Lemon Blueberry Bread

ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons fresh grated lemon zest
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Lemon glaze
• 2 Tablespons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• directions:    
• 1.  line a 9"x 5" loaf pan with parchment paper (or lightly grease with butter).
• 2.  In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt, and set aside.
• 3.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend together the melted butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice.  Mix until well combined.
• 4.  While slowly mixing, add flour mixture and milk in two batches (some flour, then some milk, then the rest of the flour and the rest of the milk).  Stop mixing as soon as it's just combined.
• 5.  Rinse off the blueberries (if using fresh) so they have just a bit of moisture on them, then, in a small bowl toss the blueberries and 1 T. flour.  This flour coating will help prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of your loaf while baking.
• 6. Add the flour coated berries to the batter and gently but quickly stir, by hand, to combine, then pour batter into the baking pan
• 7. Prepare glaze by simply whisking together the melted butter, powdered sugar, lemon juice and vanilla.
• 8.  set up four small rocks in the dutch oven for your pan to rest on. The pan should not be touching the dutch oven. 
• 9.  bake for about 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. 
• 10. After the cake had cooled flip it over onto a tray and pour the glaze over the top. (if you make the glaze before hand you can put it in the jar and put it next to the coals to warm it back up before pouring it)
• 
  

Jalapeño Poppers

These Jalapeño Poppers are a family favorite.  They are quick, easy, and don't break the bank, either.

Ingredients:

• 12 Jalapeños, cut in half length-wise, de-seeded
• 1 block cream cheese
• 1 pack of bacon, cut in half length-wise
• Lime juice (optional)

Instructions:

Wash and rinse the jalapeños.  Remove the stems and cut the jalapeños in half length-wise.  Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and white part of the walls (where the capsaicin is stored).  If you leave seeds and part of the white wall in, these poppers will have more heat.

Halved jalapeños

Slice off small slices of cream cheese and insert these into the inside of each jalapeño half.  More cream cheese = creamier end product with less heat.

Cut the bacon in half length-wise.  (ex., if you have bacon that's 10 inches long and 1 inch wide, you will now have two pieces that are 10 inches long and 1/2 inch wide). 

Wrap each jalapeño half, with cream cheese inside, in a half piece of bacon.

Spritz with lime juice if you are concerned about spice.  Some jalapenos are very hot by nature and others very mild.

Heat dutch oven using 16 coals on bottom and 14 on top.

Cook for 40-50 minutes.

Results from my test run at home.

Swineapple

I was introduced to the concept of Swineapple by a random older gentleman in the airport a week before our final cookoff.  The judges loved it.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Tomato Ketchup
• 1/4 cup Yellow Mustard
• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar (can be substituted for 1/4 cup honey)
• A dash of worcestershire sauce
• 1 large ripe Pineapple
• 1 container bacon (14-16 oz.)
• 2+ lbs. pork loin
• Bamboo skewers

Begin by mixing the first four ingredients (ketchup, mustard, brown sugar/honey, Worcestershire sauce) in a bowl.  This forms barbecue sauce.  Sample and adjust quantities to taste.  I added a dash of sea salt to my barbecue sauce.

BBQ sauce ingredients

Place the pork loin in slow cooker with the barbecue sauce.  Cook on low heat for 6-7 hours.

Pineapple in slow cooker with bbq sauce

The meaty ingredients

Cut the skin off the pineapple.  Core the pineapple, but leave the sides in tact.  The center area will later be filled with the pork that you prepared above.

Cut the pineapple

After the pork has finished cooking, remove the pork from the slow cooker and place it onto a plate or cutting board.  Shred or cut the meat and stuff the inside of the pineapple with the shredded pork.  

Once you have performed this step, you will now open the bacon and form a bacon weave.  The bacon weave will be wrapped around the pineapple.

Heat the dutch oven using 18 briquets on bottom and 14 on top.  Place the pineapple(s) inside the dutch oven.  Let it cook for 45 minutes to an hour.  You may want to drain the dutch oven of liquid after 30 minutes and then allow the food to cook an additional 15-20 minutes.  The longer you cook it, the juicier the pineapple will become.  It is finished when the bacon has a nice brown texture.

Cooked swineapple

Sprite Chicken

Prep Time: 30 MIN  cOOK TIME: 1 hR

SERVES 8

INGREDIENTS

1. 1/2 pound bacon, cut in bite-size pieces
2. 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1-inch cubes
3. 1/2 Tablespoon seasoning salt
4. 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5. 1 yellow onion, chopped
6. 2 pounds red potatoes, cut in 1-inch cubes
7. 1 pound carrots, cut in 2-inch pieces
8. 6 ounces Sprite (lemon-lime soda)
9. 14-inch Dutch Oven

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Fry bacon in dutch oven on camp chef or stove top until crisp. Remove bacon pieces with a slotted spoon, leaving grease inside. Set bacon aside.
2. Combine seasoning salt and flour in a large gallon plastic bag. Add chicken to flour mixture and shake to coat. Add coated chicken pieces to dutch oven and and brown in bacon grease.
3. Remove chicken and set aside.
4. In this order add onions, then potatoes, carrots, chicken and bacon to dutch oven. Pour Sprite all over the top. Cover with lid.
5. Bake at 350° F for 1 hour. Carefully remove from oven. Remove lid and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
6. ** If cooking at a campsite follow directions above. When ready to cook cover with lid and place dutch oven in hot coals. Cook 45 minutes to 1 hour. (Or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.)

Chicken and Waffles

Chicken and Waffles
Cook-off Winner

This recipe is basically three separate recipes. Below you find first the schedule that I followed and then the three recipes.  When I was looking for these recipes I found that there are a LOT of different versions of chicken and waffles. I tried to put together these recipes based on what I thought would be the best overall pulling from several recipes.

Schedule

Day Before

• Prepare the chicken tenders and refrigerate overnight
• Mix all of the dry ingredients and put in bags ready to use.
• Set aside all of the wet ingredients ready to transport.

Day of

• Pack everything the car and the food into coolers. 
• Prep coals for the Dutch ovens
• Mix waffle batter and set aside to rest.
• Take out the bowl of chicken and let it rest to remove the chill.
• Preheat Dutch oven and add oil for frying
• When the batter has rested start cooking the waffles.
• When the oil is ready, fry the chicken. 
• In the meantime prep the sauce (I did this the night before)
• Plate the chicken and waffles (use a toothpick if needed and/or is pretty), add the sauce and top with green onions. Serve with a smile.

Chicken

Tools

• Dutch Oven X2 (can be done with one)
• Large tray (to bread the chicken) X2
• Tongs (to bread the chicken)

Ingredients

• Dry Ingredients
• Flour – 2 ½ Cups
• Oregano (a lot) – 1 tablespoon
• Thyme – 1 teaspoon
• Paprika - 1 teaspoon
• Cayenne Powder – ½ teaspoon
• Chili Powder – 1 teaspoon
• Onion Powder – 1 teaspoon
• Garlic Powder – 1 teaspoon
• Salt (a lot) – 1 tablespoon
• Rosemary – 1 teaspoon
• Pepper – 1 teaspoon
• Wet Ingredients
• Buttermilk – 2 cups
• Hot sauce (optional)
• Chicken Tenders – 4 or more sliced
• Vegetable Oil (for frying) – At least 1 bottle

Directions

   Day before

• Fill a large bowl with a carton of buttermilk, and add some oregano, salt, and cayenne pepper into it, and mix it around a bit. (Optional: add a splash of your favorite hot sauce)
• Then add the chicken tenders. 
• Let the chicken sit in the buttermilk for at least a few hours, but overnight is preferable. 

   Day of

• Preheat the Dutch oven and fill with oil (about 2 inches). You will know when the oil is ready for frying by throwing a pinch of flour into the oil. If the oil bubbles and hisses, it’s ready.
• Preheat a second Dutch oven as a warming oven to hold the chicken until you are ready to serve it.  
• Take out the bowl of chicken and let it rest to remove the chill.
• Fill a large tray with flour, and then add the seasonings into it. You may need to add more seasoning based on how much chicken you are making, or how strong you want the flavors to be. 
• Take the chicken out of the buttermilk, and put it in the flour tray, covering it in a layer of the seasoned flour. Re-dip in the buttermilk marinade and dip in flour mixture again.
• Put ONE piece of floured chicken into the oil as a test, to make sure the chicken won’t burn and the skin will be crispy enough. Take the chicken out when it reaches 165 degrees.
• Add the chicken to the oil 3 or 4 pieces at a time. Make sure they aren't sticking together, then cover the skillet and fry for 5 to 7 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure the chicken isn't getting too brown. Turn the pieces over, cover again and cook 3 to 5 minutes more. All the while, monitor the temperature of the oil to make sure the chicken doesn't burn. Transfer the fried chicken pieces to a baking sheet
• Put the chicken in the second Dutch oven to keep it warm and to help the internal temperature of the chicken even out.

Waffles

This recipe came out a little crumbly at first.  I added some water and it worked out better but in the future, I might use a regular recipe with a few add-ins or maybe cornbread waffles.

Tools

• Waffle Iron (I used a cast iron waffle iron to use outside.)
• Trivet (to hold the waffle iron above the Dutch oven.
• Spray pan/oil (I used a grilling one to try and avoid flare-ups.)
• Gloves

Ingredients
   Dry Ingredients

• Flour – ¾ cup
• Corn Starch – ¼ cup
• Baking Powder – ½ tsp
• Baking Soda – ¼ tsp
• Salt – ½ tsp
• White Sugar – 1 tbsp
• Brown Sugar – 1 tbsp

   Wet Ingredients

• Buttermilk 1 – ¼ cup
• Vegetable Oil – ½ cup
• Vanilla Extract – 1 tbsp

   Optional

• Chopped green onions
• Chives

Directions

• Mix all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir it around with a wooden spoon until the dry ingredients are all combined. (Do the night before.)
• Now pour the buttermilk and the oil into the mix, then the vanilla. 
• IMPORTANT: do not mix it very much. You just want to combine the liquid and the dry ingredients and get huge lumps out of it. Its ok if there are some little lumps. You really don’t want to overmix the batter, or your waffles will not be fluffy and light and wonderful. Mix it for like 10-15 seconds.
• Now let the batter rest for 30 minutes. Resist the urge. 
• Pam/Oil up the waffle iron, then cook the waffles according to your waffle maker. 

Sauce

Tools

• Saucepan

Ingredients

• pancake syrup – 1 cup
• bourbon (use bourbon extract) – 1/4 cup
• salted butter – 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick)
• cayenne pepper – 1/4 teaspoon

Directions

• For the sauce: Pour the pancake syrup and bourbon in a small pot and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and whisk in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, then the cayenne.

Clam Chowder

• 4 center-cut bacon strips
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 small potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup water
• 1 bottle (8 ounces) clam juice
• 3 teaspoons reduced-sodium chicken bouillon granules
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups fat-free half-and-half, divided
• 2 cans (6-1/2 ounces each) chopped clams, undrained

In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain; set aside. Saute celery and onion in the drippings until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the potatoes, water, clam juice, bouillon, pepper and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

In a small bowl, combine flour and 1 cup half-and-half until smooth. Gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened.

Stir in clams and remaining half-and-half; heat through (do not boil). Crumble the cooked bacon; sprinkle over each serving. Yield: 5 servings.

EASY BBQ Chicken and Potatoes

Ingredients

• 3-4 large chicken breast
• 1 package of bacon
• 5 small potatoes sliced into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices
• 1 red onion chopped
• 1 lb butter optional
• 1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce
• 26 coals

Instructions

1. Make sure your coals are burning nicely. Place dutch oven on top and put bacon in dutch oven.
2. Cook bacon until cooked. Drain most of the excess grease (you want to keep probably 1/4 cup in the dutch oven)
3. Add onions, potatoes, chicken breasts, onion, butter, and BBQ sauce into the dutch oven.
4. Cover with lid and make sure there are 14 coals underneath the the dutch oven and 12 on top.
5. Cook about 35-50 minutes, or until the chicken is done.

Notes

This Recipe was so easy and yummy! Make sure you give yourself enough time to cook the bacon AND the chicken and potatoes, the bacon may take a while depending on how fast your oven heats up. I added extra chicken and potatoes and it increased the time about 40 minutes. Chicken was tender and juicy, the sauce mixes really well with it all, almost no effort

Sticky Buns

 Ingredients

• 18 Rhodes Rolls
• 1/2 of 1 small package butterscotch pudding powder
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cube of butter
• cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

 Preparation: ~8 hours before cook time

  1. Place frozen rolls in bottom of dutch oven.
  2. Sprinkle dry pudding powder on top.
  3. Melt butter and brown sugar together
     and drizzle on top of frozen rolls and pudding.
  4. Sprinkle cinnamon generously on top.
  5. Sprinkle pecans on top.
     Leave in lidded dutch oven to thaw and rise.
     Timing is not too specific.

 At Cookout:

  6. Bake for 30 min. at 350 F.
     (May take up to 45 in dutch oven).
     Estimate for 6 quart, 12 in. dutch oven:
     8 coals on bottom, 16 on top.
  7. After 30 minutes, check if doughy inside.
     If not done and tops too brown, move all coals to bottom.
  8. Remove from heat, let set 5-10 min.
  9. Turn over onto serving platter.
     The whole mass should detach together
     and fall onto your platter.
     (Don't forget hot-pads or gloves,
     and serving platter or pizza pan!)

Notes:

   This has been a favorite for many years - my family's traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas morning breakfast. We love it. Mom has since shifted to using whole wheat rolls, often homemade. If not frozen, they need much less time to rise.
   Adapted from a bunt pan recipe. If you happen to have a bunt dutch oven, kudos.
   I used 24 rolls, and it was a bit much. I also used a taller (8 quart I think) dutch oven, and had to use 30 coals instead of 24, and left it in for about an hour because I was afraid my rolls were doughy, and that was way too long, causing the gooey deliciousness to be tougher and the rolls over-browned on the tops. I've given my estimations for a normal situation above. I also used a whole packet of pudding powder, and that was also a little too much. Best stick with Mom's tried and true recipe, as described above.

 

Chicken Pot Pie

Cook Time: About 45 Minutes
Charcoal Briquettes: 9 underneath, 22 on top

Ingredients

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

Directions

1. Filling:
2. Prior to cooking in the Dutch oven, boil chicken, carrots, peas, and celery in a saucepan for 15 minutes. Then, remove from heat, drain, and set aside. 
3. 
   
4. Sauce (This can be done in the Dutch Oven or on a stovetop prior to cooking. If you do it in the Dutch oven, you will just need to have something to put the sauce in after it is cooked so that you can create the pie in the Dutch oven afterwards.):
5. Over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.

1. Creating the Pie:
2. 1. Spray your Dutch oven with nonstick spray or oil.
3. 2. Place your bottom pie crust directly into the dutch oven and spread it out so that a little bit of the crust goes up on all sides of the dutch oven.
4. 3. Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. 
5. 4. Pour hot liquid mixture over. 
6. 5. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. 
7. 6. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
8. 
   
9. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Super Moist Banana Zucchini Bread (2nd Place!)

Recipe from Dutch Oven Madness Blog

(Shamae Budd and Daniel McClellan)

3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cardamon (optional)
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs, beaten
2 cups sugar
1 T. vanilla
3/4-1 tsp. rum extract
2 cups mashed over-ripe bananas
2 cups fresh zucchini, shredded

In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the first 6 dry ingredients and whisk to blend well.  In another mixing bowl, combine the oil, eggs, sugar, vanilla and rum extract, and mix well.  Stir in the bananas, zucchini and nuts.  Add the dry mixture, stirring until it is just moistened.  Prepare your dutch oven by greasing the bottom and sides with a generous layer of vegetable shortening. (You may have problems with the bread sticking to the sides of the pan if you use something other than shortening.)  Pour batter into your DO.  Bake at 350*, using 21 coals on top and 7 on the bottom, for 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pan.

Cinnamon Apple Crumble

By: Dylan Astle

Ingredients:
-1 package of Rhodes Cinnamon Rolls, thawed
-1 can of apple pie filling (21 oz)
-1/2 cup sugar
-1 cup flour
-1/2 cup of butter, slightly softened

Before you leave the house (suggested):
-Thaw cinnamon rolls in pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray (overnight in the refrigerator or about 2 hrs at room temperature).
-Cut cinnamon rolls into bite-sized pieces.
-Using kitchen shears, cut apples in pie filling into smaller pieces while still in the can (suggested).
-Combine roll pieces and apple pie filling, place in bowl with a lid or saran wrap.
-Combine sugar and flower in separate bowl. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly (ideally with a pastry blender but a fork will work).

At the campsite:
-Grease or butter the dutch oven.
-I preheated the oven slightly with a few coals on top and bottom.
-Pour roll and filling mixture into oven and sprinkle frosting crumbles over the top.
-Bake 40 to 45 minutes at approximately 350 degrees. Add more coals to the top of the oven towards the end of the baking cycle to make the top of the dessert brown and crumbly.
-Top with frosting packet from cinnamon rolls before serving.

Krispy Kreme Donuts

Dough:

• 1 Pillsbury Grands (any flavor - I like to use Southern Homestyle)

Glaze:

• 2 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
• 1 1/3 Cup Powdered Sugar
• Pinch of Salt, To Taste
• 2 Teaspoons Evaporated Milk
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 3-4 Teaspoons Water

Instructions:

• Heat 1 inch of oil in dutch oven 
• Pull all biscuits apart and separate them
• For small donuts separate each biscuit in half (for large donuts use an entire biscuit for one donut)
• Flatten dough as much as possible
• Pull apart dough until there is a whole in the middle making a small circle opening
• Put dough in dutch oven 
• Flip dough once bottom is browned (1-2 minutes depending on temperature)
• Pull out once dough is fully browned and dry on paper towels to remove oil
• Roll donuts in glaze and then lay out to settle glaze
• Enjoy!

Breakfast Burritos a la Mexicana

Ingredients

• 2 lb chorizo
• 2 onions
• 2 green peppers
• 24 eggs
• 2 Tbsp garlic powder
• 2 Tbsp dried onion
• 2 Tbsp chil powder
• 16 soft tortillas
• 3 C shredded cheese of your choice
• 3 C red salsa
• 2 cans of black beans, refried

Instructions

1. Chop onions and green peppers.
2. Fry sausage, pepper, and onion in Dutch oven with beans.
3. Lift from Dutch oven into pot with lid, leaving grease behind. (if there is a lot of grease, you may remove some of it but leave about 1/2 cup).
4. Mix eggs, garlic, onion, and chili powder. Fry in Dutch oven, scrambling until cooked.
5. Lift eggs into pot and mix with sausage.
6. Place about 1/3 cup egg & sausage mixture onto each tortilla. Add cheese, roll up, and fold over ends.
7. Lay 5 in Dutch oven, then make second layer on top, then third layer.

Below is a picture of the filling that you should then add to the tortillas!

1. 

Huevos Rancheros

12 eggs
1 chorizo
1 can of black beans (15oz)
1 teaspoon of salt
Pico de Gallo
Salsa
Cotija cheese
Corn tortillas
Sour cream

Prepare 25 charcoal briquettes, heat dutch oven. Cook chorizo until it falls apart. When cooked, move chorizo to one side of dutch oven, creating an empty space to heat beans. Add black beans to the empty side. Pour eggs on top of chorizo, cover dutch oven for 5-10 minutes, stirring egg and chorizo mixture occasionally.

When food is hot, heat tortillas and fill with huevos rancheros. Add salsa, cotija, pico de gallo, and sour cream on top.

Oreo Brownie Cheesecake!

Ingredients 

• nonstick cooking spray
• 1 box fudgy brownie mix, plus ingredients called for on box
• 15 whole Oreos
• 3 8-oz. blocks cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• pinch of kosher salt
• 15 Oreos, crushed
• 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips, melted

Directions

• You will want your dutch oven to reach 350 degrees so I used 12 charcoals on the bottom and 16 on top.
• Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and pour batter into prepared dutch oven. Place Oreos on brownie batter.
• Prepare cheesecake mixture: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, and salt and beat until combined. Fold in crushed Oreos until fully incorporated.
• Pour cheesecake mixture over brownie batter and bake until edges are set and center of cheesecake mixture is only slightly jiggly, 45 to 50 minutes.
• Let cheesecake brownies cool completely in pan. Drizzle with melted chocolate and white chocolate and serve.

Mexican Chilaquiles

1 1/2 lb. Chorizo
1 lb Tortilla chips
6 Large Eggs
1 package of cotija cheese
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese
1/2 medium onion (chopped)
2 TBSP Vegetable oil
28 oz can of Enchilada Sauce (Green or Red)

You won't need the lid for the recipe while it's cooking, but it helps keep it warm once you're done.

1. Prepare 30 charcoal briquettes and set them all under the dutch oven.
2. Heat oil and put chopped onion in and cook till soft.
3. Add chorizo, cook and break it apart as it cooks.
4. Add chips and mix with chorizo/onion mixture.
5. Push chips aside and add beaten eggs, let eggs cook till barely set, then mix with chips/chorizo.
6. Add the enchilada sauce, add enough to cover the chips but don't drown them.
7. Add the Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese and mix till melted
8. Sprinkle a fair amount of the cotija cheese on top of the dish and serve!

There is a lot of wiggle room with this recipe, so add or take away anything that you think will make it better!

Mexican Lasagna

Ingredients:

9-12 6-inch corn tortillas
2 cups shredded taco cheese
1 1/2 lbs. pork sausage
1 or 2 11 oz. cans corn with sweet peppers (drained)
1 19 oz. can enchilada sauce

Directions:

prep work: brown sausage in a skillet or in the bottom of the dutch oven. Set aside for later.

1) Set up your charcoal for 350 degrees (10 coals on bottom and 14 coals on top).

2) Place tortillas on the bottom of the dutch oven enough to cover the bottom. It works well if the tortillas go up the side a little, like a bowl.

3) Top with half the corn and half the sausage. Sprinkle about a third of the cheese over the mix. Pour about 3/4 cup of enchilada sauce over the layers in the dutch oven.

4) Repeat step 3 with more tortillas, the rest of the corn, sausage and enchilada sauce.

5) For the final layer top with tortillas, remaining cheese and enchilada sauce.

6) Cook for 45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve with sour cream, salsa and fresh guacamole.

This recipe is a family favorite that I adapted from a slow-cooker recipe. When I cooked this I used chorizo and it added a great kick. I have also made it with hot and mild sausage and each of those were delicious too.

Ultimate macaroni and cheese

Ingredients
3 cups 2% milk
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
450 grams pasta (like macaroni, shells, etc)
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk (about 18 oz)
2 cups (150g or 8 oz) cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
assorted spices/seasonings (Tabasco sauce, creole seasoning, paprika, chives, basil, oregano, thyme)

1. In a large, heavy bottomed pot, such as a cast iron Dutch oven, combine the 2% milk, water and salt. Bring to a boil, then tip in the pasta, stirring slowly with a wooden spoon.
2. Cook the pasta in the milk, partially covered with a lid, over medium-high heat until al dente, about 9-10 minutes; it should be slightly underdone when you bite into it. Do not drain!
3. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stirring constantly, add the butter, dijon and evaporated milk to the pot. Slowly sprinkle in the cheese, a handful at a time, and stir until melted. The sauce will thicken as the cheese melts and the pasta finishes cooking.
4. Remove the pot from the heat. Season with pepper and paprika. Taste the mac & cheese and shake in a little extra salt, if desired. Cool slightly, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and coats the pasta. Serve at once, letting people add their preferred seasonings.

I used 30 briquettes, but probably would have been fine with 25 or so. I highly recommend the creole seasoning, but I think many other seasonings would work great! 

Adapted from: http://www.simplebites.net/campfire-one-pot-macaroni-cheese/

Home-made Dutch Oven cinnamon Rolls

Dough:

• ¾ cup milk
• ¼ cup butter
• 3¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (.25 ounce) package instant yeast
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup water
• 1 egg

Filling:

• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup butter- softened

Frosting:

• 2 tablespoons softened butter
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
• 2-3 cups of powdered sugar (depending on how sweet you like it.)

Instructions

1. Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in butter; stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine 2¼ cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt; whisk together. Add water, egg and the milk mixture; beat well with an electric mixer. Add the remaining flour, ½ cup at a time, using a wooden spoon to stir well after each addition. (dough will be too thick and sticky to use the mixers at this point.)
3. When the dough has just pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. (dough will spring back when lightly pressed.)
4. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rest for 10 minutes.
5. Stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon.
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a 12x9 inch rectangle. (use your 9x13 baking dish as a guide.) Spread the softened butter all over the dough. Sprinkle dough with cinnamon sugar mixture and press in lightly so it doesn't fall out when you roll it. Roll up dough and pinch seam to seal.
7. Cut the dough into two equal logs and wrap tightly with plastic wrap, then place in a zip lock bag. Keep frozen until you're ready to bake.
8. The morning you want to have the cinnamon rolls, take them out and let them thaw to room temp. 
9. Slice dough into 12 equal rolls and place in the bottom of a buttered dutch oven. Cover and set in a warm place to proof for about an hour, or until rolls are puffy.
10. Bake at 325F for 20 minutes. Slather with frosting and service immediately. (They will be hot but at least take them out of the dutch oven so they stop baking.)

For the Frosting: 

1. Whip together the softened butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla and the powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time. Beat until creamy and spreadable.