Incredible Peach Cobbler

     A winner from the Pillsbury 2000 Bake-Off Contest, this peach cobbler comes to us courtesy of Becky Beus of Kuna, Idaho and uses a cranberry quick bread to form the batter.  I scaled back on the two 29 ounce cans of peaches from the original recipe but if you make it in your 14 inch oven I'd suggest using the larger quantity.  In my 12 inch dutch oven, the cobbler baked with 12 coals around the base of the oven with 28-30 on the lid, in 55 minutes the edges were golden brown and it had cooked all the way through in the center.  This is so buttery, moist and good and the alluring scent of oranges wafting from your oven will have your friends and family lining up around the campfire for dessert. 

Incredible Peach Cobbler
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 15.6 oz package Pillsbury Cranberry Quick Bread and Muffin Mix
2 tsp grated orange peel (from 1 large orange), divided
1 29 oz can plus 1 15 oz can peach slices in light syrup, drained, reserving 1 cup liquid
1 egg
1/3 cup sweetened, dried cranberries
1/3 cup sugar

     Lightly oil or spray 12 inch dutch oven.
     Pour melted butter in bottom of dutch oven.
     In large bowl, combine quick bread mix, 1 teaspoon orange peel, 1 cup reserved peach liquid and egg.
     Stir 50 to 75 strokes with spoon until mix is moistened.
     Drop batter by spoonfuls over butter in dutch oven; spread slightly without stirring.
     Arrange drained peaches over mixture.
     Sprinkle with cranberries.
     In small bowl, combine sugar and remaining teaspoon of orange peel; sprinkle over fruit.
     Bake at 375 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes or until edges are deep golden brown.
     Cool for 20 minutes.
     Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, if desired.
     Makes 8-10 servings.

Spoon batter over melted butter then top with peaches,
cranberries and sugar

Bake at 375 degrees for 55 minutes or until edges are
golden brown

An extraordinarily good peach cobbler

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

 

      I found this recipe on the back of a package of Simply Potatoes in the grocery store today.  You can find them in the refrigerated foods section, not frozen, they are conveniently packaged, prepared and dutch oven ready.  Ideal for outdoor cooking, store them in your cooler until you're ready to use.  The potatoes baked in my 10 inch dutch oven for a total of 40 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the base of the oven and 20-22 on the lid.  After 30 minutes, sprinkle with cheese and let them cook for another 10 minutes.  A perfect brunch dish and an easy way to use up your leftover Easter ham, add sliced Kielbasa if you want to make it more of a filling one-pot dinner.

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
1 20 oz package Simply Potatoes Homestyle Slices
1 cup diced ham
1/2 cup chopped red OR green pepper
1 10 3/4 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven.
     In large bowl combine all ingredients, except Parmesan Cheese; stir well.
     Spread in prepared dutch oven.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until potatoes are bubbling around edges.
     Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
     Continue baking for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender and center is heated through.
     Makes 6 side servings.



Combine all ingredients except the Parmesan cheese
and gently spread in prepared oven

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes then sprinkle
with cheese and continue baking for 10 more minutes

Simple, creamy and the recipe can easily be doubled

Eye of Round Roast with Mustard Herb Crust

     Adapted from this Southern online recipe, this one pot dutch oven roasted meal will have you whistling Dixie when it's time to serve dinner.  The mustard topping creates a flavorful crust of tarragon, pepper and garlic.  Try to use fresh tarragon if you can find it, you'll smell the licorice scented herb steaming from your oven when you open the lid.  In my 12 inch dutch oven, the roast cooked for 1 hour with 12 coals in a ring around the base of the oven, 18 briquettes placed in a ring around the outside edge of the lid and 10 more spaced evenly in the center.  Be sure to let the roast sit for a good 15 or 20 minutes before carving to allow the juices to distribute throughout the meat.  Eye of the Round is a lean cut of meat but cooking it like this in your dutch oven makes it very juicy and tender and the flavors of the herbs and mustard really permeate the beef.  I made a 2.5 pound roast and it was on the well done side after an hour, shorten the cooking time if you like your beef a little more on the rare side. 

Eye of Round Roast with Mustard Herb Crust
1 3-4 pound Eye of Round roast
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1 Tblsp balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tblsp chopped fresh tarragon OR 1/2 tsp dried
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 large onion, peeled and cut into thin wedges
2-3 carrots, peeled and cut into large slices
10 small potatoes, unpeeled
1 Tblsp olive oil

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     In small bowl combine mustard, vinegar, garlic, tarragon and pepper.
     Scatter onion wedges in bottom of prepared oven.
     Place roast, fat side up, atop onions in center of dutch oven.
     Slather roast completely with mustard mixture, being sure to spread a thick coating on top.
     Toss carrots and potatoes with olive oil.
     Spread carrots and potatoes around roast.
     Roast at 400 degrees, 1 hour for a 3 pound roast, 1 hr and 15 minutes for a 4 pound roast.
     Allow beef to rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.

Slather beef well with mustard sauce and surround with vegetables

Depending on size of beef, roast at 400 degrees for 60-75 minutes

A moist and flavorful roast and the vegetables take
on the flavor as well
 

Garden Patch Minestrone

 

     This Garden Patch Minestrone comes to us from Betty Crocker and is conveniently made with a box of Hamburger Helper.  A very good camping recipe, chop the vegetables at home, place them in zip lock bags then all you have to do is open a couple of cans and add the water when you're ready for dinner.  Be sure to light a generous amount of briquettes, not only will you need to saute the veggies over a full spread of coals, you'll need to cover the lid with enough to bring the soup to a good, strong bubble.  The Hamburger Helper creates a rich, beefy broth and with the fresh vegetables you'd never guess this filling minestrone was made with anything out of a package.

Garden Patch Minestrone
2 Tblsp olive oil
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced (1 cup)
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced (1 cup)
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped OR 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1-2 medium zucchini and/or yellow summer squash, cut in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4 inch pieces
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves OR 1 Tblsp dried
1 5.6 oz box Hamburger Helper beef pasta
1 15 oz can cannellini OR dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano, undrained
5 cups water

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     Saute oil, carrots, celery, onion and garlic over a full compliment of coals until vegetables are almost tender, about 10 minutes.
     Move bottom coals to a ring around base of dutch oven.
     Stir in zucchini, basil, uncooked pasta and sauce mix (from Hamburger Helper box), beans, tomatoes and water.
     Cover lid with as many coals as needed to bring soup to strong bubble.
     Simmer for 35-40 minutes or until vegetables are cooked the way you like them.
     Serve with grated Parmesan cheese; makes 6 servings.

Saute carrots, celery, onions and garlic over a full
compliment of coals

Add remainder of ingredients

Simmer for 35-40 minutes or until vegetables are tender

An easy Hamburger Helper camper's minestrone

Chocolate-Topped Peanut Butter-Bacon Bars

     Just when you thought you'd seen it all, Betty Crocker brings us the ultimate dessert for bacon junkies.  Easily made from a package of peanut butter cookie mix and crisply cooked bacon, these addictive bars are the perfect balance of sweet and salty ingredients and will remind you of a warm peanut butter and bacon sandwich. 
     In my 10 inch dutch oven, the bars baked for 25 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the base of the oven, 14 placed in a ring around the outside of the lid with 6 spaced evenly in the center.  Once the cookie batter layer is golden brown, remove the lid, sprinkle with the chocolate chips and continue baking until the chips are soft and spreadable.  I allowed them to cool in my dutch oven for 30 minutes before lifting them out with the parchment paper.  If you don't want to eat them while they're still warm and gooey, place them in the fridge until the chocolate has set before cutting into bars.  These are indescribably good and if you use maple flavored bacon they're even more flavorful and delicious.

Chocolate-Topped Bacon Peanut Butter Bars
1 17.5 oz pouch Betty Crocker peanut butter cookie mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 Tblsp maple-flavored syrup
1 egg
12 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled (about a cup)
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven; line with parchment paper.
     In large bowl, stir together cookie mix, oil, syrup and egg until soft dough forms.
     Reserve 1/4 cup bacon for garnish.
     Stir remaining bacon and peanuts into dough.
     Press dough evenly into parchment lined dutch oven.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
     Sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips.
     Replace lid and cook for 3-5 minutes or until chocolate has melted.
     Immediately spread softened chocolate over bars.
     Sprinkle reserved 1/4 cup bacon over chocolate.
     Cool for 30 minutes before lifting from dutch oven.
     Wait 30 minutes, or until chocolate has set, before cutting into squares.
     Store tightly covered in refrigerator.

Press cookie dough into parchment lined 10 inch dutch oven

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes, sprinkle with chocolate chips
and bake for several minutes more or until chocolate has melted

Spread melted chocolate then top with remaining bacon pieces

Nothing like a little protein to balance out the sugar