grilled foil packet dinners (fish and vegetables)

we were absolutely thrilled to be able to grill for the first time this season on sunday.  to kick off the grilling season, we grilled foil packets for dinner.  foil dinner packets are quick, easy, and delicious.  they are also so versatile because you can put just about anything you want in them, and you can customize them to each member of your family.

we love fish, but it can be a bit tricky to grill.  often, fish is so thin and delicate that it burns quickly on the grill.  it also tends to stick to the grill grates and makes a mess to clean up.  plus, who wants their entire grill smelling like fish?  not us.  the solution?  grill your fish in a foil packet!  if you are looking for a quick and easy dinner with hardly any clean up involved, look no further.

we grabbed two large pieces of aluminum foil and filled them with a pile of veggies.  we used vegetables that we had on hand: carrots, celery, onion, and spinach.  we seasoned the veggies (we love this seasoning) and then put a piece of fish on top of the veggies (i had tilapia and ryan had haddock).  i seasoned my fish with some ground pepper and dried parsley, while ryan sprinkled some old bay on top of his.  the trick to keeping everything moist is putting one ice cube in each foil packet.  the ice cube melts on the grill and helps to steam everything in the packet.  as everything in the packet cooks on the grill, the flavors all come together and make a wonderful tasting meal!

grilled foil packet dinners
prep time: 5 minutes
grilling time: 20-25 minutes
yields: 2 servings

ingredients:
4 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 teaspoon salted butter
1 cup fresh baby spinach
2 fish fillets
2 ice cubes
salt and pepper to taste
seasoning to taste

directions:
preheat your grill (approximately 450 to 500 degrees F).  spread out two large pieces of aluminum foil.  evenly divide the diced carrots, celery, and onion between the two pieces of foil.  place 1/2 teaspoon of butter on top of each vegetable pile.  season the vegetables to taste.  place 1/2 cup of spinach on top of each vegetable pile.  place the fish on top of the spinach.  season the fish to taste.  place one ice cube in each foil packet (in the bottom near the vegetables).  tightly fold up the foil packet, keeping the folded seam facing up.  place the foil packets on the grill.  cover and grill for 20-25 minutes, until the fish is cooked throughout.  unfold the foil packets and serve warm right out of the packets.

love, laurie

tuna cakes with spicy mayo dipping sauce

it's no secret that leko loves tuna.  he goes crazy over it.  but, we're pretty big fans of tuna too.

over the weekend, i was looking for a quick and simple dinner idea, and i decided to make tuna cakes.  these tuna cakes are full of flavor.  they are great on their own, but they are even better with a little bit of spicy mayo sauce spread on top of them.  

if your not a fan of tuna, you could easily substitute salmon.  i used canned tuna for this recipe since it's what i had on hand, but you could easily use fresh salmon or tuna that you bake in the oven and then flake apart into small pieces.

tuna cakes with spicy mayo dipping sauce
prep time: 5-10 minutes
cooking time: 10-12 minutes
yields: approximately 16 cakes
adapted from pancakes

ingredients:
1 teaspoon salted butter
1/2 onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup fresh baby spinach, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
2 large eggs, whisked
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 (5 oz.) cans low-sodium tuna fish, drained
salt and pepper to taste

sauce ingredients:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sriracha sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

directions:
to make the tuna cakes, melt the butter in a pan and saute the minced onion on medium-low heat until translucent (about 4-5 minutes).  add the minced garlic and saute for another minute.  in a large bowl, combine the sauteed onion and garlic with the breadcrumbs, chopped spinach, parsley mustard, eggs, lemon juice, and tuna.  mix well to combine making sure all of the mixture is evenly distributed and evenly coated.  season with salt and pepper to taste.  scoop 3 tablespoon sized balls of the mixture into the palm of your hands and form into a paddy.  repeat with the remaining mixture.  cook the fish cakes on a lightly buttered skillet or griddle for 5-6 minutes on each side until they are golden brown and cooked throughout.  serve warm with chilled spicy mayo dipping sauce.

to make the sauce, whisk the mayo, lemon juice, mustard, sriracha, and pepper together in a bowl.  refrigerate until ready to serve.

enjoy!

love, laurie