The Best Tin Foil Dinners

The first time I ever had a tin foil dinner, I was disgusted.  I had made it per my husband's instructions - ground beef, carrots, potatoes - and then seasoned the heck out of it.  I was sure that it would turn out so well, but when we ate them, it tasted like nothing.  It was just texture.  I asked if that was what they were supposed to taste like and he said, "Yeah.  Just put some ketchup on it."  Lovely.  So now I was eating textured ketchup.  The next opportunity I had to make a tin foil dinner was this last weekend.  I made sure that we would not be eating the traditional tasteless mush and would be actually eating something we wanted to put in our mouths.

When making this recipe, I decided that it was essential to go way over the top on flavor at first.  The fire had cooked out all flavor before, so I figured that if there was way too much flavor to start with, we might end up somewhere in the middle.  I figured right.  The end result was absolutely perfect.  Cheesy, creamy and delicious.  The sauce soaked right into the vegetables and marinated the chicken.  My husband said that it was the best tin foil dinner he's ever had.  He said, "You have to understand.  These are traditional.  They don't usually taste good, so these are awesome."  I guess I did something right.  And finishing the meal off with a Reese's smore doesn't hurt either.

The Best Tin Foil Dinners

2 large Yukon gold potatoes, sliced

2 large carrots, peeled and sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 chicken breasts, cut into pieces

Salt and pepper

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon chicken Better than Bouillon, or 1 chicken bouillon cube

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Lay out 2-3 large pieces of tin foil.  Lay the potatoes and carrots in each of the pieces of foil.  In a large skillet or medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then cook in the oil until almost cooked through.  Take off the heat and let cool for a few minutes.  Layer the chicken in each piece of foil.  Drain the skillet of excess liquid.

In the same skillet over medium heat, add soup, butter, sour cream and Better than Bouillon.  Cook until butter melts and ingredients are mixed, stirring frequently.  Add cheddar and stir until melted.  Add pepper to taste.  Take off the heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.

Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables.  Wrap up well.  Wrap each foil packet with 2 more pieces of foil.

When outside, let the fire burn down until there are just smoldering logs left.  Put the dinners in and turn a few times.  You'll have to watch it though, since cooking time will entirely depend on the heat of your fire and the foil you used.  It will probably take about 10-20 minutes.  Unwrap and enjoy!

Sweet Corn Chowder

I realized on Sunday that is already August.  August!  As usual, this year has flown by and I have no idea where the time went.  As a kid, I remember it taking forever for Christmas to come, but now it seems to sneak up on me every year.  August means that we only have one more month of summer produce before the fall bounty starts coming in.  But I'm not quite ready!  I didn't use the summer flavors to their fullest.  So before apple season is upon us, I am going to share with you some awesome recipes to use up all of those summer fruits and vegetables before they go away.  First up: corn.  This recipe comes from Ari who runs both Baking and Books and The Vegetarian Family Table.  I lover her sites.  This is a tasty and very low fat recipe considering how creamy the end product is.  My husband described this as creamed corn soup, and he's pretty much dead on.  Sprinkle some cheddar cheese on top and you have a perfect summer meal.

Sweet Summer Corn Chowder

by Ari on The Vegetarian Family Table

4 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup diced scallions, white and light green parts only (I omitted this)

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 cup flour

4 cups skim milk (use what you have, I used 1%)

2 cups vegetable stock

Kernels from 6 ears of corn

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the scallions and sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the scallions are soft, about 2-3 minutes.  Turn the heat down to medium and add the flour, stirring constantly until the mixture turns a light golden brown and smells cooked.

Add the milk and vegetable stock, stirring until it has combined with the flour mixture, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the corn kernels and bring to a boil.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn has cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Remove 1/4 cup of the kernels, then puree the chowder.  To do this: Remove the soup from the burner, and puree with a hand blender or a regular blender.  If you use a regular blender be sure not to create an airtight seal with the lid by closing the top entirely.  If you do, heat from the chowder will cause hot air to expand and splatter chowder all over you. (Believe me, it will.  I've done it before.  Not fun.  I have a hand blender now though, and it's much easier.)  If you have a hand blender, it's definitely the easier way to go.

Stir in the cheddar cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Ladle the chowder into bowls and top with the reserved corn kernels.  I topped it with more cheddar too.

Note: For a thicker chowder, you can add 1 large peeled and diced baking potato to the pot when you add the corn kernels.

Chicken Pasties, or Chicken Hand Pies

One of my food blogging idols is Jaime on Sophistimom.  If you have not visited her site, please, go visit it and revel in her beautiful pictures and wonderful recipes.  I saw this amazing recipe on her site and just had to try it.  Not the least of the reasons why is because while reading Harry Potter my mouth always waters at the mention of pasties, and here is a recipe for one!  But that's a story for another time.  Today I'm paying tribute to Jaime and her beautiful blog.  These are essentially a chicken pot pie wrapped in a pastry, making it easily transportable.  And was it ever delicious.  I think I needed to use a little bit more of the chicken broth in the filling, and I think a little bit too much flour got into my pastry, but it was heavenly nonetheless.  When you see the method, please don't let it turn you off from making it.  It looks long, but it's not hard and doesn't even take up all that much time.  In fact, the pastry and the filling can both me made as early as the night before and then refrigerated until needed.  Make them for someone special for an extra treat.  Make them for a picnic or a camping trip.  They really are fabulous, and you will not regret it.

Chicken Pasties, or Chicken Hand Pies

by Jaime on Sophistimom

1 medium potato, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, finely diced (I omitted this and added more celery to replace it)

1 stalk celery, finely diced (I added 1-2 stalks)

2 large carrots, chopped

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

1 14-oz can chicken stock

1 bouillon cube or 1 tablespoon Better than Bouillon

Salt and pepper to taste

1-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Pastry dough (recipe follows)

1 egg, plus a teaspoon of water, beaten

Place potatoes in a medium saucepan, and cover with water.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Cook until potatoes are tender to the point of a knife.  Drain and set aside.  While the potatoes cook, set a large skillet over medium low heat and add in the olive oil, onion, celery, and carrots.  Cook until onions are very tender, about 12-15 minutes.

Melt butter into the mixture and stir in flour.  Let cook for 2 minutes or so, just to let the flour taste cook out.  Pour in about half of the can of chicken stock.  Add the bouillon and potatoes.  Let simmer for a few minutes and taste for flavor.  Add salt and pepper if needed.  Add in chicken and simmer until cooked through.  The mixture should be thick, but not too dry.  Add more chicken stock until you achieve the desired consistency (she used the whole can).  Store mixture in refrigerator until ready to use (the pies are easier to make if the filling is cold).

Preheat oven to 425.  Place a piece of parchment paper in a baking sheet and set aside.  Roll out the pastry dough on a floured surface 18x22-inch rectangle.  (A note on rolling: I have no idea how people get perfect circles or rectangles when rolling.  I never can.  So don't worry if some of your pies are misshapen - they will still taste good!)  Cut in half, then cut each half in thirds, to make 6 equal smaller rectangles.

Spoon 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture onto one of the rectangles of dough, placing it slightly off center.  Wet the edges of the dough with a pastry brush and water, and fold the longer end of the pastry up and over the filling.  Press the dough down to seal it, and then crimp with the edges of a fork.  Place on the prepared baking sheet.  Make two incisions in the top of the pastry with a sharp knife, and brush with the beaten egg and water.  Repeat with remaining 5 pastries.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and puffed.

Pastry Dough

2 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/3 cup ice cold water

In a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse together the flour, salt and sugar.  Add in the butter, and pulse a few times until the mixture is crumbly and resembles coarse meal.  Combine the egg and water in a container (remove all ice pieces).  While the processor is running, pour the water/egg mixture in and pulse until mixture just comes together.

Pour mixture out onto a floured board and knead a few times to bring all the ingredients together. (I think this is where I got too much flour in the dough.  Be careful!)  Dough can be rolled out immediately, or it can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days.