Packet Dinners for the Campfire

These ideas also work well in the oven (instructions follow).

Oriental Chicken: Place 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast sliced in strips and 1 cup frozen vegetables in center of foil. Combine 2 teaspoons soy sauce, dash garlic salt, sprinkle cayenne pepper (optional) and 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Drizzle over chicken and vegetables, wrap.

Breakfast Nest: Prepare one thin sausage patty made from lean country sausage, place on foil; add 3/4 to 1 cup frozen hash browns creating a nest in center; add one egg to the nest; wrap. Sprinkle with grated cheese just before serving.

Glazed Ham: Place one carrot thinly sliced or cut into thin julienne strips on foil, salt and pepper to taste; place 1/2-inch slice of ham on top carrots; place a slice of ineapple on ham; drizzle with 1 tablespoon honey, wrap. Try substituting sliced sweet potato for the carrot.

Ranch Chicken: Dip one boneless, skinless chicken breast in melted butter then in 1 packet Ranch dressing mixed with 3/4 cup corn flake crumbs and 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, place on foil. Add sliced strips summer squash and bell peppers, wrap. Sprinkle with grated cheese just before serving. (NOTE: One packet dressing mixed as above will coat 4 to 6 chicken breasts.)

Baked Apple: Slice apple in half, remove core creating a hollow in center of the apple. Place a tablespoon of brown sugar in hollow, sprinkle with cinnamon, and dot with butter. Wrap.

Orange Cupcakes or Muffins: Slice top off orange and scoop out the pulp leaving the rind intact (eat the pulp). Prepare cake or muffin mix; fill orange hollow 3/4 full with mix. Wrap.

Traditional Foil Dinner: Place thin hamburger patty in center of foil. Add thinly sliced carrots, potato cubes, and rings of onion, salt and pepper to taste, wrap. Sprinkle with grated cheese just before serving.

Seasoning Variations: Try one or more of the following in the savory packets: garlic salt, season salt, lemon pepper, 2 or 3 tablespoons cream mushroom soup, Italian seasoning, BBQ sauce, sprinkle Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, curry, steak sauce, etc. (experiment).

Foil and Cooking Tips:

Use heavy-duty aluminum foil, place shiny side in, spray with nonstick spray to prevent sticking.

Create foil packets by wrapping foil around food using a drug-store wrap: Use foil 3 times the width of the food. Fold sides up creasing foil at edge of food. Keeping edges together, make a 1/2- to 1-inch fold and crease. Fold 2-3 times ? leaving enough room in packet for food expansion and steaming during cooking. Smooth ends flat, make four small triangle folds on each end from edge of food to the edge of foil. Fold ends of foil in using 1/2-inch folds.

Cooking in conventional oven ? preheat to 450 degrees F. Place prepared packets on cookie sheet in center of oven.

Cooking on stove top ? preheat skillet with lid on medium heat. Reduce heat to simmer, place prepared packet in ungreased pan, cover with lid and cook 7 to 10 minutes on one side, turn and cook 5 to 10 minutes on second side.

Cooking times vary, depending upon size of food pieces and the type of food ? most dinners require 15 to 20 minutes.

Turn packets half way through cooking process, using oven mitts or leather gloves. Note - tongs tend to puncture packets.

All ideas create one packet dinner.