Roasted Apple, Vegetable and Kielbasa Bake

      I stumbled across this recipe online and was immediately drawn to it's ease of preparation plus any time you roast vegetables in your dutch oven they are bound to be good.  I scaled back the amount of vegetables from the original recipe but you can easily add more if you like, just try not to pile them too deep in your oven or they will steam rather than roast and caramelize.  In my 12 inch dutch oven they baked for a total of 40 minutes with 12 coals in a ring around the base of the oven and the lid completely covered with briquettes.  Add a handful of dried cranberries to dress it up for your holiday table. 

Roasted Apple, Vegetable and Kielbasa Bake
2 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 red onion, sliced into chunks
1-2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into chunks
1-2 Gala apples, peeled and cut into chunks
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch slices
1 lb Kielbasa, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
2 Tblsp olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

     Lightly oil or spray 12 inch or larger dutch oven.
     Combine apples, veggies and Kielbasa in oven.
     Add olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
     Bake at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes, stirring halfway, until lightly browned and tender.
     Makes 4 servings.

Toss vegetables and Kielbasa with oil and spices in dutch oven

Roast at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes, stirring halfway

The smoky flavor is so good, I could almost eat the
whole pot in one sitting

Potatoes Wrapped in Bacon

     I was thinking of this recipe today while I was swimming, it's terrible, I know, to be obsessing about food while you're trying to burn off calories but since anything tastes good wrapped in bacon, I thought, why not potatoes?  I searched the Internet and found that various versions of this recipe have been around for a while now.  If you only have large potatoes you can cut them into wedges, wrap them tightly with bacon and basically cook them the same way.  In my 10 inch dutch oven, they baked for 55 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the base of the oven and the lid completely covered with briquettes.  I started with a blazing hot oven and left it undisturbed for almost an hour, when I smelled the bacon I knew they were done.  Double or triple the recipe if you're feeding a crowd.   Crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, serve these dressed potatoes for breakfast, as an appetizer or as a side dish with dinner, I guarantee they will fly off the plate.

Potatoes Wrapped in Bacon
12 New or fingerling potatoes, washed and dried thoroughly
6 slices of bacon
Salt and pepper to taste

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     Cut bacon strips in half.
     Wrap each potato tightly with halved bacon strip.
     Place wrapped potatoes side by side in dutch oven.
     Add salt and pepper to taste.
     Bake at 400 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until bacon is crisp and potatoes are tender.
     Serve warm with sour cream, chives or softened butter.

Wrap potatoes with bacon and place in a single layer
in dutch oven.

Roast at 400 degrees for 50-55 minutes

Serve these crispy spuds with your favorite toppings

Grands Green Bean Casserole

     I was looking for something different to make for Thanksgiving this year and thought I'd test this Green Bean Casserole from Pillsbury in my dutch oven before serving it to my family.  In my 12 inch dutch oven, the casserole baked for a total of 40 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the base of the oven and 28 on the lid.  The biscuits baked for 10 minutes before I spooned on the bean mixture.  After 25 more minutes the casserole was hot, bubbly and ready for the final coating of onions.
     I pre-cooked the frozen green beans in my microwave but you could also use 4 15 oz cans of your favorite green beans, drained, right out of the can.  Use your more traditional green bean casserole recipe if you like but do try it sometime on the biscuits, it's a good combination and a fun way to dress up an everyday side dish.
                                                                                                                                         
Grands Green Bean Casserole
24 oz frozen cut green beans, cooked and drained
1 16 oz can Pillsbury Grands Flaky Layers refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1 18 oz can Progresso Vegetable Classics creamy mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups French's fried onions, divided
Salt and pepper to taste

     Lightly oil or spray 12 inch dutch oven.
     Separate each biscuit into 3 layers.
     Press biscuit layers in bottom and up sides of dutch oven.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until set.
     Meanwhile, in large bowl, mix green beans, mushroom soup, 2/3 cup fried onions, salt and pepper.
     Spoon over biscuits.
     Bake 25-30 minutes or until mixture is hot and bubbly.
     Sprinkle with remaining fried onions.
     Bake 5 minutes more or until onions are golden brown.
     Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
     Makes 8 servings.

Cover bottom and sides of dutch oven with biscuit segments

Bake biscuits at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until
set before adding bean mixture

Bake for 25-30 minutes before adding final topping
of fried onions

Like an upside down veggie pot pie

Summer Stuffed Peppers

     There is something about stuffed peppers made in a dutch oven that is beyond compare.  Baked and braised, these 'broasted' bundles come out tender, juicy and loaded with flavor.  Nothing too fancy and very easy to prepare, this classic recipe from Mr. Food tastes like it came right out of your grandmother's kitchen.  In my 10 inch deep oven the peppers cooked for a total of 50 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom, 14 placed around the outside of the lid with 6 briquettes placed evenly in the center.  Halfway through cooking time baste them with the remaining tomato sauce or finish them off with a topping of your favorite shredded cheese right before you take them off the coals.

Summer Stuffed Peppers
1 29 oz can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 lb ground beef
1 cup uncooked instant rice (Minute Rice)
1 small onion, chopped
6 bell peppers, washed, tops removed and seeded

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     In a medium bowl, combine tomato sauce, water, garlic powder, salt and pepper; mix well.
     Remove 1 cup of mixture to a large bowl and add to it ground beef, rice and onion; mix well.
     Stuff each bell pepper with an equal amount of the meat mixture.
     Place 2 cups tomato sauce in prepared dutch oven, place peppers upright in sauce.
     Spoon half of remaining sauce over peppers.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes, spooning remaining sauce over peppers halfway through cooking time.

Spoon 2 cups of sauce into dutch oven before adding peppers

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes, spoon remaining
sauce over peppers halfway through cooking time

A vintage recipe that never goes out of style

Mediterranean Chicken Casserole

     I'm posting this basic but good casserole from Campbell's because it's an easy camping recipe and makes just the right amount for your 8 inch dutch oven.  It's one of those mix it all in one bowl and pour in your oven to bake recipes.  If you dined on this casserole under the stars, as is, it would pass as a tasty and filling dinner. If you want to elevate it to greatness and give it some oomph think about adding chopped roasted red bell pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, canned artichoke hearts, black olives, pine nuts and even some feta cheese.  In my 8 inch dutch oven it baked for 35 minutes with 8 coals in a ring around the bottom and 12 on the lid.  After 30 minutes, or when the orzo is tender, give it a stir, add the final topping of cheese and let it bake until the cheese has melted.  It's a warm and creamy casserole that comes together in a jiffy and if you're a vegetarian, leave out the chicken and load up on more vegetables. 

Mediterranean Chicken Casserole
1 10 3/4 oz can condensed cream of celery soup
1 cup water
1/2 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1/4 tsp ground black OR lemon pepper
1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
2/3 cup uncooked orzo pasta
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     In medium bowl, combine soup, water, oregano, pepper, spinach, chicken and pasta.
     Pour into prepared dutch oven.
     Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until orzo is tender and mixture is hot and bubbling.
     Sprinkle with cheese.
     Cook for 3-5 minutes more or until cheese has melted.
     Makes 2-4 servings.

Stir everything together except cheese and pour
 into your 8 inch dutch oven

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes then
sprinkle with cheese

Bake for 5 more minutes or until cheese has melted

Top with crumbled feta to give it some zing

Roasted Winter Vegetables with Dried Cranberries

     The beauty of this roasted vegetable recipe from Ocean Spray is that, except for the stuffing, it rolls all of your side dishes into one.  I would suggest making it in your 12 inch or larger dutch oven so you can roast the vegetables in a single layer.  If you make it in your smaller oven, be sure to stir it a couple of times while cooking.  I cooked them in my 12 inch dutch oven for a total of 40 minutes with 12 coals in a ring around the bottom and 28-30 on the lid.  There's nothing like the flavor of vegetables roasted in your dutch oven, not only easy to make but they are a great accompaniment to your turkey or main course.

Roasted Winter Vegetables with Dried Cranberries
2 Tblsp olive oil
1 1/2 pounds medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
1 cup baby carrots
1 cup small whole frozen onions OR 1 medium onion cut into wedges
1 pound small red potatoes, cut into quarters
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary OR 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 cup dried cranberries

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     Combine vegetables, rosemary, salt and pepper in a large bowl, tossing to mix.
     Place vegetable in prepared dutch oven and drizzle with olive oil, stir to coat.
     Bake at 400 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork.
     Stir halfway through cooking time.
     Add dried cranberries and mix well.
     Makes 6-8 servings.

Toss vegetables with olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper
and place in single layer in dutch oven

Roast at 400 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until tender, add
cranberries right before serving

Roasted Summer Vegetables with Goat Cheese

     For a light and easy dinner or lunch, give this Roasted Summer Vegetables with Goat Cheese salad a try.  From Williams Sonoma, your dutch oven serves as the perfect vessel for roasting the vegetables and keeping your kitchen cool in the summer heat.  In my 10 inch dutch oven the vegetables roasted for a total of 35 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the base of the oven and the lid completely covered with 24 briquettes.  The crispy lettuce combined with the warm vegetables and creamy goat cheese creates a culinary match made in heaven and is a great way to use up your bumper crop of garden vegetables.

Roasted Summer Vegetables with Goat Cheese
4 Tblsp olive oil, divided
1 lb red or orange bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 red onion, cut into slices
1 lb slender eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 lb zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
3 Tblsp sherry OR red wine vinegar, divided
1 romaine lettuce head, separated into leaves
4 oz fresh goat cheese, crumbled

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     Pour 2 Tblsp olive oil into prepared oven.
     Add the bell peppers, onion, eggplant and zucchini.
     Sprinkle with garlic, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper.
     Stir until well combined.
     Roast at 400 degrees, stirring halfway, for 35-40 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
     Drizzle vegetables with 1 Tblsp vinegar.
     In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 Tblsp olive oil and 2 Tblsp vinegar.
     Add the lettuce and toss to coat.
     Divide the lettuce among 4 plates, stacking the leaves slightly to make a bed for the vegetables.
     Spoon the warm vegetables evenly over the lettuce.
     Sprinkle 2 Tblsp goat cheese over each salad.
     Serve immediately, makes 4 servings.

Toss vegetables with olive oil, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper

Roast at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes

Tender summer veggies on crispy greens, a perfect combination

Pesto Mushroom Pizza

      In no time flat you can enjoy this hot and bubbling, presto Pesto Mushroom Pizza from Buitoni.  Unless you use a 14 inch dutch oven, you may have to shave a little off of the 12 inch crust for it to fit completely in your smaller oven.  In my 12 inch dutch oven it baked for 25 minutes with 12 coals in a ring around the base of the oven and 24 on the lid.  It's a good, lickity split camping recipe and with so few ingredients won't even take up much room in your cooler.

Pesto Mushroom Pizza
1 12 inch premade pizza crust (like Boboli)
1/2 cup jarred OR refrigerated pesto
8 oz white mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 cups (8 oz) mozzarella cheese, shredded

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven; line with parchment paper.
     If necessary, trim pizza crust slightly to fit in bottom of 12 inch dutch oven.
     Spread with pesto.
     Top with mushrooms and cheese.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until cheese has melted and is lightly brown.
     Makes 4 large slices.

Top premade crust with pesto, mushrooms and mozzarella

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes

Don't forget to pack a good sharp knife or pizza cutter

 

Tortellini Stew

      Adapted from a slow cooker recipe from Betty Crocker, what I liked about this Tortellini Stew is that you don't need to saute anything beforehand and none of the ingredients require refrigeration.  I would suggest lighting plenty of coals as you need to bring the liquid to a boil quickly before adding the tortellini.  In my 10 inch dutch oven I placed 12 coals in a ring around the bottom and covered the lid with 26-28 briquettes.  I prefer this more on the thick and filling side but if you like it more along the lines of a soup, add a little less pasta.  Make it even easier by chopping your vegetables before you leave home.  For a heartier dinner, toss in some sliced, pre-cooked Italian or chicken sausage with the tortellini.  An easy camping and pot luck recipe, be sure to bring the Parmesan cheese and a good crusty bread for mopping up the sauce. 

Tortellini Stew
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 medium zucchini, halved, cut into 1-inch slices
2 14 1/2 oz cans vegetable or chicken broth
1 28 oz can crushed or diced tomatoes, undrained
1 15.5 oz can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 Tblsp dried basil
8 to 12 oz (depending on how soupy you like it) uncooked, dry, cheese-filled tortellini (the kind that comes in a box on a shelf in your grocery store)

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     Combine onion, red pepper, zucchini, chicken broth, tomatoes, beans and spices in prepared dutch oven.
     Cover and cook with as many coals as needed to bring liquid to a strong simmer, about 15 minutes.
     Stir in dried tortellini, stir well.
     Simmer for 20-25 minutes until stew is bubbling and tortellini are tender.
     Makes 6-8 servings.

Stir all ingredients except tortellini in prepared dutch oven

Bring to a strong bubble then add dried tortellini

Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until pasta is tender

Like magic, a bowl of cheesy tortellini in under 45 minutes
 

Roasted Lemon-Garlic Artichokes

     I found this recipe on the Trader Joe's web site, piling packets of seasoned artichoke halves in a dutch oven seemed like an easy to make and even easier to clean up kind of outdoor recipe.  The artichokes take a bit of preparation but if you have all of your ingredients lined up and ready to go, they take no time at all.  You need to roast them in a hot oven, I placed 10 briquettes around the base of my 10 inch oven and completely covered the lid with coals.  In 50 minutes the strong scent of garlic and lemon told me they were done.  If you don't feel like packing your dutch oven, placing the foil packets around the edge of a hot campfire would also be a great way to cook them.  I served them with a mustard aioli dipping sauce but mayonnaise or melted butter would also be delicious.  Plan on one whole artichoke per person and don't forget to pack a sharp paring knife so you can easily clean out the centers. 

Roasted Lemon-Garlic Artichokes
3-4 artichokes (with stem still attached)
3-4 lemons, cut in half
6-8 cloves garlic, peeled
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Heavy duty aluminum foil, cut into large squares

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     Trim 1/2 inch off the top of each artichoke.
     Cut in half lengthwise being mindful of the spines.
     Using a sharp paring knife, cut out the non-edible purple leaves and hairy fibers in the center, forming a pocket.
     Working in batches, place artichoke half on piece of foil.
     Squeeze half a lemon over the outside and inside of each artichoke.
     Place one or two garlic cloves in the center pocket.
     Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
     Tightly wrap each artichoke half in foil pieces.
     Arrange in dutch oven.
     Bake at 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes.
     Once cool enough to handle, remove from foil and serve.

Top artichoke half with garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and
seasonings before wrapping in foil

Roast artichokes at 400 degrees for 50 minutes

Fun finger food and a tasty first course

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

Garden Patch Minestrone

 

     This Garden Patch Minestrone comes to us from Betty Crocker and is conveniently made with a box of Hamburger Helper.  A very good camping recipe, chop the vegetables at home, place them in zip lock bags then all you have to do is open a couple of cans and add the water when you're ready for dinner.  Be sure to light a generous amount of briquettes, not only will you need to saute the veggies over a full spread of coals, you'll need to cover the lid with enough to bring the soup to a good, strong bubble.  The Hamburger Helper creates a rich, beefy broth and with the fresh vegetables you'd never guess this filling minestrone was made with anything out of a package.

Garden Patch Minestrone
2 Tblsp olive oil
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced (1 cup)
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced (1 cup)
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped OR 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1-2 medium zucchini and/or yellow summer squash, cut in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4 inch pieces
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves OR 1 Tblsp dried
1 5.6 oz box Hamburger Helper beef pasta
1 15 oz can cannellini OR dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano, undrained
5 cups water

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     Saute oil, carrots, celery, onion and garlic over a full compliment of coals until vegetables are almost tender, about 10 minutes.
     Move bottom coals to a ring around base of dutch oven.
     Stir in zucchini, basil, uncooked pasta and sauce mix (from Hamburger Helper box), beans, tomatoes and water.
     Cover lid with as many coals as needed to bring soup to strong bubble.
     Simmer for 35-40 minutes or until vegetables are cooked the way you like them.
     Serve with grated Parmesan cheese; makes 6 servings.

Saute carrots, celery, onions and garlic over a full
compliment of coals

Add remainder of ingredients

Simmer for 35-40 minutes or until vegetables are tender

An easy Hamburger Helper camper's minestrone