Friday, April 16, 2010

Tin Foil Dinners A La Casserole Style

One of my favorite parts of camping is tin foil dinners (also called Hobo dinners).  Basically you put meat, potatoes,carrots and onions inside heavy duty tin foil and cook it on the coals of the fire.  DELICIOUS!  While this isn't quite the same (how can you compete with the fire cooked taste) it is pretty delicious, insanely easy, naturally GF and everyone in my family LOVES it!  Now that I think about it, why don't I make this every night?  I know the measurements are so incredibly exact, but that is why it is easy.  The butter was a new addition thanks to the idea from Pioneer Woman's Potato Bundles.  Which, if you haven't tried, DO, tomorrow, after you make this today.

Tin Foil Dinners A La Casserole Style (printer friendly version)
Hamburger (1/8-1/4 lb per person)
Onion (your choice, I did 1 small for 5/6 people)
Potatoes (1 per person)
Carrots (1 per person)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Fresh Rosemary (opt)
Butter (opt - I did 2 T for 5/6 people)

1. Preheat oven to 375-degrees.  Grease a casserole dish (choose a size based on your family's size).
2. Mold the hamburger into patties, 1 per person  (or more if you want).  Lay the patties on the bottom of the casserole dish.  Slice 1/2 the onion and sprinkle over the meat.  Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Next slice the potatoes, about 1/4"
I had to show you my Idaho potatoes.  With these you only need 1 for every 2 people, I have some that are 1 for every 3 people. It is hard to find these in the store, they are for restaurants, chips, french fries, etc.  I love being from Idaho.
Layer potatoes over the meat

4. Next, peel and slice the carrots.  Don't slice too thin or they will burn.  No smaller than about 3/8" Then layer on top of potatoes along with slicing the remaining onion and layering it and, if using, cut the butter in pieces and spread over the casserole.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. If desired, lay a few sprigs of rosemary over the top
I so wish this was from MY herb garden.  But alas, that is in Utah.  I now need to grow one here in New Mexico.
6. Bake for 1 hour.  When done remove rosemary sprigs and serve.

We have a variety of ways of  eating this.  There is the basic

Then there is the ketchuped

My way is with ketchup and mustard on the meat and the veggies plain.  My daughter dips everything in ketchup.  And my baby . . .
He likes his purred with a little ketchup.

FYI: Occasionally you get a potato with a brown spot in the middle
this is called "hollow heart."  Just cut it out and throw it away and enjoy the potato.  It will be delicious.

2 comments:

Robin said...

My kids like to cook them in the tin foil in the oven, and have their own to eat. Adding a little uncooked, crumbled bacon adds a great flavor too!

Natalie said...

OOOOOOO! I love the bacon idea. I sometimes do the tin foil in the oven when I'm more ambitious. This is just my lazy method.

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