Tex Mex Creamy Chicken Casserole

     I found this little gem of a recipe on the Country Crock website.  It's cheesy, flavored with lots of corn and chilies and can be assembled in a matter of minutes.  In my 10 inch dutch oven, it baked for a total of 35 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the base of the oven with 18 on the lid.  Garnish with sour cream, more cilantro and even chopped scallions for a filling, one pot camper's gourmet dinner. 

Tex Mex Creamy Chicken Casserole
1/4 cup butter OR margarine, melted
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
1 14.75 oz can creamed corn
1 10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Ro-Tel)
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
3 Tblsp chopped fresh cilantro
8 corn tortillas

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven.
     Combine melted butter, chicken, corn, tomatoes, 3/4 cup cheese and cilantro in large bowl.
     Layer 4 tortillas in bottom of dutch oven, cut several of the tortillas in half if necessary to fit oven.
     Top with half of the chicken mixture.
     Repeat layer with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture.
     Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbling.
     Sprinkle with remaining cheese and continue baking for 5-10 minutes or until cheese has melted.
     Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
     Top with sour cream and more cilantro if desired.
     Makes 4-6 servings.

Layer corn tortillas and chicken mixture in well
oiled dutch oven

Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes then top with cheese

Bake for 5-10 more minutes or until cheese has melted

A new campground classic

Maple-Mustard Roasted Corn with Bacon

     To kick off the summer corn season, here's an easy way to roast and glaze corn on the cob in your dutch oven.  Adapted from a Country Living recipe, roast the corn under high heat until it's tender then toss it with a maple-Dijon glaze and crispy bacon.  In my 10 inch dutch oven, the corn roasted for 20 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the base of the oven and the lid completely covered with coals.  You can leave the corn whole if you like but it fits more easily into the oven when it's broken into pieces.  Not overpowering, the glaze adds a touch of sweetness and the bacon tastes like candy.  My taste testers overwhelmingly agreed that, although delicious, the recipe definitely needed more bacon.

Maple-Mustard Roasted Corn with Bacon
6 ears corn, husked and broken into thirds
1-2 Tblsp olive oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 Tblsp Dijon mustard
6 slices bacon, cooked, drained and finely chopped

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     Toss corn with olive oil in dutch oven until well coated.
     Roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until tender.
     In small bowl, combine maple syrup and mustard.
     When corn is done, add bacon and syrup-mustard mixture.
     Toss until well combined and serve.

Toss corn with a little olive oil until well coated

Roast for 20 minutes then stir in remaining ingredients

Salty, sweet and a little tangy

Roasted Corn on the Cob with Cilantro Lime Butter

     With Memorial Day right around the corner, it's that time of year again for a dutch oven corn on the cob recipe.  This Roasted Corn on the Cob with Cilantro Lime Butter roasts the corn while also steaming it in the flavored butter.  The cayenne gives it a touch of heat and the combination of fresh cilantro and lime seeps between the kernels promising you a burst of flavor with every bite.
      You'll need to use smaller ears of corn to fit in your dutch oven.  Only four wrapped ears fit in my 10 inch oven, use your 12 inch, or even better, a deep oven for the full amount of corn.  Of course doubling or tripling the recipe in a large dutch oven will feed a crowd, plan on two ears per person because everyone will be wanting seconds.  In my 10 inch dutch oven they roasted for 30 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom and 22 on the lid.  Wrap the foil tightly as some of the butter will seep out.  Trust me, the cobs will be picked clean because nobody will want to miss a drop of this yummy corn.

Roasted Corn on the Cob with Cilantro Lime Butter
6 ears corn, shucked
Cilantro Lime Butter
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 lime, zested and juiced
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     Using rubber spatula, in medium bowl, mix butter, cilantro, lime zest, lime juice, salt and cayenne.
     Coat each ear of corn in 1-2 Tblsp cilantro lime butter.
     Wrap each ear individually in foil. 
     Place in dutch oven.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Slather corn with cilantro lime butter before wrapping
tightly in foil

Roast at 350 degrees for 30 minutes

Crisp tender corn on the cob, dripping with flavor

Pan Seared Corn on the Cob

      Today we honor the men and women who have so bravely served our country, who have given their lives in action fighting for our freedom.  It is also the official kick off of outdoor cooking and summer barbecue season.  This recipe for Pan Seared Corn on the Cob from Parent's Magazine is a very unique and unusual way of preparing it and a method I thought could be easily applied to your dutch oven.  This was my first corn on the cob of the year, although not locally grown, still very sweet and delicious.  At our favorite farm stand they recommend cooking corn for no more than 3 minutes in boiling water.  By sauteing the corn briefly in a hot pan it comes out crisp tender with all the flavor locked into every bite.  In my 12 inch dutch oven, I sauteed the ears in olive oil over a full spread of freshly lit, blazing hot coals.  The corn sizzled when it hit the oil, at first I thought it was going to start to pop.  After it starts to brown, stir in the butter and garlic then add the water and vinegar.  Cover your dutch oven immediately after adding the water (no coals needed on the lid), you want the steam to finish off cooking the corn.  What is left behind is a browned butter, garlicky sauce with a hint of sweetness.  If you don't feel like lighting the coals for such a quick recipe, give it a try in your cast iron skillet or covered saucepan.  Once you taste this you'll never go back to overcooked, mushy, boiled corn again.  One other point, be sure to use ears of corn that will rest on the bottom of your dutch oven and I think you could easily double the recipe if you're feeding a crowd.  If you want to simplify this method of cooking corn, just brown it in a little olive oil, add water, cover then steam for 5 minutes or until tender.

Pan Seared Corn on the Cob
3 Tblsp water
1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar
1 Tblsp olive oil
4 ears shucked corn, sized to fit in your dutch oven
1 Tblsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tblsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

     Combine water and vinegar in a small bowl; set aside.
     Heat olive oil in dutch oven over a full compliment of freshly lit coals.
     Add corn and cook, turning occasionally, until browned in spots, 5-7 minutes.
     Add butter and garlic, stirring constantly until fragrant but garlic is not browned, about 30 seconds.
     Carefully pour in water and vinegar mixture (it will bubble vigorously).
     Immediately cover, and cook, gently shaking the dutch oven, until the corn is crisp-tender, about 3-5 minutes.
     Remove from heat, sprinkle corn with parsley, salt and pepper, turning to coat.
     Serve with garlic and parsley sauce spooned over each cob.

Lightly brown corn in olive oil over high heat

Add butter and garlic, cook stirring, for 30 seconds

Add water mixture then cover right away and steam for 3-5 minutes

Crisp tender with all the flavor sealed in

Mayberry's Mexican Potato and Corn Casserole

     It would be hard to find a potluck or dutch oven gathering that did not include some form of a cheesy, layered potato dish on the table.  There are many great potato recipes out there made for dutch oven cooking.  They make the perfect side dish for just about anything and can easily and cheaply feed a crowd.  I ran across this Mexican Potato and Corn Casserole in my copy of Aunt Bee's Mayberry Cookbook.  Not only did I have all the ingredients on hand but I thought the corn and chilies added a new twist. Slice the potatoes as thinly as you can to help them cook faster.  Make them in your 10 inch dutch oven with 10 coals around the base and cover the lid, with 20-24 more.  Once I put the potatoes on the coals I left them alone for 50 minutes then sprinkled on the cheese and scallions.  At camp or at home, this could become your new standby potato recipe, it's pretty darned delicious.  And as Aunt Bee would say, "Don't be late for suppa!".

Mayberry's Mexican Potato and Corn Casserole
2 lb. potatoes (4 or 5 large potatoes), peeled & sliced
Salt & pepper to taste
4 ears fresh corn, cut off the cob or 2 c. frozen or canned corn
1 (4 oz.) can green chilies, chopped
2 Tbsp butter
2 cups buttermilk
2 Tbsp chopped chives or scallions
2 cups grated Monteray Jack and or Cheddar cheese

     Lightly oil or spray a 10 inch dutch oven.
     Arrange half of the potato slices in the oven.  Season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with half of the corn and half of the chilies.  Dot with butter.  Repeat the layers.  Pour the buttermilk over all. 
     Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Top with cheese and scallions or chives and cover.  Cook 5-10 more minutes or until cheese has melted.  Serves 8.

Layers of potatoes, chilies, corn and butter

After 50 minutes, potatoes tender and ready for cheese topping

Cover and cook for 5 more minutes to melt the cheese

Bound to be a big hit wherever you serve this

Baked Corn on the Cob

    Today, not only do we honor our fallen heroes but officially celebrate the beginning of summer.  Like hamburgers on the grill, corn on the cob is a staple at cookouts all over the country. What could symbolize the warm, lazy days of summer better than a salty ear of corn sitting in a pool of butter on a paper plate?  While thumbing through a 1984 copy of "1001 Recipes From your Favorite Hometown Newspaper"  I came across a recipe for 'Corn Baked in the Husks'.  Basically it calls for removing the silk from corn, tying and soaking the husks then baking for 25-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  The more I researched baking corn this way the more I found comments from cooks who once having tried this method swore they would never go back to boiling corn again.  I got to thinking how easy this would be to do in a dutch oven.  I tried it today and was blown away by how amazingly good it was, I felt like I was eating corn for the very first time.  The sweet kernels were tender and crisp, the color a brilliant yellow and the flavor intense.  I was only able to fit 4 ears in my 12 inch shallow oven, next time I will try stacking a few more in my deeper one.  Soaking the corn keeps the husks from burning and adds moisture to the cooking process.  However, I have found recipes where this step is eliminated and you bake the corn as is with the same results.  I turned my Camp Chef trivet over in the bottom of the oven, just to make sure the ears were slightly elevated.  When the corn is ready just peel back the husks and silk, roll it in butter and enjoy one of the greatest pleasures of summer living.

Baked Corn on the Cob

     Lightly spray or oil a 12 inch or larger dutch oven.
     While you are waiting for the coals to light soak corn, husks and all, in cool water.
     Place a trivet in the bottom of your oven.
     Place corn side by side on trivet or stack in opposite rows in a deeper oven.
     Cook for 35-40 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom and as many as will fit on the lid.

Soak corn while waiting for coals to light, place side by side on trivet

After 40 minutes in a hot oven

Unveiling an ear or corn baked to perfection and loaded with flavor