Day 215: Spaghetti Pie

Just a quick post today!  I'm trying to finish getting everything together for the Wasatch County Fair cook off in Heber, Utah today.  I really wish I could just bring my entire kitchen.  Its amazing how much stuff I use just to cook a meal!  Wish me luck and send good thoughts my way.  We'll be cooking Prosciutto Wrapped Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Parmesan Roasted Potatoes, Tomato Upside Down Cornbread and Crepe Cake with Raspberry Chipotle Sauce.  Its gonna be fun!

Spaghetti Pie
10" dutch oven

8 ounces spaghetti
¾ pound of ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
small onion, diced
½ green pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups tomato sauce or diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
2 Tablespoons butter
1 and 1/3 C. shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs, well beaten
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 and ½ cup ricotta cheese

Cook spaghetti to al dente according to package directions over a full spread of coals. In another DO, cook ground beef, onion, green pepper and garlic over a full spread of coals. Drain off the grease. Add in tomato sauce and Italian seasoning. Let simmer for about 20 minutes. In a large bowl mix spaghetti with butter, 1/3 cup Parmesan, and eggs. Put the spaghetti mixture in the bottom of the dutch oven you cooked it in. Push the spaghetti up the sides of the pan and evenly over the bottom forming the crust. Spread ricotta over spaghetti crust and then sprinkle on the mozzarella. Top with meat mixture and the remaining cup of Parmesan. I also spread some mozzarella on top of the sauce.  Bake at 375° for 20 minutes with 1 ring on top and 1 ring on the bottom.

The Finished Product

 

 
The Review
 
We've really been spoiled by how good we've been eating lately.  These simple, quick dishes just don't do it for me.  This was actually pretty good, and I'll make it again on a busy weeknight.  We had this with some garlic bread and a salad, and my kids really liked it.  This would also be an easy camping meal.  We gave this one a B.

Day 214: Au Gratin Broccoli and Cauliflower

It is so nice to be home and back in the swing of things.  I missed DO cooking everyday, but it was a nice break and now I'm ready to be back and better than ever!  There are some real advantages to DO cooking in summer.  I know its hot outside, but inside my kitchen its nice and cool.  So while I'm waiting for coals to heat or water to boil I step inside and know my house won't be sweltering hot.

On Wednesday I get to compete in my second DO cook off at the Wasatch County Fair in Heber, Utah.  My friend, Kris Aagard and I, will be cooking up some deliciousness (hopefully within the allotted time), and winning some great prizes!  I'm looking forward to having some competition this time.  It should be a lot of fun.  I'll share the recipes later this week!

Speaking of recipes, I got this one from a friend.  I'm always looking for new and exciting ways to serve veggies.  We get really tired of boiled frozen veggies.  Boring!!  And with all the great fresh produce available why settle for frozen?

Au Gratin Broccoli and Cauliflower
10" dutch oven

16 oz. fresh broccoli and cauliflower
1/2 cup mayonnaise (reduced fat works too)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
3 green onions, sliced (I didn't have any of these)
1 clove minced garlic
1 T. Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 T. Italian bread crumbs
1/4 tsp. paprika

In your dutch oven, cook the vegetables until they are crisp tender.  Drain well and put back in your dutch oven.  While the vegetables are cooking, stir together the mayonnaise, cheddar and Parmesan cheeses, green onions, garlic, mustard and red pepper.  Spoon the mixture over the drained vegetables.  Sprinkle with bread crumbs and paprika.  Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes.  Use 1 ring on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Serves 6-8.

The Finished Product

Ooh!  Thats a little dark!  Sorry!

The Review

My family loved this.  Me?  Not so much.  My kids went back for seconds and, in some cases, thirds.  They raved about how good it was.  I don't know what was wrong with me.  I usually like this kind of dish.  I ate it and it was good, I just didn't think it was great.  Maybe I wasn't in the mood for it or it could be because I wasn't very hungry last night.  Either way, my kids gave this a B+.  Which if you have kids, you know thats a glowing review for veggies. 

Day 213: Baked Sweet Potato Fries

I have to apologize for the photobucket image that is probably in the middle of your screen right now.  I've contacted blogger to find out how to get rid of the stupid thing, but I haven't heard back from them yet.  Be patient, I hate it too, but it should be gone soon!

I also need to welcome all the new readers!  I went on vacation for a week and I come home and have 24 new friends!  I hope you all enjoy the recipes and I look forward to your comments!

Today's recipe is another for Sweet Potato Fries.  My family liked them so much that we had to make them again.  This is pretty similar to the last ones I did, but I like these better.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries
14" dutch oven

1 lb peeled sweet potatoes cut into 1/4" match-sticks
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t oregano
1/2 t coriander
1 t kosher salt
1 t parsley
1/8 tsp black pepper

*you want 1 lb sweet potatoes after they are peeled, sliced, etc. If you weigh them at the store make sure you have a little more than a pound to allow for the peeling, and tossing of small pieces.

In a small bowl combine cumin, oregano, coriander, salt, parsley, and pepper.

Place sweet potatoes in a pile directly on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Use hands to toss until all pieces are well coated. Sprinkle seasoning mixture on top and toss again with hands to coat.

Arrange sweet potatoes in a single layer so that pieces are not touching each other. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes. Use a metal spatula to gently flip fries and then return pan to oven. Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes or until fries are starting to lightly brown and crisp. Remove pan from oven and cool 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

The Finished Product

The Review

Of the 2 Sweet Potato Fry recipes I've done, this one is the best.  I've really gotten to love kosher salt.  It adds so much flavor to recipes.  I'm totally converted.  Once again, I made one pan in my oven and one in my dutch oven and you all know which one turned out best, don't you?  Hands down the dutch oven.  I don't know how I'm going to go back to cooking indoors...ever!  These get an A.

Day 212: The Redneck Finger Cake

Ok the first thing I have to do is explain the name of the cake. About 10 years ago a girlfriend of mine blamed me for a 30 pound weight gain during our 18 month relationship. She said and I quote..."You are nothing but a danged Redneck Gourmet!" Well the nickname stuck and became the name of my cooking group. Now to the cake, I found a recipe for a cake that you poked holes in , added ice cream topping and put a Butterfinger candy bar on top. Well that was like giving me a fresh canvas to paint on. So after I "Rednecked" the cake up here is what I came up with.

Redneck Finger Cake

Cake:
1 box (18.25 oz) plain devils food cake mix
1&1/3 cups water
½ cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
½ cup chocolate morsels

Topping:
1 4oz instant chocolate pudding
1 8oz jar Caramel topping
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
6 2.1oz Butterfinger Candy bars (crushed)
1 12oz crème cheese..Softened

1/4 cup chocolate chips
1 reg tub cool whip


Place the cake mix, water, oil, morsels, and eggs in a large mixing bowl and blend till smooth. The batter should be thick and well blended. Pour the batter into Dutch oven (10Deep) and smooth out the top. Bake until the sides just start to pull away from the sides and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool about 10 minutes then poke holes into the top of the cake with a drinking straw.
Prepare the topping
Combine the Carmel and Condensed milk. Stir till well blended. Pour this over the cake making sure it seeps into the holes. Sprinkle 3 crushed candy bars over cake. Place Cool Whip, cream cheese, 2 candy bars,chocolate chips and instant pudding mix in a large mixing bowl and hand mix till smooth. Spread topping mix over top of cake and sprinkle remaining crushed candy bar on top for garnish. Sometimes I will throw in a few chocolate chips on top also.Chill before serving at least 20 minutes. And if there is any left over the next morning, move over Wheaties!
Now this is the quick and easy version of it. When I use this in a cook off, I do a scratch cake but when I do it any other time...Boxed mix all the way baby!

Also you men out there, here is a chance to cook AND use tools. Put the candy bars on ice (or fridge) for 20-30 minutes ,then take a hammer and beat the devil out of them! It is the easiest way to crush the candy bars there is.

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.