The following post is from contributing writer Kristen.
Parchment paper is a wonderful item to keep around. Line any baking dish or cookie sheet with parchment paper, and your clean up will be a easy and fast! Did you know that there are several other reasons to keep parchment paper handy?
10 Uses for Parchment Paper
1) Make a cupcake or muffin holder. Making Cupcakes and forgot to pick up cupcake holders? Use Parchment paper! Its easy!
- Cut appropriate cupcake holder sized squares with parchment paper
- Cut a small slit in each corner of your square.
- Place the parchment paper square into a muffin tin.
2) Make a placemat. Using disposable placemats are a great idea if you are having a group of kids over for a meal. To make a parchment paper placemat, simply cut your parchment paper to your desired placemat size and continue to set the table!
3) Wrap a present. If you are out of wrapping paper but need to wrap a gift. Wrap your gift in parchment paper! Usually parchment paper comes in white or paper bag brown. Both of these colors are a nice neutral color for almost any occasion. Almost any kind of ribbon will match parchment paper.
4) Make a popcorn cone. Serving popcorn or any other snack in a parchment paper cone can be a fun way to switch up snack time.
- Cut parchment paper into a large triangle
- Fold your triangle into a cone
- Secure with tape
5) Make a Luminary. If your family makes luminaries for the holidays, you can easily make yours with parchment paper. Simply wrap parchment paper around a glass container and add a tea light. You can also just wrap parchment paper around a candle that comes in a glass jar.
6) Make a cooking pouch . Cooking food in a parchment paper cooking pouch can be a tasty cooking technique.
- On a piece of parchment paper, place meat and or vegetables
- Add your favorite flavors
- Roll up the parchment paper into a pouch, air tight
- Bake. All the flavors will steam together and create an amazing meal.
7) Wrap your cheese. In order to preserve flavor in high quality cheeses, wrap your cheese in parchment paper before wrapping it in plastic. When you wrap cheese in just plastic, the cheese might loose some of its flavor.
8) Cover your dishes in the microwave. When using the microwave, cover your dish with parchment paper. This is a great way to keep your microwave clean. Many microwavable dishes don’t come with lids. You can just tear a piece of parchment paper to the desired size.
9) Let your kids color on it with crayons. Parchment paper is perfect for kids to color on. If you are looking for a quick activity, roll some parchment paper out on your table, and let your kids color on it with crayons.
10) Use it as a meat divider. If you buy your meat in bulk for freezing. Parchment paper can be used to help store the meat in the freezer. It can help divide burger patties and other kinds of meats without all of it sticking together. Buying meat in bulk and storing it properly can help you save money!
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Robin says
Simple, but great ideas! Thanks for sharing.
HJ says
Another idea for separating bulk meats is to use the plastic liners from cereal boxes. I pull them apart into one large sheet and cut it into squares. I like recycling the liners, which can be used instead of waxed paper. I like your neat ideas for parchment paper. I always have it on hand, but besides baking cookies, I had no idea it was so useful. Thanks.
Patty@homemakersdaily.com says
Great tips. I never thought of using it for anything but lining my pans.
Beverly Kendrick says
I have volunteered to do meat and cheese trays for funerals at my church. I heard Dr. Ed Group speak recently and he told how Saran Wrap is bad and has toxins. (Dr. group’s dad was a chemist who developed Saran Wrap. He later died from the toxins!)
When I do the trays, I want to put parchment paper next to the meat and cheese and then I Should I use plastic wrap over the parchment? I don’t want the food to dry out. I’m afraid taping it down wouldn’t seal and the food would dry out.
I don’t like plastic wrap. Plastic bags would be too small. Maybe, cooker liners would work.
Please advise. Could apple slices be added and then removed the next day?
Thank you.
EJ says
I’ve always used freezer paper for wrapping meats, etc. for freezing. My frozen foods always kept well. After wrapping put in plastic freezer bags.
I love the idea of parchment for cheeses. And now know I can freeze with it, if needed.
Thank you for great ideas.