Hallows - Foiled!: Easy, Tasty Tin Foil Meals

DEDICATION To my husband, who always finds me a camping spot with a shower. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Mom Thank you for spending countless days at the grocery store and letting me take over your kitchen for this endeavor. I could not have finished this without you.

Morgan and Dax Thank you for being patient with me through the cooking process and eating more tin foil dinners than anyone thought possible. Your taste testing helped shape each recipe and I would be lost without you. Special thanks to Harmons and Tillamook for their support! INTRODUCTION When I told my husband I wanted to write a camping cookbook I am pretty sure the look on his face was complete shock. Since hes known me, I havent been too keen on the idea of temporary living in the great outdoors (this city girl loves running water!). The funny thing is, growing up I spent many weekends sleeping under the stars in California with my family. We loved the hikes, fishing, reading by the lake, and most of all the food.

As the years have gone by Ive stopped attending our family gatherings and those great memories slowly slipped out of my mind. It wasnt until a dinner with friends that all of the nostalgia came flooding back. We decided to create a tin foil meal bar as an interactive dinner that would help as a little ice breaker. Everyone gathered around the kitchen counter adding their choice of ingredients building their dinner masterpieces. Since then, we have used this idea on several occasions as a quick and fun dinner party theme as well as our contribution for group camping trips. All of which gave me the great idea to bring a little of this happiness to my website.

Over the last three years, tin foil recipes have continued to climb the ranks in my recipe archives and claim their spot as the most popular. The idea of a meal that is quick to put together and cooks in the same container that it is served in was appealing to campers and home cooks alike. I started with the basic Hobo Dinner (hamburger and vegetables) and slowly watched as the recipe skyrocketed to my most viewed. I took ahold of the enthusiasm from my audience and started to create unique tin foil meals. In this book you will find everything from breakfasts to desserts. Dont limit these meals to the open flame.

If you are craving a little summer flavor, you can try cooking these on the grill or in the oven! My goal was to provide you with a fun list of new and different ideas that will make camping, or everyday cooking, even more delicious. HELPFUL SUPPLIES Over the years, Ive discovered that some tools are essential to making a good tin foil meal. The following is a list of items I cant do without.

• Heavy-duty foil
• Foil baking dishes (9 x 9 square muffin tin and 8-inch cake pan)
• Metal grate or campfire grill
• Nonstick cooking spray
• Oven mitt or fire glove

When cooking straight on hot coals, it is always best to use heavy-duty foil. Most of the time I like to double up and have two thick layers protecting the food. Other items that are helpful are metal grates or a campfire grill and an oven mitt.

We use a heavy-duty leather glove, which helps when we need to turn or pull our tin foil packets off the hot coals. This helps to avoid burning yourself and spoiling your camping fun. The foil baking dishes can be found in the baking aisle next to the foil. Sometimes there are foil dishes in the pots and pans aisle too. COOKING AT HOME, ON A BARBECUE GRILL, OR ON COALS Tin foil meals are simply delicious when camping! But sometimes you dont have time to head for the woods. If youre hankering for some camping flavor without the mess, tin foil meals are the way to go.

You can easily cook them in the oven, on the grill, or even on top of charcoals. In oven: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the tin foil packets as directed and then place in oven for 3045 minutes. Each packet will take a different amount of time, so be sure to check on them at 30 minutes to determine how much longer to cook them. Pull the packets out once theyre done, open them up, and enjoy! On grill: Turn on grill and let it get to a nice hot temperature. Place packets directly on grill for 10-15 minutes.

Flip packets over and grill another 1015 minutes. Check to see if theyre done. If not, cook for another 510 minutes. Pull the packets out once theyre done, open them up, and enjoy! On coals: Be sure to be in a well-ventilated area when youre using coals, like in a car port or on a driveway. Light 1520 coals and let them burn until theyre white (thats when theyre perfect for baking). Place packets on top and cook for 1520 minutes.

Flip over and cook for another 1520 minutes. Check to see if theyre done. Once they are done, pull the packets out, open them up, and enjoy! COOKING TIPS Cooking tin foil dinners can be tricky, especially if youre cooking on coals or straight on the fire. Here are some tips that will make it a little easier.

• Make sure your packets are sealed tightly. Folding the top and edges verses bunching helps to create a solid cooking container.
• Always use cooking spray.

  There are a few recipes created in this book where I skipped this step and regretted it. Food sticking to the bottom of your packet is never fun.

• Thinly slice your vegetables. Potatoes and other thick vegetables can take a while to cook. Slicing or cutting them into smaller portions helps speed up the cooking time.
• Rice and pasta need to be precooked before adding. Make a large batch before you take off and store it in the cooler in large resealable bags.
• Meat takes the longest to cook. Make sure you keep the meat toward the outside of a packet.
• Dont forget to heat your coals.

  In order to get the right cooking temperature, you want your coals to have time to mature. I suggest letting them heat for at least half an hour before cooking.

• If you are worried your dinner will be too dry, try adding in some water or ice cubes for a little added moisture.

Try to remember that tin foil recipes are not exact. You will have to adjust the cooking times according to the heat level of your coals. MAKE-AHEAD DISHES I am a huge fan of make-ahead meals. The last thing I want to do when on vacation is to spend hours prepping and cleaning a meal. Most of these recipes have some prep work required before you take off for your adventures.

Make sure you read the directions carefully before you get ready to make your recipe. Ive marked the recipes that have make-ahead items so its easier for you to prep. HOW TO FOLD A TIN FOIL PACKET Start by cutting a piece of heavy-duty tin foil big enough to fit your meal. I recommend 1218 inches long.