Chicken in Parchment

This was a double try-somethng-new dinner, and it all worked. How lucky is that?

The big kids were out, so I had a small family for which to cook. Yeah, I know most people think 2 adults and 2 children is normal, but when you're acclimated to cooking for a group roughly one fourth the size of a traveling circus, it's a small family.

ITALIAN CHICKEN IN PARCHMENT

Tear off pieces of parchment or foil approximately 18" long. Pile on each piece, in an amount appropriate to the person being served, in this order:

Italian green beans or whole green beans
Chicken cut into 1/2" wide strips
garlic powder, oregano, paprika and salt
tomatoes
mushrooms (optional)
scallions

Sprinkle olive oil over the top of the pile, fold the paper or foil over and crease twice, then crimp the ends. Bake at 475 for 15 to 20 minutes, or cook on the grill for about the same time. Meanwhile, prepare the....

Angel Hair with Italian Parsley Sauce

1 pound angel hair, cooked and hot
1 stick butter
1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped Italian Parsley
fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

In the same pan in which the angel hair was cooked, melt the butter with olive oil. Saute the garlic cloves for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the parsley and pepper. Turn off the heat and stir the angel hair into the sauce. Top with the parmesan and serve. This has a lot of flavor, and will stand up to the heartiest of dishes!So, while this was not quite a panless meal, my dearly beloved was pleased nonetheless. And cleanup? Well, no big deal....at least there's no broiler pan or roaster!