Recipe Friday: Side Dishes in Packets

To accompany those yummy easy meals in a packet, here are a few side dishes in a packet that you can make.

Grilled New Potato Packets

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. each red and white new potatoes (about 4 each)

¼ cup  vinaigrette or Italian dressing (ie. Krafts Sundried Tomato or Newman’s Own Balsamic Vinaigrette)

2 Tbsp grated  Parmesan Cheese

1 Tbsp  chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

HEAT grill to medium heat.

PLACE potatoes in center of 18-inch-long piece heavy-duty foil; drizzle with dressing. Bring up foil sides. Double fold top and ends to seal packet, leaving room for heat circulation inside.

GRILL 18 to 20 min. or until potatoes are tender.

CUT slits in foil to release steam. Open packet. Top potatoes with remaining ingredients.

Southwestern Potato Packet

Ingredients:

1 sheet (24x18 inch) heavy-duty aluminum foil

1 medium  onion, thinly sliced

4 medium potatoes (1-1/2 lb.), cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 tsp.  seasoned salt

1/4 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp.  ground cumin

1 can (4-1/2 oz.) chopped green chiles, undrained

1 cup  mild cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup salsa

1/2 cup  sour cream

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:

PREHEAT grill to medium-high heat. Spray foil with cooking spray. Place onion in center of foil; top with potatoes. Mix seasoned salt, chili powder and cumin; sprinkle over potatoes. Top with chilies.

BRING up foil sides. Double fold top and ends to seal packet, leaving room for heat circulation inside.

PLACE packet on grill; cover with lid. Grill 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Open foil; sprinkle potatoes with cheese. Let stand 2 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve topped with salsa, sour cream and cilantro.

Use Your Oven:

Preheat oven to 450°F. Assemble foil packet as directed; place, seam side up, on baking sheet. Bake 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Open packet, sprinkle with cheese and continue as directed.

Cheesy Vegetable Packets

Ingredients:

1/2 lb (about 3) small red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 lb.  zuchinni & summer squash, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 lb. baby carrots

1 large  onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup Italian dressing

1/2 cup  shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese

2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

1   lime, cut into quarters

Directions:

PREHEAT grill to medium-high heat. Toss vegetables with dressing.

SPOON vegetables evenly on center of 4 sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bring up foil sides. Double fold top and ends to seal packets, leaving room for heat circulation inside.

PLACE packets on grate of grill; cover with lid. Grill 20 min. Remove packets from grill. Open carefully; add 2 Tbsp. cheese to each packet and reseal. Just before serving, open packets. Sprinkle each packet with 2 tsp. cilantro and squeeze juice of lime quarter.

Yellow Squash, Tomato, and Onion Packets

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium  yellow squash, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

4 large plum tomatoes, quartered

1/4 cup  chopped fresh basil

1/3 cup KRAFT Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

PREHEAT grill to medium-high heat. Place onions in center of (24x18-inch) sheet of foil; top with squash and tomatoes. Sprinkle with basil.

BRING up foil sides. Double fold top and ends to seal, leaving room for heat circulation inside.

GRILL 15 min. or until vegetables are tender. Open top of packet; sprinkle vegetables with cheese. Let stand 3 min. or until cheese is melted.

Have a great time grilling and enjoying a wonderful meal with family and friends!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Recipe Friday: Meals in Packets

Looking for a quick, easy, and only a few ingredients meal? Well, look no further. These packet meals are easy to put together, requires only a few staple items from the freezer, taste great, and requires very little clean up.

Italian Chicken Packet

Ingredients:

4 cups frozen broccoli cuts

1 can (14.5 oz each) Hunt's® Diced Tomatoes, drained

1/2 cup light Italian dressing

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (4 breasts = 1.25 lb)

Directions:

•  Preheat oven to 450°F. Combine broccoli, drained tomatoes and dressing in medium bowl.
• For each packet, lay two 20x12-inch sheets of regular foil on top of each other.
• Place 1 chicken breast on each foil packet. Spoon broccoli and tomato mixture equally over each chicken breast. Bring up short sides of each foil packet and double fold top. Double fold both ends to seal each packet, leaving space for steam to gather.
• Place packets on baking sheet; bake 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in centers (165°F). Carefully open ends of packets to allow steam to escape before fully opening.

Nutritional Information:

Serving Size        =             4 servings (1 chicken breat and 1 cup vegetables per serving)

Calories              =             266

Dietary Fiber      =             4 grams

Fat                     =             8 grams (2 grams saturated)

Sodium              =             480 mg

Sugars                =             4 grams

Barbecue Chicken Dinner in a Packet

Ingredients:

PAM® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray

1/2 cup Hunt's® Original Barbecue Sauce

2 cups thinly sliced small red-skinned potatoes (4 to 6 potatoes)

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (5 oz each)

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup shredded reduced fat Cheddar cheese

Directions:

•  Preheat outdoor grill to medium-high heat according to manufacturer's directions. Place four 18x12-inch pieces of heavy foil on counter. Spray each with cooking spray. For each packet, spread a generous teaspoon barbecue sauce in center. Place 1/2 cup potatoes in single layer over sauce. Spoon another teaspoon sauce over potatoes.
• Top potatoes with chicken. Spoon 1 teaspoon sauce over each breast. Top each with 1/4th bell pepper, onion and black pepper. Bring up short sides of each foil packet and double fold top. Double fold both ends to seal each packet, leaving space for steam to gather.
• Place packets on grate of covered grill. Grill 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in centers (165°F) and potatoes are tender. Carefully open packets; sprinkle 1/4th cheese on top of each breast. Close foil and let stand 2 minutes or until cheese melts.

*** Packets may be baked on shallow pan in 425°F oven 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in centers and potatoes are tender. ***

Nutritional Informaiton:

Serving Size        =             4 packets (1 packet per serving)

Calories              =             369

Dietary Fiber       =             2 grams

Fat                      =             8 grams (3 grams saturated)

Sodium                =             452 mg

Sugars                 =             12 grams

Santa Fe Chicken Packets

Ingredients:

1 can (15 oz each) Rosarita® Premium Whole Black Beans, drained, rinsed

2 cups frozen whole kernel corn

1 can (10 oz each) Ro*Tel® Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, drained

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

PAM® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (5 oz each)

1/2 cup shredded reduced fat Mexican cheese blend

Directions: 

• Preheat outdoor grill to medium-high heat according to manufacturer's directions. Stir together beans, corn, drained tomatoes and cumin in medium bowl.
• Place four 18x12-inch pieces of heavy foil on counter. Spray each with cooking spray. Place 1 breast in center on each piece of foil. Spoon 1/4th bean mixture over chicken for each packet. Bring up short sides of each foil packet and double fold top. Double fold both ends to seal each packet, leaving space for steam to gather.
• Place packets on grate of covered grill. Grill 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in centers (165°F). Carefully open packets; sprinkle 1/4th cheese on top of each breast. Close foil and let stand 2 minutes or until cheese melts.

*** Packets may be baked on shallow pan in 425°F oven 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in centers. Or, to save aluminum foil, place chicken in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Spoon bean mixture over chicken; cover dish with aluminum foil. Bake in 375°F oven 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in centers. ***

Nutritional Information:

Serving Size        =             4 packets (1 packet per serving)

Calories              =             386

Dietary Fiber       =             6 grams

Fat                      =             9 grams (3 grams saturated)

Sodium                =             600 mg

Sugars                 =             4 grams

Italian Style Salmon Packet

Ingredients:

1 can (14.5 oz each) Hunt's® Stewed Tomatoes, drained

1 can (15 oz each) cannellini beans, drained, rinsed

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, divided

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided

4 frozen salmon fillets (4 fillets = 1 lb)

PAM® Original No-Stick CookingSpray 

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine drained tomatoes, beans, 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl; set aside.
• For each packet, lay two 20x12-inch sheets of regular foil on top of each other. Place about 1/2 cup bean mixture in center, spreading slightly.
• Spray both sides of each FROZEN fillet with cooking spray. Sprinkle remaining 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper and salt over fillets. Place on bean mixture. Bring up short sides of each foil packet and double fold top. Double fold both ends to seal each packet, leaving space for steam to gather.
• Place packets on baking sheet; bake 25 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork (145°F). Carefully open ends of packets to allow steam to escape before fully opening.

Nutritional Information:

Serving Size        =             4 servings (1 filet plus ½ cup bean mixture per serving)

Calories              =             309

Dietary Fiber       =             7 grams

Fat                      =             13 grams (3 grams saturated)

Sodium                =             569 mg

Sugars                 =             4 grams

Happy Eating!! 

Creativity Bug ~ Sue