Dutch Oven Favorites

Dessert: Apple Dumplings

(collected from Scouting Magazine)

• 5 Granny Smith apples

• 2 large cans (10 per pkg) of large-size buttermilk biscuits

• 2 cups water

• 2 cups sugar

• 2 sticks butter

• cinnamon or apple pie spice

Core apples and peel them (if desired). Slice each apple into 8 pieces for a total of 40 slices.

Divide each biscuit into 2 pieces. Wrap apple slices with dough. Grease a 12-inch Dutch oven and place dumplings in oven. Heat water, sugar, and butter together in separate pot (do not bring to boil). Pour mixture over dumplings. Sprinkle cinnamon or pie spice over dumplings.

Put Dutch oven over 8 to 10 charcoal briquettes, and place 10 to 14 briquettes on top of oven. Check after 20 minutes. Dumplings are done when apples are soft and dough is brown.

Serves 10 to 15 Scouts or 20 leaders.

Side: Wild Rice Pilaf

(collected from USA WEEKEND Magazine)

• 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/2 cup chopped onion

• 1/2 cup chopped celery

• 2 1/2 cups non-fat, reduced-sodium chicken broth

• 1 cup uncooked wild rice

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Heat oil. Saute onion and celery until soft, about 5 minutes. Add broth and rice; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 50 to 60 minutes, until rice is tender and liquid absorbed. Add walnuts and cranberries. Toss; serve warm.

Serves 8.

Variations:

1. Use chopped almonds instead of walnuts.

2. Use chopped apple instead of cranberries.

Dinner: Crossover Chicken

• 6 to 8 chicken thighs or boneless breasts

• Italian style bread crumbs (brand name Bella's works well)

• milk

• butter

Place chicken in Zip lock bag and partially fill bag with milk to "wet" the chicken. In another Zip lock bag, pour in 1/2 to 1 cup of bread crumbs. Place a piece of the "wet" chicken in the bag full of bread crumbs and coat the chicken with bread crumbs. Repeat until all pieces of chicken have been coated with bread crumbs.

Line a dutch oven with foil. Place a small amount of water (1/2 cup) in the dutch oven. Place the chicken in the dutch oven. Put a slice of butter on each piece of chicken. Bake in dutch oven for 30 min to 45 min until done.

Dinner: Steak San Marco

• 2 lbs. stew meat, cut into serving pieces

• 1 envelope onion soup mix

• 1 large can peeled tomatoes

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 2 tablespoons wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon oregano

• garlic powder, to taste

• pepper, to taste

Arrange meat in a dutch oven, cover with onion soup mix and tomatoes. Sprinkle with oil, vinegar, oregano, garlic powder, and pepper. Simmer covered for 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender.

Serve with rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes.

Serves 4 to 6.

Dinner: Guadalupe Chili Pie

• 2 lbs. ground beef

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 green pepper, chopped

• 1 Tbsp. butter

• 1 regular can chili beans, mild

• 1 regular can corn

• 1 large can diced tomatoes

• chili powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper to taste

• 2 pkgs cornbread mix, plus ingredients listed on pkg (milk, egg)

Brown beef, onion, and green pepper in the butter in an open dutch oven; drain. Add beans, corn, tomatoes, and seasonings; mix the cornbread as directed and add to top of the meat and bean mixture. Place lid on oven and cook for 35 - 45 minutes, or until cornbread is done.

Serves 8.

Dinner: OWL Stew

(collected from Scouts-L)

In a 12" Dutch Oven, layer the following in the order given:

• 2 lbs. meat, cut into bite-sized cubes -- beef or lamb are especially good

• 1 lb. carrots, similarly cut up

• 1 lb. thin skinned potatoes, similarly cut up (skin and all)

• sliced onions

• one large can plus one small can of Cream-of-Anything soup, right out of the can, no extra liquid, do NOT stir in, just spread on top

Dig a small well in the center of all this assemblage and insert the contents of one small can of jellied cranberry sauce.

Cook for about an hour. The moisture in the veggies plus the soup makes a WONDERFUL gravy, and since you already cut everything up, no one has to balance a plate and a knife and fork -- bowls or big mugs and spoons are all you need. The cranberry jelly stays together and makes a nice hot tangy condiment.

Serves 8.

Side: Spinach Madeline

(submitted to The Scout's Outdoor Cookbook)

• 2 packages frozen chopped spinach

• 4 Tbsp. butter

• 2 Tbsp. flour

• 2 Tbsp. chopped onion

• 1/2 cup evaporated milk

• 1/2 cup vegetable liquor (reserved liquid from spinach)

• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

• 3/4 tsp. celery salt

• 3/4 tsp. garlic salt (to taste)

• 1 - 6 oz. roll jalapeno cheese (cut into small pieces)

• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

• Red pepper (to taste)

Cook spinach according to package directions. Drain and reserve liquor (if you are using the plastic pouches, substitute water in place of vegetable liquor). Melt butter in dutch oven over low heat, and add flour, stirring until blended and smooth, but not brown.

Add onion and cook until soft, but not brown. Add liquid slowly, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Cook until smooth and thick; continue stirring. Add seasonings and cheese (I mix the seasoning before I go camping and place in plastic bag). Stir until melted. Combine with cooked spinach.

This may be served immediately, or I would bake topped with buttered bread crumbs until it bubbles in the middle. The flavor is improved if it sits for a spell.

Serves 5 to 6, if doubled up to 12.