Pigs-in-a-Blanket Bake

      Pillsbury brings us this easy and very fun to make breakfast casserole.  It's a perfect camping breakfast, especially when you're feeding a gaggle of hungry children.  It's the kind of recipe that kids will love to make as well as eat.  I don't see why you can't put the pancakes in your cooler and let them thaw completely overnight.  Using pre-cooked crumbled breakfast sausage would also be good in place of the smoked links.
     I assembled the casserole, then lit my coals which gave the pancakes time to soak up the liquid.  In my 12 inch dutch oven the casserole baked for 55 minutes with 12 coals in a ring around the bottom, 18 around the outside of the lid with 10 spaced evenly in the center.  After 40 minutes I sprinkled on the cheese and gave it 15 more minutes to bake.  When you get a whiff of pancakes coming from your dutch oven, it's probably done. 
     I can't begin to tell you how good this is, you get a forkful of moist, fluffy pancakes, smoky sausage, maple syrup and melted cheese in every bite.  A great way to eat a pancake breakfast without the griddle but I must warn you, it's so filling you might have to take a nap afterwards.

Pigs-in-a-Blanket Bake
2 16 oz boxes frozen buttermilk pancakes
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 14 oz package cocktail-sized smoked link sausages, chopped
1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Maple syrup

     Lightly oil or spray 12 inch dutch oven.
     Remove pancakes from boxes; unwrap and carefully separate.
     Set aside to partially thaw.
     In large bowl, beat eggs and half and half with whisk.
     Coarsely chop pancakes.
     Add pancake pieces and chopped sausage to egg mixture; toss to coat.
     Let stand 5 minutes.
     Pour mixture into prepared dutch oven.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
     Sprinkle with cheese, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes more or until edges are set and light golden brown.
     Let stand for 10 minutes.
     Cut into squares; serve with maple syrup.
     Makes 8-10 servings.

Allow casserole to sit while coals are lighting

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes then sprinkle with cheese

Bake for 10-15 minutes more or until cheese has melted

A one-pot pancake breakfast that feeds a crowd

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
 

Campfire S'Mores Bread Pudding

      With Mother's Day coming up this weekend, I had high hopes of posting a winning baked french toast recipe today for you to make for breakfast on Sunday morning.  I have no idea why but the recipe I followed turned into a complete disaster, there was nothing salvageable about it, even the crows wouldn't touch what I threw into the woods.  The lovely little slices of bread, laced with almond flavoring, turned into lumps of dried out, puffy, flattened souffles. One of these days, I'm going to post all of my dutch oven cooking disasters for you, so you can have a good laugh (and there are too many to count). 
     Thankfully I bought the ingredients for this Campfire S'Mores Bread Pudding from Better Homes and Gardens.  It is by far, a much superior recipe and if you make this for your Mom she will love you to pieces for it and it is bound to make her day feel special.  The original recipe calls for crisping the hot dog bun pieces in a 325 degree oven for 7 minutes.  I cut them up a few hours before making the pudding and just left them, uncovered on the counter to dry.  They were the perfect consistency.  You can probably substitute any thick chunks of day old bread you have on hand but the hot dog buns are soft, soak up the custard well and you don't have any thick crust to contend with.
     If you're camping, you may want to line your oven with parchment paper otherwise you'll end up pouring boiling water in your oven afterwards to melt the hardened sugar.  In my 10 inch dutch oven, this fabulous pudding baked with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom, 15 coals in a ring around the outside of the lid and 4 spaced evenly in the center.  In 30 minutes it was cooked completely through and ready for a final topping of mini-marshmallows.  The fudge topping is really easy to make, just make sure you keep stirring it over low heat until everything has melted.  If you want to simplify things, finish it off with your favorite, good quality, ready made fudge topping.
    I really don't think I can eat for a week after polishing off two warm slices of this luscious dessert.  It's one of the best bread puddings I've ever had, very moist and soft in the middle, loaded with melted chocolate and finished off with everybody's favorite camping treat, s'mores.  I hope you all have a very Happy Mother's Day!
  
Campfire S'Mores Bread Pudding
4 hot dog buns, cut in 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
4 eggs
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup miniature marshmallows
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
5 graham crackers, coarsely crushed (about 1/2 cup)
2 Tblsp milk

     Prepare hot dog pieces by leaving uncovered for several hours to dry and crisp or by baking in 325 degree oven for 7 minutes.
     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven; line with parchment paper for easier cleanup.
     In medium bowl lightly beat eggs.
     Stir in sweetened condensed milk, 3/4 cup milk, vanilla and nutmeg; set aside.
     Place bun pieces in prepared dutch oven.
     Sprinkle with 1/2 cup each of the marshmallows and chocolate chips.
     Evenly pour milk mixture over all.
     Let stand 5 minutes.
     Sprinkle with crushed graham crackers.
     Bake at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
     Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the remaining marshmallows.
     Bake 5 minutes more or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
     In small saucepan heat and whisk remaining 1/4 cup of marshmallows, remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips and 2 Tblsp milk over low heat until melted and smooth.
     Drizzle over bread pudding.
     Cool 20 minutes before serving.
     Serve warm, makes 9 servings.

Hockey puck french toast even the crows wouldn't touch

Now for the good stuff, pour egg mixture over hot dog buns,
chips and marshmallows then sprinkle with
graham cracker crumbs

Bake at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes before adding marshmallows

Drizzle with fudge sauce

Let cool for 20 minutes before diving in

For easier clean up line your dutch oven with parchment paper

Breakfast Bread Pudding

     I had a loaf of Cinnamon Swirl Brioche from our local bakery in the freezer and thought it would taste wonderfully in this Breakfast Bread Pudding from Motts.  As far as bread puddings go, this one is relatively low in fat and the addition of applesauce keeps it moist, with the added flavor of apple you'll never miss the butter.  I cut 4 thick slices of bread into 16 pieces, it was just enough to make in my 10 inch oven.  After sprinkling with the oatmeal topping this baked for 25-30 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom and 18 on the lid.  After 20 minutes I moved the center coals to the outside.  I wanted the pudding to be thoroughly cooked in the center without being overly browned.  Serve it warm with a drizzling of maple syrup.  This is when dutch oven cooking really thrills the senses, stepping out into the backyard on a crisp winter's morning and being struck with the smell of cinnamon steaming from your oven will not only put a smile on your face all day but make you feel happy to be alive.

Breakfast Bread Pudding
1 cup apple sauce
1 cup 2% lowfat milk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 thick slices cinnamon raisin bread, cut into cubes (about 4 cups)
Streusel Topping
2/3 cup quick-cooking oats
3 Tblsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven.
     Stir topping ingredients together; set aside.
     Combine apple sauce, milk, eggs and brown sugar in medium bowl; whisk until well combined.
     Gently stir in bread cubes until well moistened.
     Pour mixture into prepared dutch oven.
     Sprinkle with Streusel Topping.
     Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
     Serve warm.  Makes 4-6 servings.

Mix bread cubes with wet ingredients and spread in 10 inch dutch oven

Sprinkle with oatmeal topping

Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees or until tester comes out clean

Like the best cinnamon French toast with a crunchy topping