Impossibly Easy Barbeque Chicken Pie

     I had a couple of grilled chicken breasts and a half a bag of frozen corn in the fridge when I came across this recipe.  Not only was I attracted to the word 'easy' in the title but I thought it was a great way to use up the leftovers.  Besides, the thought of crispy fried onions slathered in barbeque sauce was just too hard to resist.  This is one of those Impossible Pies from Bisquick, you pour the batter over the top of the chicken and while it is baking it sinks to the bottom, forming a light and tasty crust for your pie.  Bake it in your 10 inch oven with 8 coals in a ring around the bottom and 16-18 on top, mine was ready in 25 minutes. This is good simple fare, nothing fancy but hearty, satisfying and the kids will love it.  From the Betty Crocker website.

Impossibly Easy Barbeque Chicken Pie
2-3 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup Original Bisquick mix
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
2 eggs
2-3 tablespoons barbecue sauce
3/4 cup French-fried onions (from 2.8-oz can)
 Additional barbecue sauce, heated, if desired

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven.
     Layer chicken, corn and 3 tablespoons of the parsley in oven.
     In medium bowl, stir Bisquick, milk, 1/4 cup barbeque sauce and eggs with wire whisk or fork until well blended.  Pour over chicken and corn.
     Bake 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Brush 2-3 tablespoons barbeque sauce over top of pie.  Sprinkle onions evenly over sauce.
     Bake 2 to 3 minutes longer or until onions are golden brown.  Sprinkle with remaining parsley.  Serve with additional barbecue sauce.  Serves 4-6.

Pour the batter over chicken and corn

Ready for a layer of barbeque sauce and onions

Takes only a few minutes to brown the onions

Kids of all ages will love this one

Cream Cheese Potato Soup

     The chives in my garden are in full bloom.  I was searching for a way to use them in a recipe, my mouth started to water when I came across this Cream Cheese Potato Soup at Food.com.  It supposedly resembles the Potato Soup served at Panera's.  Since I have never sampled their soup I can only tell you that this thick, rich, stick to your ribs version is one of the best soups I have ever tasted.  It is amazingly easy to make and something you could toss together at your campsite.  Cook the potatoes over a full compliment of coals with as many as you need on the lid to keep the broth bubbling.  When you add the cream cheese keep whisking until it has completely melted into the broth, it may take a few minutes.  Garnish this earthy soup with whatever you usually like to have on your baked potato, crumbled bacon, chopped scallions or even top it with a dollop of sour cream.  Be sure to give this a try and treat yourself to a bowl of this hearty, warming soup.

Cream Cheese Potato Soup
5-6 cups peeled and cubed potatoes
2 14.5 oz. cans chicken broth
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
salt to taste
1 8 oz. package of cream cheese, cut into chunks

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven.
     Combine broth, potatoes, onion and spices in oven.  Cover and cook potatoes for 20-25 minutes or until tender.
     Remove lid.  Mash potatoes in broth until smooth.  Add chunks of cream cheese.  Whisk over low heat until soup has thickened and cheese has melted.
     Garnish with chives, crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese and sour cream if desired. Serves 4-6.

Simmer broth, onions and potatoes

Use a potato masher to break up cubes of potato

Whisk in chunks of cream cheese

Soup smooth and creamy

Serve this hearty soup in a bread bowl

Feather Bed Potato Rolls

     I have a confession to make, yeast breads terrify me.  Quick breads not included, I can count on one hand how many times I have attempted to bake bread from scratch.  The science of baking is such a mystery to me, I am in awe of anyone who can turn out a great loaf of bread in a conventional oven, let alone a dutch oven.  I have tried baking bread in my dutch oven with disastrous results.  On my journey to become a better dutch oven cook I chalk these mishaps up to experience and figure every botched attempt presents an opportunity to learn something new.  My advice to anyone starting out with dutch oven cooking is to try your hand at baking first with store bought frozen bread dough. 


My first attempt at baking bread in a dutch oven


   Now you know why I was overjoyed to have made these incredibly light and scrumptious Feather Bed Potato Rolls.  They rose and baked beautifully and every step of the process went like clockwork.  If this recipe can come together so well for me then I am convinced almost anyone can make these delicious rolls.  One thing I might add is that I did use a thermometer to test the temperature of the water before adding the yeast and I used my Kitchen Aid mixer to do all the kneading.  It was a hot and humid day which required the full 3 and 3/4 cups of flour.  When I baked them in my 12 inch oven I started with 8 coals around the bottom and completely covered the lid.  Ten minutes later I removed the center coals from the lid and left them to bake with two rings around the outside.  They took 25 minutes to bake.  Once I was hit with the aroma of freshly baked bread I lifted the lid to take a peek as to how they were progressing.  If you are gun shy about working with yeast breads this is a great recipe to start with.  I guarantee you will fall in love with the flavor and texture of these rolls.  This recipe comes from Blue Ribbon Recipes by Polly Bannister and The Editors of The Old Farmer's Almanac. It can also be found at the Yankee Magazine website.

Feather Bed Potato Rolls
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1 package (1 tablespoon) dry yeast
1 egg
3-1/4 to 3-3/4 cups flour

     Boil the potato until tender.  Drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the cooking water.  Mash the potato and set aside.
     In a large bowl, combine the hot potato cooking water, sugar, butter, and salt.  Let stand until the butter is melted and the mixture is warm (105-115 degrees F).  Stir in the yeast and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.  Beat in the egg and potato by hand.  Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the flour as you can.  Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 3 to 5 minutes, adding enough flour to make a moderately soft dough.  Place in an oiled bowl, turning to coat all sides with oil.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
     Lightly oil and line a 12 or 14 inch dutch oven with parchment paper.
     Punch down the dough.  On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a 1/2 inch thickness and cut with a 3-inch round cutter.  Place the rounds 1/4 inch apart in dutch oven.  Cover oven and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 30 to 45 minutes.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from dutch oven and cool on a wire rack.   Makes 16-20 rolls.



Cut rolls into 3 inch rounds and place 1/4 inch apart in dutch oven

Wait 30-45 minutes or until rolls have doubled in size

After 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven

If I can make these anyone can

Light and flaky, this is a great recipe

Piedmont Roasted Peppers

    
      Years ago Delia Smith, a wonderful and talented British cook and author, had a cooking show on PBS.   This is one of her recipes that I used to make on a regular basis, especially in the summer when tomatoes are at their best.  I thought of this fabulous recipe the other day when I was roaming the aisles of the produce department and instantly became excited at the prospect of trying these delicious peppers in my dutch oven.  Peeling the tomatoes requires a bit of preparation but the skins slip right off after a quick dunking in boiling water.  The anchovies bake into the olive oil, leaving a subtle but salty flavor behind.  Don't try this with green peppers, you really need the sweetness of the red ones.  Three halved peppers barely fit into my 10 inch oven, to make the full recipe you will need a 12 inch dutch oven or larger.  They were ready in 50 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom and 20 or so on top.  Serve them as a first course or a side dish but whatever you do, be sure to have a good crusty bread on hand to mop up all those sweet, garlicky juices.  From "Summer Collection" by Delia Smith, you can also find the recipe on her website.       

Piedmont Roasted Peppers
4 large red bell peppers
4 medium-sized tomatoes
8 anchovy fillets
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup Italian extra-virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
Fresh basil for garnish

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     Cut peppers in half, remove seeds but leave stems intact (they help peppers keep their shape).  Lay pepper halves in bottom of oven. 
     Plunge tomatoes into boiling water for one minute.  Remove and peel skin from tomatoes under cold running water.  Cut tomatoes into quarters and place two quarters in each pepper half.
     Snip one anchovy fillet per pepper half into rough pieces and add to the tomatoes. 
     Peel the garlic cloves, slice them thinly, and divide the slices equally among the tomatoes and anchovies.
     Spoon some olive oil into each pepper half and sprinkle with pepper.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes to an hour. Garnish with fresh basil.

Peppers stuffed with tomatoes, anchovies and garlic

After 50 minutes in a hot oven

Don't waste a drop of those salty, sweet juices

Sauerkraut Chocolate Cake

      This Sauerkraut Chocolate Cake has been on my bucket list of recipes to try for a long time.  I love cabbage in any way, shape or form and it was only a matter of time before I could find a way to incorporate it into a dessert.  Nobody really knows the origins of this recipe, some say it came from a school cook in the sixties from the suburbs of Chicago who was looking for a way to use surplus supplies of sauerkraut.  Other people remember their Polish grandmothers making it for them when they were children.  However it got it's start, it was probably made on a whim by some frugal cook looking for a way to stretch his or her leftovers.  The beauty of this cake is that you can make it all in one bowl, no pre-sifting or combining dry ingredients required.  The end result is a moist, chocolaty cake with only a faint hint of cabbage.  It helps to chop the sauerkraut finely, the texture will remind you more of coconut than sauerkraut.  I baked it in my 12 inch dutch oven with 10 coals in a circle around the bottom and 18-20 on the lid.  Rotate it halfway through cooking time, mine was ready in 30 minutes.  I took the easy way out and used a canned frosting but you could use your favorite recipe or even dust it with a little powdered sugar.  Surprise your guests with this unusual cake and remember it's good for you so it's okay to go back for another slice.  From Heartland; The Best of the Old and the New from Midwest Kitchens by Marcia Adams.

Sauerkraut Chocolate Cake
1 14.5 oz. can sauerkraut, rinsed and well drained
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 cups flour
1 cup cold water
Chocolate Frosting
    
     Lightly oil a 12 inch dutch oven and line with parchment paper.
     Squeeze all the excess moisture from the sauerkraut with your hands.  Chop finely with a knife or food processor.  Set aside.
     In a large mixer bowl, beat the butter or margarine and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Add the vanilla, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; blend well.  Add the flour alternately with the water, beginning and ending with the flour. Gently mix in sauerkraut.
     Pour into prepared dutch oven.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cake springs back when you touch the center with your finger.  Cool and frost with your favorite frosting.

Thick, rich batter you mix in one bowl

Ready when center springs back to touch

Let cool

Add your favorite frosting

Your friends and family will never guess the secret ingredient

Orzo with Artichokes and Parmesan

    
     This lemony, cheesy recipe for Orzo With Artichokes and Parmesan from Southern Food is similar to a risotto but cooks in half the time and with a lot less stirring. You don't even have to pre-cook the pasta.  The orzo simmers in a buttery broth resulting in a creamy side dish that is the perfect accompaniment to almost any meal.  The velvety pasta is so filling you could even serve it as a vegetarian main course.  I made this in my 10 inch oven, sauteing the onion, mushrooms and garlic over a full compliment of coals.  Once I added the chicken broth and pasta I covered it with 8 or 10 coals on the lid, just enough to keep it at a low boil.  Keep an eye on it and give it a stir, it was ready in 15 minutes, you don't want it to dry out and stick to the bottom of your oven.  Easy and elegant, sprinkle with grated Parmesan and enjoy! 

Orzo with Artichokes and Parmesan
3 Tblsp butter
1-2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion or 4-6 thinly sliced scallions
1 clove chopped garlic
1 cup uncooked orzo
2 cups or 1 14.5 oz. can chicken broth
2 Tblsp lemon juice plus grated lemon zest if so desired
1 14.5 oz. can artichokes, drained and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

     Melt butter in 10 inch dutch oven over a full spread of coals.  Add mushrooms, garlic, and onion.  Cook over high heat, stirring, for 5-7 minutes until onions are soft and mushrooms are lightly browned.
     Add orzo, stir to blend.  Add chicken stock, lemon juice and seasoning.  Cover with enough coals on lid to keep at a steady simmer. 
     Cook for 10-15 minutes or until pasta has absorbed most of the broth.  Add artichokes and cheese.  Stir until cheese has melted and artichokes are heated through.  Serves 4.

Saute garlic, mushrooms and onion in butter

Add orzo and broth, cover and bring to a boil

Cook until most of liquid has been absorbed, stirring often

Top off with grated Parmesan

Enchilada-Zagna

      Be sure to put this creamy, rich enchilada lasagna from the Nestle company on your list of recipes to try, it is one of my favorite dutch oven meals.  It's quick, easy and if there are any leftovers it gets better the longer it sits in your refrigerator.  I used 3 cups of store bought rotisserie chicken.  You can use a spicier enchilada sauce if you want to raise the heat level.   Add black beans, roasted vegetables or even use ground beef in place of the chicken if you so desire.  One 19 oz can of Old El Paso Enchilada Sauce made plenty of sauce.  I used my 12 inch oven, overlapping 5 small corn tortillas for each layer.  It baked with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom and 18-20 on the lid.  Sprinkle a handful of extra cheese over the top before baking.  Let it rest a bit before serving so all those luscious sauces can soak into the tortillas. 

Enchilada-Zagna
2 to 3 cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into small pieces (about 3 cups), divided
1 can (28 oz.) or 2 cans (15 oz. each) mild red enchilada sauce
1 container (8 oz.) sour cream
1 can (12 fl. oz.) evaporated Milk
2 cups (8-oz. pkg.) shredded cheddar cheese plus more for topping
1 can (4 oz.) diced green chilies, undrained
1 pkg. (12 tortillas) 7-inch corn tortillas

     Lightly spray or oil a 12 inch dutch oven.
     Combine enchilada sauce and sour cream in medium bowl. 
     Combine evaporated milk, cheese, and chiles in medium saucepan or smaller dutch oven.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until cheese has melted and mixture is smooth.  Remove from heat.
     Spread 1 cup enchilada sauce mixture on bottom of oven.  Layer with 5 tortillas, 1 cup enchilada sauce mixture, 1 1/2 cups chicken, 1 cup cheese sauce; repeat layers one more time, starting with tortillas.  Top with remaining tortillas, enchilada sauce mixture and cheese sauce.  Finish with a handful of extra cheese.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until brown and bubbling.
     Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Sprinkle top with extra cheese before baking

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes

Let sit a while before serving

So good, you've got to try it