Italian Sausage Sandwich Casserole

     I liked the looks of this recipe, it sounded so creamy and good and since the ingredients are cooked in advance, all you have to do is heat it in your dutch oven until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling.  The cream cheese and mayo add to the richness, if you're watching the calories you can certainly use low fat versions of both with chicken sausage.  Oil your dutch oven well, to protect it from the acid in the tomato sauce as well as preventing the 'sandwiches' from sticking.  In my 12 inch dutch oven, they baked for 30 minutes with 12 coals in a ring around the bottom, 16 in a ring around the outside of the lid and 10 spaced evenly in the center.  Remember this casserole the next time you're feeding a group of hungry teenagers, it's kid friendly, easy and filling too.

Italian Sausage Sandwich Casserole
1 1/2 lbs Italian sausage, cooked, drained and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 1 lb loaf fresh Italian bread, cut into 1 inch slices
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 28 oz jar spaghetti sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

     Lightly oil or spray 12 inch or larger dutch oven.
     In medium bowl, mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, basil and oregano until well combined.
     Spread bread slices generously with cream cheese mixture and place in a single layer in prepared oven.
     Combine sauce, garlic and sausage in medium bowl.
     Spoon over bread slices, top with Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until sauce is bubbling and cheese has melted.
     Makes 6-8 servings.

Spread thick slices of Italian bread with cream cheese mixture

Spoon sauce and sausage over bread then sprinkle with cheeses

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbling

A stick to your ribs casserole 

Cinnamon French Toast Bake

     What I like about this recipe from Pillsbury is that it is actually better to assemble the casserole before lighting your coals, the extra sit time will allow the egg mixture to soak into the uncooked dough.  Also, to save time, snip the cinnamon rolls into small pieces using a pair of kitchen shears.  In my 12 inch dutch oven, it baked for exactly 25 minutes with 12 coals in a ring around the base of the oven, 18 placed around the edge of the outside lid and 8-10 briquettes spaced evenly in the center.  You'll know it's done when the overpowering scent of cinnamon is wafting from your oven.  My sister is visiting and was pleasantly awakened by the aroma of cinnamon maple french toast coming through the guest room window.  Once it has puffed, is golden brown and firm to the touch in the center, remove it from the coals.  It will fall as it cools, drizzle it with icing, sprinkle it with powdered sugar and top it off with more maple syrup for an unbelievably sweet and delicious dutch oven breakfast.

Cinnamon French Toast Bake
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
2 12.4 oz cans Pillsbury refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing (not Grands)
6 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup maple syrup
Garnish
Icing from cinnamon roll packages
Powdered sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup, if desired

     Lightly oil or spray 12 inch dutch oven.
     Pour melted butter into prepared oven.
     Separate both cans of dough into 16 rolls; set icing aside.
     Cut each roll into 8 pieces.
     Place pieces in single layer over butter in dutch oven.
     In medium bowl, beat eggs.
     Beat in cream, cinnamon and vanilla until well blended.
     Gently pour egg mixture over roll pieces.
     Sprinkle with pecans.
     Drizzle with 1 cup syrup.
     Bake at 375 degrees for 25-28 minutes or until golden brown.
     Let cool 15 minutes.
     Drizzle with icing and dust with powdered sugar.
     If desired, serve with additional maple syrup.
     Makes 8 servings.

Pour egg mixture over cinnamon roll pieces then
top with maple syrup and chopped pecans

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until puffed,
golden and firm to the touch in center

Drizzle with packaged icing and dust with powdered sugar

A great reason to get out of bed in the morning
 

Bacon Buffalo Mac and Cheese

     This recipe for Bacon Buffalo Mac and Cheese from Mr. Food is not for the faint of heart, the cup of wing sauce adds a powerful punch. The original recipe suggests mixing the sauce, dressing and cream cheese in your food processor but if the cream cheese is softened to room temperature and cut into small pieces you can easily combine it with a whisk. If you like a little crunch use a fresh bell pepper, for convenience as well as the smokey flavor, I substituted jarred roasted red peppers.  In my 10 inch dutch oven this baked for 30 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom, 15 briquettes in a ring around the outside of the lid and 4 spaced evenly in the center.  If you like it a bit on the milder side cut back on the sauce and add a bit more dressing, this might also be good with blue cheese dressing in place of the ranch.  It's creamy, cheesy, made for Buffalo wing lovers and will definitely wake up your taste buds.

Bacon Buffalo Mac and Cheese
1/2 pound medium shell pasta
4-5 strips cooked bacon, crumbled
1/3 cup jarred roasted red pepper OR 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz cream cheese, softened and cut into small pieces
1 cup wing sauce
1 cup ranch dressing
2 cups Cheddar Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup panko bread crumbs

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     Cook pasta until al dente, then drain.
     If making pasta ahead of time, toss with a little olive oil before storing in zip lock bag or container.
     In large bowl, mix cream cheese, garlic, wing sauce and ranch dressing, there may be a few small lumps.
     Add cooked pasta, shredded cheese, roasted red pepper and crumbled bacon.
     Toss until well combined.
     Spread in prepared dutch oven.
     Sprinkle with panko bread crumbs.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
     Makes 4-6 servings.

Sprinkle pasta mixture with panko crumbs

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbling and lightly brown

Zippy, creamy and crunchy
 

Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Campfire Cake

      Sitting around a crackling campfire under a starry sky is one of the greatest joys of camping.  When I saw this cleverly decorated Campfire Cake online I could hardly wait to make it, although not entirely made in your dutch oven, you can easily make the candy flames at home, package them carefully in a container and transport them to your outdoor destination. 
     Hershey's brings us another simple to make from scratch, rich, dark, chocolate cake recipe.  The only extra step involved is boiling the water.  It does make a very thin batter so be sure to have your dutch oven on even ground, otherwise you'll end up with a lopsided cake.  In my 12 inch dutch oven, the cake baked for exactly 35 minutes with 12 coals in a ring around the bottom, 18 in a ring around the outside of the lid with 7-8 placed evenly in the center.  Use a cake tester to make sure it's completely baked all the way through before removing from the coals and allow it to cool completely before lifting from the oven.  For convenience I used two cans of store bought frosting but have included the frosting recipe if you'd prefer to make it from scratch.
     Use a packaged mix if you like or place candles between the flames for a real showstopping birthday cake.  This cake is so much fun to make and a real treat for all your favorite scouts, campers and lovers of the outdoors. 

Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Campfire Cake
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

     Lightly oil or spray 12 inch dutch oven; line with parchment paper.
     In large bowl stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
     Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes.
     Stir in boiling water, batter will be thin.
     Pour batter into prepared oven.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
     Cool completely before removing from oven.
     Frost with 2 cans of prepared frosting or use following recipe.

Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Frosting
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

     Melt butter; stir in cocoa.
     Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.
     Add small amount of additional milk, if needed.
     Stir in vanilla.
     Makes 2 cups frosting.

Campfire Decorations
15 hard yellow butterscotch candies, unwrapped
15 hard red cinnamon candies, unwrapped
Cooking spray
Pepperidge Farm Pirouette Cookies

     Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
     Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil, spray lightly with cooking spray.
     Crush candies in zip lock bag.
     Spread crushed candies evenly on prepared cookie sheet.
     Bake for 5-7 minutes or until candies have melted.
     Cool completely.
     When candy has hardened, break into pieces the size of flames.
     Insert candy shards gently into center of frosted cake.
     Place Pirouette cookies around flames, resembling the logs of a campfire.
     If desired, add mini marshmallows placed on wooden toothpicks around cookies.

Pour thin batter into parchment lined oven

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes

For decorations, spread crushed candies on sprayed
and foil lined cookie sheet

Bake at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until melted then
cool and break into pieces

Frost cake then go to town building your 'campfire'

A cake any camper will love 

Chicken and Cheese Doritos Casserole

      If you're searching for an easy, one bowl, kid-friendly, camping casserole, this recipe is for you.  Although it looked tasty, I didn't have high expectations for this simple dish, however, everyone ended up going back for seconds and it was surprisingly good.  In my 12 inch dutch oven it baked for a total of 35 minutes with 12 coals in a ring around the bottom, 18 around the edge of the lid with 8 placed loosely in the center.  After 30 minutes it was bubbling and ready for the final topping of cheese.  It's creamy, cheesy, crunchy and a good campfire dutch oven dinner.
 
Chicken and Cheese Doritos Casserole
3 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded
1 cup sour cream
1 10 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 10 oz can cream of chicken soup
1 14 oz can petite cut zesty tomatoes with jalapenos, drained
1 15 oz can corn, drained
2 cups Mexican blend cheese, shredded and divided
1 11 oz bag Nacho Cheese Doritos, crushed

     Lightly oil or spray 12 inch dutch oven.
     Completely cover bottom of dutch oven with crushed Doritos.
     In large bowl, combine chicken, sour cream, mushroom soup, chicken soup, tomatoes, corn and 1 cup cheese until well blended.
     Spoon chicken mixture evenly over crushed Doritos.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbling.
     Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of cheese.
     Bake for 5-7 minutes or until cheese has melted.
     Makes 6 servings.

Spoon chicken mixture over layer of crushed Doritos

After 30 minutes, or when casserole is bubbling, add
remaining cup of cheese and bake until melted

A swell recipe for beginning dutch oven cooks

Blueberry Buttermilk Scones

     These Blueberry Buttermilk Scones from Martha Stewart could float right out of your oven.  The addition of cake flour and the extra baking powder make them especially light and tender.  If you don't have cake flour on hand go ahead and use two full cups of the all-purpose variety.  The batter is wet enough to drop by spoonfuls into your dutch oven if you don't feel like patting out the dough and cutting it into wedges.  The scones baked for 20 minutes in my 10 inch dutch oven with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom and 26 briquettes on the lid.  Like biscuits, you need cold butter and a hot oven to help them rise.  While blueberries are in season, give these beauties a try and if you need to use frozen blueberries, add them right from the freezer into the dough.

Blueberry Buttermilk Scones
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour (not self rising)
3 Tblsp granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 oz (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg, plus 1 egg lightly beaten for egg wash
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Fine sugar, for sprinkling

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     In large bowl, whisk together flours, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt.
     Cut in butter with a pastry cutter, or rub in with your fingers, until mixture has the texture of coarse meal.
     Stir in blueberries.
     Whisk together buttermilk, 1 egg and vanilla.
     Add wet ingredients to flour mixture, stir lightly with a fork until dough comes together.
     Turn out dough on work surface and gently knead once or twice.
     Pat dough into a 9 inch circle, cut into 8 wedges.
     Carefully place wedges in prepared dutch oven.
     Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with fine sugar.
     Bake at 400 degrees for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
     Cool for 15 minutes before removing from dutch oven.

Pat dough into a circle and cut into 8 wedges or drop
by large spoonfuls into prepared oven

Bake at 400 degrees for 20-22 minutes

Busting with blueberries and lighter than air
 

Shoestring Potato Quiche

     The internet can be a cook's best friend.  The other day I picked up a family sized can of potato sticks on the damaged goods shelf for ninety nine cents.  Hmmmm, now what to do with this other than eating the whole can in front of the t.v. in one sitting.  Thanks to the mysterious powers of Google and The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board I found this recipe for Shoestring Potato Quiche. 
     Basically a crustless quiche, you can mix it in one bowl, pour it into your dutch oven and in 25 minutes have a very tasty, any time of the day, filling meal.  Of course, kids will love this one, as it bakes the potato sticks taste like you added hash browns and you don't have to worry about thawing them at your campsite.  My basic formula for a quiche, which has never failed me, is to add 1 cup of cream to six beaten eggs.  Next time I will definitely make this with 6 eggs instead of 4 and cook it a few minutes longer.  In my 10 inch dutch oven it baked for 20 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom, 15 in a ring around the edge of the lid and 6 briquettes spaced evenly in the center.  Crunchy, cheesy and simple to make, add some chopped, cooked bacon and you've got a camping quiche everyone will love.

Shoestring Potato Quiche
1 4 oz can (about 2 2/3 cups) shoestring potatoes, divided
4 eggs, slightly beaten (add 2 more eggs for a fluffier quiche)
1 cup milk OR half and half
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tblsp chopped green onion
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
Dash of cayenne pepper OR hot sauce

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven.
     Reserve 1/4 cup of shoestring potatoes for topping.
     In large bowl, combine beaten eggs and milk.
     Stir in all other ingredients except potatoes.
     Fold in potatoes and pour into prepared dutch oven.
     Sprinkle with reserved 1/4 cup potatoes on top.
     Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.
     Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
     Makes 6 servings.

Pour egg mixture into prepared 10 inch dutch oven and top
with 1/4 cup of potato sticks

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes

The potato sticks taste like hash browns once they've baked

Plum Crumble

     There is nothing better than a warm cobbler or crumble made with fresh summer fruit scooped from your dutch oven and topped with a good vanilla ice cream.  It's one of life's simple pleasures and this excellent recipe from a Sept. 21, 2005 issue of the New York Times combines fresh plums with candied ginger under a buttery topping.  You pour melted butter over the topping before baking so there's no need to pack a pastry blender.  The crumble baked for 30 minutes in my 10 inch dutch oven with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom, 15 coals around the outside edge of the lid and 5 spaced evenly in the center.  Let it cool a bit before serving and be sure to add the crystallized ginger, it really adds a wonderful flavor to the plum filling.

Plum Crumble
Plum filling
2 Tblsp brown sugar
1 1/2 Tblsp flour
1/3 tsp cinnamon
1/3 tsp ground ginger
2 heaping Tblsp finely chopped candied ginger
6-8 large OR 12 small plums, cut in half and pitted
Topping
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg, well beaten
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     In large bowl, thoroughly mix filling ingredients.
     Arrange plums, in single layer in prepared dutch oven.
     To make topping, in medium bowl combine granulated sugar, baking powder, salt and 1/2 tsp cinnamon, mix well.
     Stir in egg.
     Using hands, mix thoroughly until mixture resembles small crumbs.
     Sprinkle over plums.
     Drizzle butter evenly over crumb topping.
     Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until filling is bubbling and topping is lightly browned.
     If desired, serve with ice cream.
     Makes 6 servings.

Toss plums with flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and gingers then
place in single layer in prepared oven

Sprinkle with topping then drizzle with melted butter

Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes or until golden and bubbling

Okay everyone, let's get ready to crumble!