50 packet recipes

Calvert's pecan flounder bakes flounder fillets in foil packets with pecan vinaigrette, lemon slices, white wine, and toasted pecan halves. An elegant Southern-inspired dinner for four.

Oven roasted potatoes with just three things: potato chunks, a packet of onion soup mix, and oil. Shake to coat, roast hot, and pull out crispy, golden, savory potatoes. The no-fuss side dish that goes with everything.

Vidalia beef patty bakes a ground beef burger with sliced potato and sweet Vidalia onion in a buttered foil packet. A hands-off, one-serving campfire-style dinner.

Tender red snapper baked in parchment packets with fresh tomatoes and herbs. This simple 3-ingredient fish recipe steams in its own juices for moist, flaky results every time.

Pasta with zucchini and roasted garlic tossed with thyme and rosemary. The garlic roasts in a foil packet while the pasta cooks, then gets mashed into a creamy sauce. Simple and vegan.

Mary's chili for wimps is a four-ingredient crockpot chili with ground beef, kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, and a seasoning packet. Dump it all in and walk away. Mild and easy.

Simple taco filling made with lean ground beef and homemade taco seasoning. Skip the store-bought packets and control the spices yourself. Makes enough saucy meat for 8 to 10 tacos.

French onion dip from just two ingredients: sour cream stirred with a packet of onion soup mix. The classic creamy, savory party dip for chips and veggies, ready in two minutes.

Peachy cinnamon coffee cake uses a cinnamon muffin mix, canned peaches, and the included swirl packet for a fast-from-scratch-tasting cake baked in about 30 minutes. A weekend brunch shortcut.

Three-ingredient foil-wrapped pot roast with onion soup mix and mushrooms, baked low and slow until fork-tender. A hands-off beef chuck roast that makes its own gravy in the packet.

Three-ingredient onion burgers seasoned with a packet of onion soup mix and a splash of water for juicy, well-seasoned patties. Grill or broil for 8 hearty burgers. Ready in 20 minutes.

Chicken breast baked in a foil packet with zucchini, roma tomatoes, green beans, garlic, and a squeeze of lemon. Served over angel hair pasta for a light, Provençal-inspired dinner with almost no cleanup.

Cod baked in a foil packet over sautéed red peppers, black olives, and garlic with a hint of allspice. Open at the table for a burst of Mediterranean aroma. Single-serving and ready in 45 minutes.

Yeasted beer batter for fried fish: flour, eggs, beer, and a packet of active dry yeast rested two hours into a light, lacy coating that fries up shatteringly crisp. Pub-style fish-and-chips done right.

Sauteed pork cutlets served over cornbread stuffing with zucchini and topped with salsa. A one-skillet weeknight dinner with big Southwestern flavor.

Amaretto cheesecake delite blends silken tofu and reduced-fat cream cheese into a lighter cheesecake spiked with amaretto and vanilla. Topped with caramelized almonds on a chocolate cookie crust.