Another of my camping recipes which can also be cooked in a conventional oven. Just half the recipe for a large souffle dish and cook at 375 degrees.

Difficulty 3-4

Dutch Oven Blackberry Cobbler

8 Cups fresh Blackberries

2 cups Sugar
¼ cup sugar
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 cup Melted Butter (2 standard sticks)
½ Stick Butter melted
4 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 frozen preformed pie crusts (thawed)

1. Mix Blackberries, Vanilla, Flour, melted Butter,  and Sugar in mixing bowl, and blend well.

2. Preheat Dutch Oven to 375 degrees (or use temperature to coal briquettes ratio by putting 17 hot coals on top of the Dutch Oven and 9 on the bottom. Be sure to replace briquettes as they burn out.)

3.  Pour half of the blackberry mixture in the Dutch oven and cover with one pie crust. Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.

4. Open the Dutch oven, break up the crust and stir crust pieces in to blackberry mix.

5. Add remaining blackberry mixture to Dutch oven and Cover with second pie crust.

6. Brush butter (1/2 stick melted) over pie crust and sprinkle ¼ cup sugar evenly over crust.

7. Cover Dutch oven and bake for another 20-25 minutes, until pie crust is golden brown.

Optional: Serve with Vanilla ice cream.

Mom’s C.B.-M.E.L.T. Breakfast Sandwich

My mother used to make this for me as a kid. It is, definitely, my favorite breakfast sandwich. It may sound like a high-cholesterol sandwich, but it’s really good every once and a while.

Difficulty: 1-2

2 slices of Bread (either Whole Grain, Wheat or White) toasted

1 slice Cheese (Swiss, American or Provolone)

2 slices Bacon

Mayonnaise

1 Large Egg

1 Leave Romaine Lettuce

2 Slices Tomato

Cook bacon until crisp and reserve the grease. Hard-fry the egg in the bacon grease.

Lightly spread mayo on one side of each slice of toast. ..Sandwich.. Bacon, Egg, Cheese, Lettuce and Tomato on Toast. Serve.

“Jambalaya is a Louisiana Creole dish of Spanish and French influence. The dish is a New World version of the Old World dish paella. A Cajun version, loosely related to paella, was adopted after absorption of white French Creoles into the Cajun population following their fall from power in New Orleans after the Civil War.” –wikipedia-

“Gumbo is a stew or soup originating in Louisiana, and found across the Gulf Coast of the United States and into the U.S. South. It consists primarily of a strong stock, meat and/or shellfish, a thickener, and the vegetable "holy trinity" of celery, bell peppers and onion. The soup is traditionally served over rice. A traditional lenten variety called gumbo z'herbes (from the French gumbo aux herbes), essentially a gumbo of smothered greens thickened with roux, also exists.” –wikipedia-

The main difference between the two is the thickness. Gumbo is more of a soup or a stew while Jambalaya is thickened with a starch. Most Jambalayas are prepared without vegetables. And, another difference is that Gumbo is made with a meat stock , while Jambalaya is made with a tomato stock.

This is combination of both Jambalaya and Gumbo, which I call Gumbalaya. I made this the first time, about 1996, on a camping trip. I found the best way to cook this is in a cast iron Dutch Oven over an open fire, but it can be cooked on a stove in a stock pot.

Difficulty: 5-6

2 lbs. Medium Shrimp (shelled and deveined and boiled)
4-5 large bonless chicken breasts (Baked or Boiled and Chopped into ½ -inch cubes)
1 ½ lbs Andouille Sausage (sliced into 1/4 -inch rounds and lightly browned in a skillet)
2 – 14oz. cans Chicken Stock
1 – 14 oz can French Onion Soup
1 – 8oz. can Tomato Paste
1 cup uncooked White Rice
2 large onions
2 large green bell peppers
1 – 14.5 oz can Stewed Tomatoes
4-5  long stalks of Celery (chopped)
4 Bay Leaves
4 tablespoons Minced Garlic
1 Tsp. Ground Black Pepper
1 Tsp. White Pepper
½ Tsp. Cayenne Red Pepper
1 Tablespoon Ground Thyme
1  cup Olive or Vegetable Oil
1 1/3  cup All-Purpose Flour

Start off by making the Roux: Heat a heavy skillet or cast iron pot and add ¾ cup of Olive or Vegetable Oil. Once oil is heated, slowly add the flour, stirring constantly until all is blended. Continue to cook over medium to low heat, stirring constantly until flour and oil blend to form a brown roux the color of a dark copper penny. The longer you cook it, the darker the roux will become. Remember don't rush the cooking of the roux; allow the mixture to develop at its own pace.

Transfer the roux to a large stock pot over medium heat and immediately stir in the French Onion Soup, Tomato Paste and Chicken Stock and bring to a boil, while occasionally stirring.

Stir in all of the other ingredients and drop the temperature to low. Cover and let simmer for 30-45 minutes, or untill the rice is tender, while occationally stirring.

Difficulty: 3

½ large head white cabbage

2-3 lbs British Bangers, Irish Sausage or Dinner Sausage

3-4 lbs new potatoes

1-16 oz can chicken stock

16 oz water

1 large white onion

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 ½ tablespoon caraway seeds

2 tablespoons onion powder

Prep:

Chop cabbage into large pieces (ranging from 1” to 1 ½” pieces). Cut sausage into ¾” lengths and lightly brown in a skillet. Quarter the potatoes. Dice onion.

Cooking:

Bring water and chicken stock to a boil in a large stockpot over med-high heat, covered. When at a boil, bring the heat down to med-low and uncover. Stir in all seasonings and onion. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes to let the seasonings flavor the stock. Add sausage potatoes and cabbage and stir to mix evenly. Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes stirring occasionally.

Serve with Irish pastry or crackers.

Difficulty: 3

7x11 casserole dish
1 pkg cream cheese
2/3 pkg taco seasoning
1 can refried beans
16 oz container sour cream
16 oz container guacamole
8oz block of sharp cheese-grated, or more if you like
1 can rotel tomatoes, drained
1 bunch scallions, chopped (green onions)
1 small can olives

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for 30sec-1min. Mix in the taco season. Layer on the bottom (offset spatulas make quick work of spreading out your layers). Then layer the rest of the ingredients in the order listed

Difficulty 4-5

Swiss Steak

1 ½ to 2 lbs. sirloin or round steaks

4 tablespoons Olive Oil

½ cup All-Purpose Flour, sifted

2 tablespoons Garlic Powder

½  teaspoon Sea Salt or Kosher Salt, grouded

½ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

2 small cans Tomato Paste

1 28-oz can Stewed Tomatoes, drained and halved

1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

1 teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar

1 teaspoon celery seed

1 small onion, chopped fine

1 small green bell pepper, chopped fine

1 large tomato, quartered

1 teaspoon parsley

½ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 300.
2. Cut steaks, with the grain, into ¾ inch thick strips. Then cut strips into 1 to 1 ½ inch long pieces.
3. Combine flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a pie pan.
4. Bring oil to a simmer over med-high heat.
5. Dredge each piece of steak in flour mix and flatten with a mallet. Dread again.
6. Brown each piece in oil and let dry on a paper towel.
7. Puree tomato paste, quartered tomato, celery seed, parsley, Worcestershire, vinegar and black pepper in a food processor.
8. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl and stir in stewed tomatoes, onions, and green peppers.
9. Pour half the tomato mixture in a baking dish.
10. Space out the steak pieces over the tomato mixture and cover with the rest of the mixture.
11. Cover with foil and  slow bake for 75-90 minutes, until tender.
12. Serve over white rice.

Difficulty 5-6

Black Chili over Spanish Rice

**Black Chili**

8 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup All-Purpose Flour, sifted

2 tsp. ground black pepper

3 tsp granulated onion powder

2 tsp ground cumin

¼ cup chopped cilantro

4 ½ - ¾ inch thick boneless pork chops

¼ cup Real Bacon Bits

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium white onions, chopped

4 oz. chopped green chili peppers

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. ground white pepper

1 tsp. ground red pepper

3 tsp. granulated onion powder

2 cans black beans

½ cup water

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix pepper, onion powder and cumin together in a small bowl.
3. Lightly dust the chops with flour and sprinkle on half of spice mix evenly on one side of each chop.
4. Bring oil to a simmer in pan over med high heat.
5. Place chops in simmering oil, spice side down, and sprinkle rest of spice mix on other side of chops. Flip chops after 3 minutes. Let cook on other side for 3 minutes.
6. Transfer chops to a baking dish and save the drippings in the pan. Cover all chops evenly with cilantro and bake for 10 minutes.
7. Set chops out and let cool. Pour dripping from baking dish into the pan with the other drippings and bring the heat to med-low.
8. Once cooled, dice chops into ½ inch cubes.
9. Place chops and bacon bits in pan. Stir to coat and cover pan. Lower heat to low.
10. Heat beans (DO NOT DRAIN) in a medium pot over med heat. 
11. Stir in cumin, black, red and white pepper, onion powder, onions and chili peppers.
12. Cover and let simmer for 6-7 minutes. Stir occasionally.
13. Add water to pork, bacon and drippings. Thicken with flour.
14. Combine pork and black bean mixtures in pan. Stir and cover.
15. Let cook on low for 15 minutes. Stir every 4-5 minutes.

**Spanish Rice**

1 cup white long grain rice

1 cup chicken broth

3 tablespoons Real Bacon Bits

1 10-oz can Rotel tomatoes, mild or hot

1 small white onion, finely chopped

1 small green pepper, finely chopped

½ tsp ground cumin

1 can chopped green chili peppers

pinch red pepper

2 tablespoons butter

1. Melt butter in pan and sauté onions and green peppers until onions are translucent.
2. Add the Rotel, green chili peppers and chicken broth and simmer approximately 5-10 minutes.
3. Add the rice, cover and simmer approximately 20 minutes.
4. Uncover and stir in bacon bits.
5. Serve and cover with Black Chili.

Difficulty: 5-6

5-6 whole chicken breasts, baked with rosemary and cut into bite-sized pieces

2 cups fresh Baby Portabella Mushrooms, sliced

¼  cup butter plus 3 tablespoons

¼ cup capers

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 small onion, grated

½ pound Angel Hair Pasta, cooked al dente

3 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon salt

¼  teaspoon black pepper

2 cups chicken stock

1cup heavy cream

1/3  cup sherry

½  cup chopped green pepper

½  cup diced carrots

1 cup grated Romano and Parmesan cheeses mixed

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

-Sautee mushrooms, onion and capers in ¼ cup butter and lemon juice for 5 minutes.

-Add lemon juice, capers, salt and onion.

-Sautee peppers and carrots together in olive oil until carrots are cooked but crisp.

-In a sauce pan or medium pot melt 3 tablespoons butter and blend in flour, pepper, stock and heavy cream.

-Bring to a simmer over Med heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Add sherry.

-Stir pasta, chicken, mushrooms and capers, and peppers and carrots into sauce. Mix evenly.

-Transfer mixture to a 13"x9"x2" baking dish.

-Cover with cheese.

-Cover dish with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes.

Difficulty: 5

I've revised my original recipe to make it easier and quicker. This revision actually came out better than the original.

Chicken Pesto Lasagna (2)

Recipe measurements is for a 13"x9" 2"-deep casserole dish.

4 large chicken breasts

1-1/2 10oz jars Basil Pesto

1 cup Fresh Spinach (uncooked)

1 cup Sliced Baby Portabella Mushrooms

1 large White Onion

2 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1-1/2 cups shredded Parmesan Cheese

1-1/2 16 oz. jars Alfredo Sauce (use any without tomato added to it)

12-14 cooked Lasagna Noodles

3 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 tablespoon Fresh Oregano

1 tablespoon Fresh Basil

1-1/2 tablespoon Chopped Garlic

-Place a small colander in a large bowl and drain all of the oil out of the pesto. Save oil.

-Dice onion into medium sized pieces.

-In a pan over Med to Med-Hi heat, bring olive oil to a simmer.

-Sautee mushrooms and onions until onions start to become translucent. Do not overcook.

-Slice chicken into ¾" to 1" cubes.

-In another pan, bring the saved oil from the pesto to a simmer over Med heat.

-Stir in oregano, basil and garlic. Then add chicken and stir to evenly coat chicken with herbs

-Fully cook chicken in pesto oil until done, stirring frequently.

-Drain chicken and transfer to mixing bowl.

-Stir alfredo sauce in chicken to evenly coat.

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

-In 13"x9" 2"-deep casserole dish, line bottom with lasagna noodles. Overlap noodles.

-Pour chicken and alfredo mix over layer of noodles and spread evenly.

-Cover with another overlapping layer of noodles.

-Evenly spread pesto over 2^nd layer of noodles.

-Spread fresh spinach then mushrooms and onions.

-Evenly layer parmesan then cover with a 3^rd overlapping layer of noodles.

-Evenly spread mozzarella.

-Spray a sheet of foil with non-stick spray

-Cover dish with foil (sprayed side towards the cheese) and cook in oven for 50-60 minutes.

Baked Ratatouille

Difficulty 6