Chicken Enchilada Soup

Okay, I think I'm back.  After the most stressful 6 months of my life, I think I'm almost back to normal.  Things have slowed down, my blood pressure has come down from the stratosphere and I'm no longer in danger of having a stroke every time I hear a noise.  Its been one of THOSE kinds of years.  No.  No health problems, just the manure truck of life backed itself up to my door and left me to clean up the mess.  (Sorry, that was kind of gross.  Accurate, but gross nonetheless.)  Let's move on to more pleasant topics, like food!

This is my version of Ranes Carter's version of Nancy Rappleye's version of this soup (and really, my version is hardly different from Ranes version).  Nancy made this soup at the Camp Chef DOG in 2008.  Since then, Ranes has used it at several pot luck events.  I think it would be great to serve at DO demos.  Think Spring Convention.

Anyway, this is really delicious.  Its a nice cross between this Taco Soup and this Chicken Enchilada Soup I posted last year.  And its relatively healthy too, until you smother it with sour cream and guac.  :)  If you like it really spicy, just use a hot enchilada sauce!

Chicken Enchilada Soup
12" dutch oven


4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 1/2 pkgs. taco seasoning (or to taste)
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 cans tomato soup
2 (10 oz.) cans enchilada sauce (use your favorite red or green sauce)
2 (15 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 (15 oz.) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 (15 oz.) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 (15 oz.) cans whole kernel corn, drained
1 cup milk
1 cup sour cream
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped (I left this out)
Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning to taste (you can use any southwest seasoning you have on hand.)

Garnish with:
Shredded cheese
Sour cream
Guacamole
Diced fresh tomatoes or Pico de Gallo
Salsa
Corn chips or tortilla strips

Mix the chicken, taco seasoning and garlic in the bottom of a 12" dutch oven over a full spread of coals.  Cook until the garlic is fragrant.  Add the tomato soup, enchilada sauce, tomatoes, beans and corn and mix well.

In a bowl, combine the milk and sour cream.  Add to the pot and stir well.  Season with cilantro and Southwest seasoning.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat by removing some of the coals.  You want it to simmer for 15 minutes.  Serve with desired garnishes.  Serves 12-15.

Superbowl Chili

I made this chili for our Superbowl party and it was a big hit!  I wish I'd made more because there wasn't a drop left by the end of the night.  This is the kind of recipe that can be made mild, or smoking hot by using fewer chipotles.  I chose a mild version since I was feeding little ones.  My favorite thing about this chili is that it calls for stew meat rather than hamburger, so the result is tender shredded beef.  This chili was tailor made for the dutch oven, and the hardest thing about it was replenishing the coals. So in other words, it was really easy and well worth the effort!

Superbowl Chili
12" dutch oven

3 pounds of stew meat
2 (15 1/2 oz) cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
3 canned chipotle peppers in adobo  ( I only used about 1 1/2 peppers)
1 (28oz) can of diced tomatoes
2 large onions, diced
10 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, finely diced
2 tbs chili powder
2 tbs ground coriander (I didn't have any)
1 tbs ground cumin
1 tbs paprika
1 tbs oregano
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ground ancho chili pepper  (I had a hard time finding this, so don't worry if you have to leave it out)
1 tsp sugar
2 tbs tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup corn meal
1 1/2 tsp. cocoa powder

Season the meat with salt and pepper and put in a 12" dutch oven.  Cover the meat with 1 inch of water.  Bring to a boil over a full spread of coals and skim off any foam.  Add the onions, garlic, jalapeno and chipotles.  Stir in the remaining ingredients except the cocoa powder and corn meal.  Bring to a boil, then cover and move about 1/4 of the coals to the lid.  Allow to simmer for about 2 hours or until the meat is tender enough to be shredded.  Replenish the coals as needed to keep at a simmer.  Don't be afraid to add some water if it seems to be boiling down too much.  When the meat is tender, shred it with two forks or just smash it against the side of the pot with a large spoon to break it up.  Add the kidney beans and corn meal, stir well and continue simmering for 1 more hour.  About 5 minutes before serving stir in the cocoa powder.

Day 363: Black Bean and Pumpkin Chili

Today was most certainly a soup night!  Its supposed to be about 8° tonight so we all needed something to warm us up.  I found this recipe in a taste of home cookbook and I was really intrigued by it.  I wondered how pumpkin would taste in a chili.  I was also a little worried about how my kids would react if they knew it was there.  Only one way to find out!  We ate these in bread bowl and it was a hearty meal.

Black Bean and Pumpkin Chili
12" dutch oven

1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium sweet yellow pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chicken broth
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
2-1/2 cups cubed cooked turkey (I used chicken)
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
2 teaspoons chili powder
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a dutch oven over a full spread of coals, saute the onion, yellow pepper in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Move about 1/4 of the coals to the lid and simmer for 2 hours or until heated through. Yield: 10 servings.

The Finished Product

Sorry!  That pic doesn't even let you see the chili!

The Review

This was surprisingly good!  It was originally a slow cooker recipe, but it was easy enough to adapt for the dutch oven.  The pumpkin was very subtle and if you didn't know it was there you'd never guess.  I'll be making this one again next fall.  Grade B+.

Day 348: Hearty Corn Chowder

Hi everyone!  I'm back from taking a little break and spending time with my family.  A big thanks to Randy and Arlana Patten for filling in this week.  I hope you enjoyed their recipes as much as I did.  They are wonderfully kind people to take over for me on such short notice.  I noticed one of their recipes waiting to be published, so you may get one more from them! 

Thanks for all your kind words and prayers on behalf of my mom.  She is doing well and we did get some encouraging news from the doctor on Friday.  Her cancer was caught at an early stage and is very treatable.  Not that it will be fun, but the prognosis is good.  Her treatments will start after the new year so we are planning on enjoying Christmas to the fullest!

The break from blogging was nice, but I didn't take a break from cooking.  Its such a habit to cook in my dutch ovens, that I kept right on doing it.  Cooking really is therapy for me.  It gives my mind something else to think about and is an outlet for all my nervous, stressed out energy!  So, thanks again for all your love and support and on to today's recipe.  Its one of my favorite soups.  This is comfort food at its best.  The fact that it is loaded with bacon is a plus too!

Hearty Corn Chowder
12" dutch oven

1/2 lb. sliced bacon
1 cup chopped celery (I ran out of celery so I used carrots)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups diced, peeled potatoes
1 cup water
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 can cream style corn
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
6 oz. smoked sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices (I used kielbasa)
1 tsp. dill weed
salt and pepper to taste

In your dutch oven, over a full spread of coals, cook the bacon until crispy.  Remove and drain on paper towels; crumble and set aside.  Drain all but 2-3 Tbs. of the drippings.  Saute the celery and onions in the drippings until the onion is lightly browned.  Add the potatoes and water.  Move about 1/4 of the coals to the lid and simmer for 10 minutes.  Stir in the corn, milk, sausage, dill and bacon.  Continue simmering until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.  Season to taste.  Serves 6.

The Finished Product

The Review

This gets an A just for the bacon, the fact that it is delicious is just icing on the cake.  The sausage also adds a really nice flavor.  It is hearty and very filling.  I served it with bread sticks and a green salad and we were all stuffed.  This is one of those recipes where you can really taste the dutch oven flavor.  And that's saying something coming from me.  I'm so used to the flavor dutch ovens add that I rarely taste it anymore (sad, I know).  You really should try this one!  Grade A.

Day 339: Fiesta Chicken Chowder

I made this soup for dinner last night.  I came together quickly which is great because its been chaos at our house lately.  I adapted this recipe from a Taste of Home magazine.

Fiesta Chicken Chowder
12" dutch oven

3 Tbs. flour
1 envelope fajita seasoning, divided
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
3 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups water
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14 oz.) can rotel, undrained
1 (11 oz.) can mexicorn, drained
1 cup uncooked instant rice
1 (11 oz.) can nacho cheese soup
3 Tbs. minced fresh cilantro
1 Tbs. lime juice

In a large resealable bag, combine the flour and 2 Tbs. fajita seasoning.  Add the chicken and shake well to coat.  In a 12" dutch oven over a full spread of coals, saute the chicken in oil until juices run clear.  Remove and keep warm.  In the same pot, saute onion and garlic until the onion is tender.  Stir in the water, beans, tomatoes, corn, rice and remaining seasoning.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and move about 1/4 of the coals to the lid of the dutch oven and simmer until rice is tender.  Stir in the soup, cilantro, lime juice and chicken.  Heat thoroughly.  Serves about 10.

The Finished Product

The Review

I wasn't sure what to expect from this soup when I started making it.  But I know I didn't expect it to be as good as it was, especially considering it has canned soup in it.  It is spicy and cheesy and yummy.  Even my kids ate it and liked it.  It wasn't overly spicy which was great for my little ones.  I'll make this again.  Grade B+.

Day 300: Pumpkin Stew

This is a recipe I've wanted to make for years, but I've been to chicken to actually try it.  I was worried that my kids would hate it.  Now, I'll admit that I got some strange looks when I brought a whole cooked pumpkin to the table.  But it was a really fun meal.

Making this in the dutch oven presented some challenges.  I did the first step outside in my 12" oven.  The stew has to cook for 2 hours before it is put in the pumpkin.  Be sure to replenish the coals when they need it.  Since you want this to simmer, place about half of the coals on top and half on the bottom.  Keep an eye on it and add or remove a few coals as you need to in order to keep it simmering.  Don't be afraid to move the coals from bottom to top if it is boiling to much. 

The second challenge was that the recipe calls for this to be cooked in a 10-12 pound pumpkin.  I don't know about you, but I don't have a dutch oven that will hold a squash that big.  So I solved that by finding the shortest, squattest pie pumpkins I could.  I was able to barely fit 3 of them in my 14" dutch oven.  The others I baked indoors.

I found this in a Taste of Home magazine.

Pumpkin Stew
14" dutch oven

2 lbs. boneless beef roast, cut into 1" cubes
3 Tbs. vegetable oil, divided
1 cup water
3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1 large green pepper, cut into 1/2" chunks
4 cloves minced garlic
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbs. beef bouillon granules
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 10-12 lb. pumpkin, or several pie pumpkins

In your 12" dutch oven, brown the meat in 2 Tbs. oil over a full spread of coals.  Add the water, potatoes, carrots, green peppers, garlic, onion, salt and pepper.  Cover and simmer for 2 hours with about 15 coals on top and 10-12 on the bottom.  Adjust the heat as needed to keep the stew at a simmer.  Stir occasionally. 

Stir in the bouillon and tomatoes.  Wash the pumpkins and cut a circle around the top stem.  Remove the top and set aside; remove and discard the seeds and fibers from inside the pumpkin.  Make sure it is nice and clean inside.  Place the pumpkins in a 14" dutch oven (or a shallow baking pan if cooking indoors).  Spoon the stew into the pumpkins and replace the top.  Brush the outside of the pumpkins with remaining oil.  Bake at 325° for 2 hours or just until the pumpkin is tender (do not over bake).  Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Serve the stew from the pumpkin, scooping out a little pumpkin with each serving.  Serves 8-10.

The Finished Product

The Review

I was really surprised by how good this was.  There is very little liquid in the stew to begin with, and the pumpkin soaks up the rest as it cooks, so it is very thick.  I was shocked at how much my kids liked it.  My 2 youngest wouldn't even touch it, but everyone else liked it.  I will say that I liked the ones I cooked in the pie pumpkins best.  I used a small carving pumpkin for the stew I cooked indoors, and it didn't taste as good as the pie pumpkins.  So next year I'll use the pie pumpkins again.  I think there is a better stew recipe out there though.  Don't get me wrong, we really liked this, but we like stew with a little more liquid.  And maybe the lack of liquid is just inherent in baking stew in a pumpkin.  But I'm going to do some experimenting for next year!  We gave this a B+.

Day 130: Country Potato Chowder

Good Morning everyone!  I'm running late this morning (shocking, I know), so just a quick post!
I got this recipe from a Taste of Home magazine.  It has been cold and rainy here and I saw that as an excuse to make soup one more time before summer comes, which should be tomorrow.

Country Potato Chowder
12" dutch oven

6 bacon strips, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1 quart half and half
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 cubes
2 cans cream of celery soup
2 Tbs. dried parsley flakes
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. season salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup fresh or frozen green beans, cut into 2" pieces
1 can cream style corn

In your dutch oven, over 18-20 coals, cook the bacon until crisp; remove from pot and drain on paper towels.  Drain all but 2 Tbs. of the grease.  In the drippings, saute the onion and celery until tender.  Sprinkle with flour and stir until blended.  Gradually add the cream.  Stir in the potatoes, soup, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute.  Reduce heat (I took a few coals off); cover and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the carrots and beans.  Cover and simmer 15 minutes longer or until the vegetables are tender.  Stir in the corn and bacon, heat through.  I added about 10 coals for the last 15 minutes of cooking.  Serves 12.

The Finished Product

The Review

This was pretty good.  It wasn't my favorite soup ever.  It also took a lot longer to cook than the recipe shows.  We were all starving by the time it was ready.  I certainly have better veggie soup recipes and I probably won't make this again.  If I do, it will be one of those "once every couple of years" recipes.  It was kind of a pain since it took so long to cook. I was disappointed.  This soup gets a C-.

Day 95: Chunky Chicken Noodle and Vegetable Soup

Wow! We are all trying to get over a major sugar hangover this morning! I ate way to much candy yesterday. I think I'm going to be sick today. All I want to eat is salads or veggies. If I never have candy again it will be too soon. At least for today. Easter was a great day! It is so fun to spend time with my family. We had the whole crew together at grandma's house. It was total chaos with 14 kids running around (half of them were my own). But we had a blast having egg hunts and blowing bubbles for the little ones.

We have had some crappy weather the last few days. Yesterday we woke up to 5" of snow. The only good thing about it is that it makes everyone want to eat soup. And I found an excellent recipe that will go into my tried and true file. I found this at Picky Palate.

Chunky Chicken Noodle and Vegetable Soup

12" dutch oven

3 Tbs. olive oil

1 medium white onion, chopped

5 stalks celery, chopped,

4 large carrots, peeled and sliced

1 cup sweet red peppers, chopped

1 zucchini chopped into 1/2" pieces

1 yellow squash, chopped into 1/2" pieces

1 1/2 cup eggplant, chopped into 1/2" pieces (I left this out)

5 cloves fresh garlic, minced

48 oz. chicken broth

9 oz. noodles

1 Tbs. coarse Dijon mustard

1 tsp. hot sauce

2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

pinches of kosher salt, black pepper, garlic salt, and thyme

Place the oil in your DO over about 22 coals. When hot, add the onion, celery, carrots, sweet peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, and eggplant. Cook and stir until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the fresh garlic; mix in for 30 seconds then stir in the broth. Bring the soup just to a boil and stir in the noodles. Cook 7-10 minutes or until noodles are al dente. Stir in Dijon mustard, hot sauce, chicken, parsley and seasonings to taste. Reduce heat, I took off about 4 coals, and simmer until ready to serve. Serves 8-10.

The Finished Product

The Review

This is my new favorite chicken noodle soup. It is so good. The veggies and broth were so good. I can't say enough about it. Everyone loved it, which is rare around these parts. I can't wait to eat the leftovers for lunch. It was hearty and filling. We had it with cheesy bread, and it was a meal. As my new favorite soup, this gets an A.

Day 61: Cheeseburger Soup

I love soup. I love soup so much that I could eat it everyday and probably never get tired of it. My hubby, however, does not like soup. Since the weather is warming up and his days on the night shift are numbered, I really need to get in all the soup I can. Soup seems so much better in the DO. I really should say that everything seems so much better in the DO. I don't know if I will be able to give up that great flavor. I may end up cooking in my DO forever! Here is today's recipe!

Cheeseburger Soup

12" dutch oven

1/2 lb. ground beef

4 Tbs. butter, divided

3/4 cup shredded carrots

3/4 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup diced celery

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried parsley flakes

3 cups chicken broth

4 cups diced potatoes

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 cups milk

8 oz. processed American cheese, cubed

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

In your DO, over about 18 coals, brown the beef, drain and set aside. In the same DO, saute the onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 Tbs. butter until the veggies are tender. Add the broth, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Remove a few coals, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, in a small DO, melt the remaining butter. Add the flour; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add to the soup, bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. I had some roux in the fridge that I used, so I skipped making it. Remove a few more coals, you want a low heat now. Add the cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until the cheese melts. Makes 8 servings.

The Review

I have to say, this soup was just okay. I really didn't expect to be blown away, but I thought it would be better than it was. About half my kids ate it, the other half tolerated it. I'm glad I didn't double the recipe. This is the kind of recipe I will maybe make once a year, but no more often than that. Maybe I could spice it up with just a little hot pepper sauce. I have to give this recipe a C+.

Day 34: Hearty Corn Chowder

We had another busy day at our house. You can tell, because on busy days we usually have soup for dinner (at least in the winter). I did have to use my propane camp stove again, but I have gotten over the guilt involved and I'm alright with it. :) This is a recipe I have had for years and I have no idea where it came from, only that we love it. It has 2 of my favorite meats in it--bacon and smoked sausage. I could write (really bad) poetry about bacon. Bacon is the food of the Gods. It adds so much flavor and its crispy crunch is irresistible. And it is perfect in this soup.

Hearty Corn Chowder

12" dutch oven

1/2 lb. sliced bacon

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cups diced peeled potatoes

1 cup water

2 cups corn

1 can cream style corn

1 12 oz. can evaporated milk

6 oz. smoked sausage links, cut into 1/4" slices

1 tsp. dill weed

In your DO, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towels; crumble and set aside. Drain all but 2 Tbs. of the drippings. Saute the celery and onions in drippings until onions are lightly browned. Add the potatoes and water. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Stir in corn, milk, sausage, dill and bacon. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.

The Finished Product

What I Learned

That bacon cooked in a DO is Fabulous!!!

The Review

This is in my top 10 list of soups. It is amazing. The bacon and sausage give it just the right flavor, and the DO makes it even better. Tomorrows leftovers will be even better! This soup gets an easy A.

**Just a note--I doubled this recipe for my family and it fit great into a 12" oven. So this will probably fit in a 10" oven if it is not doubled.**

Day 27: Quick Chili

One of the things that is a challenge with this little DO project is what to do on busy days. I had a million things to do and I got home late and still had to worry about what to cook. I found the perfect busy day and camping chili. It is almost all canned goods that you just dump in. I had dinner ready in about an hour--start to finish.

Quick Chili

12" dutch oven

1 12 oz. can kidney beans

1 12 oz. can pinto beans

1 12 oz. can black beans

2 14 oz cans diced tomatoes

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

1 lb. hamburger

1/4 cup diced onion

garlic salt to taste

1 12 oz. can green beans

1 pkg. chili seasoning mix

1 cup diced beef stick

1/4 cup ketchup

Drain and rinse the beans. In your DO, brown the ground beef, onions and garlic salt. I used about 25 coals on the bottom. Drain any grease. Mix the remaining ingredients in with the ground beef and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

The Finished Product

What I Learned

I learned that there is such a thing as a quick DO dinner. I got everything prepared while the coals were starting, and this came together really quickly.

The Review

This was really good, especially when you consider how short a time it cooks. It will be even better tomorrow when the sausage flavor has time to soak into everything. I added some frozen corn, and you could add any veggies you wanted to make this a really hearty soup. This would be an easy camping meal. This recipe gets a B+ for ease and taste.

Day 18: Taco Soup

I woke up this morning to the sound of slush on the roof. It doesn't bode well for outdoor cooking. But we really need the snow so I won't complain. And I do love the way the world looks covered in a blanket of fresh snow. My house is surrounded by orchards and fields and it looks so cool to see the baby cherry trees outlined with the snow. And, by the way, Happy Martin Luther King Day! The kids are out of school, so with that thought, LET IT SNOW! My #2 son always makes a snowman village Calvin and Hobbes style. They look half melted or are being chased by sharks or something. The kid is creative!

Now on to the recipe! I have probably made 6 different versions of this soup over the years, but this one is my favorite. I usually make this soup on busy days because it is so fast and easy. I have to admit, I used my camp chef stove because it was such a crazy night and I needed dinner fast.

Taco Soup

12" dutch oven

2 lbs. ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 4 oz. can diced green chilies

2 cans corn

4 cans stewed tomatoes

1 can pinto beans

1 can kidney beans

1 taco seasoning packet

1 ranch dressing/dip packet

Brown the ground beef and onion in your D.O. Drain the grease. Add all the remaining ingredients. Do not drain the corn or beans, just dump the whole can in. Simmer for 30 minutes. Garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream and chopped cilantro.

The Finished Product

What I learned

I learned 2 things. First, that using my camp chef stove feels a lot like cheating, and second, that I should have used my 12" D.O. instead of my 10". It completely filled the 10" and made it hard to carry into the house!

The Review

This soup is one that I know my family will eat. The hubby is not a huge fan, but he doesn't complain to loudly. The ranch dressing is a nice addition and adds an interesting flavor. It worked great in the D.O. and was really easy. This recipe gets a B, but only because I have made it a million times.

Day 9: Secret Ingredient Chili

I love chili. It really warms you through on a cold day. I don't really have a recipe for it, I usually just dump in whatever sounds good, until it tastes good. This chili turned out to be my best ever. I made a huge pot and it didn't even last 1 full day. My hubby had 2 bowls for lunch and my kids had it as an after school snack. It was yummy! But I do have a confession to make. It is something that fills me with guilt. I cooked this chili on my propane camp stove. There, I said it. I thought I could keep it a secret, but I just felt too guilty. I still did it in my dutch oven, but it just felt wrong not using coals. I'm crazy--I know!

Secret Ingredient Chili

12" dutch oven

2 lbs. ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves minced garlic

2 quarts diced tomatoes

2 cans tomato sauce

1 4oz can diced green chilies

chili powder

cumin

salt

pepper

cinnamon

2 15 oz cans kidney beans, drained

1 15 oz can chili beans, undrained

Cook the ground beef, onion and garlic until meat is no longer pink. Had I not cheated, I would have used 25-30 coals to do this. Then add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chilies and spices. I started with 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon, and ended up using just shy of 1 tsp. Simmer the chili 1 1/2-2 hours. Add the beans and simmer until they are heated through.

The Finished Product

What I Learned

I learned that cooking on my camp stove is exactly like cooking on my stove top, except outside. This was Lazy Person's dutch oven chili, and I am ashamed :p. But I also learned that putting cinnamon in makes an awesome chili.

The Review

This was amazing chili! Everyone asked what I put in it to make it taste so good and I said it was my secret ingredient. The cinnamon really adds that "something extra". I was amazed at the depth of flavor it gave. Even my picky eaters that won't eat anything with onions ate their share. This one was an A+.

Day 3: Chicken Enchilada Soup

Before I begin, I have a confession to make. I have an unhealthy obsession with Mexican food. If I were stuck on a desert island and could only eat one kind of food, it would probably be Mexican food. It doesn't matter if it is mild or if I breath fire after every bite, it is never bland and always has such a great mix of flavors that keep my palate very happy. So today's recipe really hit the spot. Chicken enchilada soup has long been a family favorite. My kids have a parade through the house when they find out that it is on the menu. It is easy to make, and comes together easily in the kitchen, but I think it was a little ambitious to try it in the dutch oven so early in the year. I have so little experience with outdoor cooking that it was a challenge. I may revisit this recipe in a month or two, if you don't mind. So, without further delay, here it is!

Chicken Enchilada Soup

12"dutch oven

1 Tbs. oil

1 lb. diced chicken

1/2 c. chopped onion

2 cloves minced garlic

4 c. chicken broth (I used bouillon cubes)

1 c. Masa corn flour (available in the baking aisle)

3 c. water

1 10 oz. can red enchilada sauce (I like medium)

1 lb. Velveeta, cubed

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

Cook chicken, onion and garlic in the oil in a 12" dutch oven. I used about 18 coals with bottom heat only. Be sure to preheat your oil in the dutch oven before putting chicken in. When chicken is cooked through, add broth, flour and water. Whisk until smooth. Stir in all remaining ingredients except the chicken. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Add the chicken, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. At this point I used 10 coals on the bottom and 14 on top and just "baked" the soup. Spoon into bowl and garnish with olives, salsa, guacamole, cheese and corn chips.

What I learned

I am starting to believe that you actually CAN make anything in the dutch oven. This was kind of a challenge because I wasn't sure how many coals I would need to saute chicken and onions. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I just had to make sure the oven and the oil was nice and hot before I put the meat and veggies in. I can tell you that it was WAY to cold to be frying chicken and onions outside!

The Review

We love this soup. It is hot and filling and my kids love being able to add all their favorite toppings. This is one meal where I never get any complaints about what's for dinner. This also makes a great dip. Just cut the water in half so it gets really thick.