Day 211: Sheepherders Round bread

Most anybody that cooks in a Dutch oven has a Sheepherders bread recipe and here is mine. Simple and straight forward but it is almost a no fail recipe. This placed second for me at this years Elk Festival dutch oven cook off. One of the best things about this bread is that when it is ready to serve you can just break off a "round" slice it up and then go to another one. No need to slice the whole thing ...just slice what you need.

SHEEPHERDER ROUND BREAD

2 ¼ CUPS WARM WATER
2 TABLESPOONS SUGAR
2 PACKAGES YEAST
1 TEASPOON SALT
2 TABLESPOONS CANOLA OIL
6 CUPS FLOUR (ALL PURPOSE)


Combine water and sugar, stir till sugar is dissolved. Add yeast, stir. Now add salt, oil, and 3 cups flour. Beat well. Add remaining flour and mix together with your hands. Let rest for 10 minutes then punch down. Let rest another 10 minutes then punch down again. Do this for a total of 5 punch downs. Turn bread out on a flour surface and knead 2 or 3 times. Shape the dough into a 18” long loaf.
Now pinch off 7 baseball sized rounds of dough and place in a greased 12” Dutch oven. Put 1 in the center and the other 6 surrounding the center one, touching but not packed.
Cover loosely and allow to rise for 30 minutes. Bake at 400º for 30 minutes till done.( I used 1 1/2 ring on top and 9 coals on the bottom..3 between each leg)Remove from Dutch oven and brush with a little melted butter.
To serve, pull one round of bread off and slice on a cutting board.

To get a more brown top, with about 10 minutes left in the cooking time, I pull a Paula Dean and pour a 1/2 stick of melted butter over the top and recover it and let it finish cooking.

Day 210: Sour Cream Cinnamon Rolls

This was the first dish that I ever did that placed in a Dutch oven cook off. My buddies and I decided that we were going to drive 300 miles to Jasper Ark and enter our first Dutch oven cook off. so we started trying recipes out and believe it or not , before the day to leave for the cook off my neighbors got tired of eating things I would cook and then load in the truck and drive up and down the road looking for someone to taste this, even the cinnamon rolls. Of course it could have been that I had fixed them 4 days in a row till I thought I had them down. On the day of the cook off it turned out to be 98º. When I had them sitting in the Dutch oven for the final rise, they almost cooked!LOL! But rise did they! One of my cooking partners said they were as big as cow patties! Now that's a real Redneck compliment.

I got this recipe from Southern Living Magazine.

Sour Cream Cinnamon Rolls

1 8oz sour cream
2 tbls butter
3 tbls sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1 pkg yeast
3 cups all purpose flour
3 tbls softened butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 8oz pkg softened cream cheese
3 tbls melted butter
1 tsp vanilla

Heat sour cream till it is about baby bottle warm (105º)

Combine the warm sour cream, 2 tbls butter, 3 tbls sugar, salt,and baking soda in a mixing bowl. Add the egg and yeast into the mixing bowl and blend well. Add 1 1/2 cups of flour and mix till well blended. add in the remaining flour and mix till smooth.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, knead 5 times, cover and let sit 5 minutes, Roll dough into a 18 X 16 " rectangle, spread the soften butter over the dough. Now sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon over the dough, Roll up jellyroll style starting with the short end. Pinch the seam down. slice into 1 " slices and place them into a greased 16" Dutch oven, cut side down.

Cover and let rise for 45 minutes. bake at 375º for 12-15 minutes.(1 and 1/4 ring on top with 9 coal on bottom).

While they are baking, combine the cream cheese, melted butter, and the vanilla in a bowl and whip till very smooth.

When the rolls are done, take the Butter cream topping and smear in over the top of the rolls while the rolls are still hot so that the butter cream will melt down into every nook and cranny...(no calories here...remember The Redneck Gourmet does not do low-fat!LOL)

This will make 10-12 rolls according to how you slice them. Folks these are good. They do take a little time but they are worth it!

Day 209: Apple Enchiladas

Ok here is a recipe that is not only quick, easy, and good but it is also very kid friendly. There are a lot of times that for dessert you really don't want anything heavy but you still want a little something, well here it is, Apple Enchiladas. I will use this a lot of times when we have had a huge meal but still want to have a little something for those who still think they need a little something sweet.

Apple Enchiladas

1 21oz can Apple Pie Filling
1 package Flour Tortillas(large size)
1 stick butter melted
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
1 tablespoon cinnamon


Spoon about 2 tablespoons of pie filling into the center of each tortilla and roll it up. Place the rolled tortilla seam side down in a 12” Dutch oven. In a separate mixing bowl mix the melted butter, water, sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon together. Pour this mixture over the tortillas and bake at 350º (full ring on top and bottom) for 20 minutes.

This one is so simple but so good. and you can get the kids to help with the roll ups. In my book it is a win-win.

Day 208: Stuffed Peach French Toast Pudding

When most of us think of Dutch oven breakfast the first thing that comes to mind is a Mountain Man breakfast. While it is hard to beat , you might want to try this one for a change. and one of the best parts about is that you can fix everything together the night before and finish the cooking when you get up in the morning.

STUFFED PEACH FRENCH TOAST PUDDING

1 Loaf French bread sliced into 1” pieces
8 oz cream cheese cut into small pieces
2 large cans peaches
10 eggs beaten
1 ½ cup half and half
1/3 cup maple syrup
½ Cup melted butter
2 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon


Place half of the bread into a greased baking dish. Scatter cream cheese over bread. Cover with peaches reserving juice. Cover with rest of bread. Mix peach juice, eggs, half and half, syrup, and melted butter together and mix well. Pour liquid mixture over bread and let stand overnight.
Before cooking sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over mixture. Bake at 350º for 45 minutes.(1 ring on top and bottom)

I like to chop my peaches up into small pieces so that you don't get a huge piece of peach in one bite and nothing in the next. While it may say 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, with cinnamon and butter(I must be kin to Paula Deen) you can't ever have too much. LOL!

Day 207:Sausage stuffed Pork Loin with Rice Pilaf

This dish has been my go to dish for company for several years now. A friend of mind returned from a stay at a hunting resort where he was served this stuffed pork loin that had been cooked on a grill and was really bragging about how good it was. Well as normal it got me to thinking and sometimes that can be dangerous! I have done this on the grill as well but believe it is better in the Dutch oven. Most of the time I use a 14" oven but will use a smaller one if the pork loin is smaller.

This dish has done real good for me at cooking events both Dutch ovens and sometimes I have entered it in the "Anything But" category in BBQ cook offs.

Stuffed Pork Loin with Rice Pilaf

1 pork loin 5-8 lbs
STUFFING
1 lb of breakfast sausage
1 medium onion
¼ cup bell pepper chopped

½ medium red apple chopped
½ cup instant rice

½ cup olives

½ cup apple juice
7 strips of bacon

RUB

1 tbsp basil
1 tbsp sage
1 tbsp dry mustard
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp garlic powder

RICE PILAF

2 cups 10 minute rice
1 can mixed vegetables

Cut the loin almost in half, length way, then fillet from center to outside at a depth of ¾ inch on both sides making the loin into a rectangle. Mix all of the rub ingredients together and blend well. Rub the spices into both sides of the loin and let set at least 30 minutes. Next combine all stuffing ingredients in a bowl and mix evenly. Spoon this mixture into flattened loin. Roll up jelly roll style and tie off with butcher’s twine. Place the tied loin into a 14” preheated Dutch oven and add the apple juice. Now crisscross the bacon on top of the loin. Cook at 350º;I do a full ring of coal on top and bottom and after 45 minutes add the rice pilaf mixture and add a half ring of coal on top and cook another 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes with the lid on.

One thing I do most of the time is to slice another onion into 3/8" rings and use them in place of a trivet. By placing the loin on the onion rings you get some additional flavor and it keeps the meat from burning on the bottom.

This is a dish that I have become known for locally and is requested often.

Day 206: Chicken Parmesan

I going to be taking a few days off this week to spend some time with family.  But never fear, while I will miss you all, I'm leaving you in very capable hands.  Doug Thornton, of Arkansas Dutch Oven Society fame, will be taking over for a few days.  I know you won't be disappointed.  Doug has been dutch oven cooking for 15 years so he really knows his stuff. Probably a lot better than I do!  :)  So I hope you will all give him your support and your thanks for stepping in for me.  I'll see you all on Monday!

This is a recipe I've been making for a while. I love it because it is so easy and not super labor intensive.  I found it here.

Chicken Parmesan
10" dutch oven

7-8 garden tomatoes (if you don't have garden tomatoes, I would suggest using 1 large can of crushed tomatoes and 1-2 cans of diced tomatoes)
1/2 tsp salt
dash pepper
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 yellow onion, diced
2 Tbsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1 small can tomato sauce
3 chicken breasts
2 eggs, beaten
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 c. Panko bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. parsley
1/4 c. parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
6 slices Provolone cheese (or mozzarella, but we had Provolone on hand so that's what we used and it was amazing!)
1 lb. spaghetti

If you are using fresh tomatoes, peel them and mash them with a potato masher in a medium-sized bowl. Add salt and pepper, set aside. Heat a little vegetable oil in a  10" dutch oven and saute onion and garlic. When onions are clear, add the smashed tomatoes. Add basil, oregano, parsley, sugar, salt and pepper and bring to a good rolling simmer. Add tomato sauce (to thicken it up a little bit). It still may seem a little watery, but it thickens up quite a bit after it simmers. Reduce heat a little and simmer uncovered for at least an hour, stirring occasionally.  I used a full spread of coals for this.
About 30 minutes prior to serving. Put chicken in a Ziploc bag and add beaten egg and garlic. Smash all the air out of the bag, seal tightly, then work the the chicken around a little bit so it is covered in egg.

On a plate or pie pan, combine bread crumbs, parsley, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Heat some oil on medium heat in another 10" dutch oven. Remove chicken from egg mixture and press into the bread crumbs. When covered in bread crumbs, add the chicken to the oil and cook for about 1 minute on each side. Place chicken on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 375° for about 15-20 minutes or until no longer pink. Use 1 ring on the top and bottom.  In the meantime, cook spaghetti to al dente. Remove chicken from oven, add 2 slices of cheese per chicken breast, then return to the oven for about 2 minutes or until cheese is melted. Layer spaghetti, sauce, and chicken on a plate and serve.

The Finished Product

 
  Once again, everytime I try to upload a pic blogger gets mad and shuts me down.  I'll get
  it up as soon as I can.

The Review

This is my very favorite Chicken Parmesan recipe.  The chicken is tender and flavorful.  My kids loved this.  Brylie, my 5 year old, told me I was the best cooker ever!  If that doesn't equal a culinary triumph then I don't know what is!  My kids gave this one an A++++.  :)

Day 205: No Fail Breadsticks

I found this recipe at Meals 4 Moms.  The blog author lives near me, and everyone I know has been raving about these bread sticks.  You do have to plan ahead since these have to rise twice, but the rise times are quite short.  I did them last minute and they worked fine. 

No Fail Bread Sticks
14" dutch oven

2 cups hot water
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. regular yeast
5 cups flour

Topping:

3 tbsp. melted butter
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. Italian seasoning (opt.)

 Place hot tap water in a mixing bowl and add sugar, stir to dissolve sugar then lightly sprinkle yeast over top. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Yeast should develop and become foamy.

Combine salt and add flour 1 cup at a time. Reserve 1/2 cup to roll out with. Dough will be very sticky. (sticky dough means lighter and fluffier bread sticks)

Let dough double in size. (about 15 mins)

Melt butter and coat bottom of a cookie sheet.

Dust counter top with flour, roll out dough to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut 1 inch strips with pizza cutter. Twist and place in cookie sheet.

Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and seasoning over top. Let rise for about 20 mins. Bake 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown on top. Serve with marinara sauce.
 
The Finished Product
 
  My camera and computer are not liking each other right now.  I'll add the pic as soon as I can!
 
The Review

I really liked these.  They were buttery and delish!  My problem was with the dough.  If you follow the directions exactly, the dough is ridiculously sticky.  It's so bad that you can't handle it at all, so I added enough extra flour that it was still sticky but could be handled.  In this recipe's defense, I was in a hurry and very impatient and I could have been the problem with the dough.  So I'll try these again and grade them later.

Day 204: Jambalaya

Today is Pioneer Day in Utah!  Its when we celebrate the Mormon pioneer's settlement of the Salt Lake Valley.  After leaving Nauvoo, Ill. in Feb. of 1847, led by Brigham Young they endured a 5 month wagon trek across the great plains, suffering many hardships along the way.  They entered the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847.  Some of my ancestors were among those who first came to the valley.  Today we celebrate their legacy and the heritage of endurance and faith they left us.  But the celebration has turned into a day to remember all those brave souls who walked across what was wilderness to settle the western United States.  And I'm sure that every one of them carried a big black pot to cook in.  I'm sure it was one of their most needed and useful tools.  So my dutch oven lid is off to each one of them!

I found this Jambalaya recipe at Our Best Bites.  I've never made or even eaten it before, so I can't vouch for the authenticity of this recipe.  But it was made for the dutch oven.  It is the ultimate one pot meal.

Jambalaya

12" dutch oven

2 1/2 c. white rice

5 c. water

2-3 Tbsp. butter

1 green pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

A lot of garlic (probably 5-6 cloves), minced

1/2 lb. high-quality smoked sausage(approximately; you can actually use a little less if you buy, say, a 14-oz. package of sausage)

1/2 lb. ham

1/2 lb. shrimp or chicken (I used shrimp)

1 8-oz. can tomato sauce

Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning (you could use another Cajun or Creole seasoning, but this brand is widely accessible and cheap) to taste.

Bring the water to boil in a 10" dutch oven.  Add the rice, cover and cook 20 minutes or until rice is tender.   Remove from heat and allow to stand an additional five minutes.

While rice is cooking, finely chop sausage and ham.  I cut my sausage into 1/4" slices and then quartered them.

Melt butter over a full spread of coals in a 12" dutch oven. When butter is hot and bubbly, add onion, green onions, green pepper, and celery and cook until tender. Add chopped meat and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Add tomato sauce and then add cooked rice. Now start seasoning with the Cajun seasoning. It will be spicy.  Cook for about 10 more minutes, stirring frequently. Serves 8-10.

The Finished Product

The Review

Its really gratifying to have every one of my kids, even my 2 year old, ooh and aah over dinner.  This is the first time they've ever had anything like this, and it won't be the last.  This is a perfect busy night dinner because it comes together so quickly.  I will be making this one again because it was delicious!  Grade A.

Day 203: Dutch Oven Sun-Dried Pesto Stuffed Chicken

I really hate to spoil the review by giving it first, but there is no way to talk about this recipe without raving.  I have 3 words to describe it, FAB-U-LOUS.  This is, bar none, the best stuffed chicken recipe I've ever had.  That includes the Chicken Cordon Bleu that I had when I won a trip to a 5 diamond resort in Arizona.  The flavor is spectacular!  If you only try one recipe all year, it should be this one.  This is my #1 favorite recipe so far.  I found it here.

Dutch Oven Sun-Dried Pesto Stuffed Chicken
12" dutch oven

8-10 Boneless skinless chicken breasts pounded out until about double in size
8-10 slices provolone cheese
8-10 slices of a dry salami
1/4 cup pesto (use our recipe or buy some)
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
Salt and Pepper

Sauce

1/2 container of sour cream (8 oz)
3 cups heavy cream
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup Parmesan cheese

Start by pounding out your chicken breasts using a rolling pin or a mallet.  In a blender or food processor, mix the pesto and the tomatoes until fully blended. You may need to add some more olive oil if it seems too dry. Season each side of the breasts with salt and pepper. In the middle of the breast place a teaspoon of the pesto mixture, cheese and salami. Fold the chicken, similar to a burrito, as to not have anything leak out from the middle. Rather than securing with toothpick, use an uncooked spaghetti noodle.  It will soften as the meat cooks and no one will ever know its there!  Repeat with all the chicken.

In a dutch oven, over a full spread of coals, brown the chicken breasts, seam side down first, in a tablespoon of butter. Once browned on all sides, remove from oven, and let rest covered in foil. To the dutch oven, add the rest of the butter, and whisk in the flour. Add the cream, sour cream, and cheese. Stir over the heat until it begins to tighten. Put the chicken back into the sauce and cover. Cook for 45-50 minutes using 1 ring on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Serves 8-10.

The Finished Product

The Review

I think you already know what I thought of this one.  But to be honest, I was a little worried about the sauce at first.  To taste it alone, it wasn't very good.  But by the time the chicken had cooked in it, it was great.  Even my little kids loved this one.  The flavors of the sun-dried tomatoes and the pesto matched perfectly with salami, and who doesn't love Provolone cheese!  The best part about this is it was pretty inexpensive to make considering what a nice dish it is.  Of course this gets an A!

Day 202: Pasta Primavera a la Summer

I've been trying to come up with new things to do with zucchini since I have it coming out of my ears.  I knew better than to put in 9 plants.  I think everyone is having the same problem.  I know pasta Primavera is traditionally a spring dish, but it just seems rude to leave summer veggies out of such a great dish.

Pasta Primavera a la Summer
12" dutch oven

1 lb pasta (I used vermicelli)
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2-4 carrots
1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips  (I didn't have any so I left these out)
1 small bunch broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
2 medium zucchini, sliced
3/4 cup peas (not thawed, if frozen)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
zest and juice of one lemon

In a 12" dutch oven with a full spread of coals, begin cooking pasta according to package directions. Heat butter in another 10" or 12" dutch oven, over a full spread of coals.  Add onions, carrots,  garlic, and red bell pepper. Cook for five minutes. Stir in broccoli and zucchini. Cook until all vegetables are tender crisp. Add peas and remove from heat. Drain pasta and keep warm. In pasta pot, bring cream and broth just barely to a boil. Add cheese, and lemon juice and zest and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss pasta with vegetable and cream sauce. Serve with extra Parmesan cheese on the side.  Serves an army!

The Finished Product

 Doesn't that look delicious!!

The Review

I love Pasta Primavera, but add summer veggies and I love it even more.  This was really easy to make despite the fact that it took 2 pots.  It was also really light.  I know that's hard to believe when the ingredients are heavy cream!  The lemon, as usual, brightened up the flavors of the veggies.  My family loved it, and my kids are eating the leftovers for breakfast as we speak.  I guess its healthier than Lucky Charms.  The kids gave this one an A.

Day 201: Garlic Herb Scalloped Potatoes

We have a busy day ahead of us today!  I'm beginning to think life will never slow down.  But at least its never dull, there's something to be said for that.  I found this one at Our Best Bites.  Its a great food blog with some delicious recipes.

Garlic Herb Scalloped Potatoes
12" dutch oven

3 lb. red or Yukon Gold potatoes
1 small yellow onion
8-9 ounces of Garlic Herb creamy cheese like Rondele, Boursin, Alouette (These are available in the gourmet cheese section of the grocery store, but any garlic herb cream cheese will work)
2 c. milk (anything but skim)
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh parsley or chives

Wash potatoes and onion and slice into 1/8"-1/4" slices. Toss to combine.

In a 12" dutch oven, melt butter over low heat (I used about 12 coals). Add flour all at once and whisk to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, making a roux. Slowly add in milk and salt. Increase heat to medium (I added about 5 coals) and stir constantly until sauce starts to thicken, around 3-5 minutes. You don't want it too thick, just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Add creamy cheese and stir until cheese is melted and combined.  Add potatoes and onions to the pan, sprinkle with pepper, and mix well.  Bake at 400° for 55-60 minutes or until potatoes can easily be pierced with a fork. I used 2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Sprinkle with a couple tablespoons of fresh, chopped parsley or chives and serve. Serves about 6-8.

The Finished Product

Looks pretty gross, huh?

The Review

I'm really sad this recipe didn't work out as well as I'd hoped.  The picture at the site this came from look delicious, and mine just looks like a mess.  The sauce broke and got all lumpy when it was supposed to be creamy and smooth. Apparently, that means that there wasn't enough flour to bind the fats together so they separate.  I'm going to work with this one a bit because it has the potential to be really good.  The garlic and herb flavor was really light and even though it looked bad, it still tasted good.  I'm going to reserve judgement on this until I can make it work.

Day 200: Cheesy Garlic Bread Swirls

I spent yesterday with my cook off partner, Kris, practicing for the Wasatch County Fair cook off.  And boy is it a good thing we did!  Its amazing the things you don't think you'll need.  It was an eye opener.  Our dessert is going to take some work, but I think it will be really beautiful once we get it right.  I really hope we got out all of our mess ups at my house last night so things will go smooth at the cook off.  Its pretty nerve wracking trying to think of everything we'll need.  We are doing Prosciutto Wrapped Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Parmesan Roasted Potatoes, Tomato Upside Down Cornbread and Crepe Cake with Chipotle Raspberry Sauce.  All this has to be finished in 3 hours.  It should be interesting to say the least.  It will be nice to have a partner this time so I don't have to do everything myself.  We're also going to try and enter the cook off at the Utah State Fair.  I've gotten several emails from people hoping I'll attend, and right now its looking good!

Well, on to today's recipe.  I found this one at a site called Our Best Bites.  Its one of my new favorite food blogs.

Cheesy Garlic Bread Swirls
12" dutch oven

French Bread Dough:

1 Tbsp. yeast
1 1/2 c. warm water
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
4-5 1/2 c. flour
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 egg yolk

Garlic Butter:

1/2 c. (1 stick) of real butter, no substitutions
1 1/2 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning (recipe below)
Shredded mozzarella cheese

Combine yeast, water, and sugar in large mixing bowl and allow to stand 10 minutes or until bubbly. Add salt, vegetable oil, and egg yolk and combine. Add 3 c. flour and mix well until combined. Add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough that barely sticks to your finger. Knead, either by hand or in mixer for another 2-3 minutes. Cover and allow to rise 1 hour.


While dough is rising, combine butter and garlic bread seasoning. Set aside.

Roll your rough into a rectangle that's about 18-20 inches by 6 inches (mine was bigger than that). Smear garlic butter over the entire surface of the dough and then sprinkle with cheese.

Roll up jelly-roll style and then use dental floss to cut into slices.  Place each slice in a well greased dutch oven. Cover with a clean cloth and allow rolls to rise until doubled.


Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes with 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.

Garlic Bread Seasoning

1/2 c. powdered Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. Kosher salt
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. basil
2 tsp. marjoram
2 tsp. parsley

Combine ingredients in a jar (preferably one with a sprinkle top) and shake.


Sprinkle on top of bread sticks or combine 1 1/2 Tbsp. seasoning with 1/2 c. of softened real butter and spread on a loaf of French bread (cut in 1/2 lengthwise). Wrap in foil and bake at 375 until butter's melted. If you want, you could also pop it open-faced under the broiler for a few minutes so it gets brownish and crispy.
 

The Finished Product

 

I got the tops of mine a little to brown, but inside they were soft and delicious!

 
The Review
 
Move over garlic bread!  These were super good!  I'll make these whenever I need garlic bread and when I have the time.  They were really easy, you just have to be able to plan ahead.  They were full of garlicky, cheesy goodness and I could have eaten them all day.  These did dry out the next morning, but I really don't think having leftovers will be a problem.  This is yet another recipe that will go into my "tried and true" file.  Grade A.

Day 199: Italian Meatloaf

Its been so hot here lately that I didn't want to make anything that would require me to spend any amount of time in front of hot coals.  Meatloaf is the perfect meal since you don't have to babysit it.  My kids have also acquired a taste for it since I always put more than just meat in it.  I found this one herehttp://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/2010/01/italian-meatloaf-rollatini.html.

Italian Meatloaf
12" dutch oven

For the Meatloaf:


1/3 cup Yellow onion, diced
1/3 cup Green Bell Pepper, diced
2 tablespoons Olive Oil, for sauteing
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 and 1/3 pound ground Sirloin
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup Seasoned Italian Bread Crumbs
1/3 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon Chile powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
3/4 cup Tomato, vine ripened, diced
1 cup Chopped Spinach, steamed

For the Topping:

Parmesan Cheese
Additional Mozzarella, if desired

In your dutch oven over a full spread of coals, saute the onion and green pepper in oil just until tender. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

 In a large bowl add all the ingredients for the meatloaf including the onion/pepper mixture. Use a fork to blend everything together.

 Form into a loaf in the dutch oven. Coat the top with ketchup and sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese. Bake about 45 minutes or until cooked through in the middle.

The Finished Product

The Review

I think this is my second favorite meatloaf recipe.  I know I've never kept my love of meatloaf and meatballs a secret, and I've only ever made one that I didn't like, so for this to be number 2 on my list is saying something.  Not only does it taste great, but it looks nice too.  The tomatoes are a really nice addition.  I didn't use the topping because I ran out of cheese and it was still good.  Most of my kids liked it, but I would call this one more of a grown up meal.  I gave this an A, my kids say B.

Day 198: Fresh Apple Cake

We had a BBQ last night, so I didn't have to cook any of dinner in the DO.  In fact, all I had to do was boil water for the corn on the cob while my hubby grilled the meat and veggies.  Add some sliced melon and we had a meal!  So, I made dessert DO style.  I did an apple cake recipe I got from Wayne Lybbert.  It helped that I had some apples in the fridge and cool whip in the freezer that needed to be used!

Fresh Apple Cake
12" dutch oven

1 C White Sugar
1/2 C Margarine
2 Eggs
1 C Flour (heaped)
2 C Shredded Apples (packed)
11/2 t Soda
 11/2 t Cinnamon
1/2 t Salt
1/2 C Chopped Nuts (walnuts or pecans--I left these out since I'm allergic)
1/2 C Brown Sugar

Cream together white sugar, shortening and eggs. Add flour, soda, salt and cinnamon. Beat until smooth. Fold in shredded apples. Pour into greased 12" dutch oven. Sprinkle top with brown sugar and nut mixture. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Serve hot with ice cream or cool whip.

The Finished Product

The Review

Just looking at the batter I knew this would be good.  There looked like there was as much apple in the batter as anything else.  This ends up being a pretty thin cake, but it isn't short on flavor.  You don't have to worry about not getting an apple in every bite.  Next time I think I'll double it.  My family loved it, and it was quick and easy to put together!  If you need a dessert in a hurry, try this.  We gave this an A-.

Day 197: Restaurant Style Ham Fried Rice

Summer is in full swing in central Utah.  When I was cooking last night, the thermometer on the house said it was 105°.  I think that's only 2 degrees cooler than Hades!  Now I'm wondering why I ever complained about cooking in the winter.  At least I could huddle over my dutch oven to keep warm!  Oh well, the only thing constant is change and in a few months I'll be lamenting the loss of the heat.  I'm just like a woman--never satisfied!  LOL!

For dinner last night we had Candied Chicken.  Usually I serve it with white rice, but I found today's recipe and thought it would be a nice change.  I love Asian food and I've wanted to make a good ham fried rice recipe, but I didn't have one and I've been too lazy to make one up myself.  : )  But lo and behold, as I was scouring food blogs to make this week's menu, I found this little gem.  Its from Favorite Family Recipes and was so easy to adapt to the dutch oven.  But then I'm finding that everything is easy to adapt to the dutch oven.  I just love these big black pots!!  I'm getting a little off subject... Here's today's recipe.

Restaurant Style Ham Fried Rice
10" dutch oven

2 c. uncooked long-grain white rice
4 c. water
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1-2 c. cubed ham (you can also use shrimp, chicken, or a combination of all 3)
Diced veggies or peas (optional)
3 eggs, beaten
soy sauce

Cook rice according to package directions.  I used a 10" dutch oven with a full spread of coals.  When the rice is cooked, remove from the DO and set aside.  In the same DO, heat sesame oil and vegetable oil over a full spread of coals and stir in onion. When onions become clear and light brown, add garlic. When garlic is lightly browned, add ham and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until ham is nice and hot. Add veggies (optional) and cook until veggies are tender. Stir in beaten egg and cook until egg is scrambled and firm. Add the rice to the dutch oven and mix thoroughly.  I just eyeballed it until I had the right rice/ham ratio.  Stir in soy sauce.  Use just enough to make the rice a light brown.  You don't want the soy sauce to overpower the other flavors. Serve immediately.  Serves 6-8.

The Finished Product

The Review

This was YUMMY!  My family loved it.  This is something that we've only had in Asian restaurants up until now.  It was really fun and very easy to make at home.  I think I'll make this again when we have another restaurant night and try some Cashew Chicken and Egg Rolls.  It would also go great with the Chicken Lo Mein I did a while back.  When you make this, be sure not to add too much soy sauce.  It will totally ruin the dish if you do.  We loved it and I'll be making this again.  Grade A.

Day 196: Pizza Swirls

My kids liked yesterday's hamburger roll ups so much that they wanted to try it with pizza today.  As I was thumbing through a cookbook, I happened across a recipe for them.  This comes from another church cookbook

Pizza Swirls
12" dutch oven

1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup milk
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1 (15 oz.) can herbed tomato sauce ( I used pizza sauce)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt.  Cut in shortening to consistency of cornmeal.  Stir in milk just to moisten dry ingredients.  Turn out on a lightly floured surface and knead lightly 6-8 times.  Roll into a 1/4 inch thick rectangle. 
In your dutch oven over a full spread of coals, cook the ground beef, onion and green pepper until the onion is soft and beef is cooked through.  Drain any grease and stir in the mushrooms, salt, oregano and 1/2 cup herb sauce.  Spread over the biscuit dough.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Roll up starting with the long side.  Cut into 1 1/2 inch slices.  Arrange in your greased DO and bake at 425° for 15-20 minutes.  Use 2 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Serve with remaining tomato or pizza sauce.

The Finished Product

The Review

The idea for these is really good, but I've decided that I really don't like pizza toppings and biscuit dough together.  The flavors just don't work for me.  This would be much better made with actual pizza dough and it wouldn't be any harder to do.  One of the problems with this recipe is that the biscuit dough is so soft that it tears easily.  Pizza dough would hold up better and not fall apart as much.  You could also put garlic powder and herbs in the dough to add flavor.  My kids really liked this, and I guess that's what counts since I made it for them.  But next time I'll make the changes and make it even better.  This recipe gets a C-.

Day 195: Hamburger Roll Ups

Good morning!  I have a busy day ahead, so this will be a quick post!  I found this recipe here. 

Hamburger Roll Ups
12" dutch oven

Filling

1 lb ground beef
1 medium grated onion chopped
1 carrot, grated (or more if desired)
1 stick of celery sliced fairly small
1 whole green pepper diced
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper
3 Tbsp flour
1/2 milk

Brown beef with onion in your dutch oven over a full spread of coals. Mix in flour, salt and pepper. Gradually add milk stirring constantly, boiling one minute. Combine beef and onion mixture with carrots, celery and green pepper.  Remove from pot and set aside.  Wipe your dutch oven with a paper towel to remove any bits of beef and vegetables.

Make a biscuit dough using 2 cups flour or prepared biscuit mixture (recipe below). Roll biscuit dough into 18"x9" rectangle. Spread hamburger filling over dough. Roll up beginning at widest side. Seal edges. Slice 1 1/2" thick.

Place slices in your dutch oven, close together for soft sides, apart for crusty sides. Bake 15-20 minutes in hot oven, 450 degrees or until brown.  Use 2 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.
 
Serve with cream of mushroom soup heated and thinned with some milk.

Biscuits

1 1/4 cups white flour and 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/8 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp soda
3/4 cup fat-free milk

Place all dry ingredients into a food processor. While mixing dry ingredients slowly add the olive oil. Mix until it looks like meal. Transfer to your mixer and follow directions for buttermilk biscuits above. Using olive oil makes a denser dough. If you want your biscuits flaky you will need to use shortening.

The Finished Product

 

 

The Review

 

These were surprisingly good and very easy to make.  We did these for lunch and my kids thought they were really fun.  Brandee had 8 of them.  I was out of carrots and the celery was limp, so I used shredded potato, zucchini and yellow squash, but you could easily use whatever veggies you have on hand.  We topped them with a cream of mushroom soup gravy.  These would be a great camping or weeknight meal.  Even my hubby liked them.  We give these a B+. 

Day 194: Cheesy Potatoes

This recipe is a popular one where I live.  We normally call them funeral potatoes because they are usually served by our church women's group at funeral luncheons.  I've also heard them called Party Potatoes in other parts of the country.  Most of the time, we just call them "yummy".

Cheesy Potatoes
12" dutch oven

8-10 potatoes, boiled, peeled and cut into cubes
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 small onion, grated
1 soup can of milk
2 cups grated cheese
salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, mix the soup, sour cream, onion, milk, cheese and salt and pepper.  Add the potato cubes and toss to coat.  Place in your dutch oven and bake at 350° for about 30 minutes or until bubbly and heated through.  Use 1 1/2 rings on the top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Serves 10.

The Finished Product

The Review

This is a standby recipe at our house.  Anytime there is a family potluck, we have these potatoes.  My boys will pile these 6 inches high on their plates and eat like they were starving to death.  You can top them with crushed potato chips or corn flakes, but we like them better without any toppings.  These are hard to grade.  They aren't anything really special, but they are good and we have them often.  I think they'll get a B+.

Day 193: Alice Springs Chicken

I've been looking on the Internet for some good knock off restaurant recipes.  With my large family and since my hubby had some of his hours cut at work (courtesy of the recession--love it!)  we don't eat out very often at all.  When we do its usually the dollar menu at Wendy's.  So I told my kids we would just bring the restaurants home to us.  We use the nice tablecloths, put candles on the table and float lemon slices in the water pitchers.  We even put on some nice music and I play chef and waiter.  This is becoming a once a week ritual--kind of like veggie night.  I have to say, its really fun.  Its also a great way to brush up on using good manners before we're out in public.  : ) 

I ran across this Outback Steakhouse knock off on one of my favorite recipe sites.  I've never had the Alice Springs Chicken, so I can't tell you how close this one is to the real thing.  Even if its totally off the mark, it was totally worth trying!

Alice Springs Chicken
10" or 12" dutch oven

Honey Mustard Marinade:

1 c. Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
1 c. honey
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. lemon juice

Chicken:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 c. sliced mushrooms (10−12 mushrooms)
2 Tbsp. butter
kosher salt and pepper
paprika
8 slices bacon, cooked
1 c. shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh parsley

Use an electric mixer to combine the mustard, honey, 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and lemon juice in a small bowl. Whip the mixture for about 30 seconds. Pour about half of the marinade over the chicken breasts and marinate them, covered, in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.

Chill the remaining marinade until later. After the chicken has marinated,  add 1 Tbsp. oil to your dutch oven over a full spread of coals.

Sear the chicken in the pan for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown on both sides (mine took 10-12 minutes total).  As the chicken is cooking, in a small dutch oven saute the mushrooms in the butter. Brush each seared chicken breast with a little of the reserved honey mustard marinade (not the portion that the chicken soaked in) being sure to save a little extra that you can serve on the side later with the dish.

Season the chicken with kosher salt, pepper and paprika. Stack two pieces of cooked bacon, crosswise on each chicken breast. Spoon the sauteed mushrooms onto the bacon, being sure to coat each breast evenly. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Monterrey Jack cheese evenly onto each breast followed by 1/4 cup of Cheddar.

Bake at 375° for 7-10 minutes or until cheese is thoroughly melted and starting to bubble. Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom for a 12" oven.  Sprinkle each breast with 1/2 teaspoon parsley before serving. Put extra honey mustard marinade into a small bowl to serve on the side.

The Finished Product

I didn't realize how awful this pic is--trust me--it tastes awesome!

The Review

This was fabulous!  It makes me wonder why I couldn't come up with this myself.  It was very simple and very delicious!  The honey mustard marinade was perfect.  Good Dijon mustard is the secret here.  I accidentally overcooked my bacon and I didn't use nearly enough cheese, but it was still great.  A half cup of cheese per breast seemed like a lot, but that is part of what makes this so good.  This costs $11.99 for one person in the restaurant, and I serves 9 of us for about $15.  That smells like a bargain to me!  I have to give this one an A.

Day 192: Heavenly Chocolate Souffle Cake

My summer is just getting busier and busier. Instead of relaxing with a glass of lemonade, I'm running around getting my oldest daughter ready to go camping with the young women from our church. How much stuff does one person need to camp for 4 days? Let me tell you-- A LOT!  We spent all day shopping and packing. 

Anyway, we had this cake for dessert last night. My hubby has a birthday this week, and since my daughter will be gone we decided to celebrate a few days early. I found this recipe here. It has remarkably few ingredients and is really easy.

Heavenly Chocolate Souffle Cake
10" dutch oven

1 2/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
4 eggs, separated
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
1/2 cup sugar
Sweetened Whipped Cream (below)
Chocolate Sauce (below)

Grease bottom and side of a 10" dutch oven with shortening. In a separate 8" or 10" dutch oven, melt 1 cup of the chocolate chunks or chips and the butter over about 5 coals, stirring occasionally. Cool 5-10 minutes. Stir in flour until smooth. Stir in egg yolks until well blended.

In large bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tarter with electric mixer on high speed until foamy. Beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until soft peaks form. Fold about one fourth of the egg whites into chocolate mixture, then fold the chocolate mixture into the egg whites. Spread in pan. Sprinkle remaining 2/3 cup chocolate chips evenly over top.

Bake 35-40 minutes at 325° or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and the top appears dry and cracked. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Top servings of cake with whipped cream and drizzle with sauce.

Sweetened Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In chilled small bowl, beat all ingredients with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.

Chocolate Sauce

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup milk or evaporated milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon butter

In an 8" or 10" dutch oven, heat chocolate chunks, sugar, and milk over about 5 coals, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture boils. Remove from heat, stir in butter.

The Finished Product

Before the cream and chocolate sauce

The Review

This is so rich and yummy!  It was also really easy.  I had the whole thing ready to bake in just a few minutes.  I also love that it uses pantry staples.  I personally think this screams for vanilla bean ice cream (doesn't everything?).  Even though its so simple, its nice enough for company.  Dress it up with some fresh raspberries and a mint sprig and it would be beautiful.  Grade A.

Day 191: Root Beer Chicken with Kiesbasa

Sorry for the late post, I've been having some Internet problems that have hopefully been cleared up.  My little ones just love to play with all the cords and wires behind my desk!  : )  Anyway, this recipe is a variation of Coca Cola Chicken.  I did this for a group of women from church. 

Root Beer Chicken
12" dutch oven

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg. kielbasa or polish sausage cut into 1/4" slices

1 can Coke
1 1/2 cups ketchup
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. onion powder
2 Tbs. chili powder

Place chicken breasts in an oiled dutch oven. In a bowl, combine remaining ingredients and stir well. Pour sauce over chicken. Cover and bake using 8 coals on the bottom and 14 on top for 60 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Baste with pan juices every 15 minutes. Serves 8.

Sorry, I don't have a pic because I forgot to take my camera.

The Review

I loved the kielbasa in this version.  It added a great flavor.  It would have been better with Coke though.  I just like that flavor better.  But if you are like me and are trying (in vain) to give up caffeine, the root beer works.  All the ladies loved it.  It is super easy.  Next time I'll make it with the kielbasa and Coke.  Grade B+.

Day 190: Chicken Pot Pie

We have a busy day ahead of us, so this will be a quick one!  When I've made chicken pot pie in the past, I've always used cream of chicken soup, so I was excited to find one that looked good with a from scratch gravy.  I also made my own pie crust for this one.  I really must be a "pie crust retard" because no matter what I do I can't get it right.  I'm going to have to put some serious research and practice into it.  But enough about that, here is today's recipe.  I found it here.

Chicken Pot Pie
10" dutch oven

1 Lb. chicken, cubed
2 potatoes, cubed
1 c. sliced carrots
1 c. frozen green peas
1-2 bouillon cubes
1/3 c. butter
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. sliced celery
1/3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. celery seed
1 3/4 c. chicken broth
2/3 c. milk
1 c. corn (canned), drained
2 egg whites, beaten
2 (9 inch) Pillsbury unbaked pie crusts (I made my own)

 In a 10" dutch oven, combine chicken, potatoes, carrots, peas, and celery. Cover with water, add bouillon cube(s) and boil for 15 minutes. Use a full spread of coals for this.  Remove from heat, drain and set aside.

In the same dutch oven, over a full spread of coals,  heat garlic, onions and celery in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick (if you like a thinner sauce, add more chicken broth and milk a little at a time until you reach your desired consistency) and add corn. Add the other veggies (potatoes, carrots, etc..) and chicken to the sauce and stir to coat all the veggies in sauce. Remove from heat and set aside.

Clean out your dutch oven and place one of the pie crusts in the bottom and lightly brush with egg whites. Bake at 375° for about 5 minutes.  I used 1 ring on the bottom and 1 ring + a couple of coals on top.   Remove from heat and pour in the sauce/veggie mix.  It will come clear to the top of your crust.  Cover with the other crust and seal the edges. Cut some slits in the top, brush with egg whites and bake for about 35-40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.  Serves 6-8.

The Finished Product

The review

This was really good.  I really like the flavor celery seed gives chicken dishes.  This was quite simple and came together quickly.  I think this will be my go to pot pie recipe.  Even though my crust wasn't great and never did brown, it was passable.  My family didn't complain.  Overall, this pot pie gets a B+, and that's with my unflakey, unbrowned crust.  It would be worthy of a better grade if my crust was better.

Day 189: Raspberry Baked Chicken

Good Morning everyone!  Last night I got to teach a dutch oven class for a local women's group.  It was a lot of fun!  The ladies that were there came expecting to be confused by how to figure the heat, but went home saying "I can do this!".  The ring method is so easy that even people who have never used a dutch oven can understand it.  I love it when people realize how not hard DO cooking is.  They also left after having a yummy meal.  We did Root Beer Chicken and Kielbasa, Tomato Upside Down Cornbread, and Smores Brownies.  So many people think all you can do in a DO is potatoes.  It makes me laugh! 

My family got to have Raspberry Chicken for dinner.  I had some fresh berries from the garden, and some frozen blackberries that I threw in just for fun.  I found this recipe in a church cook book.

Raspberry Baked Chicken
12" dutch oven

6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 lb. fresh or frozen berries
1 cup sugar
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1 cup water

Place the chicken in an oiled dutch oven.  Stir together the berries, sugar, cornstarch and water until sugar is dissolved.  Bake at 350° for 1 hour using 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.

The Finished Product

Its to bad it doesn't taste as good as it looks.

The Review

I was really disappointed with this chicken.  Even with fresh berries from my garden it still didn't taste very good.  The whole dish just didn't have very good flavor.  None of my kids finished theirs and even my hubby just shrugged his shoulders when I asked him how he liked it.  I won't be making this one again.  I can think of a ton of better things to do with fresh raspberries.  Grade D+.

Day 188: Pinwheel Fruit Cobbler with Caramel Sauce

Today I thought I'd post the winning recipe from the Arkansas Dutch Oven Society's dessert contest.  My kids thought these were the bomb!  They've begged me to make them again.  They were really tasty!  I'm lucky I even got to take a picture of them.  My kids were scooping them out of the pan before I could get it set down. 

Pinwheel Fruit Cobbler with Caramel Sauce
10" dutch oven

Sugar Syrup

2 cups water
2 cups brown sugar

Pastry

1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup milk

1 stick butter
2 cups fresh fruit, finely chopped

Caramel Sauce

individually wrapped caramels
evaporated milk

Prepare the sugar syrup by boiling the water and sugar until the sugar is dissolved.  Set aside to cool.
Prepare the pastry by cutting the flour into the shortening until it is the consistency of small peas.  Add the milk and form into a ball in the middle of the bowl.  Place dough on a lightly floured board and roll out into a rectangle about 1/4" thick.  Drain fruit and spread on the pastry dough.  Roll up jelly roll fashion.  Slice in 1" thick slices.
Preheat your dutch oven with 8 coals on the bottom.  When the oven is warm, melt the butter.  Place the pinwheel slices carefully in the oven.  Gently pour the sugar syrup over the slices.  Cover and place 17 coals on the lid in a checkerboard pattern.  Bake 15 minutes.  Remove all but 4 coals from the bottom of the oven and bake an additional 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve warm with caramel sauce. 
For the caramel sauce, melt the caramels in a small dutch oven over very low heat.and thin to desired consistency with evaporated milk. 

The Finished Product

By the time I got to take a picture they were almost cold, so you can't see how gooey they were.

The Review

My son just walked by and said "Oh, is that those amazing pinwheel things?"  I think that just about sums them up.  The brown sugar syrup thickens and caramelizes while they bake and it soaks into the pastry.  I used raspberries in mine, but I think this recipe was made for apples.  The caramel would have complimented them perfectly, but the berries were awesome.  I didn't use quite all the sugar syrup, but I should have.  Don't worry if the pinwheels are completely covered with syrup, they will bake perfectly.  I'm going to make these again with apples.  They are really versatile, since you can use any fresh fruit thats in season.  You will want to double this recipe and bake them in a 14" oven.  Grade A.

Day 187: Gino's Deep Dish Chicago Style Pizza

Today's recipe is a deep dish pizza.  I've never made one before, in fact, I've never had one before.  Supposedly this is Chicago style pizza.  Now, I've never been to Chicago, unless you count the 10 minutes I spent on the runway at O'Hare airport on the way to Boston.  So I can't vouch for the authenticity of this recipe, but I can vouch for the deliciousness of it.  I found this one at Favorite Family Recipes.

Gino's Deep Dish Chicago Style Pizza
12" dutch oven

Crust:

1 c. water
1 package yeast
1/3 c. corn oil
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 lbs Bread Flour

In a bowl, put water (luke warm), then yeast, oil, cream of tartar, and sugar. Mix with hand until yeast dissolves. Then, pour in Bread Flour a little at a time. Mix with your hand. Just curve your hand like a dough hook and hold the bowl and mix. Then, knead it until it gets firm. Add more flour if needed. The secret is the kneading. Knead it for about 10 minutes straight. Then, roll it into a ball, and put it in a bowl with oil brushed in the sides. Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Let sit overnight unrefrigerated. Only let it rise once. Portion and use.

Toppings:

Pizza sauce (Just use your favorite or make you own)
16 oz. (about 4 c.) Low-moisture part skim mozzarella (NOT low fat.)
Pepperoni
Italian sausage, uncooked, pinched into little pieces  (I cooked mine)

After the dough has risen coat your dutch oven with a healthy later of Crisco or butter. Roll the dough out to about 3 inches larger than the bottom of the pan and pinch the dough up along the sides of the pan. Now put your cheese in (right on the crust). Then add your pepperoni and sausage pieces, and finally your sauce (Don't worry, the sausage will cook through completely in the oven). Bake at 350°, using 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom, until the crust is starting to brown and cheese is starting to bubble up through the sauce. The little edges of the pepperoni should also be starting to crisp and the sausage should be cooked through (about 45 minutes).

The Finished Product

I forgot to put the sausage on before the sauce, so my sausage is on top.

The Review

I think this was the best pizza I've ever had!  I used a different crust recipe because I didn't plan ahead, so I don't know how this crust recipe is.  I really liked having the cheese on the bottom and the sauce on top.  It made it really gooey and cheesy.  I didn't use enough topping on mine, so be sure to use the full 4 cups of cheese for optimum gooeyness.  Use good quality Italian sausage as well.  I used Johnsonville mild sausage, the kind in the casings.  I just removed the casings and fried it in my dutch oven.  You could use any toppings you want.  Next time I'll try a veggie pizza.  We gave this one an A.

Day 186: Topsy Turvy Apple Pie

Okay--here is today's recipe.  It another one from the Arkansas Dutch Oven Society's website.

Topsy Turvy Apple Pie
10" dutch oven

1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
dash salt
2- 9" inch pie crusts
1/4 cup margarine, softened
1/2 cup toasted pecans (I left these out)
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 cups slice apples (about 5 large)

Spread butter evenly on the bottom and sides of a 10" DO.  Press the pecans, rounded side down, into the margarine.  Pat brown sugar evenly over the nuts.  Place pie crust over the sugar. 

Sprinkle the apples with lemon juice.  Combine flour, sugar, spices and salt.  Toss with apples; spread evenly in the pie crust.  Place remaining crust on top.  Flute the edges.  Bake at 400° for about 50 minutes or until the crust is golden.  I used 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Cool 5 minutes and invert onto a plate.  Serve with ice cream.

The Finished Product

Imagine this with the top covered in pecans!  Yummy!

The Review

I was really surprised by this pie.  It turned out great.  I really wish I weren't allergic to pecans because it would have been really pretty with them.  I can tell you it didn't last long!  It was very nicely spiced and the apples were tender.  Right now this is my preferred apple pie.  My kids thought it was fun that it was upside down.  We give this one an A-.

Day 185: Creamy Orzo with Chicken, Mushrooms and Red Peppers

Boy do I need a holiday to recover from my holiday!  In Utah, because of the predominate religion, whenever a holiday like Halloween or the 4th of July falls on a Sunday, we celebrate either the day before, or in this case, the day after the holiday.  So for us, yesterday was the big 4th of July celebration.  Starting at 5:30 yesterday morning our day was filled with food, family, fireworks and fun.  My apologies for not posting yesterday.  I love you all, but not enough to get up at 4:30 to give you a recipe!  : )  So, you'll get 2 recipes today.  One now and one once my kids are up and going.

I made this for dinner Sunday night.  I was cooking up a storm for our big family get together and I needed something fast and easy that my kids were likely to eat.  I've been having a love affair with orzo the last little while.  This versatile little beauty has become one of my favorite things to cook with.  You can find it in the pasta aisle at most grocery stores.  It cooks up quickly and is more fun to eat than most other pasta shapes, with the exception of the wagon wheels--those are pretty cool.  I didn't have any mushrooms in the fridge, so I used asparagus, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand.  Summer squash, peas, even green beans  or fresh tomatoes.  The sky's the limit!

Creamy Orzo with Chicken, Mushrooms and Red Peppers
12" dutch oven

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 average-sized chicken breasts (about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds), cut into chunks
2 red bell peppers, cut into ½-inch pieces
8 ounces white button mushrooms, quartered  (I used asparagus)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 pound orzo pasta
8 ounces cream cheese, softened (can use 1/3 less fat cream cheese)
1 cup reserved pasta water
1/4-1/2 cup milk or cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. I used a 10" dutch oven with a full spread of coals.  Add the orzo and cook according to package directions until tender. When the orzo is ready, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and then drain the orzo and set aside.

While the orzo cooks, in a 12" dutch oven heat the olive oil over medium heat (I used a full spread of coals). Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the hot oil and brown on all sides. When nicely browned (but not all the way cooked through), add the peppers, mushrooms and thyme. Stir and let cook for about 5-8 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the mushrooms and peppers have softened and browned and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the softened cream cheese in bite sized chunks and stir so that the cream cheese melts and coats the chicken and vegetables. Add the reserved pasta water and enough milk or cream to give it the desired consistency and bring to a simmer. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir. Add the orzo, Parmesan, lemon juice and fresh parsley. Stir to combine and heat through. Garnish with additional Parmesan and parsley.  Serves 8-10.

The Finished Product

The Review

This was absolutely delicious!  It was also fast.  Start to finish about 40 minutes in the dutch oven, in my kitchen I could have had it done in 30 minutes flat.  It is a perfect week night meal.  It also makes a ton!  This fed all 9 of us and we still had leftovers.  You could use just about any combination of veggies you wanted, but in my opinion, asparagus is a must.  The lemon juice really brightens up the whole dish, so don't leave that out either.  The whole family gave this one an easy A.

Day 184: Caramel Apple Cheesecake

This is another recipe from the Arkansas Dutch Oven Society's website.  This was also my first cheesecake!  I've made plenty of no bake cheesecakes, but this is my first baked cheesecake.  Before I made this I did a little online cheesecake research.  I really didn't want this to flop since my family was really looking forward to it. 

Caramel Apple Cheesecake
12" dutch oven

Crust

1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
1/3 cup softened butter

Filling

5 pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 Tbs. flour
1 Tbs. vanilla
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs

Topping

2 Tbs. butter
3 medium apples, sliced
1/4 cup caramel apple topping
pecans (I left these out since I'm allergic)

Combine the crust ingredients and press into a 12" DO.  Beat the cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla well.  Add the sour cream and mix well.  Add the eggs, 1 at a time, blending well after each addition.  Pour into the crust.  Bake 40 minutes at 350° or until the center is almost set.  Cool completely.  Melt the butter in a small dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the apples and cook 3-5minutes until tender.  Pour caramel over the apples and heat until warm.  Pour over cake and sprinkle with pecans.  Serves 10.

The Finished Product

The cake is under all the apples.  There was no way I was going to get a single slice out of the pot!

The Review

I can't believe I was so intimidated by cheesecake.  Now that's not to say I made this one perfectly, but I'm not afraid to try another cheesecake recipe now.  This turned out really good.  I made mine in a 10" dutch oven and it was too small.  My cheesecake was about 6" thick (not that that's a bad thing) and it took longer to cook.  I also used caramel ice cream topping and it was too thin.  Go for the thick, gooey caramel because it thins out when it is mixed with the apples.  My family really liked this!  My kids picked off the topping while the adults savored every calorie laden bite.  I over cooked mine a little bit so it was a tad bit dry, but not too bad.  I'll keep this recipe on hand because it was really good.  Grade B+.

Day 183: Bird Of Paradise Cake

I just realized after reading a comment on yesterday's post that I am halfway through the year.  In some ways its been a long 6 months, but in others its just flown by.  I can't believe how much I've learned since January!  Not only can I cook just about anything in a dutch oven, but I've learned so much about food and cooking.  I do a lot of things differently now, and every recipe I read I adapt to a dutch oven in my head while I'm reading.  It is a little weird.  : )  There are still a few things I haven't done yet.  I really need to cook a roast in my DO and I want to try a turkey as well, but I don't have a deep oven yet.  Maybe by Thanksgiving...

For the next few days I'm going to post some of the recipes from the Arkansas Dutch Oven Society's dessert recipe contest.  The winning recipe will be posted on Tuesday.  I figured no one will be reading this over the holiday weekend and I don't want you to miss the winner.  All the dessert recipes and the new main dish recipes from June are available at the arkdos website.

Bird of Paradise Cake
12" dutch oven

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple
1 small can mandarin oranges
1 cup chopped nuts
2 cups chopped bananas
1/2 cup milk

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar

Combine the dry ingredients, add the eggs and oil and stir until moistened.  Stir in the rest of the ingredients and mix until combined.  Pour batter into a greased 12" oven and bake at 350° for 1 hour with 7-10 coals on the bottom and 14-18 on top. (I used the ring method with 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom and mine cooked in about 45 minutes.)  Let cake cool for about 10 minutes and remove from pan.  Frost with cream cheese frosting.

For the frosting, combine both ingredients in a small dutch oven.  Over medium heat, (about 6 coals under a 10" oven) stir until combined and smooth.

The Finished Product

This piece has just a drizzle of frosting so you can see the chunks of fruit.

The Review

Look at the yummy chunks of fruit in this cake.  I substituted peaches for the pineapple, and you could also use strawberries, but I think the pineapple would have made this even better.  All the different fruits made this one a party in your mouth!  It tasted very "tropical" and was a nice change of pace from more traditional cake.  I think it is a perfect dessert for a summer picnic or BBQ.  This one gets an A-.

Day 182: Raspberry Chocolate Cake

I'm late posting today after having some car troubles, so this will just be a quick one!

Raspberry Chocolate Cake
12' dutch oven

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 can raspberry pie filling
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts

Mix all the ingredients together with a wooden spoon until well blended. Pour into an oiled dutch oven and bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Glaze

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 cup chocolate chips

In a small dutch oven over low heat (I used 6 coals under my 10" dutch oven, mix ingredients together and stir until chocolate is melted and it is well combined.  Pour over warm cake.  Serves 12.

The Finished Product

The Review

Ooh this was good.  It has a really subtle berry flavor.  It was also really soft and moist.  The recipe originally called for cherry pie filling, but I am of the school of thought that cherries are better fresh than cooked.  You could use any pie filling you want.  For that matter you could use any flavor cake mix you want.  This is really versatile.  It is easy and yummy.  Grade B+.