow simple instructions!

The recipe for this was in our Sunday paper. I’ve never tried any of Jamie Oliver’s recipes, but this one sounded good. The little intro that accompanied it explained that Jamie likes this for Sunday dinner. In the winter especially, I do like to make Sunday dinners, so this appealed to me. I had a … Read more →

I am a fan of pomegranate sauce. I’ve made this sauce before, for lamb. A while back, the people at Pom contacted me and asked if I would like a flat of Pom juice to use for recipes for this blog. I said I would and they sent it along. Dude Martha noticed it sitting in the garage fridge and asked if he could try it. Suddenly-poof!-it was all gone. The boy was in love with it. I couldn’t complain since I was happy to have him drinking something healthy. That left me with no Pom for recipes. So, I had to go buy some more. Finally, though I was able to make this recipe.

Roast one pork tenderloin that has been seasoned with salt and pepper at 400 degrees. It takes about half an hour. Meanwhile brown 3 tbsp butter in a sauce pan. Add 1 finely chopped clove of garlic and cook for 3 seconds. Add 3/4 cup pomegranate juice and 1/2 cup chicken broth. Add 1 tsp thyme and 1 tsp rosemary. Bring to a boil then reduce to medium, cooking until it becomes thick and syrupy, about 30 minutes. Serve sauce with pork.

The pomegranate juice is a wonderful sweet tart flavor that complements pork magnificently. The color is also just gorgeous – this would be a perfect Valentine’s Day dish.

I am a fan of pomegranate sauce. I’ve made this sauce before, for lamb. A while back, the people at Pom contacted me and asked if I would like a flat of Pom juice to use for recipes for this blog. I said I would and they sent it along. Dude Martha noticed it sitting … 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 →

I need your help. I recently made Chicken Chesapeake, which is from Paula Deen’s magazine. Here’s the recipe

8 oz lump crabmeat
6 boneless chicken breasts
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup butter
8 oz sliced Baby Bella mushrooms
1/2 cup minced green onion
1 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup cream
8 oz cream cheese
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 13×9 dish. Sprinkle crab in bottom.
Season chicken with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper then cook in 2 tbsp melted butter in a skillet 4-5 min per side. Remove and place on top of crab.
Melt remaining butter, add mushrooms and green onions. Cook for 6 min until mushrooms are tender. Add wine and cook 6 min until reduced by half. Add cream and broth, cook for 10 min until slightly thickened. Stir in cream cheese. Add remaining salt and pepper. Pour over chicken and bake for 25-30 minutes.

It sounded SOOOOO good. But it wasn’t. It actually was pretty awful. I did use a refrigerated can of pasteurized crabmeat and I cut the recipe in half. Other than that, I followed it exactly. It was horrible. The sauce tasted delicious when I was cooking it, but over the chicken it was tasteless. The crab tasted not so great. Nothing about this was good and I was so disappointed. I don’t cook with crab a lot and am wondering if I expected too much? I tried squeezing some lemon over it on my plate and that didn’t help much. Any suggestions for making this recipe work?

I need your help. I recently made Chicken Chesapeake, which is from Paula Deen’s magazine. Here’s the recipe 8 oz lump crabmeat 6 boneless chicken breasts 1 1/2 tsp salt 1 1/2 tsp pepper 1/4 cup butter 8 oz sliced Baby Bella mushrooms 1/2 cup minced green onion 1 cup white wine 1 cup chicken … Read more →

Chili with no tomatoes and no beans? Really? Yup. That’s what the real deal chili recipe is, the project chosen for today’s Martha Mondays by Steak and Potato Kinda Gurl.

I seriously contemplated dumping some tomatoes or kidney beans into this because I was worried it wasn’t going to be any good. It has paprika, cayenne, cumin, and oregano in it (no chilis you’ll notice). But after I got it going, I tasted it and it was pretty good. Plus DudeMartha is not a fan of tomatoes or beans and when I described it to him he was excited. So we went with it. It was good. I put cheese and sour cream on mine. DudeMartha added Tabasco. Mr. MarthaAndMe had just cheese. They gave it the thumbs up. I thought it was good, but it’s not the kind of thing I get nutty over.  How did everyone else make out?

Chili with no tomatoes and no beans? Really? Yup. That’s what the real deal chili recipe is, the project chosen for today’s Martha Mondays by Steak and Potato Kinda Gurl. I seriously contemplated dumping some tomatoes or kidney beans into this because I was worried it wasn’t going to be any good. It has paprika, … 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 →

Someone recently said to me that she had never had fried apples. I could have caught flies, my mouth gaped so much. It never occurred to me that this would be something unusual. I make fried apples a lot, often in the fall, and often to go with pork. My mom and grandma made them often when I was a kid too. They’re just as good as baked apples, but quicker. And sometimes when you feel like your head might explode if you have to come up with another vegetable your kids will eat for dinner, this is an excellent solution.

It is incredibly easy. For the apples in this photo, I used two apples. I cored them, then cut them into thirds (to make rings). I put some olive oil and butter in the pan (maybe 1 tbsp butter with a swirl of olive oil). Sprinkle the apples with a  tablespoon or two brown sugar and a 1/2 tsp or so cinnamon. Add a sprinkle of salt on top. Cover and cook over medium heat. Once the apples are browning on the bottom, flip them over and cover again. Sometimes I will flip a third time to get all that cinnamon-y goodness all over both sides. They’re done when the white part of the apple is soft and getting mushy.

Add more (or less) sugar and cinnamon depending on how sweet you like things. You can’t fit much more than 2 apples per skillet, so you need to do batches or cook with two pans to do more.

Someone recently said to me that she had never had fried apples. I could have caught flies, my mouth gaped so much. It never occurred to me that this would be something unusual. I make fried apples a lot, often in the fall, and often to go with pork. My mom and grandma made them … Read more →