Jettie Mae's Panhandler Spaghetti

      I have always wanted to make this Panhandler Spaghetti brought to us from one of my favorite outdoor cooks, Phyllis Speer.  If you have a few minutes check out the 'Cooking on the Wild Side' videos from the PBS affiliate AETN.  Leave it to the state of Arkansas to not only make the dutch oven the official state cooking vessel but to also have an outdoor cooking show on public television. 
     This is a very good camping, all in one pot, meaty pasta casserole that kids will love.  The original recipe calls for 4 bouillon cubes, I only added 2 because I was watching the amount of salt.  In my 10 inch deep oven, the spaghetti cooked for a total of 45 minutes with 10 coals around the base of the oven and 22 on the lid.  After 20 minutes, give it a stir, the spaghetti needs to be totally submerged in the sauce to cook properly.  Also, after you sauté the beef and vegetables over a full compliment of coals, remove the center briquettes from the base of the oven to prevent your sauce from burning.

Jettie Mae's Panhandler Spaghetti
1 lb lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 15.25 oz can whole kernel corn, undrained
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 4 oz can mushrooms, undrained
2 beef bouillon cubes
10 oz uncooked spaghetti (about 2/3 of a 1 lb package)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 8 oz package grated Cheddar cheese, divided
2 Tblsp cooking oil
Salt and pepper to taste

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     Over a full compliment of coals, brown beef in cooking oil.
     Add onions and peppers and cook until softened.
     Move bottom coals to a ring around base of the oven.
     Add corn, tomatoes, mushrooms, bouillon cubes, Italian seasoning, one cup of cheese and salt and pepper.
     Stir until well combined.
     Break spaghetti into fourths and add to tomato mixture.
     Mix well until most of the spaghetti is submerged in the liquid.
     Bake at 350 degrees, stirring halfway, for 35-40 minutes or until pasta is tender.
     Sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese.
     Bake for 5-10 more minutes or until cheese has melted.
     Makes 6-8 servings.

Brown beef with onion and green pepper

Add remaining ingredients and mix well

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, stirring halfway, or
until pasta is tender

Sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese and continue
cooking until cheese has melted

Kids will wolf this down

Cherry Coffee Cake

     I love canned cherry pie filling and if given the chance, will devour it by spoonfuls right out of the can.  Washington's Birthday was just the excuse I needed to make this very tasty Land O'Lakes Cherry Coffee Cake in my dutch oven.  Kind of an old fashioned coffee cake that pairs perfectly with a steaming cup of coffee, crunchy on the top and light and airy in the middle.  In my 12 inch dutch oven the cake baked for 45 minutes with 12 coals in a ring around the base of the oven, 18 placed in a ring around the outside of the lid with 10 spaced evenly in the center.  Drop large spoonfuls of batter on top of the cherry filling then carefully spread with a knife.  For something different, substitute the cherry flavor with any 21 oz can of your favorite pie filling.

Cherry Coffee Cake
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling
Topping
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons Land O Lakes® Butter

     Lightly oil or spray 12 inch dutch oven, line with parchment paper.
     Combine 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup butter in large bowl.
     Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy.
     Add sour cream, eggs and vanilla; continue beating until well mixed.
     Add 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; beat at low speed until well mixed.
     Spread half of batter into prepared oven.
     Spoon cherry pie filling over batter.
     Spoon remaining batter over pie filling; spread carefully.
     For topping, stir together 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, pecans and cinnamon in bowl.
     Cut in 3 tablespoons butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
     Sprinkle crumb mixture over batter.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until tester comes out clean and topping is dark golden brown.

Layer pie filling between layers of batter then
sprinkle with topping

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes

A buttery, classic coffee cake

Chocolate Cherry Bars

     Celebrate Valentine's Day with these incredibly easy and delicious Chocolate Cherry Bars from Pillsbury.  More like a cake, these light and airy bars are made with only 4 ingredients.  If you're camping and don't want to go to the trouble of making the icing from scratch use the canned variety, just wait until the cake has cooled before lifting from your oven and frosting.
     If you follow the original recipe, once your cake is done remove it from the coals.  When you make the frosting, boil it for exactly one minute, add the chocolate and when the chocolate has melted and the icing is smooth, immediately pour it over your warm cake. As the icing cools it will be more difficult to spread.
     In my 12 inch dutch oven, the cake baked for 35 minutes with 12 coals in a ring around the base of the oven and 28 spaced evenly on the lid.  Be sure to let the bars cool completely before cutting and sharing with your favorite Valentine.  Have a sweet Valentine's Day!

Chocolate Cherry Bars
Cake Bars
1 15.25 oz package Pillsbury Moist Supreme Devil's Food Cake Mix
1 21 oz can cherry pie filling
1 tsp almond OR vanilla extract
3 eggs, beaten
Frosting
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
5 tblsp margarine OR butter
1 6 oz package semisweet chocolate chips

     Lightly oil or spray 12 inch dutch oven; line with parchment paper.
     In large bowl, combine all cake bar ingredients; stir until well blended.
     Pour into prepared dutch oven.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until tester comes out clean.
     In small saucepan, combine sugar, milk and butter.
     Bring to a boil.
     Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.
     Remove from heat; stir in chocolate chips until smooth.
     Immediately pour frosting over warm bars.
     Cool in dutch oven for 1 1/2 hours or until completely cool.
     Cut into bars.

Pour thick batter into prepared 12 inch dutch oven

Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees

Pour hot frosting over warm cake

Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars