Dutch Oven Madness!

Ricotta Stuffed Spinach and Broccoli Pizza

2012-01-24T10:09:00.000-07:00

Good morning all! I'm glad to be back. It's been a heckuva couple of weeks. We're all exhausted from the funeral planning and the grief, so I'm glad to be able to get things back to normal. Especially for my kids.

The first thing I did to get back into a routine was make pizza. But this isn't your run of the mill pizza. This is deliciously different. I love all the veggies and melty cheeses and it was a nice switch from greasy pepperoni and sausage. (Not that I have anything against greasy pizza. In fact, I could probably live off it.)

This is actually a knock-off version of a Sbarro pizza. Do you remember Sbarro? It was my favorite place to eat when I had a break from my mall shoe store job during college. Sbarro was also responsible for an alarming increase in my pants size. I had to start running every day in order to keep ahead of my love of mall food court pizza. I'm pathetic, I know. :)

I only found one downside to this pizza. It takes 2 dutch ovens to prepare. You need one to wilt the spinach and cook the broccoli and one to bake the pizza. I guess you could get away with using only one oven, but I've made it my whole dutch oven career with very few burns, and I'd like to keep it that way.

So give this one a try. I loved it. My kids were a little disappointed because there were veggies in it, but they still enjoyed it.

Ricotta Stuffed Spinach and Broccoli Pizza

10" Dutch Oven

16 oz whole wheat or white pizza dough (My favorite recipe is below)

1/2-3/4 Cup ricotta cheese
¼ Cup grated Parmesan cheese, like Kraft
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 Cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped
2 Cups fresh broccoli florets, cooked until fork tender and very well drained
Pinch of salt
½ Cup Roasted red bell peppers, from can or fresh
1 ½ Cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning

Divide dough into 2 equal pieces. Spread and press one piece of dough into the bottom and sides of a well oiled 10" dutch oven. In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta and Parmesan cheese until well combined. Spread into pressed pizza dough.

Place the broccoli in a 10" dutch oven and just barely cover with water. Over a full spread of coals, bring the broccoli to a boil and cook until fork tender. Drain well. (I left mine in a colander to drain while I did the rest of the prep work. You don't want a soggy pizza.)

In the same dutch oven, heat the olive oil and saute the spinach until wilted down, about 3 minutes. Place evenly over ricotta cheese layer. Place cooked broccoli florets over the spinach and season with a pinch or two of kosher salt. Layer roasted red peppers, then mozzarella cheese over top.

Press out the remaining piece of dough and place over filling, tucking edges inside of pan. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with Italian Seasoning.

Bake at 375° for 25-35 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cooked through. Use 1 ring plus a couple of coals on top and 1 ring on the bottom.

Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting. Makes 8 slices.

My Favorite Pizza Dough

3 cups flour, more or less
1 tablespoon honey, heaping
1 tablespoon oil, heaping
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Mix all pizza dough ingredients together, except the flour. Add flour and knead for a bit then put into a pan. If baking in a sheet pan, bake for about 12 minutes (checking often) until crust is browned and cheese is golden and bubbly. If baking on the preheated pizza stone, slide pizza onto stone and bake for about 8 minutes. Makes 1 large pizza.

Source: Pizza adapted slightly from Picky Palate
Pizza dough from My Kitchen Cafe

Pesto Dinner Rolls

2012-01-11T09:46:00.000-07:00

We've had a rotten week at our house. My dear, sweet father-in-law passed away early Saturday morning from a brain hemorrhage. He's been married to my mother-in-law for 15 years, so he was really a step parent, but we loved him so much it didn't feel that way to us. So please forgive me if it's a couple of weeks before I get the chance to post anything. Between the funeral and helping my mom-in-law, we'll be busy.

But I did want to give you this recipe I made last week. I think you all know how much I love pesto. It definitely belongs in the "food of the Gods" category (along with chocolate, chipotle peppers and garlic, just to name a few). These rolls are perfect with any Italian dish, especially if you are too lazy to make garlic bread, which I usually am. I also think they would make great sandwich rolls.

Now in reality, you could make pesto dinner rolls using any roll recipe you want. Just add half the flour, then the pesto, then the remaining flour. Just adjust the amount of pesto for how many rolls you're making. As I was making these, I was thinking that a sun-dried tomato pesto would be awesome!

Pesto Dinner Rolls
12" dutch oven

2 1/2 - 3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 Tbs. instant yeast
1 cup warm water
1 Tbs. oil
4 Tbs. pesto

In a mixing bowl, mix 2 1/2 cups flour with salt, sugar and yeast. Add the oil and warm water and mix well. Stir in the pesto. Add enough flour to make a soft dough, it should be tacky but not sticky. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5-7 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl and turn to oil the top. Cover and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 16 portions for rolls, or 8 for sandwich rolls. Place in a well oiled dutch oven. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Use 1 1/2 rings + a couple of coals on top and 1 ring on the bottom. Makes 16 dinner rolls or 8 sandwich rolls.

Baked Chicken Fajitas

2012-01-04T12:39:00.001-07:00

I have to tell you that I DIDN'T make this in my dutch oven , but the recipe is so good and easy that I had to share. Like the last post, this would be a great camping recipe. You could have most of the ingredients prepped and ready to go, so dinner would be a breeze. I served these in flour tortillas with Mexican Rice and they were a hit with everyone but my pepper hating children. Its okay, they just picked out the peppers and ate the rest. Enjoy!

Baked Chicken Fajitas

12" dutch oven

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes

1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies

1 medium onion, sliced

1 bag frozen sliced bell peppers (I used the one with a mix of red, yellow and green)

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. chili powder

2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Warmed flour tortillas

In a 12" dutch oven, mix the chicken, tomatoes, chilies, peppers and onions. In a small bowl, combine the oil and spices. Drizzle the mixture over the chicken and toss to coat. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Use 2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom. Serves about 8.

Source: Adapted from a Taste of Home magazine

Dutch Oven Meatball Supper

2012-01-02T10:48:00.001-07:00

Oh how I love meals that are ready to eat in 30 minutes! I love them even more when they are full of veggies and relatively healthy. When you combine the two together, I'm in heaven! This meal was surprisingly good and simple to make. The family loved it, and my 3 year old ate her weight in meatballs!

As I was cooking, I was thinking what a great camping meal this would make. Use frozen meatballs, either homemade or (even easier) from the grocery store. Its hearty, simple and best of all, it only uses one pot!

Dutch Oven Meatball Supper
12" dutch oven

2 Tbs. vegetable oil
30 precooked meatballs, freshly made or frozen
1-1 lb. bag carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2" slices
1 large onion, diced
2 cups zucchini, sliced into 1/2" slices then halved or quartered
3 tsp. chicken bouillon
1 tsp. dried basil
3 1/3 cups water, divided
2 Tbs. flour
Salt and pepper to taste

In a 12" dutch oven, heat the oil over a full spread of coals. Add the onion and carrots and cook until crisp tender (about 5-10 minutes).

Add the meatballs to the frying pan. Add 3 cups water, bouillon, basil and pepper. Stir well, cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes. you may need to remove a few coals to keep it from boiling.

Add the zucchini, cover and simmer until zucchini is crisp tender (about another 5 minutes). Taste and salt, if needed.

Mix the flour with 1/3 cup cold water and add to the simmering sauce. Stir until the mixture thickens and comes to a simmer. Serve over rice.

Source: Adapted from Mennonite Girls Can Cook

Happy New Year!!

2011-12-31T19:20:00.000-07:00

Here's wishing you all a happy New Year! May it bring you joy and prosperity! See you next year!! (I love saying that!)

Mock Sourdough Bread

2011-12-29T09:58:00.001-07:00

I have a confession to make. I have never made sourdough bread. Ever. I've never even attempted it. Which I think is just sad for a dutch oven cook. Isn't making sourdough bread in a dutch oven a rite of passage? I just have to say, in my defense, that the only experience I have with any kind of bread starter is Amish Friendship bread. I think it spent about 6 months (or more) untouched on the top shelf of one of my cupboards. The only reason I remembered it was the foul smell that permeated my kitchen. Gross!

The real reason I've never tried sourdough bread is that it just seems time consuming and fussy, and lets face it, I'm far too ~~lazy~~ busy to remember to feed the starter the way I should. I will agree with you though, its a shame. I love sourdough bread and its expensive to buy so we never eat it.

You can imagine how happy I was to come across this on Pinterest. A no fuss "sourdough" bread. Right up my alley!

Now for the question you've all been asking.....How does it taste? Its actually really good! I have to say, its not as good as sourdough bread from a good bakery. It is, however, as good as anything you'd buy at your supermarket, and a whole lot cheaper! It doesn't have quite the "tang" that a real sourdough bread has, but since I'll probably never get around to making the real thing this will have to do. Truth be told, I'll probably use this recipe a lot

For the sourdough purist, Mark at Mark's Black Pot recently posted a couple of articles on making sourdough bread. I would never have the patience to do what he does. He's my hero!

Mock Sourdough Bread
10" dutch oven

2 cups plain yogurt
1 Tbs. yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 Tbs. honey
2 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. oil
4-5 cups flour

Heat yogurt just to lukewarm. Dissolve the yeast in warm water. Stir in yogurt, honey, salt, oil and 2 cups of flour. Beat until smooth. Gradually add the remaining flour just to make a soft dough. Knead until smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch dough down. Form dough into a round loaf and place inside a greased dutch oven. Cover and let rise about 45 minutes.

Preheat your dutch oven lid, then bake at 375° for 35-40 minutes or until the bread is browned and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pot and cool on a wire rack.

Source: Heat Oven to 350

My Christmas Project!

2011-12-26T17:42:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd show you what I've been doing with my time for the last 3 weeks. And as you can tell, it hasn't been dutch oven cooking. I've been building a Barbie house for my 3 little girls for Christmas. It was no small undertaking. I built and decorated, including making the furniture.

A dear friend had built the house for her girls 12 or 15 years ago, but decided to build a new one for her grand kids this year. So I was the benefactor of her old house. I stripped it down and started over. As you can see, it turned out great. Better than I thought it would. And to say my girls are thrilled would be a huge understatement. They didn't even want to open any presents. The Barbie house was all they wanted. It was great!

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas! And I hope the new year treats you well!

Breton Apple Cake

2011-12-08T12:14:00.000-07:00

I've got a really good recipe for you today! I've had this recipe for a while and I'm so glad I finally got around to making it. I know I have other versions of apple cake posted, but this one is a little different. Instead of apple cake, this is apples with cake in it. The batter is really light and fluffy thanks to the beaten egg whites.

Now, you'll notice that there isn't a drop or cinnamon in this bread. Normally, I'm a spiced apple cake gal, but this just tasted fresh. You can certainly add any spices you want, but I thought it was perfect in its simplicity.

Breton Apple Cake
10" dutch oven

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs, separated
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 large apples, peeled and thinly sliced

Lightly grease a 10" dutch oven

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, followed by the vanilla extract and the yogurt. Sift in flour, baking powder and salt and mix just until all ingredients are well combined and no streaks of flour remain. Batter will be quite thick.

In a medium bowl, beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Stir about half of the egg whites into the cake batter (you can use an electric mixer on “low” to stir) to lighten the batter, then gently mix in the remaining egg whites.

Fold in apple slices.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with only moist crumbs attached. Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.

Cool for at least 40 minutes before serving.

Cake can be eaten warm or at room temperature.

Serves 8

Zucchini Gratin

2011-11-21T09:03:00.000-07:00

Yes, I do realize that summer is over and so is zucchini season. But when I found this recipe I knew I wasn't going to be able to wait until summer. Besides, everything is always in season at the grocery store! :)

I know some of you are going to read this recipe and think "eeww, zucchini and eggs"! But trust me when I tell you that this is yummy! The flavors and textures are really great. I actually make something similar as a breakfast dish, that's part of the reason I knew I'd love this.

Zucchini Gratin
10" dutch oven

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 whole Medium Onion, Chopped
2 whole Roma Tomatoes, Chopped
3 whole Medium Zucchini, Sliced And Halved
1 teaspoon Ground Thyme
1 teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Flour
2 whole Eggs
½ cups Half-and-half
¼ cups Shredded Cheddar
¼ cups Grated Parmesan

Over a full spread of coals, saute onion and tomato in just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of your dutch oven. Cook until the onion is tender then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add zucchini, thyme, salt and flour. Stir and cook for a few more minutes until zucchini is tender. Spread evenly on the bottom of the pot.

In a small bowl, whisk together eggs with half and half. Stir in cheddar cheese. Pour this egg mixture over veggies. Sprinkle on grated Parmesan. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes, or until lightly puffed up and a bit golden on top. Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom. Serves 6-8.

Source: Tasty Kitchen

Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken

2011-11-14T11:09:00.000-07:00

Oh do I have a yummy recipe for you! I love jalapeno poppers wrapped in bacon (of course!) so when I saw this recipe I knew I needed to make it. I found this on Allrecipes and did some tweaking to up the flavor. I think the final product was really delicious! I added bacon and pepper jack cheese and spiced up the crumb coating to add some more flavor. My family loved it, even though it was a little spicy for my little ones. I think I put a bit to much jalapeno in it for them, but it was just right for me.

I was really surprised at how quickly these came together. The total prep time was a little over 30 minutes, then 30 minutes to cook. It might be pushing it for a weeknight meal, but not too bad all things considered. So there's no excuse for not trying these!

Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken
12" dutch oven

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup + 3 Tbs. shredded Cheddar and pepper jack blend, divided
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I used the grease from cooking the bacon instead)

Stir together the cream cheese, 1/2 cup Cheddar/pepper jack cheese, bacon and jalapenos in a small bowl.

Cut a pocket horizontally through the thickest side of each chicken breast, and fill with 1/4 of the cheese mixture. Secure with broken spaghetti noodles (once it cooks there won't be any toothpicks to pull out and the spaghetti noodle will be soft so you won't even know its there).

In a bowl or pie plate, combine the Panko, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, salt and remaining 3 Tbs. of cheese. Place the egg in another bowl or pie plate. Dip each filled chicken breast in egg, then roll in bread crumbs to coat.

Heat the oil in a dutch oven over a full spread of coals, and cook chicken breasts until they are golden brown on both sides but not cooked through. Drain most of the oil out of the pot. Cover and bake at 350° for about 30 minutes or until the juices run clear. Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom. Serves 4.

Source: Inspired by Allrecipes

Herb Biscuit Loaf

2011-10-31T08:45:00.000-06:00

Here is another easy but tasty biscuit recipe. Biscuits dipped in a buttery herb mixture and baked until golden brown. It's tailor made for a dutch oven, don't you think? This one calls for refrigerated biscuits, but feel free to make your own recipe and it turns out great.

Herb Biscuit Loaf
10" dutch oven

1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
1/2 tsp. dried minced onion
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4-1/2 tsp. caraway seeds
1/8 tsp garlic powder
2 (12 oz.) tubes refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

In a shallow bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients. Dip the biscuits in butter mixture. Fold in half and place in dutch oven. Drizzle with remaining butter mixture. Bake at 350° for 27-30 minutes or until golden brown. Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom. Serves 8-10

Chicken Enchilada Soup

2011-10-26T14:36:00.000-06:00

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.

A Dutch Oven Challenge at Mark's Black Pot!

2011-10-10T10:47:00.000-06:00

Mark (of Mark's Black Pot fame) has once again thrown down the gauntlet and invited all of us to join in his latest dutch oven challenge. This will be a great way to get creative and stretch your culinary and black pot skills.

The rules are really simple. Prepare a dish using the following ingredients:

Apples (in any form)
Oranges (in any form)
Any meat (Some kind of meat must be included)
Mint (in any form)
Any other ingredients and spices as you see fit.

Your recipe should be as original as possible. Go to the Internet for ideas, if you want, but try to make the dish your own.

When completed, publish your finished dish, with pictures if possible, in the IDOS forums, or at your own blog or website. Then go back to Mark's Black Pot and leave a comment with the link!

I'm going to make this my own version of Chopped (my favorite food network show). I seriously have dreams about making up my own recipes, so count me in on this!

Lets all give Mark our support and get creative! I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with. I hope we have a good showing from Dutch Oven Madness readers! I'm going to start some research and get cookin', so be watching for my contribution in the next week or so.

Now You Can Follow By E-mail!

2011-10-04T13:03:00.000-06:00

I've added another new feature to Dutch Oven Madness! Many of you have asked about receiving emails when I post something new, and now you can. Just enter your email address into the bar at the left and you'll never miss a post! You'll only receive emails if I've posted something new, and there will never be any spam. So hop on board!

So....What Do You Think So Far?

2011-09-28T08:36:00.000-06:00

Good morning everyone! I'm dying to hear what you think of the new Dutch Oven Madness! I hope you all like it as much as I do. I'm only about half done with the changes, and obviously the most noticeable change is the awesome new background. Over the next few weeks I'll be adding some tabs to make finding your favorite recipes and DO info faster, and making it easier to print the recipes you want to try. I'll also be using a new format for posting. But now I'm curious what will make Dutch Oven Madness more user friendly for you. I'd love to have your input, so leave a comment and tell me what you'd like to see! Thanks!

Pesto Chicken and Spinach Stromboli

2011-09-27T09:03:00.001-06:00

I have a fun, yummy recipe for you today. It includes one of my all time favorite ingredients--Pesto! If you haven't tried pesto yet, you really need to. Its usually a mixture of basil, pine nuts and olive oil and its fabulous! I put it on grilled cheese sandwiches, or any sandwich for that matter. Its also great added in to pasta sauce or Alfredo sauce.

Pesto Chicken and Spinach Stromboli
14" dutch oven

1 refrigerated pizza crust (or use your own recipe)
~2 Tbs. basil pesto
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
2 cups cooked, cubed chicken
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced (I used Roma)
1 Tbs. olive oil
Canned Parmesan cheese

On an oiled surface, roll out the pizza dough into about a 10 x 12 inch rectangle. Don't get it too big or it won't fit into your DO very well. Spread a thin layer of pesto on the dough. Be careful to keep it about an inch from the edges of the dough. Then, evenly spread the spinach, tomatoes, chicken and cheese over the dough.

Starting with the long edge of the dough, carefully roll it up like you would cinnamon rolls. Pinch the seams shut and tuck the ends under. Place seam side down in an oiled dutch oven. Brush with the olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake at the temperature required for your dough for 20-25 minutes. (Mine was 425° so I used 2 rings plus a couple of coals on top and 1 ring on the bottom.) Check it toward the end of cooking and if its brown enough for you, cover it with a sheet of foil to prevent over browning. Its important that it cook for at least 20 minutes (Mine took 25) in order to cook the center of the Stromboli. Let it stand for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Serve with Alfredo or marinara sauce for dipping. Serves 8.

The Finished Product

The Review

This was a huge hit with my kids! They naturally love anything that they get to dip into something. But they didn't even complain (too loudly) about the spinach. The pesto adds great flavor, and if you haven't tried it yet, this is the recipe to use! I've made this a couple of times, and I've had problems getting the bread in the center to cook completely. Next time I think I'll make several calzones instead of a Stromboli so I won't have that problem again. But no matter which way you make it, its great!

Source: Adapted from Our Best Bites: Mormon Moms in the Kitchen Cookbook

Changes are Coming!!

2011-09-26T20:21:00.000-06:00

I am soon going to be working with my dear friend and web designer, Erika, to create a whole new look for Dutch Oven Madness. I'm really excited about the new design and I hope you will love it as much as I do. It will have a dramatic new background and be a lot more user friendly. Hopefully, you will be able to find the information you want much more quickly and easily. This new design will be a little time in the making since Erika is fitting me in between her other clients and is, quite frankly, doing me a HUGE favor by doing it. So when its done (or as its coming along) let me know what you think and how you like it!

Cheesy Horseradish Mashed Potatoes

2011-09-16T09:23:00.001-06:00

I'm really trying to get into my creative groove lately. I'm tired of all the recipes I have (even though I haven't even tried most of them). So I'm tweaking the ones I've made before. Some have been epic fails, but this one turned out really well. I have a recipe for mashed potatoes that is flavored with dry ranch dressing, and I've been on a horseradish kick, so why not flavor potatoes with horseradish.
I almost added bacon, but I didn't want to have too many flavors going on. One of these days I'll try it.

Cheesy Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
12" dutch oven

2 1/2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and quartered
3 Tbs. butter
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2-1 Tbs. prepared horseradish
1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbs. dried parsley
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese

Boil the potatoes until tender in a dutch oven over a full spread of coals. Remove from heat and drain well. Add the butter and milk to the potatoes. Stir in the sour cream, 1 cup of cheese and horseradish and mash to the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the parsley. Top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are heated through. Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom. Serves 8.

The Finished Product

I think we all know by now that photography is NOT one of my many talents! Trust me when I say this was great!

The Review

I don't mean to toot my own horn, but these are really good. I used 1 Tbs. of horseradish and it wasn't quite enough for me. If you know you love it or want to add some real kick to these potatoes, then use more. I also love that I did the whole thing without ever having my potatoes leave the pot. Its a one dish wonder. I'll be making these again, with bacon next time. YUM!

Grape and Apple Crisp

2011-09-03T14:16:00.003-06:00

Yes. Yes, it does say grape and apple crisp. Never cooked with grapes, you say? Well neither had I, until today. Grapes are #2 on my list of favorite fresh fruits, right behind ripe, juicy pears. I love them so much fresh that it had never occurred to me to ever try to cook with them. But in the process of making this recipe I learned something about grapes.
They behave a lot like cherries when they're cooked. They hold their shape pretty well, and they like to hold on to their juices, which is nice because it doesn't make for a runny dessert. Then when you bite into them, it is an explosion of flavor. Y-U-M!!

Grape and Apple Crisp
12" dutch oven

Topping:

3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup old fashioned oats
6 Tbs. sugar
6 Tbs. brown sugar
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces (I used frozen butter and grated it with my box grater)

Filling:

6 cup tart apples, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cup seedless red grapes
1/3 cup orange juice
1/2 Tbs. flour 1/4 cup granulated sugar

To prepare the topping, combine the flour, oats and sugars. Add the butter and combine until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

To prepare the filling, toss the apples in the orange juice and drain well. Combine remaining ingredients and pour into a 12" dutch oven. Sprinkle with the topping mixture.

Bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until golden brown and the fruit is tender. Use 1 ring on the bottom and 1 1/2 rings + a couple of coals on top. Serve with ice cream. Serves 8.

The Finished Product

The Review

I have eaten so much of this dessert that I'm sick The grapes and apples really compliment each other. Talk about yummy. I'm going to add a little more sugar to the because I like my desserts a little sweeter. I've already adjusted the recipe to what I think would make it perfect.

Source: Adapted from Relish magazine March 2007

Brown Sugar Spiced Pork Loin

2011-08-29T10:44:00.002-06:00

I don't think I've kept it much of a secret, but I am really not a fan of pork (except bacon of course). We raised pigs for so many years that it just turns my stomach. The thought of a pork chop makes me want to hurl. But after many years, I'm finally to where I can enjoy a nice pork tenderloin, in fact, I've actually been looking for tenderloin recipes because I like it so much. Crazy! Anyway, I'm attracted to recipes that have different/weird spice combinations, and when I saw the cumin and cinnamon together, I knew I had to try it.

Brown Sugar Spiced Pork Loin
12" dutch oven

Rub Ingredients:
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 pork tenderloins (2 1/2 lb. total), each tenderloin cut into two chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil

Glaze ingredients:
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic (about 6-8 cloves)
1 tablespoon tabasco sauce

In a small bowl, stir together salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and cinnamon, then coat the pork with the spice rub. Heat the oil in a 12" dutch oven over a full spread of coals until the oil is hot and rippling. Brown the pork, turning, about 4 minutes total. Leave pork in the dutch oven

Stir together the brown sugar, garlic, and Tabasco and pat on top of each tenderloin. Cover and bake at 350° until a thermometer inserted diagonally in center of each tenderloin registers 140, about 25 minutes. Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom. Remove from heat and let pork stand for 10 minutes. The temperature will rise to about 155 while standing. Slice on the diagonal and serve, spooning the sauce from the skillet on top of the pork. Serves 6-8.

The Finished Product

The Review

This was seriously delicious! The outside of the pork had a nice crust on top and inside it was so tender. My family loved it! The spices were a little different, but they went really well together. I didn't hear any complaints, even from my picky eaters. Grade A.

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Chicken Cakes

2011-08-20T11:07:00.002-06:00

This is one of the recipes I made when I didn't have an oven. I was thinking about it and realized that I had never actually done any frying in my dutch ovens and it was time to give it a try. Of course, its as easy to do in the dutch oven as it is on the stove top. Maybe easier since I didn't have any oil splatters to clean off my stove. :) I love dutch ovens!!

Chicken Cakes

12" dutch oven

2 Tbs. butter

1/4 cup vegetable oil (Add more as needed when frying)

1 Tbs. Creole seasoning (I used Tony Cachere's)

1 Tbs. Creole mustard (Or spicy brown mustard. Just don't use yellow mustard)

2 Tbs. Mayonnaise (Not Miracle Whip)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

3 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 clove minced garlic

4 green onions, sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1 cup Italian bread crumbs

Remoulade Sauce

1 cup Mayonnaise

2 green onions, sliced

2 Tbs. creole mustard (Or spicy brown. Not yellow)

2 cloves minced garlic

1 Tbs. chopped parsley

1/4 tsp. ground red pepper

Melt the butter in a dutch oven over a full spread of coals. Add the bell pepper, green onions and garlic and saute until tender. Stir together the bell pepper mixture, chicken, egg, mayo, mustard, creole seasoning and bread crumbs. Form the mixture into about 8-10 patties.

In the same dutch oven, add the oil and heat until shimmering. Fry the patties about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and sightly crispy on the outside. Serve immediately with remoulade.

For the remoulade, mix all ingredients together and refrigerate 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend

The Finished Product

The Review

I can't even tell you how good these were. My hubby (who is notorious for complaining if we have the same meal twice in 6 months) asked me to make these every week for a month. And we still didn't get sick of them. They are delish! They are pretty spicy, so adjust the creole seasoning if you need to. I think I only used 2 tsp. and it had a nice bite. Don't skip the remoulade or you'll be missing the best part of the meal. The sauce puts these over the top! You'll love 'em!

Source: Tasty Kitchen

Gumbo

2011-08-19T16:02:00.000-06:00

**Disclaimer** I am not a Southern gal. I was born in Tahoe, California and spent most of my life in Northern Utah. The closest thing I've ever even come to the South is spending 2 weeks in Dallas with a friend in college, but I'm not sure that counts. So please forgive me if this Gumbo recipe is not remotely authentic. Not authentic, but yummy nonetheless. I did a little looking for Gumbo recipes (because I'd never had it before and had no idea what was in it). After I had a fairly good grasp of what it actually was, I set about making my own recipe. (See what I mean by not authentic?)

First, a little about the roux that this recipe calls for. A roux is super simple to make. It is a mixture of a fat (butter or my favorite bacon grease) and flour. All you do is melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook and stir for a minute or two. Roux is something that I always have stocked in my fridge. I use it when I need to thicken soups, stews and anything else that needs thickening. I keep it in a plastic container in my fridge so I always have it ready. It stores up to 4 months.

Gumbo
12" dutch oven

2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 lb. chicken, cut into chunks
1 onion, cut into chunks
1 red pepper, cut into chunks
1 stalks sliced celery
8 oz. kielbasa, sliced
4 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
2 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 Tbs. Creole spice blend (I used Tony Cachere's)
~1/4 cup roux (more as needed to reach desired thickness)

Roux

1/2 cup butter (real butter)
1/2 cup flour

Heat the oil in your dutch oven over a full spread of coals. Add the chicken, brown and remove. Add the onion, red pepper and celery to the pot. Saute until the onion is golden. Add the cooked chicken, sausage, stock, bay leaves, garlic and creole spice. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Move about 1/2 the coals to the lid to simmer.

While the pot is simmering, make the roux. In a small dutch oven over a full spread of coals, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Continue to cook and stir for about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

To thicken the Gumbo, add 1/4 cup of roux and stir until thickened. Season with additional creole seasoning, salt and pepper if needed. Serve over hot cooked rice. Serves 6.

The Finished Product

The Review

This was really good if I do say so myself. My kiddos loved it and my oldest son had 3 heaping plates full. That's a winner in my book. It was just spicy enough to be interesting, but not too spicy for my little kids.

Happy Birthday to Me!

2011-08-12T08:16:00.000-06:00

I've hit a major milestone today. I'm officially OLD! Yep, the big 4-0. Time to start my mid life crisis. I'm thinking sports cars (maybe a yellow 2011 Camaro) and younger men. On second thought, I think I'll stick with the sports cars, I finally got the man I have trained and I don't want to start over. :) I hope you all have a wonderful day and I'll try not to cry when they have to call the fire department to put out the candles on my cake. See you tomorrow!

Super Simple Apple Cobbler and Cooking with Coals From a Fire

2011-08-05T06:00:00.002-06:00

This is a fun and delicious recipe! It came from Cyndi Boyer and was printed in the Spring 2011 Dutch Oven News. We had a hot dog roast on the back of our property and it was the perfect way to end the evening.

I have to admit, I did have a few problems when I made this. Not with the recipe, but with the fact that it was my first time trying to cook with coals from a fire. Talk about an eye opening experience. I thought I was pretty good at gauging heat by feel, but it turns out I'm not. Truth be told, I was just nervous about trying it so I didn't get my oven hot enough. It was the same feeling I had when I first started this whole dutch oven adventure last year, and look how that turned out. I'll only get better.

Here is what I learned my first time out.

First, the coals you use should look a lot like charcoal do. Not in shape, but in color. Some will be covered in ash, some black and grey and some glowing red. The key is that they are all hot.

Next, you have to figure out how many coals to use. This is where I think the Dinwiddie method comes in handy. The main premise behind it is that if you cover a certain amount of surface area your oven will get hot enough to cook with. So I tried to make sure that the coals I used from the fire covered roughly the same surface area that the rings of charcoal would. Easier said than done, I know, but it was a good place to start.

Finally, just check your food as it cooks. If it isn't cooking as fast as it should, grab a shovel and add some more coals, if its cooking too fast, remove some. Just like when you use briquettes.

Its really not that different from using charcoal. You just have to pay attention and make adjustments when necessary. I won't be nearly as intimidated next time I use coals from a fire. And I'm pretty sure I'll be raiding the wood shed again soon! I'd love to hear how you have adjusted to using real coals!

I'm sorry I didn't take any pictures while this was cooking, but I was so preoccupied with the real coals that I completely forgot.

Super Simple Apple Cobbler

12" dutch oven

3 large (21 oz.) cans apple pie filling

2 cans refrigerated cinnamon rolls (Like Pillsbury) with icing

Dump all three cans of pie filling in your dutch oven. Open the cinnamon rolls and separate into individual rolls. With kitchen shears, quarter the cinnamon rolls and sprinkle in a single layer over the pie filling. Bake at 350° until the cinnamon rolls are golden brown. Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom. Drizzle with icing and serve.

Herbed Chicken and Pasta

2011-08-03T11:34:00.000-06:00

This has been one of my family's favorite meals forever. I've been making it long enough that I can't even remember where I got the recipe. The best thing about this is that its one of those things I can have on the table in about 30 minutes and I know everyone will be happy.

Herbed Chicken and Pasta
10" dutch oven

1-2 tsp. salt free seasoning blend (I used Mrs. Dash)
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
4 Tbs. butter, divided
2/3 cup water
2 Tbs. teriyaki sauce
2 Tbs. onion soup mix (I used Lipton)
1 envelope savory herb and garlic soup mix, divided (I've used both Lipton and Knorr brands)
8 ounces of your favorite pasta
2 Tbs. Parmesan cheese
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce

Combine the seasoning blend and poultry seasoning and sprinkle over the chicken. Saute the chicken in oil and 2 Tbs. butter over a full spread of coals until juices run clear. Add the water, teriyaki sauce, onion soup mix and 2 Tbs. herb and garlic soup mix. Bring to a boil. Cover and move about 1/4 of the coals from the bottom of the dutch oven to the top, and simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and add to the chicken mixture. Add the cheese, Worcestershire sauce, remaining butter, and remaining herb and garlic soup mix. Toss to coat and serve immediately. Serves 4.

The Finished Product

The Review

I haven't made this in a long time, and I'd forgotten how good it is. The herb and garlic soup mix can be a little hard to find. My local grocery store will randomly quit carrying the Lipton brand, which I like best, but the Knorr brand makes a good substitute. This was super easy in the DO, and the DO flavor really adds that something extra to this meal. We love it!