Sunday, August 17, 2008

Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler

We had this too at the camp out and it was quite tasty. My friend had all the ingredients in a bag and ready to go--the dry ingredients together, then butter and peaches each separately. It made it quite easy to throw together once at the camp site. I can imagine that I can make it in my Dutch oven, but place it in my oven at home at 350 degrees. This recipe is an adaptation from Byron's Dutch Oven Recipes.

Serves: 12

ingredients:
1 1/2 stick butter
3 cups flour
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/4 cups milk
4-5 cups sliced peaches
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

directions:
1. Melt butter in a 12" Dutch oven. (use 10-12 briquettes on bottom unless you are stacking your ovens--then use whatever is top heat for first oven, and put 16 to top of this cobbler)

2. In a separate bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; stir to mix. Add milk and beat until batter is smooth. Pour batter over melted butter--do not stir. Carefully add peaches over top of the batter--do not stir. Sprinkle cinnamon over top.

3. Cover and bake using 10-12 briquettes on bottom and 18-20 on top for 45-60 minutes rotating oven and lid 1/4 turn in opposite directions every 10 minutes until crust is golden brown.

4. Serve topped with whipped cream or with vanilla ice cream.
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Dutch Oven Teriyaki Chicken & Potatoes

Our ward had a camp out recently, and it was so much fun. A friend of mine and I decided to "dutch oven"-it together. I made the main course and she made the desert. Some while back, for one of our Relief Society Enrichment nights, we had a demonstration on Dutch Oven cooking...it was a fabulous demonstration and I was so inspired that I went out and bought a great pre-seasoned Dutch oven the very next day. I hadn't gotten a chance to use it until our ward camp out.

Cooking in a Dutch oven isn't very complicated, but you do need to have some instructions. I will provide those at the end of this recipe. The teriyaki chicken and potatoes were fabulous and I got GREAT compliments on the dish. I must say myself, that it was a grand success--especially as it was my 1st time dutch-oven-ing.

I imagine (and I'm going to attempt it) that you can prepare this for the crock pot as well. This recipe below cooks enough for 2 large families, so you may want to half the recipe for you sole family...or invite other over--maybe the missionaries--they have great appetites!!

ingredients:
10 boneless chicken breasts (or 16 breast cutlets)
Yoshida's Gourmet Sauce (you can buy this at Costco--and check your store too)
or
your favorite thick Teriyaki Sauce

8-10 potatoes, thinly sliced (peeled or unpeeled)
2 lbs bacon
1 large onion

directions:
1. Brown the bacon in a hot Dutch oven, or prior in your own skillet. Add diced onion (we minced our onion so as to not have big chunks of onion).

2. Brown chicken in hot Dutch oven, or prior in your skillet. It does not need to be cooked through as it will finish cooking in the Dutch oven.

3. With a little of the left over bacon grease, drizzle it on the bottom of the Dutch oven. Place a layer of chicken, top with Yoshida sauce (as much as you desire), potatoes, bacon and onions. Continue this layering.

4. Place lid on the dutch oven and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour on hot coals. You need to rotated
the dutch oven on the coals 1/4 turn every 15 minutes, and rotate the lid 1/4 turn every 15 minutes as well.

5. If you want, try making this in the crock-pot. I'm sure it will taste rather yummy as well.

*Heat your coals prior to placing the dutch oven on them. The best way to do this is to use a charcoal starter (see picture). We can Dutch-oven cook at home...we bought a large aluminum drip pan that you can buy at Wal-Mart or an Auto store. Place the coals right on it--area of course is hot, so use caution!!

*How many coals do I use so I don't burn the food, here's a great formula...and easy to figure out!

Plus Four – Minus Four Rule
Dutch Oven Size Minus four briquettes on bottom
Dutch Oven Size Plus four briquettes on top
12” oven – 8 (12-4) briquettes on bottom, 16 (12+4) briquettes on top
14” oven – 10 (14-4) briquettes on bottom, 18 (14+4) briquettes on top

*For more instructions on how to Dutch-oven cook, email me!

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Friday, August 8, 2008

Cheesy Chicken Manicotti

My sister recently passed this recipe along to me. We finally were able to try it and it was rather yummy! Thanks Marcie!

ingredients:
1 can cream of chicken soup (you can use 98% fat-free)
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 lb. (4 oz.) Velveeta Cheese (you can use Velveeta 2% for lower fat)
2 cups frozen broccoli florets (I used fresh)
12 manicotti pasta shells, uncooked
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut to 1/2-inch strips (cooked or uncooked)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400. Mix soup, water, and Velveeta in microwavable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 3 minutes or until Velveeta is melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 2 minutes.

2. Pour 1/3 of the soup mixture onto the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish; set aside. Add broccoli florets to the remaining soup mixture.

3. Stuff pasta shells with the chicken strips; placing in baking dish. Cover completely with remaining soup/broccoli mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil.

4. Bake 45-50 minutes or until pasta is tender and chicken is cooked through.

yield: 6 servings, 2 manicotti shells each.
prep time: 10 minutes
total time: 1 hour
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Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Country Salisbury Steak

I found this recipe a while ago and we've been enjoying it on occasion. As a kid, every now and then, we'd get TV Dinners. Did your family do that? Well, I always loved the Salisbury Steak. When I came across this recipe, I was excited to try it and we weren't let down. It is extremely quick to prepare and yummy! I found it in my Kraft Every Day Foods (free) magazine.

ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. extra lean ground beef
1 pkg. Stove Top stuffing mix for chicken
1 1/4 cups water, divided
3/4 cup chopped onion (I use a little dehydrated onion for this)
1 pkg. (8 oz.) fresh mushrooms, sliced

optional for sauce: (I use a brown gravy pack instead)
1/2 cup Kraft Original Barbeque Sauce
1/4 cup water

directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375. Mix meat, stuffing mix, 1 1/4 cups of the water and the onions until well blended. Shape into six 1/2-inch-thick oval patties. Place on 15x10x1-inch baking pan.

2. Bake 25 minutes or until cooked through (160 degrees).

3. Saute your mushrooms. Prepare your brown gravy packet according to the instructions. Combine and serve over the patties.
or
3. Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Add mushrooms; cook on medium-high heat 5 min. or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add barbecue sauce and remaining 1/4 cup water. Reduce heat to low. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until sauce is heated through. Serve over the patties.
We serve with a potato dish of some sort--scalloped, mashed, baked. This would be great with any side though; rice, stuffing, etc. Serve with your favorite vegetable.
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Sunday, July 20, 2008

Japanese Chicken

My visiting teacher brought this meal into us just after I had my 4th child. We really loved it, and to my happy surprise, the recipe was in our ward cookbook. In the ward cookbook it's called "Lori's Japanese Chicken" and it was submitted by Debbie Fordham. This is one of our family favorites. There is a little more time involved, but it is not complicated at all. You'll love the outcome!

ingredients:
boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or breast tenderloins (as many as your family eats)
2 beaten eggs (you can substitute plain yogurt for this step)
1 cup flour
1 cup oil
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vinegar
1 cup sugar

directions:
1. Beat your chicken breasts to about 1/4" thickness. Dip chicken into egg (or yogurt), then into flour. Fry in oil until chicken is deep brown in color.

2. Place in 9x13 pan. Prepare sauce by combining soy sauce, water, vinegar and sugar. Pour over chicken.

3. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. Baste with sauce while baking. Serve with rice.
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Thursday, July 17, 2008

Taco Ring

This is an oldie-but-goodie. I believe I had it at one of the first Pampered Chef parties I attended. I made this just last night--it was quick and SO EASY. And Yummy! It was nice to bring something back into our rotation that we hadn't had for a while.

ingredients:
2 pkg. (16) crescent rolls (you can use low-fat)
1 lb. ground beef--browned
1 pkg. taco seasoning
2 Tbsp. water
1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar is preferable)

optional ingredients for garnishing and topping
1 medium green pepper
1/2 head lettuce
1 medium tomato
1 small onion
salsa
sour cream (save a few calories without sacrificing the taste and use lite!)

directions:
1. Brown your beef. Combine meat, seasoning, cheese and water. Mix all together.
2. Arrange crescent triangles in a circle on a round stone or round pan. Spoon meat mixture over rolls. Fold points of triangles over filling and tuck under base at center (filling will not be completely covered).
3. Bake 20-25 minutes at 350.

Optional: Shred lettuce, cube tomato, chop onion and olives. Place in center. V cut the top of a pepper and put salsa in it. Place in center.
Note: Even if you can't do all of the garnishments, try just a little salsa or lite sour cream dollop on the top of the ring. Serve with a different veggie if you don't have time to prepare the lettuce and other toppings.
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Saturday, June 14, 2008

Frank's RedHot Buffalo Chicken Dip

A friend brought this over last night for game night, and it was fabulous! We love "buffalo" seasoned food, so this was right on for us. I'm always looking for a new dip too. Enjoy!

ingredients:
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1/2 cup blue cheese or ranch salad dressing
1/2 cup FRANK'S® REDHOT® Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce or FRANK'S® REDHOT® Buffalo Wing Sauce
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (she used canned chicken and it was perfect)

directions:
1. HEAT oven to 350°F. Place cream cheese into deep dish 9-inch pie plate. Microwave 1 min. to soften.
2. WHISK in salad dressing, Frank's RedHot Sauce and cheese until smooth. Stir in chicken.
3. BAKE 20 min. or until mixture is heated through; stir.

Garnish as desired. Serve with crackers or vegetables.

Microwave Directions: Prepare as above. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 5 min. until hot, stirring halfway through cooking.

Tip: For a party buffet table, keep this dip hot in a small crock pot or fondue pot.
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