Day 293: Honey Baked Ham

I've had this ham in the freezer just waiting to be cooked.  I wanted to do it in my dutch oven, but I don't have one big enough.  I was talking to a friend about it and she told me she has this big dutch oven that she got as a wedding gift and has never taken out of the box.  So she brought over a 12" deep oven.  I'm so jealous!  I've been wanting a deep oven forever.  Anyway, I seasoned it up and broke it in. 

I found this ham recipe on the Internet.  Most of the recipes I looked at were pretty similar and they all got rave reviews.  Just like with most knock off recipes, I really didn't expect this to taste exactly like a Honeybaked Ham.  Often the taste is in the method as well as the ingredients.  But even if it only tastes a little like a Honeybaked Ham it would be worth it.  Any it would save me $60 or $70 bucks every year.

Honeybaked Ham
12" or 14" deep dutch oven

1 cooked half ham, bone in (presliced)
1 cup sugar
1/4 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/4 t ground cloves
1/4 t paprika
1 dash ground ginger
1 dash ground allspice

Mix everything but the ham together in a small bowl.  Spread waxed paper on your workspace and place the ham on it.  Spread the sugar mixture over the ham with your hands and roll it in the sugar until it is well coated on all sided except the flat side.  You won't use all the sugar.  Place ham on a plate with flat/cut end down.
Use a blow-torch or créme brulée torch with a medium-sized flame to caramelize sugar on the outer surface of the ham. Wave the torch over the sugar with rapid movements, so that the sugar bubbles and browns, but does not burn. Spin the plate so you can torch the entire surface of the ham.   Place the ham inside the dutch oven and cook according to package directions.

If you don't have a torch you can add water to the sugar to form a paste and coat the ham during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

The Finished Product

This ham was so tender it was falling off the bone.  I almost couldn't get it out of the pot!

The Review

Sadly, this didn't taste like a Honeybaked Ham.  That being said, it was absolutely delicious and I'll make it again.  It was fun to watch the sugar caramelize.  All my kids gathered around to watch and point out the spots I'd missed.  As long as you keep the torch moving you don't have to worry about burning it.  I was really surprised at how easy it was to do.  Grade A.

Day 237: Cheesy Hashbrowns with Ham

Hopefully this will be the last simple casserole for a while.  I'm casseroled out!  But its helpful to know some simple recipes for camping or busy nights or times when money is tight.

Cheesy Hashbrowns with Ham
12" dutch oven

1 32 oz. bag frozen hashbrowns, partially thawed
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 small onion, chopped
1 lb. cubed ham
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Stir all the ingredients together.  Place into a lightly greased dutch oven.  Bake at 350° for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Serves 8.

The Finished Product

The Review

For as quick and easy as this was it was pretty good.  Not my favorite by any means, but my kids liked it.  It would be a great camping meal because its so easy.  This gets a B.

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 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 152: Ham and Chicken Pocket Pie

Yesterday was my very first ever attempt at making pie crust.  Usually I just buy pie crust, but I figured I'm a reasonably good cook, I can make a pie crust.  Forget that I've never seen one made and have no idea what consistency the dough should be.  I'm sure I made a ton of mistakes, but it tasted good and was pretty flaky.  I think I had the dough too stiff because it didn't roll out very well.  I need to find some youtube videos and figure out how to make it right.  I really would like to make some fruit pies in the DO this summer. 

I found this recipe here.  It was something I'd never tried before and looked interesting.  It also let me start cooking pie crusts in the DO, which is something I've wanted to try for a while.  I don't like the name of this dish very well, but I couldn't come up with anything else.  So here it is...

Ham and Chicken Pocket Pie
12" dutch oven

2 cups cooked chicken, diced
1 cup pre-cooked Ham, diced
3 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup green onions, diced
16oz (2 blocks) soften cream cheese
1/2-1 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp pepper
2 store bought pie crusts  (I used homemade pie crust because I wasn't sure the store bought ones would fit in a 12" DO)

Mix chicken, ham, spinach, onion, cream cheese, celery seed and pepper in a bowl.

Lightly grease your 12" DO, I used Crisco shortening. Form one of the pie crusts into the bottom of your dish. Place chicken mixture evenly over the pie crust. Using your pizza cutter slice the second crust into 1/2 inch slices then criss-cross over chicken mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for about 35-40 minutes. I used 2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom or 19 coals on top and 10 on the bottom.  Be careful not to burn the crust. Serves 8

The Finished Product

 

 
The Review
 
I was surprised by how good this was.  It had a nice flavor.  This is by no means diet food, but I think it qualifies as comfort food.  Even with my sorry pie crust, we liked this dish.  Most of my kids asked me to make it again.  It was quite a bit of work, but we'll have it again.  Next time I won't put in so much cream cheese, maybe only 12 ounces.  Thankfully, I didn't burn the bottom crust!  This isn't something we'll have on a regular basis, but I will definitely make it a couple of times a year.  Grade B.

Day 146: Cordon Bleu Lasagna...and Crow

Guess what?  Last night I used Kingsford and I got it to work.  I've decided that I can't count coals with it.  They just don't put out enough heat for any of the coal counting formulas to work for me.  They do, however, work brilliantly with the Dinwiddie ring method.  I know most people have no idea what that is, and I'll do an entire post on it as soon as I've used it a few more times.  I've actually known about the ring method for a while, but coal counting has always worked just fine so I never really bothered to try it much.  I'm really glad I did because the ring method is much easier than coal counting and I'm sure it can be used with any size/brand of charcoal on the market.  So, here I am, totally willing to admit I'm wrong, eat a little crow and keep using Kingsford.  I even emailed Kingsford and told them of my new discovery.  There you have it!  My frustrations are at an end.  You could even say that I've entered a whole new era of dutch oven cooking! 

There I am.  Mmmmm...crow is tasty!

Cordon Bleu Lasagna

12" dutch oven

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts. cooked and cubed

12-15 lasagna noodles

1/2 lb, shredded or cubed ham

Sauce:

1 cup butter or margarine

3/4 cup flour

3 cups milk

2 1/4 cups heavy cream or half and half

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

2 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1 Tbs. fresh or dried parsley

Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside.  Melt the butter in a 12" DO.  I put as many coals under the oven as I could fit.  Add the flour and cook and stir for 1 minute.  Add the milk, cream or half and half, and broth.  Cook until it begins to boil, stirring constantly.  This took a few minutes.  Add the Parmesan and parsley and stir until cheese is melted.  Remove from heat and scoop out most of the sauce into a bowl.  You want to leave a thin layer on the bottom of the DO.  Layer noodles, chicken, ham and sauce.  Repeat 3 times ending with the sauce.  Bake at 350* for 30-35 minutes.  Use 14 coals on top and 10 on the bottom or 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Serves 8.

The Finished Product

The Review

I was really surprised by how good this was.  I got a little worried as I was putting it together, but it was good.  It makes a TON of sauce.  More than you'll need unless you want yours really saucy.  Next time I will add a little more chicken and ham.  My kids all went back for seconds and thirds.  That smells like a success in my book!  I will definitely be making this again.  Grade B+.

Day 89: Broccoli Ham Ring

I thought I would try something a little more daring in my DO. This recipe is really easy to prepare, and looks really pretty. I was a little nervous to bake it because I didn't want to burn it. It used refrigerated crescent rolls, which can burn pretty fast, so I was careful to check it often while it cooked.

Broccoli Ham Ring

14" dutch oven

2 tubes refrigerated crescent roll dough

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 lb. fully cooked ham, diced

2 1/4 cups chopped fresh broccoli

1 small onion, chopped

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

2 Tbs. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. lemon juice

Unroll crescent roll dough and place triangles in your DO, forming a ring with pointed ends facing outer edge of the pan and wide ends overlapping. Lightly press the ends together. (See pic.)

Combine the remaining ingredients; spoon over the the wide ends of the rolls. I used clean hands to do this, spooning it was to hard. Fold the points over the filling and tuck under the wide ends (filling will be visible). Bake at 375* for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. I used 22 coals on top and 12 on the bottom. Serves 6-8.

This is how the dough should be positioned.

The Finished Product

The Review

This was good. Most of the kids liked it. It was easy to put together and turned out really pretty. I really started keeping an eye on it after the first 15 minutes of cooking, and it ended taking less than 20 minutes to bake. Any longer and it would have burned. Just a word to the wise. We liked this recipe, and it is one I will make a couple of times a year, but probably not more often than that. So this one gets a B.

Day 25: Cheesy Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole with Rice

First on today's agenda--a big thanks to Mark for posting a link to my blog on the forum on the International Dutch Oven Society's website. I'm so excited to get some new readers and comments from "experts". I'll tell you, I am a bit intimidated by cooking for everyone. It is like having dinner guests every day! :) I'm just waiting to fall on my face, but I know all of you will help dust me off and pick me back up.
I love chicken cordon bleu, but I don't often have the time to make it, so I found this great casserole version on picky-palate. In my kitchen I would have used 3 pans, but the D.O. made it a one pot meal.

Cheesy Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole with Rice

12" dutch oven

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, diced (I left this out)

1 clove minced garlic

1/2 lb. diced ham

2 cups cooked chopped chicken

4 Tbs. butter

1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 14 oz. can chicken broth

3 cups cooked rice

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

First, I boiled the chicken in my dutch oven (you could also fry it). Then I used some of the leftover water from the chicken to cook the rice. Set them both aside. Heat the oil in your dutch oven and add the onion and pepper. Cook until softened. Then add the garlic, ham and chicken; cook for about 5 minutes. Put the butter in the D.O. with the meat mixture and allow it to melt. When butter is melted, sprinkle the flour, salt and pepper over the meat and stir well. Pour in the chicken broth and stir until combined. Stir in the rice. Finally top with the cheeses and bake 25 minutes using 12 coals on the bottom and 16 on top.

The Finished Product

What I Learned

One pot meals are great! I would be willing to say that this was as easy to do in the D.O. as it would have been in the kitchen. I am learning to be more organized with my tools and ingredients, and that makes cooking outdoors a lot easier.

The Review

This was really good! It was ooey, gooey and cheesy. The rice added a nice texture and made it more hearty. It would be a really great weeknight meal. This gets an A for taste and ease.

Day 19: Heavenly Potatoes and Ham

Today's recipe is another one out of a Relief Society cookbook. (Relief Society is the women's organization in the Mormon church.) This particular cookbook is a favorite. The town I live in is very rural and the main industry is agriculture. We are a little behind the times in that most women I know still bake most of their bread, use dried beans instead of canned, and cook from scratch. I sometimes compare it to Mayberry, and there are plenty of "Aunt Beas" here. As a result, the cookbooks that are put together are amazing. It is nice to live where things move at a slower pace. We don't even have a gas station, and the only store-"The Mercantile" or The Merc for short--(and yes, that is what it was really called) closed several years ago. It is a great place to live. Anyway, back to the great cooks. This recipe is very easy and has great taste. I added a little bit of dill to the sauce, and I liked the results.

Heavenly Potatoes and Ham

10" Dutch oven

2 lb. potatoes, cubed

2 1/2 Tbs. melted butter

2/3 cup shredded cheese

2/3 cup cooked ham, cubed

1/2 cup sour cream

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 Tbs. green onion, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tsp. dill

1 1/2 Tbs. melted butter

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Boil potato cubes until slightly tender. Drain and put back in dutch oven. In a separate bowl, combine the sour cream, 2 1/2 Tbs. melted butter, soup, cheese, green onions, ham, salt and pepper and dill. Mix in with the potatoes in the dutch oven. Mix Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs and 1 1/2 Tbs. melted butter; sprinkle over the top of the potato mixture. Bake using 14 coals on top and 12 on the bottom.

The Finished Product

What I learned

I am still learning to adjust the heat to cook foods properly. I started with to few coals and halfway through cooking I added a few more. So much of learning dutch oven cooking has been learning to adjust the heat according to the weather and the food you are cooking. This isn't something you can learn out of a book. It is mostly experience. Just get out an do it. If I haven't totally ruined something by now, then anyone can do it. Don't be intimidated by the coals. It is so much fun and so frustrating at the same time!

The Review

This was really good. It is total comfort food, and the dill was a nice addition. My family really liked it and it worked well in the dutch oven. Next time I will add more ham, maybe increase it to 1 cup. This recipe gets an A-.

Day 2: Ham and Cheese Potato Casserole

This was a great recipe. It comes from one of my favorite blogs, http://www.realmomkitchen.com/. Not only was it hot and comforting on a windy winter night, but cooking it in a dutch oven, it smelled like camping feels. While it was cooking, I felt like I should be up in the mountains in the cool night air, listening to the campfire crackle and pop and watching it shoot sparks in the air. This recipe would be a great one to try on a camp out. It is simple, which is a must when you are cooking in the outdoors, and has great flavor. So here it is!

Ham and Cheese Potato Casserole

10" dutch oven

1 can condensed cream of celery soup

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup water

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 28 oz. pkg O'Brien hash browns, thawed

8 oz. velveeta cheese, cubed

1 1/4 cup cubed fully cooked ham

In a large bowl, combine soup, sour cream, water and pepper. Stir in the potatoes, cheese and ham. Transfer to a dutch oven and cook with 8 coals on the bottom and 12 coals on top for 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. 6 servings

What I learned

When it is windy outside like it was today, it takes longer to cook. The wind takes the heat away from the dutch oven. I had to add a few more coals to the top and bottom to keep the heat where it needed to be.

The review

This was a great dish. It was cheesy, creamy and yummy. Even my picky 15 year old loved it. This is one I will probably make again, and I will for sure take it camping this summer. Mine turned out a little too runny so next time I will leave out the water and I think it will be perfect.