Being born with an extra pair of picnic genes has its advantages.

For one thing, it makes me a cheap date: Like John Muir, as long as I’m in the middle of the wilderness, even dry biscuits and a tin of water make for a good lunch (although great cheese and a drinkable wine are far better).

For another, because alfresco dining is my preferred mode for entertaining, when the weather’s good I’m inclined to steer guests out onto the deck, where, most would agree, less complicated meals occur.

So you can imagine my jealousy when friend and Bend-area chef Heather Denio texted me from Sparks Lake last month: “Hey Jan! We made French dip sandwiches over the fire. So good!”

When I pressed her for details, she complied: “I built the sandwiches before we left the house. Steak and Cheddar in Italian rolls and wrapped them in foil. Tossed around the side of the fire until hot. We shared the pot of au jus that we warmed on the coals. Easy clean-up too.”

If you haven’t thought about cooking in foil since your Girl Scout or Boy Scout days, then it’s time to revisit this most delectable approach to outdoor cuisine. I call them Campfire sandwiches, and it’s a concept we all can embrace.

Of course, you don’t even need a campfire. Charcoal or gas grills are legitimate heat sources, meaning, you can produce Heather’s lake-side dinner in your own backyard.

All you need are some basic guidelines and perhaps a bit of inspiration. So here you go! I’ll begin with a basic vegetarian-style campfire sandwich and then build from there.

What you’ll need:

• Slices of bread

• Tomatoes (local!)

• Cheese

• Fresh baby arugula or spinach

• Fresh basil

• Mustard (consider a whole grain, spicy brown style)

• Mayonnaise

• Canola style, nonstick cooking spray

• Heavy-duty aluminum foil

• Hot coals, campfire or gas grill

What to do:

Prepare your ingredients by slicing how you would for any normal sandwich. Lay out generous pieces of foil (figure on double layers for each sandwich to discourage burning).

Spray both sides of each bread slice with the cooking spray. Place one slice on foil.

Pile on ingredients in the order you choose, then top with other slice of bread.

Seal your sandwich in the layers of foil.

At this point, if you aren’t cooking right away, you’ll need to refrigerate the sandwiches.

When ready to eat, place the foil-wrapped sandwiches near or in the coals or campfire (gauge how close by how hot the fire is). If using a gas grill, simply place the sandwiches on the grill.

Let them sit for about five minutes, then flip. You can peek every now and then until you get the hang of it to make sure the bread isn’t burning.

The sandwich is done when bread is lightly toasted, the contents are warm and the cheese is melted.

More options beyond a vegetarian creation …

Add sliced meats of your choosing. Combinations will add layers of flavor: Salami, mortadella and a smokey ham; or a good quality sliced turkey, smoked brisket and black forest ham.

A few other ideas and suggestions to consider:

• Slices of homemade meatloaf (store-bought, your recipe, or my recipe for Turkey and Pork Terrine), or meatballs could be delicious.

• Try crisp, smokey bacon with cheddar cheese and garden-ripened tomatoes with a slathering of mayo on a hearty whole-grained bread.

• Consider other condiments such as aioli, pesto, flavored ketchups or flavored mustards.

• Layer on caramelized onions and roasted peppers.

• How about slices of roasted eggplant?

• Slather on the Muffuletta Garlic-Olive Spread (see recipe) after composing a basic Italian teaser (layers of Italian meats and cheeses and pickled pepperoncini).

• If assembling a beef or chicken sandwich, consider adding a layer of my cream cheese mixture which I call San Francisco Spread (see recipe).

Experiment with different breads and rolls.

So, I hope you get the idea: Build a dynamite sandwich, wrap it in foil, place it in a fiery situation and be amazed at the delectable outcome.

Bon appetit!

— Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis food writer, artist and author of “Oregon Hazelnut Country, the Food, the Drink, the Spirit” and four other cookbooks. Readers can contact her by email at janrd@proaxis.com, or obtain additional recipes and food tips on her blog at www.janrd.com.