Sage Pork Chops with Pumpkin and Cream Parchment Paper Recipe

– The Parchment Paper Recipes Cookbook –

It’s been one of those weeks. I’ve spent most of my time in an office, fighting the good fight and dodging obstacles with a deftness that comes only with years of bureaucracy-battling experience. You’d think I’d be used to it by now, after decades spent being a professional problem solver; but finding and implementing solutions isn’t always graceful, and after a while it wears on you.

So at the end of the day, I’ve been grabbing whatever edibles aren’t going to take a lot of time or energy to procure. Some night it’s a healthy choice, but most evenings it’s just a quick shot of easy calories. I might make some pasta and homemade tomato sauce from the freezer, but I’m more likely to get Chinese takeout, a sandwich from the deli, or an expensive box of glop from the Whole Foods hot section. As a result, both my health and wallet are suffering.

I can’t help being super busy. I’m balancing life, love, work, freelancing, the book, and a few minor health snags. When life ramps up like this – or maybe it’s always like this and I just can’t admit it to myself – the first thing to suffer is my diet. Lately I’ve been stuffing myself with pastries, take-out, and a myriad of other non-healthy foods. No bueno, especially at a time when my body needs healthy food to cope with the day’s mega-stress du jour.

That’s where The Parchment Paper Cookbook comes in. This little book, packed with 180 parchment paper recipes, is ideal for those of us just can’t find the time to eat well, or those that have time to cook but hate the cleanup that usually comes with preparing your favorite dishes. What’s a tired, busy, hungry girl to do? Consider cooking in parchment packets, that’s what.

I’ve cooked in parchment before, but I’ve generally limited my parchment paper recipes to fish and the occasional veggie dish. I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me to cook more in pouches, especially when it’s so easy to prepare and cleanup is almost non-existent. Perhaps it’s because I never had a guide before. Thanks to Brette Sember, the queen of No Pot Cooking, parchment has become a more normal part of my daily cooking routine.

Parchment cooking, despite it’s simple approach, actually provides the opportunity for some seriously robust dishes. Don’t believe me? Check out some of these parchment paper recipes from the book:

• Lasagna Roll-Ups
• Scallops Gratin
• Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Curry
• Orange Teriyaki Shrimp with Rice Noodles
• Chicken with Sage, Brown Butter, and Sweet Potatoes
• Peanut Butter S’mores Crepes

None of those are dishes I’d refuse, especially if I could make them for cheap and not have a ton of dishes to scrub afterwards. And having made dinner myself, I’ve saved a lot of money and not compromised my health.

To tempt you further, I’m including a recipe from The Parchment Paper Cookbook. How about Sage Pork Chops with Pumpkin and Cream to salve your weary soul? Yeah, I thought you might like that. You’ll find the recipe at the bottom of the page.

Sage Pork Chops with Pumpkin and Cream from Parchment Paper Cookbook

Author: Brette Sember

Servings: 2 servings

Course: Entree

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 30 mins

Nutrition Facts

Sage Pork Chops with Pumpkin and Cream from Parchment Paper Cookbook

Amount Per Serving

Calories 313 Calories from Fat 189

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 21g 32%

Saturated Fat 9g 45%

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 8g

Cholesterol 94mg 31%

Sodium 68mg 3%

Potassium 585mg 17%

Total Carbohydrates 7g 2%

Dietary Fiber 3g 12%

Protein 24g 48%

Vitamin A 277%

Vitamin C 7%

Calcium 9%

Iron 14%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Print

 

If you’re longing for fall comfort food, the warmth of pork, pumpkin, and winter spices will wrap you in a culinary bear hug. This dish smells heavenly while baking, with moist, flavorful results. The parchment keeps all juices in the packet, which prevents the pork from drying out. Perfect! Brette says not to use canned pumpkin pie filling for this recipe, otherwise it will be too sweet.

Ingredients

• 2 boneless pork chops
• 1/2 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin, (or freshly cooked pumpkin puree)
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 pinch of ground clove
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 whole sage leaves

Instructions

1. Preheat over to 400°F (204°C).
2. Cut two 20-inch pieces of parchment paper.
3. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.
4. Place the one pork chop in the middle of each piece of parchment.
5. In a bowl, mix all remaining ingredients besides sage leaves.
6. Pour half of the mixture over each pork chop, dividing it evenly. Top each chop with a sage leaf.
7. Fold the parchment. Brette has been kind enough to provide folding instructions on her website.
8. Bake for 20 minutes. Be careful when opening the packet, as hot steam will escape!

This content was originally posted on FearlessFresh.com.