Fall Update

It's been a busy, fun-filled fall for our crew.  Here are some highlights & what we've been up to. 

National Charity League - volunteering & cultural events with Big & Middle

Substitute teaching at the middle school and high school (mostly to hang out with my kids)

Going to all the assemblies & field trips - Little was Molly Pitcher in Walk Through the American Revolution

Spectating all the fall sports . . . Middle did awesome as the number 1 runner on her middle school cross country team and team MVP.

Little continued gymnastics and joined the Running Club that I started this fall.  I think maybe I'm having the most fun out of all these awesome kids.

Big & her tennis team went to CIF semi-finals and had a great season - I loved every minute of living vicariously through her tennis team matches.

I wanted to share a versatile recipe / cooking method for fish.  The idea came from Half Baked Harvest and I've made it with both salmon and halibut.  One key for success is to make sure your fish filets are all similar in size / thickness so they cook evenly since it's hard to check on them when they are wrapped in the parchment packets.  You can substitute the packet ingredients - I have made them with shredded Brussels sprouts on the bottom instead of the thinly sliced potatoes.  Your picky eaters can even customize their own packets with what they prefer to eat.  I think the addition of the feta, dill & arugula at the end really make the dish delicious.

Baked Fish in Parchment Paper (serves 4)

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

juice of 1 lemon

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 T fresh dill (plus more for serving)

1 small russet potato very thinly sliced into 1/4 inch rounds

1 small zucchini thinly sliced

4 fish filets, skin removed (6-8 oz each) - we like salmon or halibut

1 lemon thinly sliced

1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives

crumbled feta cheese

fresh arugula for serving

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, chopped dill, paprika, and one pinch each of salt & pepper.

Tear off 4 pieces of parchment pieces about 12-16 inches in length.  On one half of the packet, arrange one -fourth of the potato slices in an even layer (about the size of your fish) and season with salt and pepper.  Layer on the one-fourth of the zucchini slices and season with salt and pepper.  Place one fish filet on top of the zucchini and drizzle with the olive oil mixture and top with two lemon slices.  Scatter a few olives around the fish.

Repeat that layering with the remaining parchment & ingredients.  To seal the packets, fold the bare half over the fish & fold the open edges twice.  Place packets on a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake until the potatoes are tender, 18-20 minutes.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer packets to plates.  Open carefully & serve with crumbled feta, arugula, and more dill on top.