I had such a great response to my post about doing rice noodles in parchment, I decided to take the leap and see if I could do more traditional pastas this way also. The answer? YES! I actually made this dish two ways – the traditional way and the parchment paper method. They are identical in taste, flavor, and texture (except some of the manicotti noodles ripped when I boiled them and when I used the parchment method they did not and turned out perfectly shaped). The difference? No manicotti pan to scrub afterwards.

Line your baking sheet with foil then place your parchment on top (see Technique page for info about how to use and fold the parchment). Soak 8 manicotti shells in your sink, covered in hot water for 20 minutes.  In a large plastic zip bag, mix 1 container of cottage cheese or 1 container of ricotta (or a mix of half and half of each), 1 package of frozen spinach (defrosted and squeezed dry), 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 tsp Italian herb mix, and salt and pepper to taste. Seal the bag and squish it up till it’s mixed. Cut a hole in the corner of the bag and use it to pipe the mix into the shells.

Place 1/8 cup spaghetti sauce at the bottom of each parchment packet in the shape of 2 manicotti. Place 2 stuffed manicotti on top. Top with 1/2 cup sauce. Repeat for other 3 packets. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes. Allow to rest about 3 minutes before cutting open the packets.

It turns out perfectly. It’s moist and delicious and full of flavor. Definitely my new favorite way of making pasta!

I had such a great response to my post about doing rice noodles in parchment, I decided to take the leap and see if I could do more traditional pastas this way also. The answer? YES! I actually made this dish two ways – the traditional way and the parchment paper method. They are identical … Read more →

Do people still make pot roast? Probably not as often as they did back in the 70s when I was a kid. We had pot roast pretty regularly. I learned to make it by the time I was in junior high. I would get home from school around 4 and my mom would have left me a note asking me to put it together and put it in the oven. I pulled out my recipe notebook to consult my mom’s recipe and realized I don’t even have it written down, because I made it so many times that it was just something I knew how to make. Dollars to donuts, my mom has nothing written down anywhere either.

I haven’t made pot roast in a really long time. There’s something so homey and comforting about it and it smells so good when it’s cooking. I don’t have an actual recipe to share, but this is how I make it.

Start with a medium enameled roasting pan (the kind that are speckled) with a lid. Put a chuck roast in it. Then chop up half an onion and a few garlic cloves. Add baby carrots, 3-4 potatoes cut into 4ths, a teaspoonful of tomato paste, and some whole mushrooms (maybe half a package). Dump in some salt (you need more than you think) and pepper. Dump in some herbs (I have a “beef roast” seasoning from Penzey’s I use, if I didn’t have that I would use thyme, oregano and a little celery salt). Add about 2 cups of red wine. Then add enough beef broth to cover the meat (I used  a whole carton). When you’re done, you should have that medium roasting pan filled to the top. This does not work well in a roasting pan that is larger because the meat is not completely covered.

Roast at 350 for at least 2 hours. I had mine in for 3 hours, but the meat was still mostly frozen when I put it in.

When it comes out, put the vegetables in a bowl and the meat on a platter. Add Wondra to the juices and cook until thickened the way you like it (I like my gravies thick!).

It’s not gourmet and it’s not pretty to look at, but boy is it good!

Do people still make pot roast? Probably not as often as they did back in the 70s when I was a kid. We had pot roast pretty regularly. I learned to make it by the time I was in junior high. I would get home from school around 4 and my mom would have left … Read more →

I’ve seen a few recipes for donut muffins, but have never actually made any. I saw this one in Nov Everyday Food and the pumpkin part drew me in, so I decided to make them. This was super easy. Just mix it all up in a bowl, bake in muffin tins and then roll in melted butter and cinnamon/sugar. They were really tasty and smelled great while they were baking. The family gave this a thumbs up all the way. You need to eat them with a fork though, because they’re kind of crumbly.

10 tbsp butter

3 cups flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/4 allspice

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 1/4 pumpkin puree

3/4 cup brown sugar

for sugar coating:

3/4 c sugar

2 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 c butter

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour a muffin tin. Whisk dry ingredients together in one bowl. Whisk buttermilk and pumpkin in another.  In yet another bowl, mix butter and brown sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Add flour in 3 additions, alternating with the pumpkin mix.

Put 1/3 c batter in each muffin cup and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 30 min.

Mix sugar and cinnamon. and melt butter. Let muffins cool 10 min then roll in butter then cinnamon sugar.

Now, you know me, I did this all in one bowl. I have no patience for Martha’s methods. I also used a little less nutmeg and allspice and added some cinnamon into the batter itself.

I ended up with more than 12  – I think I had about 18 of these. I would definitely make this again. All the yumminess of a donut with the ease of a muffin.

I’ve seen a few recipes for donut muffins, but have never actually made any. I saw this one in Nov Everyday Food and the pumpkin part drew me in, so I decided to make them. This was super easy. Just mix it all up in a bowl, bake in muffin tins and then roll in … Read more →

“It looks like dessert!” my daughter said when she saw this. It definitely does, but it tastes like a wonderfully moist turkey meatloaf.

1 lb ground turkey
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
5 grated baby carrots
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup skim milk
2 tbsp sweet and sour sauce, plus 1/4 cup for topping
1 piece of cooked turkey bacon

Place muffin tin liners in 10 muffin cups. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Use an ice cream scoop to fill the liners. Divide evenly among the 10 cups (about one scoop per cup). Flatten the tops with a fork. Using a spoon, spread the remaining 1/4 cup sweet and sour sauce on top of the meatloaf. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

The sweet and sour sauce gives this a nice sweetness and tang. The turkey bacon adds an interesting smoky flavor. These are terrific the next day for lunch, cold!

“It looks like dessert!” my daughter said when she saw this. It definitely does, but it tastes like a wonderfully moist turkey meatloaf. 1 lb ground turkey 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp garlic powder 5 grated baby carrots 1/2 cup rolled oats 1/2 cup skim milk 2 tbsp sweet and sour sauce, plus 1/4 … Read more →

I have a special place in my heart for blondies. I shared my favorite recipe for them previously on this blog. Lately I’ve been obsessed with The Complete America’s Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook. I love the idea of this cookbook – that the editors tried every conceivable way of making recipes until they hit upon the very best method. The book has a blondie recipe and I had to check it out to see if it is better than my recipe

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

12 tbsp melted butter

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup pecans

1 /2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Whisk flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk brown sugar and butter. Add eggs and vanilla. Fold dry ingredients in. Fold in nuts and chips. Place in 13×9 pan lined with foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 22-25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Mine took longer to cook. These were delicious. I used only chocolate chips and did not add nuts or white chocolate, which I think would make it even better. This had that rich, buttery taste that blondies have and it was soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside. It’s definitely in close contention with my recipe!

I have a special place in my heart for blondies. I shared my favorite recipe for them previously on this blog. Lately I’ve been obsessed with The Complete America’s Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook. I love the idea of this cookbook – that the editors tried every conceivable way of making recipes until they hit … Read more →

If you’ve been following my blog, you know it’s all about no mess, no pot cooking. So how on earth could I make noodles? Oh, I’m excited to share this one! I was so thrilled with this method!

1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 single serving container (4 oz) of mandarin oranges

1 scallion, thinly sliced

1 medium garlic clove, chopped

1/4 of a broccoli head, cut into tiny florets

6 oz rice noodles

1/3 cup teriyaki sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

Clean out your sink and place the rice noodles in it. Cover with cold water and allow to soak for 15 minutes. Remove the noodles and place in the center of a piece of parchment (I made this family style). Make a nest in the middle and place the shrimp. Top with scallions, garlic and broccoli. Pour the oranges on top, juice and all. Then drizzle the teriyaki and soy sauces, being sure you get it on the shrimp and as much of the noodles as possible.

Bake at 400 for 30 minutes. Wow! I surprised even myself with this one! No pots, no mess and a delicious Asian shrimp dish with noodles. It has a nice citrus taste and the green of the vegetables give it color and flavor. I’ll be making this one again!

*Reader favorite: Appears in The Parchment Paper Cookbook

If you’ve been following my blog, you know it’s all about no mess, no pot cooking. So how on earth could I make noodles? Oh, I’m excited to share this one! I was so thrilled with this method! 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 single serving container (4 oz) of mandarin oranges 1 … Read more →

We don’t eat a lot of red meat, so turkey is definitely something I use a lot. It’s a nice change from chicken and fish. The key to turkey cutlets is keeping them moist and making sure they don’t get overdone. This recipe gives the turkey an interesting flavor and does it with no mess!

4 turkey cutlets
8 tbsp apricot preserves
4 tsp soy sauce
pepper
dry mustard
4 parsley sprigs (optional)

Place one cutlet in the middle of a piece of parchment. Spread 2 tbsp apricot preserves on top and drizzle with 1 tsp soy sauce. Add a pinch of pepper and a pinch of dry mustard to each packet. Top with a sprig of fresh parsley if you have any. Seal them up and bake at 400 for 15 minute. Allow them rest for 2-3 minutes before serving.

This is one of my favorite turkey cutlet recipes!

We don’t eat a lot of red meat, so turkey is definitely something I use a lot. It’s a nice change from chicken and fish. The key to turkey cutlets is keeping them moist and making sure they don’t get overdone. This recipe gives the turkey an interesting flavor and does it with no mess! … Read more →

I must sound like a spokesperson for the Complete America’s Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook, but I swear I’m not. My latest recipe from this cookbook is Stuffed Chicken Breasts. Chicken cordon bleu is one of those things that was always on the menu 20 years ago. And you always got a really bad version of it banquets. So I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this recipe.

Filling:

1 tbsp butter

1 small onion, minced

1 small garlic clove, minced

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1 tsp minced thyme

2 ounces cheddar, shredded

4 slices deli ham

Chicken:

1 (5-6 oz) chicken skinless boneless chicken breasts

3/4 cup flour

2 eggs

1 tbsp plus 3/4 cup vegetable oil

4 slices white bread, made into coarse crumbs and dried

Melt the butter and add onion and cook 15-20 min. Add garlic and cook 20 seconds.

Mix the cream cheese with a mixer until fluffy, 1 minute. Stir in the onion mixture and add thyme and cheddar and salt and pepper to taste.

Butterfly the chicken and then pound it to 1/4 inch thickness. Place the chicken smooth side down and spread with 1/4 of the cheese mixture. Salt and pepper it. Place 1 slice ham on top. Roll up the cutlet from the tapered end, folding in the edges to form a neat cylinder. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450. Beat egg with 1 tbsp oil. Dip chicken in flour, egg, then breadcrumbs. Place on a wire rack and let it rest 5 min.

Heat 3/4 cup oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat until shimmery. Add the chicken, seam side down, and cook 2 min until golden. Turn and cook the other side 2-3 minutes. Transfer seam side down to a baking sheet and baked at 450 about 15 min until the center is 165 degrees.

Wow. It really worked. The chicken had an incredible crunchy outside and a divine creamy center. A couple of things I would do differently: I would use less cream cheese and more of some other cheese. It was a little bland. I would also use less oil for the pan frying aspect of this. Other than that, I highly recommend this recipe!

I must sound like a spokesperson for the Complete America’s Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook, but I swear I’m not. My latest recipe from this cookbook is Stuffed Chicken Breasts. Chicken cordon bleu is one of those things that was always on the menu 20 years ago. And you always got a really bad version … Read more →

I watched with a grumbling stomach as the owner of the Clinton St Baking Company made his pancakes for Martha on a recent episode. I have to say I am pretty committed to my own pancake recipe (which was also my mom’s) and to my oatmeal pancake recipe, which I love. However, these pancakes looked great. And apparently people line up in the street to get them, so I had to try them! The main difference is that you whip the egg whites for this recipe, which is supposed to make them fluffy and light.

Honestly, I didn’t really think these were much fluffier than the kind I usually make. I think the trick to truly fluffy pancakes is a professional griddle, which I don’t have. However, the pancakes were good. Everyone enjoyed them, Dude Martha especially, since there is vanilla in them and he likes that flavor a lot. I’m glad I tried them, but will probably stick with my own recipes for pancakes.

For a really fun, and EASY breakfast recipe, check out my crescent roll and egg muffin tin recipe on No Pot Cooking.

I watched with a grumbling stomach as the owner of the Clinton St Baking Company made his pancakes for Martha on a recent episode. I have to say I am pretty committed to my own pancake recipe (which was also my mom’s) and to my oatmeal pancake recipe, which I love. However, these pancakes looked … Read more →

My father has an asparagus patch, so in the spring, we have lots of asparagus to use. And I am always looking for news ways to make it. Recently I decided to make it with a sesame flavor and was thrilled with my no-mess, no-pot results

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed

1/4 tsp toasted sesame seeds

1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp sesame oil

Place the asparagus in the center of a sheet of parchment. Drizzle oils and soy sauce. Sprinkle with the seeds. Seal and bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Allow it to rest for about 5 minutes.

The asparagus comes out nicely cooked with a light sesame flavor that really livens it up. My kids liked this a lot because to them it tasted more like Chinese food and less like vegetables!

My father has an asparagus patch, so in the spring, we have lots of asparagus to use. And I am always looking for news ways to make it. Recently I decided to make it with a sesame flavor and was thrilled with my no-mess, no-pot results 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed 1/4 tsp toasted sesame seeds … Read more →