Easy Dinner Packets

What's that? You're looking for a delicious and hearty dinner idea that will leave you without any dishes? Have we got a deal for you!

These easy dinner packets have everything you need: meat, potatoes, vegetables, gravy, all in one no-muss, no-fuss what-do-you-mean-there's-nothing-to-clean-up dish. 

It's easy to customize with your favorite veggies and you can swap out sweet potatoes for the potatoes if you like. You can use ground beef or pork or turkey. Throw in some cheese or even sprinkle with hot sauce to spice things up. 

Like I said, no-muss, no-fuss. 

Easy Dinner Packets

Ingredients

Meat Patties

1 lb lean ground beef

1 pkg vegetable soup mix

Vegetables

5 medium potatoes, sliced

2 cups carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed

1 large onion, sliced

3 Tbsp oil

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp garlic granules (or 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced)

salt & pepper

Gravy

1 can condensed mushroom soup

Directions

Preheat oven to 375. 

Prepare meat patties - mix together the ground beef and the soup mix. Separate into 5 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and then flatten between the palms of your hands. Set aside.

Prepare vegetables - Place the vegetables, oil, and spices in a large bowl. Toss gently to coat the vegetables. 

Prepare packets - Tear off a large strip of tinfoil and place it on a flat work surface. Scoop up 1/5th of the vegetable mix and place it in the center of the tinfoil. 

Top with a meat patty.

Place 2 Tbsp of the condensed mushroom soup on top of the patty. 

Fold up the long sides of the tinfoil and pinch to seal. Fold over the other sides of the tinfoil and pinch that as well so no steam escapes. Repeat with remaining veggies and meat patties - you should get 5.

You can place the packets directly into the oven on the oven rack OR you can place them on a large cookie sheet. You may have to squish things around to get them to fit if you use a cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 for 45 minutes. Carefully open one packet (steam will come out) and prick the potatoes with a fork - they should be tender. If not, reseal and continue cooking until they are done.

I serve them in the tinfoil packages on top of a plate. You can scoop the contents directly onto a plate if you prefer. 

I put them on a cookie sheet just in case one springs a leak - it saves having to clean up the oven. You don't need to though if you are careful not to tear the tinfoil. I also serve them in the tinfoil because that means your plate won't be dirty either - it just gives them more stability. 

Don't like carrots and Brussels sprouts? Use green beans, turnips, beets, broccoli, cauliflower.... you have a lot of choices here. This is one of my favorite meals to cook when it is a particularly busy day. You can make the packets up ahead of time and refrigerate them until ready to cook.