Campfire Squash Packets

MY FAMILY LOVES to camp. We go out into Alaska's beautiful wilderness nearly every weekend from spring to autumn. Of course we often roast weenies (well, sausages) on a stick, but that does get old pretty quickly, so I have looked for ways to keep the menu exciting and to get some vegetables cooking over the fire. One dish that we all particularly enjoy is yellow (sometimes called summer) squash with onions.

Below, I am giving instructions for cooking the squash over a campfire, but they could easily be cooked in the same foil pouches on the grill or in a skillet on the stove. I usually prepare the pouches at home as I'm packing up the cooler so they are ready to cook at camp when we get the campfire hot and ready. The squash and onion can be prepared up to one day in advance if they can be kept cool. This recipe feeds 3-4 people.

Campfire Squash Packets

• 3-4 small to medium yellow squash
• one medium white onion (you can use other kinds but white is the best for this dish)
• olive oil
• salt
• heavy aluminum foil

Cut the foil into approximately 18" pieces. I use about 1 piece per 2 squash. If you put too much squash and onion in each pouch, it will not cook evenly, and I prefer not to make a pouch for each serving because it uses so much foil. Wash the onion and squash slice onion thinly. I use a v-slicer, or mandolin, almost daily. It makes lovely even slices, is very easy to clean, stores away neatly and saves me time.

Once you have the onion sliced, trim the ends from the squash and slice it in slightly thicker pieces (about 1/4"). The squash cooks more quickly than the onion, so it is important to slice it more thickly or it will get mushy before the onion is done. Lay out the foil pieces, folding each in half and unfolding to mark the middle. On one side of each piece, sprinkle about 1 tsp of olive oil and spread the onion slices over the oil. Lay the slices of squash over the onion and sprinkle salt and a dash more oil over each one. Make sure you get a fairly even amount of each of the ingredients into the pouches so they will cook at the same rate. If you like, you may garnish with couple slices of green pepper. I don't always add the pepper, but I had some in the refrigerator that needed to be used this time.

Fold the foil carefully over and roll each of the edges, turning each for at least two rolls so they will not leak. You will want to cook these over a fairly even heat, so wait until your fire has made a bed of coals and is not flaming up so much. Place the foil pouches over the fire onion side down first.

As the pouches get hot, steam should build and make them puff up like pillows. Once they puff, turn the pouches every 3 minutes or so and allow them to cook for about 10 minutes. Serve immediately and enjoy!