OT Lazy Cooking with Cat!

[Virginia]

Sunshine, I would think this would be uncovered while cooking. Is that correct?

[Sunshine]

Yes.uncovered!

[Lazarus]

Too late I know but...an easy and elegant thing to do is to put the chicken breast in parchment paper...top with strips of red or yellow peppers and maybe an asparagus spear or two...and some fresh herbs....make a package of the parchment paper and bake. When done open the package at the table...each person gets their own..
Open carefully with a scissors and let steam escape. Wonderful. Takes very little time...

The following shows the method and suggests dinners that are good this way.
“

In France they call it "en papillote". In Italy, it’s "al cartoccio". In America, we call it parchment cooking. What does it mean? Very simply, it's a cooking technique that involves wrapping food, typically fish, chicken and/or vegetables in parchment paper. Once wrapped like an envelope, the "packet" is baked in the oven until the entire meal is moist, tender and cooked to perfection.

The technique may sound fancy in other languages, but it's actually quite simple. Even better? It's probably the least messy cooking method because it doesn't involve any pots or pans. Nutritionally speaking, because all ingredients are assembled in a packet, very little (if any) fat is needed, making it a fantastic cooking technique for the Healthy Eats crowd.
Here's how to do it:
1. Fold a 20-inch long piece of parchment paper in half crosswise.

2. Draw a heart shape on one side of the paper, as if you were making a valentine. Cut out the heart and open the paper, making a complete heart.

3. Arrange desired ingredients on one side of the heart, close to the crease in the middle, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges.

4. Pull up the un-topped side of the heart and fold it over so the edges meet the other side. Starting at the top of the heart, fold the two sides together by making several, small and tight folds, sealing the packet completely. Tuck the last fold under the packet to secure the folds.

5. Transfer the packet to a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees until the meat is cooked through and the vegetables are crisp-tender, typically 15 for fish and 25 minutes for chicken (about 4 ounces each).

Use the Technique to Make these Healthy Recipes:
Fish in Parchment With Citrus Reduction
Grouper Steamed in Parchment With Sour Orange Sauce
Ginger-Garlic Fish in Parchment
Salmon en Papillote With Papaya, Mango and Avocado Salad
Red Snapper en Papillote
The Ultimate Salmon in Parchment
Citrus Tilapia en Paplillote
Wild Mushrooms Cooked in Parchment”

By the way, I just put the foods on the parchment paper and the make a neat package that envelopes the food neatly with no place for leaks. You could even do this with aluminum foil.

[Sunshine]

I just tried this new recipe: heavenly and easy.

This was delicious. I would use just one pound of chicken or double the sauce. Cut the chicken into smaller pieces or it won’t cook enough. I used skinless chicken breast meat. I subbed rice vinegar since I didn’t have sherry or rice wine. I skipped basil and cilantro, cuz I forgot to buy it. Use reduced salt Tamari.


It was easy. Just gotta get all ingredients ready beforehand into little bowls.
Sesame Chicken with cashews and dates. Melissa Clark, New York Times

Ingredients

4 tablespoons toasted (Asian) sesame oil
One 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into about 12 “coins”
6 to 8 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 bunch scallions (white and green parts), cut into 2-inch lengths
3 to 4 dried red chiles, or 1/2 teaspoon chile flakes
2 pounds boneless chicken thighs (preferably skin on, but skinless is O.K.), cut into 2-inch chunks, or skinless chicken breasts cut into pieces
½ cup toasted or roasted unsalted cashews
⅓ cup rice wine or dry sherry—I subbed rice vinegar
3 tablespoons dark soy sauce or Tamari sauce, reduced salt
4 pitted dates, thinly sliced
3 cups fresh basil or cilantro leaves, or a combination— I skipped
Rice vinegar or lime juice, to taste
Cooked rice, for serving— I skipped rice.


Season the chicken with salt and pepper while you heat a 12-inch skillet or wok over high heat until it’s very hot, at least 2 minutes.

Add 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil and swirl the pan; the oil should thin on contact. When the oil is hot, add the ginger, garlic, scallions and chile. Stir-fry until the garlic is golden at the edges, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the 2 remaining tablespoon oil, chicken and cashews, and stir fry until it starts to brown, 4 to 5 minutes (turn down the heat if the cashews are browning too quickly).

Add the rice wine, soy sauce and dates; simmer until the sauce reduces to a syrupy consistency and the chicken cooks through, 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in the herbs, sprinkle with rice vinegar or lime juice, and serve over rice.

[Virginia]

It is so hot here, but I had to go out and pick up eye glasses, two pair in two different places. Then I went to grocery and bought ingredients for the pesto chicken. I will not be making it for several days because I already have food prepared. I would like to have gotten a salad to go with it, but didn't think it would last very well, so I picked up some asparagus which will be fine for just me.

[Virginia]

Sunshine, I made the chicken, pesto, tomato and cheese dish tonight. I have another chicken breast not frozen and all the other stuff left over so I might make it again tomorrow night.

It was good and I enjoyed it. However, there are a couple of changes I will make when I buy new ingredients. First of all, I couldn't taste the pesto. I couldn't find the kind you said to get so I just got some Beritoni from the deli section. It was basil pesto is all it said. If I make it tomorrow night I will use more than I did tonight. The second thing was that I could not taste the cheese much, so I will get a different kind next time. But I will make it again!

The only other thing is cleaning the casserole dish that I fixed it in. The melted cheese ran off the sides of the chicken and really stuck to the dish. It was kind of hard to clean, and is left with a couple of spots still. I wonder if I put tin foil in the dish (which occurred to me tonight) if that would be alright? I would recommend it. The chicken was juicy and tender and good. Thanks for the recipe.

[Virginia]

Sunshine, made the dish again tonight using quite a bit more of the pesto. It was really good. I also put some tin foil in bottom of baking dish and that made clean up easy. Just takes me awhile to figure things out sometime.

[Sunshine]

Yep, use tin foil.

I use a whole 3.5 oz jar of Alessi Pesto on a mere 1 1/2 skinless boneless chicken breast. And I use a lot of shredded cheddar on top of the sliced tomatoes. The ingredients keep the chicken moist and add yummy flavor too.

[Virginia]

Sunshine, now that I have eaten the chicken, pesto dish a number of times I need another easy recipe. The other one you gave us has too many ingredients for me to try and do. Got anything else?

Linda, I have the parchment paper, and even bought a yellow pepper and had some asparagus and I was going to do a chicken in parchment paper. Then it hit me that it would be just really white when it comes out I guess. What does it look like? I am not too fund of colorless food especially chicken. Something about it is just not real appetizing to me. Otherwise, it sounds so good and easy.

[Lazarus]

Sunshine, now that I have eaten the chicken, pesto dish a number of times I need another easy recipe. The other one you gave us has too many ingredients for me to try and do. Got anything else?

Linda, I have the parchment paper, and even bought a yellow pepper and had some asparagus and I was going to do a chicken in parchment paper. Then it hit me that it would be just really white when it comes out I guess. What does. it look like? I am not too fund of colorless food especially chicken. Something about it is just not real appetizing to me. Otherwise, it sounds so good and easy.

Well, I have done it with chicken and veggies and everyone comments on how moist and tasty it is. My friend does it with salmon and asparagus. She puts a big tablespoon of Dijon on top of the food and the steaming, along with whichever herbs you add, creates a good tasting meal. I do it with tofu since I have not eaten meat or fish in 50 years! But I also do it with just vegetables mixing textures and tastes. Lots of possibilities.

[Virginia]

If I can come up with a good topping for chicken, that would be the answer. Thanks Linda.

[Sunshine]

Sunshine, now that I have eaten the chicken, pesto dish a number of times I need another easy recipe. The other one you gave us has too many ingredients for me to try and do. Got anything else?

Linda, I have the parchment paper, and even bought a yellow pepper and had some asparagus and I was going to do a chicken in parchment paper. Then it hit me that it would be just really white when it comes out I guess. What does it look like? I am not too fund of colorless food especially chicken. Something about it is just not real appetizing to me. Otherwise, it sounds so good and easy.

Virginia, it’s not as hard as it looks! Break it down into prep bowls

In first bowl put the ginger, garlic and scallions and dry chili pepper flakes (you buy them dry in spice section, already flaked)

Second bowl, put the rice wine or rice vinegar, soy sauce or Tamari, and the sliced dates.

Third bowl has the measured out cashews, you can buy them unsalted and already roasted.

Fourth bowl ,Put the sliced chicken

Then you’re ready to cook! It’s simple cooking. I used a 12” Pan. For 1.25 lbs chicken breast cut up into morsels.

[Lazarus]

I do not use ‘toppings’....

If I can come up with a good topping for chicken, that would be the answer. Thanks Linda.t

I just lay some veggies on top of the chicken ...it does not need a topping...just spices and salt and pepper. A full meal in an envelope! If I am lazy I look in the frig and also through a tablespoon of something I find there on top of the veggies which are laying on top of the chicken or fish...etc. could be pesto, could be marinara sauce..I bet salad dressing or even tartar sauce would add a little flavor. Try it. It is really a blessing. No mess!

[Virginia]

Sunshine, it is all those bowls and having all the clean up that bothers me. Someday when I am feeling a bit peppier I will try it.

Linda, I had already thought of trying to find a salad dressing that might add a bit of flavor. I will look in the grocery store for one. You are right marinara sauce might also work.

I find it hard to cook decent meals for one. Tonight I felt so tired I just had a peanut butter and banana sandwich. Not very tasty since all I had at lunch was yogurt, but I really didn't feel like fixing anything more.

[Catdancer]

Kraft makes a lime vinaigrette dressing that I like for fish and chicken.. I sometimes marintate pieces of either in the dressing for about 15 minutes, then simply pan try in a bit of butter and oil, then serve over rice, using pan drippings as a sort of sauce. There are now have of frozen veggies that take only 5 minutes in the microwave to cook. Other than having to wait on the rice....Or pasta...to cook, I can have a simple meal on the table in less than a half hour...