To be at the farmers market last Saturday and see the beautiful fruits and vegetables gave me hope that summer is just around the corner.  I had almost given up hope as I listened to the rain beating down lately.  We are truly blessed to have professional farmers that are able to overcome the weather challenges of southwest Missouri and grow beautiful fruits and vegetables.

 Recently I did a cooking demonstration that focused on Cooking for One or Two (people).  Sometimes the quantity offered at the market seems a bit overwhelming for a small household.  So think about multiple uses for that food.  For example, when purchasing a basket of tomatoes you may use them in a salad, a sauce, sliced eaten alone, a BLT or taco, or even tomato and cottage cheese.  Planning ahead will prevent waste from your purchase.  Looking at the many vegetables at market Saturday I could see multiple uses:  salads, stir fry’s, roasted, a simple soup. 

 Another idea suitable for many vegetables is to preserve them for later use by blanching and freezing.  Blanching is a process that stops the enzyme action in the vegetable and will help preserve the color and texture when it is frozen.  To blanch a vegetable, drop the vegetable in a pot of boiling water for a few minutes, remove and place in ice cold water to stop the cooking process and then drain.  Once the vegetable is drained you can place in a freezer bag, remove as much air as possible and freeze.  This is a great way to package in servings for 1 or 2.

The following recipe is so easy and  can be reduced or multiplied to fit your family size. Place the meat and vegetables in foil or parchment paper and bake or grill until the meat is done.  The freshness of the market vegetables will make this a delicious simple dinner.  Feel free to substitute with what’s available at your market.

Chicken en Papillote with Garden Vegetables

Serves 4       

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (6 oz each) 
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper 
• parchment paper 
• 1 whole lemon, thinly sliced 
• 4 oz baby zucchini, quartered lengthwise 
• 4 oz baby carrots 
• 4 oz cherry tomatoes, quartered 
• 16 asparagus spears, trimmed 
• 16 fresh morel mushrooms 
• 1/4 cup shredded basil, plus more for garnish 
• 3/4 cup dry white wine 
• 2 tbsp olive oil 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place each piece of chicken in the center of a 14-inch square piece of parchment paper (or foil) and top with lemon slices, zucchini carrots, tomatoes, asparagus, morels, and basil, dividing evenly. Sprinkle each with 3 tablespoons wine and 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.

2. Bring the edges of the parchment to the center and fold together twice to seal tightly, leaving space between parchment and contents. Place the 4 packets on a large baking sheet.

3. Bake until parchment is browned on edges and center puffs up, 14 to 16 minutes. Remove from oven, put each packet on a dinner plate, and serve, letting people pierce the center to reveal the food.

Nutritional Facts per serving

Calories         355.3 calories

Fat                  11.9 g

Saturated fat2.1 g

Cholesterol   108.9 mg

Sodium          516.6 mg

Carbohydrates          13.3 g

Total sugars              4.4 g

Dietary fiber              4.9 g

Protein                       41 g

From:  http://recipes.womenshealthmag.com/Recipe/chicken-en-papillote-with-garden-vegetables.aspx