Foil Packets 101

Have you tried cooking in foil packets yet?  If not, let me give you 8 good reasons that you should ~

1. Easy and Versatile -  Almost any combination is delicious!  Pick any combo of meat, veggies, seasonings and liquid that sounds good to you, center the ingredients on a piece of heavy-duty foil, wrap up, sealing the ends, bake and enjoy!   
2. Very Little Clean-up - Pan free cooking!  =)  Heck, you don't even have to dirty a plate if you just eat right out of the foil!
3. So Quick - Only 20-30 minutes for beef or chicken and 10-15 for fish, shrimp or scallops at 450 degrees.
4. Perfect On-the-Go Meal - They travel well with all the food and juices neatly packaged in foil.  They will even stay warm for a couple of hours.
5. Easy Reheat - You could make them in advance or extras for later that week.  Just keep the packet intact and reheat at 350 degree for about 5-8 minutes.
6. Portion Control  -  Do you ever end up eating more than you planned or even needed?  Cooking in foil packets ensures each serving is separated.  You can always take another packet if you're still hungry but it will be a conscious decision versus mindless eating.
7. Healthy - The food is essentially steamed by whatever liquid you put into the packet (chicken broth, wine, soy sauce, water, etc...) versus sauteing in butter and oils.  This method of cooking also ensures none of the nutrients are lost during the cooking process. 
8. Moist and Flavorful - Because the meal is steamed, the meat and veggies come out infused with intense flavor and so incredibly moist you won't even need a knife to cut it!

Notes:  Be careful  when you unwrap the foil packets!  Lots of very hot steam will escape and could burn you.  Also, if you don't have heavy duty foil, a double layer of regular foil will do the job. 

This Week's Packets: 

I made these packets for this week's wrestling meet.  One of my guys needed to limit his food intake that day to make sure he made weight.  He ate lunch but wanted to save dinner for after weigh-ins . By the time he could finally eat them (about 2 hours after they left my oven), they were still warm, moist and delicious! 

 

 My packets each included a 1/4 lb chicken breast, sugar snap peas, 

chopped red peppers and a teeny bit of onion. 

I seasoned with salt, pepper and a little Italian seasoning.  

For the liquid I used about 1 1/2 teaspoons of chicken broth per packet.  

Sealing the ends so no liquid escapes.  

 And this was our yummy dinner.  

I brought them in the foil to the wrestling meet with a plastic fork.  

No clean-up! Can't beat that.  =)

Now it's your turn!  Be creative.  =)  Remember almost any combo comes out delectable.  Also be sure to share your ideas with me and let me know what you come up with.  

Happy cooking!

Nicole