Are you all “cooked-out” after producing the assorted holiday meals with their dressed turkeys, countless vegetables and condiments, myriad pies, breads and decorated cookies; and then hosting football parties and Mardi Gras bashes?

As much as I love to putter in my kitchen I, for one, don’t care to roast another beast, knead another roll, mash another potato, or fill another piecrust for a good long time. What’s more, I don’t feel like eating any of the above either!

In fact, there are times when I don’t care if I never see another scrap of food – until the inevitable hunger pangs strike. That’s when a meal that can be tossed into a bag and shoved into the oven looks pretty good. Until recently, I discounted those plastic oven bags in which one is able to roast a turkey as gimmicky. Such a useless passing fad just simply is not allowed over the threshold of the Bayou Kitchen. After all, I have a reputation (such as it is) to uphold.

But when someone gave us three dressed wild ducks, I succumbed. My rationale was that it would be a shame to dry out those lovely ducks by conventional roasting. So I did it! I bought a box of large-sized oven bags, and tried it on those ducks. They came out perfect. Who says you can’t teach an old cook new tricks? Hey, I’m not THAT old!

Talk about being hooked. On chilly days, I can put my meat, vegetables, and even rice all in an oven bag, slit the top, and walk away. When the time is up, voila! An entire meal complete with gravy! However, I was the most impressed with how well those ducks turned out. They were moist, tender and tasty.

In fact, since wild duck is such a rare event around here, I’m not going to let that recipe go to waste. I intend to use it the next time I buy those little Cornish game hens.

So buy yourself a box of oven bags and go to it. The large size will serve for most things, even a turkey up to 12 pounds.

I almost forgot the best part! Clean-up is so easy. No more roasting pans to soak and scrape. Just toss the empty bag.

NOTE: The oven bags need to be slit before baking to allow the steam to escape, but, as an added advantage, you can test the doneness of the food right through a slit.

Wild Duck in Bag

It’s not a whole meal, but never the less a great way to cook wild duck.

2 wild ducks, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds each, or Cornish hens, one per person

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup dry sherry

2 small whole onions, peeled

In cooking bag, shake together the flour, orange juice and sherry until blended. Place 1 small onion in the cavity of each duck. Lay large (10 x 16-inch) oven bag in 10 x 14 or 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Place ducks, side by side, in oven bag.

Close bag and secure with special tie. Make 6 slits in top of bag to allow steam to escape.

Roast at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Remove ducks. Stir the gravy and pour into a gravy boat. Serves 2 to 3.

Salmon Dinner

1 salmon fillet, about 2 pounds

1 1/2 cups instant rice, white or brown

3 stalks celery

1 green bell pepper

1/2 red or yellow bell pepper

1 can (10 1/2-ounce) chicken broth

1/3 cup dry white wine

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Cut tip from salmon fillet, if necessary, to fit a 10 x 14-inch or 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Sprinkle with allspice. Lay large (10 x 16-inch) oven bag in pan. Arrange rice in an even layer. Carefully lay salmon fillet in bag on top of rice.

Cut celery into 1/2-inch diagonal slices. Cut peppers into strips. Arrange celery and peppers around salmon and rice in an even layer. Add chicken broth and wine.

Secure bag and make 6 slits in top to allow steam to escape. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 35 minutes.

Remove salmon to a platter. Stir together the rice and vegetables; arrange around salmon fillet on platter. Makes 4 servings.

Gingered

Pork Chops

1 cup orange juice

1/4 cup water

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon chopped crystallized ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

4 pork chops, about 1/2 inches thick

3/4 cup dried apricots

1 pound yams, peeled and sliced

4 pork chops

Shake orange juice, water, sugar, flour and ginger in large (10 x 16-inch) oven bag until flour is blended in. Place in a 10 x 14-inch, or 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Sprinkle the pork chops with nutmeg. Lay chops in a single layer in oven bag.

Arrange dried apricots and yam slices around chops. Secure bag and make 6 slits in top to allow steam to escape.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove chops to a platter and stir together the remaining ingredients. Spoon around chops, including as much of the syrup as desired. Serves 4

Easy Chicken Dinner

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup water

2 teaspoons onion or beef flavored bouillon

1 small onion, diced

3 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks

3 medium red potatoes, quartered

1 medium green bell pepper, cut into strips

4 chicken breasts

Shake flour, water, bouillon, and onion in large (10 x 16-inch) oven bag until flour is blended in. Place in a 10 x 14-inch or 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Lay chicken breasts in a single layer in oven bag.

Arrange carrots, potatoes and peppers around breasts. Secure bag and make 6 slits in top to allow steam to escape.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 50 to 55 minutes. Remove chicken breasts to a platter. Arrange vegetables around chicken. Stir gravy in bag and pour over all. Serves 4.

Oven Pot Roast

1 bottom rump roast trimmed of fat and gristle (about 2 pounds)

2 sliced onions

12 baby carrots

3 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered

4 stalks celery, sliced

1 green pepper, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried mustard

2 cups tomato juice

Sprinkle beef with garlic and thyme; rub in. Sprinkle on dried mustard. Place a large oven bag (10 x 16-inch) in a10 x 14-inch, or 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Put meat in oven bag, arrange vegetables around it, and add tomato juice.

Seal bag; cut 6 slits in top to allow steam to escape. Roast in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour or until meat is tender.

Remove meat from cooking bag onto a cutting board. Let stand for 5 minutes. Slice and arrange on a platter with vegetables around. Pour cooking juices over. Makes 4 servings.