Why this blog??

Why this blog?? I often find myself stressing over what to make for my family for dinner. We live a busy life and some meals need time to prep, cook and let's not forget shopping for everything you need. I love cookbooks and websites, but there are so many recipe's at times it is overwhelming. The recipe's I will be posting are things I actually made. I will tell you if they are easy or more time consuming. I will also tell you if they are good. Most of these are recipe's I have made for years and continue to make because they are easy or quick and my family loves them and i know yours will too! I will also try to at least once in a whlie try a new recipe I've found on line or in a book and honestly rate it. I always encourage others to send me their favorite recipe's as well! I am a mom... not a chef. But I am a mom who enjoys cooking for her family and making a somewhat healthy meal (some days more healthy than others:) ) In each recipe I will share how I recommend serving it, any substitutions I can think of that are also good, or ways to prepare ahead of time to make the cooking part seem quicker! I am not a photographer, as you can see... most of these pictures are taken from my phone camera, so may not be the best! I love to hear from others who have made these recipes and what they have done to change the recipe... please post comments! Thank you! To "like" me on facebook, go to this link... It's What's Cookin

Friday, January 6, 2012

Ginger-Garlic Fish in Parchment Paper


I've been seeing a ton of recipes for fish in parchment paper and I wanted to try it out. This recipe is influenced by Rachael Ray. I changed it a bit, mainly with the veggies. Here is her original recipe. Below is what I did and we LOVED it! Even the kids gobbled it up!

This is a super easy recipe... The hardest part was learning how to wrap the parchment paper... I watched this video to learn how.

* 2 6-oz white fish (We used Ono fish. Seabass would be really good too. Possibly Mahi or Halibut too)
* 2 scallions, cut into 3 inch pieces (optional)
* 2 inch knob of fresh ginger- peeled and thinly sliced
* 2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
* 1 small zucchini- julienned
* 1 medium carrot- julienned
* 1 1/2 T honey
* 1 1/2 T tamari sause (a fancy kind of soy- found in Asian isle)
* 1 T rice wine vinegar
* salt and pepper
* 2 pieced of 12 inch long Parchment Paper
* Egg wash for brushing parchment paper (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375

2. Place your parchment paper down. Put an imaginary vertical line down the middle. In the middle of one side... start laying your ingredients.

3. I started by putting the scallions down first along with the sliced ginger and garlic. Next place your fish on top. Season well with pepper and salt. Place your julienned veggies on top of the fish.

4. In a bowl, mix together the honey, tamari sauce and rice wine vinegar till mixed well. Drizzle half of the mixture over each fish.

5. I brushed egg white along the sides of the parchment paper and then rolled up each side (like shown in video making triangles) until it formed two pockets.

6. Place pockets on baking pan and bake for 12-14 minutes (I baked mine for closer to 17 minutes because they were really thick pieces and I like fish a little more done.


Start placing the food in the middle of one half the parchment paper 
I layered by placing scallions, ginger and garlic on bottom, then I laid the fish on top. Season fish with salt and pepper.  Top with a mound of your julienned veggies.

Drizzle sauce over top

Brush with egg was along sides

Fold the other half over till edges line up and fold up to seal

Place pockets on cookie sheet. Bake

Rip (or cut with scissors) open the top... careful for the steam. Don't let juices spill out.

I placed sticky rice on my plate. Then with spatula, I took fish out of pouch with veggies on top and placed on rice. Next I took the pouch and poured the sauce over the top. We served along side green beans too.

YUMMY and healthy!!

Enjoy!