Tinfoil Tilapia & Parmesan Potatoes

It's late. It's been a long day at work. You're tired. You're hungry. Your spouse is hungry. The cat is hungry! The raid is about to start. You need to get online to get invites sent out. You don't have time or inclination to make something fancy. But you do want something tasty and fulfilling. Most especially you really don't want a bunch of dishes to do after dinner (and the raid!) are done. What can you do other than reach for the Pizza Hut coupons on the counter?

The best way I've found to handle this stitch is to make as minimal a mess as possible. This meal is one of those meals. You'll end up with a large bowl to clean and some utensils but that's it! Tinfoil Tilapia can be eaten from the tinfoil that it's cooked in.

No pans, no mess, no fuss! And you only need a fork to eat it with since everything is already cut up into bite-sized chunks and the fish is flaky enough that it'll just break apart for you. It's pretty quick to prepare then you can stick it in the oven and forget about it until it's ready to eat.

It's also a good freezer meal. You can do some batch cooking, make a bunch of packets, freeze them and just pull them out when you need them! They can go directly from freezer to oven but you'll have to cook them just a tad longer.

Tinfoil Tilapia & Parmesan Potatoes

2 Servings | Total Time: 35 min | Artisan

Mats:

• 2 Tilapia Filets
• 4 small Red Potatoes
• 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup Mayo
• 1 Tbl Lemon Juice
• 2 Green Onions/Scallions, chopped
• 3 Tbl Butter, softened
• 2 tsp Oregano
• Salt
• Pepper
• Cooking Spray
• Tinfoil

Craft: Preheat the oven to 375°. Using a fork or knife, poke several holes in the potatoes. Microwave the potatoes one at a time for 1.5-2 min each. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together Parmesan, mayo, lemon juice, green onions, butter, oregano and desired amount of salt and pepper (I prefer 1 tsp of each). When the potatoes are finished, chop them into bite-size cubes and add them to the bowl. Mix until the potatoes are well coated.

Get a large piece of tinfoil, roughly the size of a casserole dish (19 in). Spray one side lightly with cooking spray. Place one tilapia in the center. Spread half the potato mixture on top of the tilapia. Take the long sides of the tinfoil and fold them together over the mixture, rolling the seam to seal tightly. Roll up the two short ends and seal tightly. Repeat for second piece of tilapia.

Place both tinfoil packets on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. After removing from oven, carefully poke holes in the top of the tinfoil to let the steam out. Open the packet and serve as is or dump the contents onto a plate to serve.

Strategies: Be gentle when packaging the meal in tinfoil so you don't accidentally tear it. If you do tear it, wrap it up in another piece of tinfoil but don't wrap it in more than 2 layers. If you're eating it directly from the tinfoil be careful not to poke a hole in the bottom with your fork and spill the juices everywhere! This meal can be packed up and frozen for later cooking and eating. If you're throwing it in the oven straight from the freezer just add an extra 10 minutes to the cook time.


Cost:

• Tilapia $2.00
• Red Potatoes $1.50
• Grated Parmesan $1.00
• Mayo $1.50
• Green Onions/Scallions $0.75

Total Cost: $6.75
Cost Per Serving: $3.38

Category: Casual, Troll Fuel

*This meal contains staple items such as spices that you may or may not have in your pantry so your cost may vary.