GRILL IT! KEEPING IT SIMPLE

Grill it!

Good things come in small (aluminum foil) package

20 Live it! | Summer 2020 Foil packet meals

Like a smorgasbord wrapped up in a shiny package, foil packet dinners are the bomb for a backyard meal.

Start with a protein – hamburger patty, shrimp, kielbasa, small cubes of steak, bite-sized chunks of chicken breast or an impossible burger are popular options.

Add any kind of raw vegetable you happen to have on hand – potatoes, carrots, onions, sweet potatoes, zucchini, peppers, celery – and sprinkle on some spices, fresh herbs and a drizzle of oil, wrap it up in a sheet of aluminum foil and plop it on the grill.

Assembling the dinners can be good entertainment for young kids who feel like they are “cooking” – and adults who want to experiment with different flavor combinations and show off their artistic flair when designing their dish.

Because individual foil packets can be tailored to everyone’s tastes, there are no complaints at the picnic table.

I started making foil packets decades ago over campfires. We called them hobos.

It was always tricky finding a log that was flat enough to serve as a grilling spot and oftentimes the foil was pierced by a twig, causing the juices to spill out. Sometimes the potatoes on one end of the packet were burned and underdone on the other. It didn’t matter. It was still wonderful.

I have to admit, it’s much easier to cook the packets on the grill or even in the 350-degree oven.

There’s really no wrong way to assemble the packets, but there are some basic tips to make the process easy and results tasty. • Use heavy-duty aluminum foil, or two sheets of the wimpy foil. You’ll need a sheet about 12 to 14 inches long • Drizzle foil with oil or spread with butter • Raw meat should be thawed • Ground meat cooks fairly quickly; chunks of meat should be cut in small pieces • Slice or chunk raw vegetables; carrots should be cut into smaller pieces but mushrooms could be left whole • Top with pat of butter or oil • Fold the foil like a tent in the middle and then fold the ends to create a tight pouch • Cook about 10 to 15 minutes on each side, flipping occasionally. Cooking time varies.

Note: If you’re concerned about having food in direct contact with aluminum foil, you can line the packet with parchment paper before cooking. - Carolyn Lange

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Asparagus on the grill

As a side dish, made similar to the foil packs, our family enjoys fresh asparagus – ’tis the season – on the grill. Either open-faced or closed packets, as detailed above, asparagus is a perfect side to a nicely grilled steak or chicken breast.

I lightly spray the bottom foil with a cooking spray, and place the asparagus spears directly on the foil, after washing and breaking off any woody ends.

You can either grill it “as is,” which is mouth-watering by itself, or add a variety of toppings to enhance the flavor.

We have sprinkled it with a bit of salt and pepper, a splash of lemon juice, a bit of fresh minced garlic – or any combination of – and topped with a few fine bread crumbs, and feta or freshly grated parmesan cheese. Dot the top with thin slabs of butter. The parmesan cheese we often add toward the end of grilling.

Grill about 20 minutes or so, to desired tenderness, on the top rack or off to the side, depending on the grilling temp you are cooking your meat at.

Again, the packet can be opened or closed, for grilling, depending on preference and what else may be on the grill. If grilling open-faced, I turn up the edges of the foil packet to hold in the juices.

A packet of sliced potatoes and onions, with or without mushrooms and cheese, is another good side dish option.

Don’t be afraid to experiment. - Sharon Bomstad

Banana Boat

A kid-friendly dessert that can be made over a campfire – or on the grill – is a Girl Scout favorite called Banana Boat. It’s like a banana split without the ice cream but lots of wonderful toppings.

The basic formula includes bananas, something sweet, something gooey and something crunchy.

How to: Slit a banana lengthwise, on the curve, cutting through the top peel and through the banana. Do not cut through the other side of the peel. While keeping it in the peel, squeeze the banana apart a bit and stuff with a variety of toppings. The traditional recipe includes mini marshmallows and chocolate chips. Wrap the banana in aluminum foil and heat until the ooey goodness is melted and warm. Top with crushed graham crackers, nuts or trail mix.

Eat with a spoon from the banana peel.

Other topping options include Nutella, caramel ice cream topping, fresh strawberries, butterscotch chips, dulce de leche sauce, peanut butter, candied ginger, chopped nuts or coconut.

Some find it easier to not only slice the banana lengthwise but also horizontally to create bite-size chunks, which also creates more crevices for toppings. - Carolyn Lange