Chocolate Milk Bread

This bread is an idea I've been kicking around for a few months.  Its a work in progress.  The idea is to replace the water or milk in your bread recipe with chocolate milk and see what happens.  It was interesting, but not quite what I was hoping for.  The chocolate flavor got lost in the bread, and the color wasn't as dark as I'd hoped it would be.  But it wasn't a total failure.  The crumb was nice and soft and the bread was really sweet.  The problem was that there wasn't much I could do with it.  We ended up toasting it and spreading it with Nutella. 

So I have a few ideas for next time.  I think I'll use my french bread recipe and add some chocolate chips to the dough.  Then it should make some great french toast.  Maybe stuffed with strawberries and cream cheese...  Now I'm drooling on my keyboard.  I'll let you know how it turns out.  This weekend is the LDS church's General Conference.  We get the chance to receive direction and encouragement from our religious leaders.  Its a huge family weekend for my family.  We have special meals and treats and watch the conference broadcast.  Its a fun time.  I think I'll give the french bread/toast version  a try.  So here is attempt #1.

Chocolate Milk Bread
10" dutch oven

2 1/3 cups chocolate milk heated to 115°
1 Tbs. yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
5-7 cups flour

Combine the chocolate milk and yeast.  Allow it to sit for about 5 minutes.  Add the oil, sugar, salt and about 2 1/2 cups of flour.  Mix until smooth (it should look like pancake batter).  Let rise for 20-30 minutes.  Add the remaining flour a little at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  Allow to rise in a greased bowl until doubled in size.  Punch the dough down and shape as desired (loaf, ball, or rolls).  Let rise about 45 minutes.  Bake in a preheated 350° dutch oven for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.  Remove from the dutch oven and allow to cool.  Makes 2 loaves.

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 361: Pumpkin Ginger Scones

Here is the pumpkin scone recipe I made last night to go with the marinated baked chicken. 

Pumpkin Ginger Scones
10" dutch oven

2 cups flour
7 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. baking powder
5 Tbs. cold butter, divided
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup sour cream

In a large bowl, combine the flour 7 Tbs. sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, ginger and baking soda.  Cut in 4 Tbs. of butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Combing the egg, pumpkin and sour cream and stir into the dry ingredients.  Turn onto a floured surface and knead 10 times.  Pat into a 8-9 inch circle.  Cut into 8 wedges.  Separate wedges and place in a greased dutch oven.  Melt remaining butter and brush over the dough.  Sprinkle with remaining teaspoon of sugar.  Bake at 425° for 15-20 minutes using 2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Serve warm.

The Finished Product

The Review

I really liked the subtle pumpkin flavor these had.  My only complaint is that they were way too crumbly.  I think next time I'll up the pumpkin or sour cream just a little to make them more moist.  Grade B.

Day 360: Marinated Baked Chicken

I have to admit, this was one of those meals where I threw together what I had in the fridge and pantry just so we could eat something.  I really didn't plan ahead.  Actually, we were lucky to have something to eat!  But it turned out well.  I served this chicken with a green salad, baked spaghetti squash and pumpkin scones (which I'll post later this afternoon) and it made a tasty meal.  I didn't marinate my chicken because I was running behind lazy.

Marinated Baked Chicken
12" dutch oven

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1/2 cup soy sauce
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. onion powder

Combine all the ingredients except the chicken and set aside 1/4 cup.  Place the remaining 3/4 cup into a resealable plastic bag.  Add the chicken and marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 hours. Drain the chicken, discarding the marinade.  Place the chicken in a greased dutch oven and bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until juices run clear.  Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Brush the chicken with the reserved marinade several times during baking.  Serves 6.

The Finished Product

The Review

I really wish I'd marinated the chicken.  It had such good flavor, I can only imagine how much better it would have tasted if I'd made it properly.  Funny how that works!  :)  The meat was so tender that we could cut it with a fork.  This is very simple and easy and yummy.  Even my little kids liked it. We gave this a B+.

Day 353: Chili Verde

This version is loosely based on a recipe.  I didn't have everything that the recipe called for, so I just substituted and added what I did have.  We all thought it turned out great!

Chili Verde
12" dutch oven

3 lbs. pork loin, trimmed and cut into 1 inch slices
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 cups chopped onion
1 Tbs. minced garlic
2-5 jalapenos, seeded and diced
2 (4 oz.) cans green chilies
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. chili powder
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz.) can El Pato tomato sauce (yellow can)

Salt and pepper the pork.  Lightly dredge all the pork in flour, shaking off the excess.  Heat the oil in a 12" dutch oven over a full spread of coals.  Brown the pork in batches; don't crowd the meat or it won't brown.  Remove the pork and set aside.  Saute the onions and garlic until light golden.  Combine all the ingredients back into the dutch oven.  Bring to a simmer.  Cover and simmer until tender, about 2 hours.  Stir occasionally and replenish the coals as needed.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  When the pork is tender, remove from the pot, shred and set aside.  Reduce the sauce over a full spread of fresh coals.  Boil lightly until the sauce is thickened.  Add the meat back into the sauce, mix well and heat through.  Serve hot with flour tortillas.Garnish with fresh cilantro and sour cream.  Serves 8-10.

The Finished Product

The Review

Now I've never really had Chili Verde before, so I have no idea if this is even remotely authentic (but I suspect not  :)  ).  But I can tell you it is really good.  I only used 2 jalapenos, but next time I'll use all 5 to add a little more spice.  My 16 year old son ate 5 tortillas filled with meat and loved it.  I'm guessing he'll also finish off the leftovers at the same rate.  Even my 5 year old ate this.  Grade B+.

Day 352: Spinach Pizza

Just a quick post for now.  I'm still a couple of days behind so I'll try to do 2 posts today! 

Spinach Pizza
12" dutch oven

1 roll refrigerated pizza dough  (or make your own dough)
1/2 cup Alfredo sauce
1-2 cups chopped spinach
2 medium tomatoes, sliced (Roma or other paste variety works best)
2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend

Unroll the pizza dough and shape to fit in the bottom of a greased 12" dutch oven.  Bake at 450° for 7-8 minutes.  Remove from heat and spread with Alfredo sauce.  Top with spinach, sliced tomatoes and cheese.  Return to heat and bake 10-12 minutes longer or until crust is golden and cheese is melted.  Serves 6.

The Finished Product

The Review

I loved how light this pizza was.  Its not greasy or heavy.  My kids, however, were not thrilled with this.  I'm glad I made a pepperoni and olive pizza for them.  This will make a repeat performance at our house.  Grade B+.

Day 351: Vegetable Stuffing Bake

Its been a big day at our house!  We've spent the better part of the day digging out from under almost 20 inches of snow and its still coming down!  This storm was supposed to be rain, boy did Mother Nature fool us!  But its been an absolute blast.  The kids have built snow men, snow forts and igloos.  They've been in and out of the house a dozen times to toss their winter gear in the dryer, warm up and get ready to go out again.  And I'm looking forward to the homemade Raspberry Hot Chocolate that we'll have later!  The biggest plus is that we are almost guaranteed a white Christmas!  Hooray!  The down side is trying to cook in all the snow.  But even that's not a big deal--I like the challenge.

Today's recipe is a vegetable side dish.  I think I did something similar early in the year.  I've tried so many new dishes that I forget what I've done and what I haven't.   This is a variation of the earlier recipe.  It comes from a Taste of Home magazine.

Vegetable Stuffing Bake
10" dutch oven

1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup processed cheese sauce
8 oz. frozen cauliflower, thawed
8 oz. frozen corn, thawed
8 oz. frozen broccoli, thawed
8 oz. frozen carrots, thawed
1 (6 oz.) pkg. cornbread stuffing  mix, divided

In a dutch oven over a full spread of coals, saute the onion in oil until tender.  Stir in the soup and cheese sauce until blended and heated through.  In a large bowl, combine the vegetables and 1 cup of the stuffing mix.  Add to the soup mixture and mix well.  Sprinkle with the remaining stuffing mix.  Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the edges are bubbly.  Serves 6-8.

The Finished Product

The Review

This was pretty good.  It was simple and loaded with veggies.  I liked that it wasn't overly soupy or saucy.  All of my kids liked it and some even went back for seconds.  Grade B+.

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 333: Turkey and Wild Rice Bake

I've been cooking in some really cold temperatures the last couple of weeks.  It was 13° outside while this meal cooked.  With the cold weather comes problems with baking temperatures.  Don't be afraid to add a few more coals or to move them around if your dish isn't cooking as well as it should.  This meal should have used 1 1/2 rings on top, but because of the low air temperature I ended up needing to use almost 2 rings on top of the pot.  It cooked perfectly without burning.  So don't be afraid of making adjustments!

This recipe is another great way to use up that leftover Thanksgiving turkey!

Turkey and Wild Rice Bake
12" dutch oven

1 pkg. (6 oz.) long grain and wild rice mix
1 cup chicken broth
3 1/2 cup cooked turkey (or chicken), cubed
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (8 oz.) can sliced water chestnuts
1 (6 oz.) jar sliced mushrooms, drained (I used sliced carrots instead)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup soft bread crumbs
2 Tbs. melted butter or margarine

In a small dutch oven, over a full spread of coals, cook the rice according to the package directions.  Place the rice in a large bowl and add the broth, turkey, celery, soup, water chestnuts, mushrooms, onion and soy sauce.  Transfer to a greased 12" dutch oven.  Toss the bread crumbs with the butter and sprinkle over the top of the rice mixture.  Bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until heated through.  Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Serves 8.

The Finished Product

Unfortunately, this isn't the kind of meal that take a great picture!  I won't even say what that looks like.  :)  You'll have to trust me that it's good!

The Review

I didn't expect a lot from this recipe, mostly because it uses cream soup.  So I was shocked by how good this was!  The water chestnuts added a nice crunch and the chicken was really moist.  My kids weren't thrilled about the water chestnuts, but other than that they all had second helpings. I love when a recipe surprises me like this one did.  I tried it because I need something new to cook, not because it looked super yummy.  So it was a bonus all around.  Grade B+.

Day 332: Chicken Enchilada Ring

Good Morning!!  I hope you are all having a wonderful day!  I want to thank everyone who has pre-ordered my cookbook and remind everyone that it will be available soon!  For all my international readers, please contact me for the shipping charges and where to send payment.  The rate for Canada will be $6.25, and Australia and Europe will be higher too, but I am more than willing to ship them, so don't hesitate to contact me! 

This is a cheater version of chicken enchiladas.  It is great for busy days and I seem to be having a lot of them lately.  It also means I don't have to stand out in the snow and stir something.  I know, I'm a big wimp!  :) :)

Chicken Enchilada Ring
14" dutch oven

2 cups cooked shredded chicken
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 small can chopped chilies, undrained
1 cup sour cream
1 cup re fried beans
1 package taco seasoning
2 packages of crescent rolls

Stir together chicken, cheese, chilies, sour cream, re fried beans and taco seasoning.  Unroll crescent dough and separate triangles. Arrange them in the dutch oven, making a circle with wide ends overlapping in the center and points toward outside.  Spread chicken mixture evenly onto widest end of each triangle. Bring points of triangles up and over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at the center of the ring.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with salsa and sour cream, if desired.  Serves 6.

The Finished Product

The Review

For a quick and easy weeknight meal, this is really good.  All my kids loved it, and even my hubby didn't complain about a fast meal (I've really spoiled him this year with all the good food we've eaten).  Its not the most beautiful dish I've ever made, but it will go on my list of week night meals.  Grade B+.

Day 326: Rustic Chicken

Getting ready for Thanksgiving is taking longer than I thought it would.  I've been all morning shopping, and yes, I do know not to wait until the last minute.  But I wouldn't be me if I didn't. 

Rustic Chicken
12" dutch oven

6 slices of bacon, chopped

1 onion, chopped
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced  (I left these out)
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, cut in 1 inch strips
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 15-ounce can artichoke hearts, quartered
1 packet dry chicken gravy mix
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup stuffed green olives

Cook bacon in your dutch oven over a full spread of coals until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and let drain on paper towels.  Drain off some of the grease.  Add the onions to the pot and cook until tender, then add the mushrooms. Add the chicken and cook until the chicken browns, then add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Move about 1/4 of the coals to the lid and simmer until the chicken is no longer pink. Serve over pasta or rice.  Serves 6-8.

The Finished Product

The Review

Everyone but the younger kids really liked this.  It has a nice flavor and "rustic" is the perfect word for this.  The only thing I would change is not to add the olives.  No one liked them.  I think I'll use sliced carrots or something along those lines.  This came together really fast, which was great because it was freezing outside!  :)  On a side note, I doubled the bacon because I knew that only about half of it would actually make it into the dish.  Grade B+.

Day 323: Yummy Coffee Cake

My kids love having something to eat when they come home from school.  In fact, if I don't have something ready they swear they're going to die!  Something like this coffee cake is perfect.  I can make it early in the day and have it ready when they come home starving.

Yummy Coffee Cake
12" dutch oven

3 3/4 cups flour
3/4 sugar
3 Tbs. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup shortening (I was out so I used butter)
1 3/4 cups milk
3 eggs

Topping:

2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup softened butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Sift the dry ingredients.  Cut in shortening until crumbly.  Add the milk and mix well.  Pour into a greased dutch oven.  In another bowl, combine the topping ingredients and mix until butter is crumbly.  Spread on top of cake batter.  Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Serves 10.

The Finished Product

The Review

As far as coffee cakes go, this was just okay.  The topping ended up on the bottom of the cake, but it was nice and moist.  This is one that even though I liked it, I probably won't make it again just because there are better coffee cake recipes out there.  Grade B-.

Day 320: Parmesan Potato Balls

Good morning everyone!  I have some great news!  Tomorrow I'll start taking orders for the cookbook!  I've been working on getting everything together and there will be around 250 recipes along with everything I've learned about cleaning, seasoning and heat control.  It should be a great resource and I hope you are all as excited as I am!  So come back tomorrow and I'll have all the details for you!

Its really weird that yesterday I may have bought my last 6 bags of charcoal for the year.  I'm not quite sure how I feel about that.  Cooking in my dutch oven has become such a habit that I won't know what to do if I don't have to go out and start coals!  :)  For now I'm just going to enjoy it! 

Parmesan Potato Balls
12" dutch oven

3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 Tbs. milk
1 Tbs. butter, softened
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 Tbs. chopped green onion
2 1/2 Tsp. onion soup mix
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. hot pepper sauce
dash of pepper
1 egg, beaten
2 cups panko bread crumbs

Place the potatoes in a dutch oven and cover with water.  Bring to a boil over a full spread of coals; cover and cook 15-20 minutes or until tender.  Drain.  Transfer the potatoes to a bowl and mash.  Beat in the cream cheese, milk and butter until smooth.  Stir in the Parmesan cheese, onion soup mix, salt, hot pepper sauce and pepper.  Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls (I used a cookie scoop).  Place the egg and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls.  Dip the potato balls into the egg, then roll in the crumbs.  Place the balls in a dutch oven (I used the same one I cooked the potatoes in).  Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.  Serves about 6.

The Finished Product

The Review

I was really surprised by these.  They were really good!  I didn't make a ton of them because I wasn't sure how they would be, and when my kids went back for more and the pot was empty their faces fell.  My little 5 year old even cried!  They said I had to double the recipe next time.  I liked the crispy outside and soft inside and the onion soup added a nice flavor to the whole thing.  I'll be making these again!  Grade B+.

Day 318: Chicken Spaghetti Bake

Just a quick post today!  Its only 9 a.m. and I'm already wishing it was bedtime!  I hope you all have a wonderful day!!

Chicken Spaghetti Bake
12" dutch oven

1 (16 oz.) pkg. of your favorite pasta, cooked and drained  (I used garden rotini)
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (26 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 small can sliced olives, drained
3 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1/3 cup cream of mushroom soup
2 cups shredded cheese (I used mozzarella)

In a dutch oven over a full spread of coals, saute the onions, green peppers, zucchini and garlic in oil until crisp tender.  Stir in the spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce and olives.  Bring to a boil.  Move about 1/4 of the coals to the lid and allow the sauce to simmer for 20 minutes.  Stir in the chicken and soup and heat through.  Remove the sauce to a large bowl and keep warm.  Place half of the pasta in the bottom of the same pot the sauce was cooked in.  Pour half of the spaghetti sauce over the pasta and top with half of the cheese.  Repeat the layers.  Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes.  Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.  Serves 10-12.

The Finished Product

The Review

This is one of those meals that I have to grade in 2 different ways.  For a weeknight meal, its just okay.  I didn't have much in the house and I wasn't very hungry, so I didn't do my normal nice Sunday meal.  Now for a camping meal, this is great.  The fact that it can all be done in 1 pot is a real plus.  A lot of the preparation can be done ahead of time as well.  For an everyday meal this gets a B- but for camping we give it an A-.

Day 313: Cantaloupe Bread

I'm trying really hard not to complain.  I really am.  But it is FREEZING outside!  The last week I've been cooking in my garage because its been pouring rain.  Now today the forecast calls for snow.  Seriously?  I could have sworn that summer just started.  So think of me when your cooking dinner, because I'm probably freezing outside.  :)  But at least I have hot coals to keep me warm! 

But enough complaining.  I saw this recipe on the Internet the other day.  I really wish I had saved the site, because it was a great blog.  Unfortunately, I only jotted down this recipe.  Too bad I didn't find this one a few months ago when I had fresh cantaloupe from my garden.


Cantaloupe Bread
2 10" dutch ovens

2 cups cantaloupe, seeded and pureed (about half a large cantaloupe)
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Brown Sugar Praline Glaze:

1/2 cup butter
1 2/3 cups brown sugar1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla, and cantaloupe. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and ginger. Stir flour mixture into cantaloupe mixture; stir to combine. Pour batter into 2 greased 10" dutch ovens.  Bake at 325° for 45 minutes to an hour, until a toothpick inserted into center of loaf comes out clean.  Use 1 1/2 rings minus 1 or 2 coals (depending on outside air temperature) on top and 1 ring on the bottom.

Meanwhile combine butter and brown sugar in a small dutch oven over about 6 coals.  Mix in pecans if desired. Pour sauce over warm bread. Let cool for 1 hour before serving.  Makes 2 loaves.

The Finished Product

The Review

Wow this was moist.  The cantaloupe flavor was really subtle.  If you didn't know what was in it, you'd have a hard time pinning down what it was.  It has a really nice flavor though.  Easily as good as banana or zucchini bread.  It was fun because who would ever think of making cantaloupe bread?  I think its a keeper!  Grade B+.

Day 310: Zesty Sloppy Joes

Last night my hubby and I went to a get together with some friends, so i needed something quick and easy to feed the kiddos.  As a general rule, my kids are spoiled rotten in the food department.  Having something new and (sometimes) exciting every day has made them food snobs.  They all turned up their noses when I told them they were having sloppy joes for dinner.  I gave them my famous "be quiet and eat what your given and be grateful" look and headed out the door.  When I got home there wasn't even one drop left over.  So much for hating sloppy joes!

Zesty Sloppy Joes
12" dutch oven

2 lbs. ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
1 (10 oz.) can tomato soup, undiluted
1 (8 oz.) can thick and zesty tomato sauce
1/2 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbs. ketchup
3 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp. prepared mustard
1 1/2 tsp. ground mustard
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
Hamburger buns

In a dutch oven over a full spread of coals, brown the beef and onion.  Add the green pepper.  Cook and stir 5 minutes and then drain off any grease.  Add the next 10 ingredients and bring to a boil.  Move about 1/4 of the coals to the lid and simmer for 1 hour stirring occasionally.  Serve on buns.  Serves 10-12.

The Finished Product

The Review

When I got home last night there wasn't one scrap of meat left.  The kids must have really liked it.  I didn't get to try any, but I have to call it a success.  As far as sloppy joes go, my kids gave it an A.  Compared to other meals it gets a B-.

Day 309: French Toast Casserole

Last night we had breakfast for dinner.  I've had this recipe for a while and I thought last night would be the perfect time to try it. 

French toast casserole
12" dutch oven

2 tsp. butter, softened
8 slices white bread, cut in 1-inch cubes
7 large eggs
2 cups milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup maple syrup (I used our cheap sugar-free syrup)
4 T granulated sugar, divided
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp.  nutmeg1/4 t cardamom
1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped
maple syrup, for serving

Grease a 12" dutch oven with butter and fill the dish with bread cubes, distributing evenly.  In large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, maple syrup, 2 T sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom.

Pour this mixture over the bread cubes, and press down over the surface of the casserole with a spatula to help the bread soak up the liquid.  Sprinkle the top with the remaining sugar.  Cover tightly with aluminum foil, and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature before baking.  Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until the casserole if puffy and brown.  Let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing into squares and topping with the chopped pecans and warmed maple syrup.  Serve with fresh fruit.  Refrigerate all leftovers.  We had ours with a fruit syrup.  You can find that recipe here.

The Finished Product

The Review

This was really good.  We had it for dinner so I put it together in the morning.  It was really easy and the whole family loved it.  I think it would be a great camping breakfast.  Just be sure not to put hot coals on a cold oven...please.  This would also be a good Easter or Christmas morning breakfast since all the prep work is done in advance.  Grade B+.

Day 306: Creamy Spaghetti Squash

Good morning!  Just a quick post today.  I have a sick little girl on my lap right now.  I just wanted to point out one thing today.  If you look at the bottom of each post you will find a new "print friendly" button.  It will let you edit the post before you print it so you only print what you want!  I hope it helps make using the recipes a lot easier.  So no more excuses!  Get out those black pots and get cookin'!  If I can do it everyday, you can do it once a week, or even once a month! 

I kind of made up today's recipe.  It's loosely based on one I saw on the Internet a while back.

Creamy Spaghetti Squash
12" dutch oven

1 spaghetti squash
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup skim milk
1/3 cup shredded cheese (I used a Parmesan)
pinch of nutmeg
salt & pepper to taste

Slice spaghetti squash in half, and lay face down in a dutch oven with a bit of water. Bake at 350° for 20-30 minutes, or until tender.  Remove from pot and keep warm.

In a 10" dutch oven over a full spread of coals, combine butter and flour. Whisk to make a roux, add milk and nutmeg, and stir in cheese. Stir constantly stir until thickened.

Remove seeds from squash (if you didn’t before) and scrape out squash with a fork, making spaghetti strands. Add to the pot with the cheese sauce and combine. Season with salt and pepper.  Serves 6.

The Finished Product

The first picture I took while it was in the dutch oven looked awful, so I tried again and this looks much better!

The Review

I was a little disappointed in this one.  I was really hoping it would be good, but it was just okay.  Honestly, I like the squash better with butter and salt.  Interestingly enough, my younger kids liked it better with the cream sauce.  Go figure!  We decided this gets a B.

Day 303: Honey Mustard Chicken

Sorry I'm late today.  We had a late night with all the Halloween festivities.  Because of the predominant religion, anytime a holiday like Halloween or the Fourth of July falls on a Sunday we celebrate either the day before or the day after.  So here we are, in the midst of a complete sugar high.  :)

I made this recipe for my hubby to eat cold on a salad, because he likes that kind of thing.  But we ended up eating  a lot of it when it came out of the pot.  I found this at allrecipes.com.

Honey Mustard Chicken

12" dutch oven

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup prepared mustard (I used 1/4 cup yellow and 1/4 cup Dijon)
1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper to taste, and place in a lightly greased 12" dutch oven. In a small bowl, combine the honey, mustard, basil, paprika, and parsley. Mix well. Pour 1/2 of this mixture over the chicken, and brush to cover.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350°.  Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Turn chicken pieces over and brush with the remaining 1/2 of the honey mustard mixture. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.   Serves 6.

The Finished Product

Can you tell this pic was an afterthought?  Oh no!  We forgot to take a picture!  Throw it on a plate and....Click!

The Review

Of all the Honey Mustard Chicken recipes I've tried, I like this one the best.  It is more than just honey and mustard.  My only beef with it is that the chicken wasn't as tender as I would like.  Next time I'll flatten it with a meat mallet to solve that problem. We gave this a 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+.