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Sunday, August 27, 2017

Cabela's Demonstrations

Yesterday I had the opportunity to demonstrate my passion of Dutch Oven Cooking at the Cabela's in Farmington.... We chose to demonstrate breads in the Dutch Oven as we often hear - bread is too hard....

Here is proof that it is not.

Zucchini Bread 



This time of year, who doesn't have a ton of Zucchini coming out of their gardens???

1 C Sugar
3 C Sifted Flour
1 C Brown Sugar
1 tsp Salt
3 beaten eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 C vegetable oil
3 tsp Cinnamon
2 C Shredded Zucchini
1/4 tsp baking powder
3 tsp vanilla

Combine Sugars, oil, eggs; beat until well blended. Add zucchini and vanilla. Sift and measure flour and other dry ingredients. Pour into greased 10" Dutch Oven, bake for 1 hour, at 350 degree. (5 coals on the bottom, 15 on the top).

Banana Bread

1 1/2 C Sugar
2 eggs
1 C Sour Milk (1 C milk 1 TBSP Vinegar)
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Tsp baking powder
1/2 C Butter
1 C Mashed bananas (2 or 3 bananas)
2 1/2 C Flour
1 Tsp baking soda

Cream together the sugar and butter. Add eggs and the rest of the ingredients. Pour into greased 10" Dutch Oven, bake for 1 hour, at 350 degree. (5 coals on the bottom, 15 on the top).


Philly Cheesesteak

Dough:
5-6 C flour
3 Tbsp sugar
2 C Water
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 Tbsp yeast
1/4 C Oil

Combine 2 C flour, sugar, salt, & yeast in a large bowl. Heat water and oil until very warm (120-130 degrees). Add to flour mixture. stir in an additional 2 1/2-3 C of flour until mixture forms a ball. Knead in an additional 1/2 to 1 C flour until dough is smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, cover and let rise until double (about 1 hour). Punch down. Roll out on a floured surface, into a rectangle.

Filling:
2 thinly sliced green peppers
1 thinly sliced yellow onion
1 C thinly sliced mushrooms (optional)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb Deli Sliced Roast beef
1 lb sliced Provolone cheese

In a 12” Dutch Oven heat 2 Tbsp. Olive oil, sauté onion, pepper, and mushrooms till tender. 
Down the center of the rectangle of dough; place a layer of roast beef, a layer of cheese on the meat, sprinkle with onion, pepper, and mushrooms.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper. 

Cut the 2 outside columns in to 1” strips, beginning with the top fold the top center down slightly, do the same with the bottom and alternately fold strips over one another from top to bottom tucking the ends under. Place in a lightly greased oval DO. Cover Dutch oven and let rise for 15 minutes.
Brush top with egg wash and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese

Place in Oval Dutch Oven. Allow to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes, or till golden. (9 coals on the bottom 19 coals on the top).

Option: Serve with Au Jus.



Very easy recipes with great rewards. Give them a try. 
Keep cookin' 
Cyndi




Varsity Big Event - Recipes

Varsity Big Event -



over the past 2 years we have had the opportunity to be apart of this great Scouting activity... 3 days of demonstrations, ending with a Scout cook off.....Here are some of the dishes we've prepared were: 

Biscuits & Gravy with Biscuit Bread 
Biscuits & Gravy
1 pound of breakfast sausage, hot or mild
1/3 C All-purpose flour
3 to 4 cups Milk (more to taste)
½ teaspoon seasoned salt
2 teaspoons black pepper

Biscuits (see recipe below)

Brown the sausage in a 12” Dutch Oven over a high heat until no longer pink. Reduce your heat to a medium low. Sprinkle the flour over the meat, stir this so that it soaks up the grease. Stir this for a few minutes, then add the milk.  Stir this constantly as the gravy will start to thicken, sprinkle the salt and pepper and continue to cook until thick. – If it gets too thick – add a little more milk to thin it out. 
Spoon the gravy over warm biscuits.

Biscuit Bread

Credit:
Roger Heilmann
Wipe the inside of a do with some oil. Then lightly dust the sides and bottom with an all-purpose seasoning (like Mrs. Dash). Open a roll of refrigerator biscuits (the cheap ones work the best), and lay it in the Dutch oven on its side (like a roll of coins). Add another roll until you fill the outer ring. Don't overfill or they will be undercooked and doughy. Then fill the next ring the same way. I oiled an empty can and put it in the middle to help them cook all the way through, Then I turn them out onto a plate, much like a Bundt cake, and brush margarine or butter on the outside.  


I hope on your next camping trip you take the opportunity to try something new in your Dutch Oven. 

Keep cookin' 
Momma Boyer




















Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Varsity Big Event - Dutch Oven Demos

I had this written over a year ago, I never hit post.....
Here you go.

This past week, I had the opportunity to demonstrate the many, versatile, uses for the Dutch Oven, for 2000+ boy scouts and their leaders.  

We covered Dutch Oven Basics.... Starting with:
History of Dutch Ovens
 A Dutch oven, as we know it today, has been around for about 300 years. The Dutch Oven as it is known was once called the black pot or cooking cauldron. Early reference to the black pot came to be found in the Old Testament. Columbus actually brought the black cooking pots with him when he was coming to America. In 1620 the pilgrims cook with them hanging from the beams of the ships. The fires were built in sand pits and used on calm sailing days. This was easier than trying to use stationery pots that would slosh around with the movement of the waves. A Dutch oven is merely a cooking pot with a tight fitting lid and is usually made of cast iron, but is also made of enamel, clay, ceramic, and aluminum.

 Why, is the Dutch oven, called a “Dutch oven?

Until the start of the 18th century, iron was cast in baked loam or clay soil. This made for a rough surface and the mold generally broke while being removed. One casting was about all they got from the mold. For many years, foundries were more advanced in the Holland area, the ovens that the Dutch made had a smoother surface than those that the Europeans produced. Their secret was to use dry sand as the molds for the ovens, hence, the “Dutch oven” name remains to this day. The early pots were very thick walled and heavy. As people migrated to the New Colonies of the America, they brought the trade with them. In 1704, Abraham Darby traveled to Holland to inspect the foundries. From this trip, the sand molds were perfected, in 1708; he received a patent on the process and soon after began to produce large quantities of cast iron in the furnace at Coalbrookdale. By the mid-18th century, these pots were being shipped to the Americas.
American Dutch ovens changed over time during the colonial era. These changes included a shallower pot, legs to hold the oven above the coals, and a lid flange to keep the coals on the lid and out of the food. Small foundries could be found in most of the colonies after that. Most pots back them were identified by the round mark (a sprue) found where the iron entered the mold. Generally this was on the bottom. The gate or sprue as it was called left a protrusion on the pot or kettle but it made no difference on the hearth pots. Soon as the cooking ranges came to be, it became necessary to build one with a flat bottom for cooking on top of the stove or in the oven of the coal or wood stove. Paul Revere is credited with the design of the flat lid with a ridge for holding coals as well as the addition of legs to the pots.
Two major foundries made Hollow ware, cast iron in the 18th century. Griswald of Erie, Penn. and Wagner of Sidney, Ohio, both became household names and remain well know today, even though Griswald is out of business. Griswald remained the cast iron business until 1953. The Griswald and Wagner trademarks were sold to General Housewares. The trademarks were dropped and General Housewares continues to manufacture cast iron pots today.
Colonists and settlers valued cast-iron cookware because of its versatility and durability. Cooks used them to boil, bake, stew, fry, and roast. The ovens were so valuable that wills in the 18th and 19th centuries frequently spelled out the desired inheritor. For example, Mary Ball Washington (mother of President George Washington) specified in her will, dated 20 May 1788, that one-half of her "iron kitchen furniture" should go to her grandson, Fielding Lewis, and the other half to Betty Carter, a granddaughter. This bequest included several Dutch ovens. Some were called dinner pots, Gypsy pots, Bean pots, Stew pots, and Stock pots.
                Westward bound settlers took Dutch ovens with them. A Dutch oven was among the gear Lewis and Clark carried when they explored the great American Northwest in 1804–1806. Mormon pioneers who settled the American West also took along their Dutch ovens. In fact, a statue raised to honor the Mormon handcart companies who entered Utah’s Salt Lake Valley in the 1850s proudly displays a Dutch oven hanging from the front of the handcart.
The Dutch oven is also the official state cooking pot of Texas, Utah and Arkansas.
Mountain men exploring the great American frontier used Dutch ovens into the late 19th century. Chuck wagons, accompanying western cattle drives, also carried Dutch ovens from the mid-19th century into the early 20th century. 

Seasoning & Care

All New Dutch Ovens have a protective wax coating to prevent rust while shipping. Remove paper label, place Dutch Oven on heat (BBQ) to burn off the wax. This will remove protective coating. 

Lightly grease inside and out. Suggested oils are vegetable, solid Crisco, bacon grease, or lard because they offer a low burning point. You do not want the oil to pool anywhere while you are seasoning your oven, so be sure to turn bottom side up. 

Put your Dutch Oven upside down. Put the lid on the top of the legs. Place Dutch Oven in BBQ on Medium Heat until it turns black and burns the oil into the Dutch Oven.  You’ll want the heat around 500 to 550 degrees to burn the oil in. You will notice that sometime during this process smoke will come out of the BBQ for about 20 minutes or so. This is normal. Remember, you are burning oil into the pan. That is what creates the nice black look that you want. Your Dutch Oven will be extremely hot!!! After one hour, just turn off your BBQ and let the Dutch Oven cool by itself. This will take some time. Your oven should be a nice black color.

If the pans are not as black as you like, just redo the process on a little higher heat on your BBQ. Remember, you want your Dutch Ovens black not brown.....brown means that you need to season at a higher heat. 

Acid foods such as tomato sauce might remove some seasoning, just lightly oil after use, and place upside down in you BBQ for 30 min. to re-season. After use, Dutch ovens are typically cleaned like other cookware:  with hot water and soap. (There are many that will tell you do not put them in soap and water, however, read on….) After the oven has been towel dried, heat your oven to remove all humidity (not long just till all signs of moisture is gone), then it should be given a thin coating of cooking oil to prevent rusting.

Whether that should be a vegetable oil, Crisco, bacon grease, or lard it is hotly contested, that Saturated fats are more stable than polyunsaturated fats, which tend to go rancid more quickly.

Where possible, a cleaned and freshly oiled Dutch oven should be stored in a clean, dry location with the lid ajar or off to promote air circulation and to avoid the smell and taste of rancid oil. If the Dutch oven must be stored with the lid on, a paper towel or piece of newspaper should be placed inside the oven to absorb any moisture.

With care, after much use the surfaces of the Dutch oven will become dark black, very smooth, shiny and non-stick. With proper care, a Dutch oven will provide long service.

We then covered how to restore a Rusty Dutch Oven....

Rusty Ovens

What a great opportunity to share what I love with these young men. What was even better was to see them in action, at the cook off. 

Great teamwork and sportsmanship. 
Thank you to the Great Salt Lake Council for the invitation, we look forward to next year.  




Friday, July 10, 2015

Dutch Oven Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast

Dutch Oven Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast

Last month we headed down to Bryce Canyon in Southern Utah for the National Dutch Oven Gathering, they had a little contest for breakfast one morning. The topic was "Breakfast Bread" - not wanting to make cinnamon rolls or the likes - this is what I came up with.....

Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast

Toss

1 loaf of French bread cut into cubes
2 pkgs. cream cheese cut into cubes
1 C blueberries
       together in a 12" Dutch Oven (or 9x13 pan)

Mix

12 lg. eggs
2 C Milk
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/3 C Maple syrup
       together and pour over the top and refrigerate overnight
Next morning place 9 coals on the bottom and 18 coals on the top and bake till golden brown...about an hour.

Topping

1 C sugar
2 tbsp. corn starch
1 C water,
bring to a boil, stir consistently for 3-4 minutes, mix in 1 C blueberries, reduce heat to a simmer for 10 minutes until the blueberries burst. Stir in 1 table spoon of butter and pour over the baked French toast.


...- it was nice to prep part of it, the evening before, so all I had to do was add briquettes and make the syrup, and breakfast was ready.

This was a nice breakfast in a beautiful canyon, with some amazing people!

Have fun Cookin'
Cyndi

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Goulash

As a child, when it came to dinner, my mom had a knack of making a feast, from very little. This came from wondering each week, where the paycheck would come from and if there would be enough for the bills and groceries.

We always had a garden and when space did not allow, we were always welcome to Grandma's surplus, from her 1/2 acre garden. Tomatoes were always in abundance. I remember Mom making homemade Ketchup/Catsup/Katchup.... (however you spell it (Blech) it was not my favorite), she bottled salsa, whole tomatoes, and my favorite, was always....Stewed tomatoes.

Comfort food, is food I remember mom making, that no matter what I was doing, I'd change plans to be home for this. This dish is so very simple and very cost effective, great for those on a budget, and healthy (sorta).

Goulash

1 lb Ground beef
1 box of Mac & Cheese
1 Quart of Stewed Tomatoes 

Brown & Drain the Ground beef (I rinse my now to remove the grease) and return it to the pan. Boil & Drain the macaroni and add to the ground beef. Add the tomatoes and the cheese packet from the Mac & Cheese and stir until the cheese lumps are smooth.... You could use the Velveeta kind too just stir till creamy.

Sorry I don't have a pictures, It never lasts long enough to take one.

If you don't have home canned stewed tomatoes you can always use store bought ones, you'll just need 32 oz ish.... you can add more, if you like them.... this is a very forgiving recipe. We like to top ours with shredded Colby Jack cheese.

Super simple and very tasty!
Have fun cookin'
Cyndi


Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Sirloin


I have been pondering for quite some time as to the future of this blog. This has been a great resource for my friends and family to get recipes for outdoor cooking, or just cooking in general.
 
With starting this new Job, 3 years ago, my time has been consumed to the point that I have completely neglected my blog, to my followers I apologize, I will do my best and post new Ideas when I can. If you have suggestions or questions you would like addressed please let me know.
 
Last night I was inspired by the thin sliced steaks as I walked by the meat case at my local grocery store.

There were a couple of varieties, thin sliced rump, and sirloin.  Sirloin it is.
 
Note: Normally I purchase these thin slices when they make it to the discount bin, they make excellent jerky and I don’t have to cut them.

I have made a similar version of this before for a competition, and used a different stuffing, I like this one better, and it is much more simplistic.
 

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Sirloin


1 16 oz. package of bacon
1 package thin sliced sirloin steaks (my pkg. had 5)
2 C. wild rice
2 cans of beef broth
2 beef bouillon cubes
4 tbsp. butter – you can use olive oil if you’d like.
1 tsp. salt
½ C. water
Season or Salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare your rice, place Rice, broth, bouillon, butter, water, in a pan bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let sit.  –if doing in a Dutch Oven once boiling let it boil for a few and remove from the heat – the Cast Iron will keep it warm and cooking. – When I prepare this I was at home and I used my rice cooker – just dumped it all it and pushed “Cook”.

Once your Rice is done now it’s time to prepare the meat…. Place the bacon (I started with 3 pieces) in an x type shape. Place your steak in the center of the bacon. Season the steak with Salt and pepper – and hey if you like other seasoning – have at it…..

Place ¼ C of Wild Rice in the center of the steak and bring the corners of the steaks in to cover the rice. So now you have a steak ball, begin wrapping the bacon, to the center of the ball. Once you have all the bacon ends wrapped to the center – you should have a “bacon wrapped” steak ball.

Tip: I secured mine with a piece of spaghetti, it holds everything together like a toothpick and cooks as the food does and you don’t have to worry about finding the toothpick

 



 

I placed this in my skillet and browned them for a bit…. With the ends of the bacon down first to cook and seal them – Let them crisp up so they stay sealed.  Then I placed them in the oven at 350° for 30-40 minutes till they reached 165°.

 I served them with the rest of the wild rice and some fresh cucumbers for a tasty late night dinner.  If you were feeling ambitions you could make gravy with the pan drippings and poured over the rice and meat…. It didn’t need it. It was plenty juicy without.  



 These can be made in a Dutch Oven instead of a skillet and done over coals. Start with a 12” oven with 10-12 briquettes under it to sear the bacon. Once the meat is seared and browned, move the DO and place 8 coals on the bottom and 16 on top. Same time and temp.

 Have fun cookin’

Cyndi

 
Be creative and add a cube of cheese or some fresh herbs to the center….

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Chocolate Raspberry Danish Cake

Chocolate Raspberry Danish Cake



It seems like a lifetime since I have posted, my apologies.  
Over the past few months I have had the opportunity to dabble with the little black pots once again.  I had the opportunity of cooking for 330 youth and adults for 3 days, Let me tell you how crazy that was, my feet ached for weeks, and it took 2 weeks just to get everything put away. It was on this trip that I came up with this morsel of tastiness.  One of the gentlemen called to the committee owns his own Dutch Oven catering business. With my history of competitions we thought it would be fun for the last dinner... to have a dessert throw down.  He brought 3 of his desserts that he caters with, and I brought my Super Simple Apple Cobbler and I also did Blueberry Pull-a-parts but knowing I had to kick it up a notch I also made a spin on my Strawberry Danish Cake

This was also fueled by the fruitfulness my raspberry bushes this year. 



Chocolate Raspberry Danish Cake


Cake
1 Devil's food cake mix - made by the directions on the box. 
Baked in a 12" Dutch Oven 
8 coals on the bottom
16 coals on the top

Topping
1 - 16 oz. tub of cool whip                       1 - 8 oz. pkg. of cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar                             1 – 1 lb. Raspberries
1 package of Junket Danish Dessert (Raspberry flavor)

Directions
While the cake cools, make the Danish Dessert following the pie glaze directions on the back of the box.  Mix together 1/2 cup of powdered sugar with 1 -16 oz. of cool whip. Mix well. In a separate bowl mix 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and 1 - 8 oz. pkg. of cream cheese.  Mix well. Mix the cream cheese mixture and the cool whip mixture together in a large bowl. Spread cool whip/cream cheese mixture across the top of the cake. Mix the raspberries into the Danish Dessert then spread across the top.



Now if you are feeling adventurous you can make the cake from scratch. But when cooking for a crowd, the mix is the way to go.

To finish the story…. We each did 3 ovens full of each dessert… so if you are counting that is 18 ovens full of sweetness….You guessed it.... there was not a drop left.  The winner of the throw down?  Well you are looking at it. But dang,  it was some stiff competition – the Peach pineapple cobbler he made was fantastic! (I’ll have to see if he will share the recipe…..)

I also had the opportunity to take this on a camping trip this past weekend and not wanting to mess with missing cream cheese by hand – I mixed these together beforehand and stored them in the cooler till I made the cakes, and it worked beautifully. Again, not a drop leftover.

I hope you enjoy.
And as always, have fun cookin’
Cyndi

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