Salmon Fillets, Brussel Sprouts and Onion Baked In Parchment Bags... Easy Peasy!

I went to see some good friends in San Antonio and when I arrived they had THIS scrumptious, easy-peasy dinner ready for me. I had never used parchment bags before but they convinced me I had been missing plenty. The best part about this meal is that you can prepare it ahead of time and stick it the fridge until later, when you're ready to bake. Same day, of course. It's almost as good as having the evening off from cooking.

As I left their home with recipe in hand, I couldn't wait to get home and try my own hand at this quick and easy recipe. My friends even gave me a stack of parchment bags to start me off. On my drive home I realized the possibilities of what I could bake in the bags, was endless.

So, let's get you started, shall we?

Salmon Fillets, Brussels Sprouts And Onions:

Ingredients:

Salmon fillets - two

2 parchment bags

Brussels Sprouts - use desired amount, halved

slices of onion - use desired amount

extra virgin olive oil (or slices of butter)

Directions:

1. For each bag, scatter sliced onions around the bottom of the bag.

2. Place salmon fillets on top of onions.

3. Next, scatter the halved sprouts on top of the fillets and throughout the bag.

4. Drizzle the olive over the top of the pile.

5. Salt and pepper to taste.

6. Fold closed the opening as tight as possible. I just use staples.

7. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.

8. Open bags and transfer to plates. Serve with rice or bread.

Perfect Beef Tenderloin, Every Time...

Since the holidays are closer than you think, I thought I'd go ahead and re-post my perfect beef tenderloin recipe.

When my mother-in-law was still alive we always went to holidays at their house and she was a
superb cook. Unfortunately, she never shared her secrets to roasting the perfect turkey with me, then we lost her to cancer before I was ever able to get the chance to get them out of her.


Since then, we simply decided that we'd have Kathy Vegas' dry brined turkey at Thanksgiving and we'd have beef tenderloin at Christmas. It works for me. The sides are basically the same, but we turn to the wonderful beef tenderloin for our main course at Christmastime. It's simply Heavenly!

This is my family's favorite thing to eat, ever, and it is the easiest recipe ever. We call it the "30-30-30 Method".  


The beauty of this recipe is that once you learn it, you'll never forget it. It NEVER fails as long as you stay within the 3 to 5 pound range, on the tenderloin. It basically only works with tenderloins, weighing somewhere between 3 and 5 pounds. Yes, I know it sounds crazy, but it's true. I dare you to challenge me on this. Truly.


Ingredients:

1 Beef Tenderloin (I call ahead of time and ask them to prep it for me, trimming the excess fat and tendons.)

1 Bottle of Pickapeppa Sauce (I usually use about 1/3 of the bottle on a good sized tender, spreading it on with a basting brush)

Garlic Powder

Black Peppercorns, freshly ground

1 Sheet of Aluminum Foil

Directions:


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the sauce and spices on the tender.

2. When it's heated place the tenderloin on the foil into the center of the oven and bake for exactly 30 minutes. DO NOT OPEN DOOR AT ANY TIME.

3. At the end of 30 minutes of cooking, turn the oven off. DO NOT OPEN OVEN DOOR AT ANY TIME.

4. Set timer for another 30 minutes. DO NOT OPEN OVEN DOOR AT ANY TIME.

5. At the end of the second 30 minutes remove the tender from the oven and allow it to coast for an additional 30 minutes at room temperature.

6. At the end of the third 30 minutes you may slice the tender and serve. You will have a variety of MED RARE to MED.

Enjoy the compliments!