New year, new resolutions for many of us. If yours is to simplify, eat more healthfully, or cook more at home, parchment paper packets can help you!

Here are some tips to get started with parchment paper cooking, which will allow you to cook with ease with no clean up, producing healthy, yummy dishes in a flash:

• When in doubt, cut the piece of parchment bigger than you think you need. You can always trim it or just fold it, but if you start out with it too small, it’s hard to work with.
• When you head into the kitchen to cook, ask yourself if you can make the dinner you had planned in parchment. You can convert just about any dish to parchment cooking. For starters, check out my book, The Parchment Paper Cookbook for 180 ideas.
• Remember that when cooking in parchment you don’t need to add more than a few drops of oil, butter or fat. Your food cooks in its own juices and steams inside the packet.
• For the prettiest results, stack your ingredients with the most colorful on top.
• You can brown your food by opening the packets, folding the paper edges under or cutting them off and quickly broiling while keeping an eye on the packet. Parchment singes but does not burn, but you should still keep an eye on it.
• Twist the ends of your packets to easily seal them. I find this to be the simplest and most effective method. See the Technique page of this blog for details.
• Remember you can recycle or compost your parchment!

I’ll be adding more delicious parchment packet recipes soon after a holiday break. Check back soon!

New year, new resolutions for many of us. If yours is to simplify, eat more healthfully, or cook more at home, parchment paper packets can help you! Here are some tips to get started with parchment paper cooking, which will allow you to cook with ease with no clean up, producing healthy, yummy dishes in … Read more →

This fall dish would be perfect for Thanksgiving if you’re still looking for a side dish! It’s got lovely flavor from the apple and orange juice and the cinnamon warms it up. This is adapted from a recent recipe in Everyday Food Magazine.

I large parsnip, peeled and sliced thinly

1 apple, peeled, cored and sliced thinly

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp orange juice

1/8 tsp cinnamon

Salt and pepper to taste

pinch of onion powder

Place the parsnips and apples on the parchment. Sprinkle oil, orange juice and spices on top. Toss with your hands to combine. Fold the paper (see Technique page) and bake at 400 for 45 minutes.

This fall dish would be perfect for Thanksgiving if you’re still looking for a side dish! It’s got lovely flavor from the apple and orange juice and the cinnamon warms it up. This is adapted from a recent recipe in Everyday Food Magazine. I large parsnip, peeled and sliced thinly 1 apple, peeled, cored and … Read more →

I used halibut in this dish, but any firm white fleshed fish will work. The parsley I used came from my bunch of parsley root, which I blogged about on my other food blog.

1 1/2 cups cooked rice

2 6-ounce halibut fillets

1/2 bunch parsley

1/8 small onion

1/4 cup light sour cream

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

8 baby carrots

2 tablespoons skim milk

1/4 teaspoon dried dill

Preheat oven to 400. Cut a 25 inch piece of parchment and place the rice in the center, roughly the size of the two pieces of fish. Top with fish. Place all the other ingredients in a small food processor and process until pureed (or you can chop the parsley, onion, and carrots and mix other ingredients with them). Pour the sauce over the fish. Fold the parchment (see Technique page of this site) and bake for 20 minutes.

The parsley gives this dish an amazing vibrant and slightly spicy flavor. It’s tastes so fresh and alive that it will wake you up!

 

I used halibut in this dish, but any firm white fleshed fish will work. The parsley I used came from my bunch of parsley root, which I blogged about on my other food blog. 1 1/2 cups cooked rice 2 6-ounce halibut fillets 1/2 bunch parsley 1/8 small onion 1/4 cup light sour cream 1 … Read more →

I hope you’ll stop by to visit these amazing bloggers who have welcomed me! More blog tour stops coming next week!

SuperCollegeChef

Suddenly Frugal

The Culinary Life

Not Rachel Ray

Living Large in Our Little House

 

I hope you’ll stop by to visit these amazing bloggers who have welcomed me! More blog tour stops coming next week! SuperCollegeChef Suddenly Frugal The Culinary Life Not Rachel Ray Living Large in Our Little House  

Join me on my blog tour! So many wonderful bloggers have invited me to stop by their blogs for guest posts of Q&As. I hope you will stop by and say hello! Here are a few recent stops.

The Boston Food Swap

Reel Life with Jane

Imperf3ct Moms

Champion of My Heart

Frisco Kids

I’ll post another installment soon.

Join me on my blog tour! So many wonderful bloggers have invited me to stop by their blogs for guest posts of Q&As. I hope you will stop by and say hello! Here are a few recent stops. The Boston Food Swap Reel Life with Jane Imperf3ct Moms Champion of My Heart Frisco Kids I’ll … Read more →