Cheddar Chive Biscuits

     While the chives are still growing in my garden I thought I'd make these Chive Cheddar Biscuits from Williams Sonoma.  These soft, tangy biscuits have a hint of onion and the sharp flavor of cheddar.  Perfect as an accompaniment to soups and chilies, these savory biscuits also make wonderful mini ham and mustard sandwiches.  Nestle them close together in your 10 inch oven and bake them for 25 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom and 22-24 on the lid.  Brush with a little melted butter before baking to help them brown and be sure to eat them while they're warm.  These peppery nuggets are melt in your mouth delicious.

Chive Cheddar Biscuits
2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tblsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
8 Tblsp (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tblsp melted butter

     Lightly oil or spray a 10 inch dutch oven.
     In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper.  Add the cold butter and, using a pastry blender or your fingertips, mix the flour and butter together until small, coarse crumbs form.
     Stir in the cheese and chives.
     Add the buttermilk and stir until batter is well mixed.
     Drop by large spoonfuls into dutch oven, placing biscuits close together.
     Brush the tops of the biscuits with the melted butter.
     Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown.
     Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.  Makes 12 biscuits.

Stir chives and cheddar into biscuit dough

Drop by spoonfuls into 10 inch oven

Bake for 25 minutes under high heat

Serve with butter or sliced ham and spicy mustard

Saucy Meatloaf

      Here's another quick and easy recipe from ConAgra Foods which uses a can of Manwich Sloppy Joe sauce to make a moist and tangy meatloaf.  The sauce is not only baked into the loaf but topped with it as well.  I baked this in my 10 inch oven with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom and 18 on the lid, after 20 minutes I removed a few of the coals from the middle and let it finish cooking with one ring around the lid.  Add chunks of carrots or quartered potatoes to finish off this one pot, zesty dinner.

Saucy Meatloaf
1 can (15.5 oz each) Manwich Original Sloppy Joe Sauce, divided
1 egg
1 cup fresh bread crumbs (1 cup equals about 2 slices)
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1-1/2 pounds ground round beef

     Lightly oil or spray a 10 or 12 inch dutch oven.
     Set aside 3/4 cup Sloppy Joe sauce.
     Mix remaining Sloppy Joe sauce, egg, bread crumbs, onion, salt and pepper in large bowl until well blended.
     Add beef; mix until just combined.
     Mound mixture in bottom of dutch oven and shape into loaf, pressing firmly together and flattening top.
     Spoon reserved Sloppy Joe sauce over top of meat mixture.
     Surround with quartered potatoes if desired.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Form meatloaf, surround with potatoes and cover with sauce

Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees

Let this fluffy meatloaf rest for 10 minutes before serving

  

4-H Fair Oatmeal Bread

     I had such high hopes when I came across this recipe, after all what could possibly go wrong with this tried and true, 4-H, baking 101 recipe?  I followed the instructions to the letter.  My heart skipped a beat as I watched the yeast bubble to life in the warm water.  I let my Kitchen Aid do all the work, kneading away as I added the full five cups of flour.  The dough looked wonderfully smooth and elastic, I knew I was on the right track.  After an hour the dough had doubled in size, I punched it down and gently placed it in my 12 inch deep oven.  The anticipation of a perfectly baked, golden loaf was almost too much to bear.  I know enough now not to lift the lid too early.  After 25 minutes, as I was doing the dishes, disaster struck.  The aroma of burning bread wafting through the kitchen window hit me like a ton of bricks.  Horrors!  I dashed out to check the oven, lifted the lid only to find the mother of all oatmeal breads, more than doubled in size and singed to the lid.  My heart sank then laughed as I flipped my monster loaf out of the oven to cool.  Another lesson learned the hard way.  My mistake was in not dividing the dough and baking two loaves seperately.  On to Plan B.
     My second attempt at baking this bread was a lot more succesful.  It was a warm and muggy day which meant I needed about 5 and a half cups of flour to get the dough to the smooth and elastic stage.  I divided it in half and baked one loaf in my 12 inch deep oven and the other in my 12 inch regular oven.  I started with 10 coals in a ring around both ovens with 20 on the lid of the regular one and 24 on the lid of the deeper model.  I checked the loaves after 30 minutes and decided at the rate my coals were burning they needed one final shot of heat.  I added 8-10 coals in a ring on both oven lids which browned them off beautifully.  The total cooking time for both loaves was 45 minutes.  This is a great first time recipe for a beginning baker.  Mix the dough, knead for 10 minutes, let it rise for an hour and bake.  The honey brings a touch of sweetness to this substantial bread, soft on the inside and chewy on the outside, tuck this time tested bread away in your recipe box.  Oh, and it makes really great toast.  From Heartland; The Best of the Old and the New from Midwest Kitchens by Marcia Adams.

4-H Fair Oatmeal Bread
2 cups boiling water
1 cup quick-cooking oats
2 packages active dry yeast
1/3 cup lukewarm water
1 Tblsp salt
1/2 cup honey
2 Tblsp butter or margarine, melted
4-5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 egg beaten with 2 Tblsp water

     In a large mixer bowl, pour the boiling water over the oats and let the mixture rest until the oats are completely softened, about 30 minutes. 
     In a small bowl, combine the yeast with the water and allow to stand 10 minutes. 
     To the oat mixture, add the salt, honey, and melted butter or margarine; combine, then stir in the yeast. 
     Gradually add enough flour to make the dough kneadable.  Knead for 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed.  The dough should be elastic, soft and smooth.
     Place the dough in a large oiled bowl, turning to coat the surface.  Cover with a damp towel and place in a warm place to rise for about an hour. 
     Lightly oil or spray 12 inch dutch ovens.
     After the dough has doubled in bulk, punch it down and divide into 2 parts.  Shape into loaves and place into dutch ovens.
     There is no need for further rising.  Brush the loaves with the egg wash and sprinkle with additional oats on top.  Bake for about 50 minutes at 325 degrees or until golden brown.  Tip bread out onto a wire rack to cool. 

First attempt, a giant loaf with a blackened crust

On the second try, two smaller loaves

After 45 minutes in the 12 inch deep oven, crust browned more evenly

In the 12 inch regular oven

A sweet, hearty bread with a soft crumb and chewy crust

Lemon Blackberry Crisp

      What makes this Lemon Blackberry Crisp from Southern Living 1998 Annual Recipes especially good is the addition of the vanilla wafer crumbs, they make the topping extra crispy and crunchy.  The blackberries bake into a juicy but not overly sweet, syrupy base.  If you can't find or don't want to spend the money on fresh blackberries, the frozen ones work just as well, do not thaw them before baking.  You could also substitute canned, drained peaches or your favorite pie filling.  I baked the crisp in my 10 inch oven with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom and 20 on top, in under 30 minutes it was golden and bubbly.  Let it sit for 15 minutes before serving to allow the berries to thicken.  Add a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream to top off this warm and inviting dessert.    

Lemon Blackberry Crisp
5 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tblsp cornstarch
3 Tblsp fresh lemon juice
25 vanilla wafers, crushed
1/2 cup uncooked oats
1/2 cup firm packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

     Lightly oil or spray a 10 inch dutch oven.
     Place blackberries in bottom of prepared oven.  Sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar.  Stir together cornstarch and lemon juice, stir into berries.
     Combine vanilla wafer crumbs, oats, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon.  Stir in butter until crumbly.  Sprinkle over berries.
     Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until berries have cooked and topping is lightly browned.
     Serve with ice cream or whipped cream if desired.  Serves 4-6.

Mix berries with sugar, cornstarch and lemon in oven then sprinkle on topping

Bake for 25-30 minutes at 400 degrees or until brown and bubbly

Crispy, buttery topping adorns sweet blackberries 

Hot Dog Bundles

      For those of you who are having cookouts and family gatherings this weekend this recipe for Hot Dog Bundles from Mr. Food is a really good and easy way to serve franks and beans to a crowd.  They're more along the lines of a hot dog sloppy joe, although the beans would be delicious on their own, it's kind of fun to serve them together on a bun.  Sprinkle them with cheese and you've got a stick to your ribs filling meal.  I made this in my 10 inch oven with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom and 18 on the lid.  Bring them to a simmer and let them bubble away for 30 minutes.  Let the beans sit a while once you take them off the coals so they can soak up all the sweet and tangy juices.  Add more hot dogs if you want to boost the meat to bean ratio, nothing too fancy but a tasty way to kick your standard franks and beans up a notch.

Hot Dog Bundles
1 pound hot dogs, cut into 1-inch slices
2 (16-ounce) cans vegetarian baked beans
1 small onion, minced
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup chili sauce
1 Tblsp cider vinegar
1 tsp prepared yellow mustard
6 hot dog rolls, split

     Lightly oil or spray your dutch oven.
     Combine all ingredients in dutch oven; stir well.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
     Spoon into hot dog buns and serve.

Stir everything together in your dutch oven

Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees

Let sit for 15 minutes before serving so the beans can absorb the juices

Serve on a hot dog bun and top with cheese

Chocolate Sour Cream Cake

     With the exception of an occasional bundt cake I can honestly say until I started dutch oven cooking I had never baked a cake from scratch.  For some reason I always thought it was too much trouble and far too complicated for my culinary skills.  Also, I just didn't have the patience to mix and measure all the ingredients.  I know now it couldn't be farther from the truth.  If you can make a cake from a mix you can easily make one from scratch, it's just a matter of keeping a well stocked pantry and having all the ingredients on hand.
      Take this Chocolate Sour Cream Cake from Hershey's for example, this is a made for outdoor cooking recipe.  You can mix all the dry ingredients together in a zip lock bag, dump them into a bowl, mix in a carton of sour cream, two eggs, a bit of vanilla and you have the makings of a rich and delicious chocolate cake.  The batter is very thick, almost like a brownie batter or thick chocolate frosting, you'll need to spread it in the bottom of your oven.  Bake it in your 12 inch dutch oven with 12 coals around the base and 22 on the lid.  Mine was done in 40 minutes, give it a peek after 25 minutes to make sure it's baking evenly.  You may have to shift some coals to or from the center of the lid. 
     You definitely need to double the frosting recipe if you want to completely cover the sides of the cake, you'll be glad you did because your family will be fighting over who is going to lick the spoon.  The frosting is divine, airy, easy to spread and loaded with chocolate.  If you don't have the time to whip up a batch of frosting, use the canned variety.  Whatever you do, you must try this cake, even if it's in your conventional oven.  It's steeped in chocolate and decadently moist but the best part of all, easy enough for a beginner and forgiving enough to make in your dutch oven.  Of all the desserts I've made so far, this one undoubtedly takes the cake, it's the blue ribbon winner.

Chocolate Sour Cream Cake
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 16 oz. container dairy sour cream (regular or low fat)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

     Lightly oil or spray a 12 inch dutch oven.  Line with parchment paper.
     Stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in large mixing bowl.
     Add butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer for 3 minutes.
     Pour into prepared dutch oven.
     Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. 
     Let sit in dutch oven for 15 minutes before removing.
     Cool completely before frosting.

Fudge Frosting
3 Tblsp butter or margarine
1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1-1/3 cups powdered sugar
2 to 3 Tblsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

     Melt butter in small saucepan over low heat.
     Add cocoa; cook, stirring constantly, just until mixture begins to boil.
     Pour mixture into medium bowl; cool completely.
     Add powdered sugar alternately with milk to cocoa mixture, beating to spreading consistency.
     Stir in vanilla. Makes about 1 cup frosting.



Spread  thick batter in bottom of 12 inch dutch oven

Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees

Fluffy, rich frosting is easy to spread

One of the best chocolate cakes ever

Chicken Old Ladies on a Bus

     I loved the story behind this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens America's Hometown Favorites.  Supposedly someone wrote it down and passed it on after hearing two elderly women discussing the recipe in the back of a bus.  Just goes to show you, it's always good to keep your eyes and ears open, you never know when you might pick up a good recipe in your travels.  Needless to say, it's one of those stir it together, pour over the chicken and bake recipes.  I doubled the marmalade and barbecue sauce because I cooked a larger amount of chicken.  In my 12 inch oven it was ready in 50 minutes with 12 briquettes in a circle around the bottom and 22 on top.  It's another sweet, tangy, finger lickin' good recipe and a breeze to make in your dutch oven. 

Chicken Old Ladies on a Bus
2 pounds meaty chicken pieces
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1/3 cup bottled barbecue sauce
2 Tblsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tblsp lemon juice (juice of one lemon)

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     Arrange chicken in bottom of oven.
     In small bowl combine marmalade, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice; pour over chicken.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until chicken has browned and is completely cooked through.

Combine ingredients and pour over chicken

Bake for 50 minutes at 350 degrees

Juicy chicken baked with a tangy, orange glaze