Heavy duty foil packs harbour tasty meals inside or out

When there's an urge to spend as much time as possible outdoors, no one wants to spend much time indoors, in the kitchen.
Meals in a packet or bundle can be prepared ahead, cooked on the barbecue grill or in the oven, meaning no dishes to wash and little cleanup following the meal.
Bundled packs also provide an easy way to prepare meals over a campfire. And they allow each person to prepare a meal according to personal taste.
Today's recipes offer ideas for a variety of bundle meals.
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Beef and Vegetable Bundles
2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 onion, sliced
1 16 oz. pkg. baby carrots
4 potatoes, peeled and sliced
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat grill or oven for medium-high heat.
Form the ground beef into individual patties, and place each patty on a lightly-greased piece of foil large enough to hold the patty and some vegetables. Layer each patty with onion slices, carrots, and potato slices. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Wrap foil around food, and seal each packet tightly.
Grill or bake for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Carefully open each packet and serve. Makes six packets.
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Chicken Broccoli Packets
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
seasoned salt
1 pkg. frozen broccoli spears
1 medium onion, sliced into rings
4 tsps. lemon juice
4 tbsps. butter or margarine
Place each chicken breast in the centre of a piece of heavy-duty foil (about 12 in. x 12 in.). Sprinkle with seasoned salt. Top each with 2 broccoli spears, 3-4 onion rings, 1 tsp. lemon juice and 1 tbsp. of butter.
Fold foil around chicken and seal tightly. Grill or bake in oven, covered, over medium-hot heat for 20 minutes or until meat juices run clear. Serve in foil packets. Makes four packages.
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Chicken Pizza Packets
1 lb. boneless skinless, chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tbsps. olive oil
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
16 pepperoni slices
1 small green pepper, julienned
1 small onion, sliced
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
In a large bowl, combine the first 11 ingredients.
Coat four pieces of heavy-duty foil (about 12 in. square) with nonstick cooking spray. Place a quarter of the chicken mixture in the centre of each piece. Fold foil around mixture and seal tightly.
Grill or bake, covered, at a medium-hot heat for 15-18 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.
Carefully open each packet. Sprinkle with tomatoes and cheeses. Seal loosely; cook 2 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Serves four.
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Dilled Fish and Vegetable Packet
4 tilapia fillets (4 oz. each)
butter-flavoured spray
1/2 tsp. salt, divided
1/4 tsp. pepper, divided
2 cups fresh snow peas
2 cups fresh baby carrots, halved lengthwise
1 green onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsps. minced fresh dill
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup white wine or reduced-sodium chicken broth
Place an 18x12 inch piece of heavy-duty foil on a large baking sheet. Arrange fillets in a single layer on foil; spritz with butter-flavoured spray. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper.
Combine the peas, carrots, onion, dill, garlic and remaining salt and pepper; spoon over fish. Drizzle with wine or broth.
Top with a second large piece of foil. Bring edges of foil pieces together; crimp to seal, forming a large packet.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork and vegetables are crisp-tender. Open foil carefully to allow steam to escape.
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Wrapped Pears and Caramel Sauce
2 tbsps. room temperature sweet butter
2 tbsps. packed brown sugar
generous pinch of cinnamon
1 Anjou pear
1 navel orange halved
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Blend together butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.
Cut pear in half and remove core and cut off stem and blossom end. Do not peel the pear.
Place each pear half, cored side up on a large square of doubled heavy duty foil. Scoop up 1/2 of the butter sugar mixture and form into a ball and press into pear cavity.
Gather foil up around pear and squeeze juice from 1 orange half over pear. Close foil around pear. Repeat with other half.
Place wrapped pears on a baking sheet and bake until soft, about 1 hour. Remove pear from foil and place on plate, drizzle with caramel sauce. Top with freshly whipped cream. Makes two servings.
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Thought for the day: "A life spent making mistakes is not only more honourable but more useful than a life spent doing nothing." - George Bernard Shaw

Joyce Walter can be reached at 691-1259 or jwalter@mjtimes.sk.ca