Interesting to cook in someone's yard with all their tools! Homemade tables, cowboy charcoal, and their kitchen! Heat..OMG, 90 in the sun, standing over hot coals. This was Memorial Day weekend up in Waupaca, WI! The Northwoods Dutch Oven Chapter, north contingent came together and cooked all sorts of great foods. We started the day with doing East Indian Naan bread, and then Pan de Campo with jalapeno. We took the ovens and got them screaming hot by using the lower half of a kettle type grill loaded up with glowing coals. This created a very hot tandoori type oven effect..well sort of anyway. The naan is a yeast bread made with eggs, yogurt, flour. Single rise and then kneaded smooth again. Roll out or pull out a small piece into a 6x9 in teardrop. Place that flat bread into the bottom of the oven and cook till slightly brown on the bottom and then bubbly on the top. Pan de Campo is a baking powder bread. No rise needed, but it likes to be a smooth dough. Cook the same way as the naan bread.
Other things that we cooked over the weekend were Coca Cola chicken, meatloaf, turkey and goat. Apple Pie, Banana cake, Apple cake with caramel drizzle and pecan garnish. Venison in white wine and mushroom sauce. Home made corn tortilla and enchilada bake with the meat from the day before (turkey, goat).
There was the Country Music Festival in Richland WI..cooking next to Cucinero Wes Stigen in his chuckwagon setup. Fantastic gourmet pizza bites all weekend long. How about corned beef and sauerkraut pizza, Mojo sauce (garlic citrus base Cuban style), red sauce with good stuff up top. A Cherry Bean cobbler. Orange Cake supreme. And some of the best live country music to listen to...that was great..Thanks Bill for having us as demonstrators. We''ll be back next year.
Then, for the Birthday celebration on June 12th, The Diva went on a teaching trip with her good friend Nikki. WE took a loooonnnnggg drive to Crete IL to visit with Bridging Brownies on their first overnight campout! WE taught them how to light charcoal with chimneys..Yes you can play with the matches, but respect the fire! How to put together baked spaghetti in a deep 12 in oven. And 40 in a 12 for biscuits. They also got to make chocolate cherry cobbler and apple spice cake! Clean pots, that is what we like. These girls got to make their dinner and enjoy too! Thanks girls for my birthday song and the great skit.
Our Northwoods teaching team is doing Dessert DOG on June 16 for NE IL Boy Scouts at their Jaden Training Center dedication. WE are doing Puff Pastry, Peachy Jalapeno Bars, Tip Top Cake and Pecan Pie. All from the Dutch Oven and all very fancy. We'll be stars with our Powderhorn Aprons. I'm pumped. You can see pictures after June 16th on Illinois Dutch Oven and on the Art of Camp Dutch Oven yahoo forum.
Keep the coals burning and your ovens hot..Till next time..Dutchoven Diva ready to cook!
Next up for the Diva
Monday, June 14, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Celebrate 100 Years of Boy Scouting
How? Go to Ottawa Illinois and to the Ottawa Scouting Museum on June 11-13, 2010.
Lots of activities and a Dutch Oven Cookoff for Youth and Adult.
http://www.ottawascoutingmuseum.org/OSM/Brochures_files/Founders_Weekend_2010.pdf
Lots of activities and a Dutch Oven Cookoff for Youth and Adult.
http://www.ottawascoutingmuseum.org/OSM/Brochures_files/Founders_Weekend_2010.pdf
Monday, May 17, 2010
Busy times
Well, it's been a while since I wrote. Busy times indeed. The Diva has made herself available to lots of opportunities. And sometimes, the opportunities just present themselves.
The Northwoods Dutch Oven group is on the go. DutchOvenDiva manages to find lots of cooking dates for herself and the club. Recent happenings are teaching Basics of Dutch Oven Cooking to a crowd of 20 at Cabela's over in Hoffman Estates, IL. Diva was asked..and so she presented, alongside her cooking buddy, Wes Stigen, cooking skills such as heat management, equipment needed, and the all important food. What we cooked in class was cobbler, several kinds of pizza, biscuits and cornbread. We used various sizes of ovens and both charcoal and lump hardwood (cowboy charcoal) for our heat source. The participants learned all about selecting ovens, preparing food and keeping a clean kitchen. Learning all about trying easy foods to begin with, then going for a whole meal! Of course, we had them cleaning ovens too. What is better than finding out how to care for your cast iron? We had fun in our 2 hr class, and everyone got to try out the food creations.
We also have done several demos with all the usual tasty bites for the adoring public! We love her is what the fan club keeps saying.
The DODiva also had a very prestigous invite this spring. The NE IL Boy Scout Council invited Diva to create the instructional model for their 2010 Powderhorn Course! The only requirements were to cook in cast iron and not do 'the usual fare'. With the challenge out front, DODiva went about creating 6 menues, 1 for each team. Some of the foods prepared by the teams were Spanish Salmon Bake, Bombay Chicken Curry, Candied Chicken, Sweet Potatoes Vindaloo, Orzo and Peas, Chipotle biscuits, pumpkin delite, coconut upside cake and apple pie. With the rousing success of this program, DODiva has been invited to Blackhawk Council Powderhorn in 2011. Another sign of positive sweetness is our engagement to do the Dessert DOG for the Training Center dedication at Camp Crown!
DODiva is also going up to Country in the Country Festival in Bear Valley, Wisconsin. We'll be doing demonstration for the public and cooking for some of the festival staff.
The Memorial Day weekend will be a time of dutch oven cooking for the Diva. She's planning to cook with friends. On her menu are Jalapeno poppers, breads of various kinds, apple pie and a winning recipe from the Cornbread Festival cookbook. That's just a start.
Now, what's in your summer plans? Want to participate in the August 14th Young Eagles Cookoff at Galt Airport in Greenwood IL? How about helping out with Women in the Outdoors in September? Enjoy yourself by cooking at the DOG and Demo up, August 7 at Blues on the Chippewa Music Fest, Durand Wisconsin.
that's about it for now..keep up with the DIVA..if you have events to share, please let me know. Until then, Keep the coals hot and Happy Trails!
The Northwoods Dutch Oven group is on the go. DutchOvenDiva manages to find lots of cooking dates for herself and the club. Recent happenings are teaching Basics of Dutch Oven Cooking to a crowd of 20 at Cabela's over in Hoffman Estates, IL. Diva was asked..and so she presented, alongside her cooking buddy, Wes Stigen, cooking skills such as heat management, equipment needed, and the all important food. What we cooked in class was cobbler, several kinds of pizza, biscuits and cornbread. We used various sizes of ovens and both charcoal and lump hardwood (cowboy charcoal) for our heat source. The participants learned all about selecting ovens, preparing food and keeping a clean kitchen. Learning all about trying easy foods to begin with, then going for a whole meal! Of course, we had them cleaning ovens too. What is better than finding out how to care for your cast iron? We had fun in our 2 hr class, and everyone got to try out the food creations.
We also have done several demos with all the usual tasty bites for the adoring public! We love her is what the fan club keeps saying.
The DODiva also had a very prestigous invite this spring. The NE IL Boy Scout Council invited Diva to create the instructional model for their 2010 Powderhorn Course! The only requirements were to cook in cast iron and not do 'the usual fare'. With the challenge out front, DODiva went about creating 6 menues, 1 for each team. Some of the foods prepared by the teams were Spanish Salmon Bake, Bombay Chicken Curry, Candied Chicken, Sweet Potatoes Vindaloo, Orzo and Peas, Chipotle biscuits, pumpkin delite, coconut upside cake and apple pie. With the rousing success of this program, DODiva has been invited to Blackhawk Council Powderhorn in 2011. Another sign of positive sweetness is our engagement to do the Dessert DOG for the Training Center dedication at Camp Crown!
DODiva is also going up to Country in the Country Festival in Bear Valley, Wisconsin. We'll be doing demonstration for the public and cooking for some of the festival staff.
The Memorial Day weekend will be a time of dutch oven cooking for the Diva. She's planning to cook with friends. On her menu are Jalapeno poppers, breads of various kinds, apple pie and a winning recipe from the Cornbread Festival cookbook. That's just a start.
Now, what's in your summer plans? Want to participate in the August 14th Young Eagles Cookoff at Galt Airport in Greenwood IL? How about helping out with Women in the Outdoors in September? Enjoy yourself by cooking at the DOG and Demo up, August 7 at Blues on the Chippewa Music Fest, Durand Wisconsin.
that's about it for now..keep up with the DIVA..if you have events to share, please let me know. Until then, Keep the coals hot and Happy Trails!
Monday, March 15, 2010
Spring Has Sprung, or so the story goes...
2nd Weekend of National Maple Syrup Festival in Medora, Indiana was fabulous (again)! We really enjoy the hospitality and environment at Burton's Maplewood Farm. The warm welcome from friends and family makes the long drive to southern Indiana so worth it.
While there, we cooked many, many biscuits. The public enjoyed them with preserves from the farm. Apple Dumplings, Caramelized coconut upside down cake, Pineapple upside down cake, Apple Pie with Maple Sweetenings. A beef rump roast with maple infused broth and vegetables. These were just a few of the favorites enjoyed in the Tasty Bite Corner of Dutch Oven Alley.
The rains started late Saturday, and continued all night, stopping by noon on Sunday. It was cool and damp on Sunday. At least, the birdies were chirping and the trees have started to leaf out. The rain didn't stop our special guest, Amy Roloff from coming over to the Diva Cooking Area and learning about the basics of DutchOven cooking. We explained the process, and got Amy started with an easy dish of Sweet Potatoes Vindaloo. She got to serve up dump cake. WE all made sure she knew about all the fun and good dishes. Of course, Amy got the first slice of the golden crusted Apple Pie. She said she'd be back with the DutchOvenDiva for a complete lesson! Way to go!
We're going back to the National Maple Syrup Festival in 2011.
While there, we cooked many, many biscuits. The public enjoyed them with preserves from the farm. Apple Dumplings, Caramelized coconut upside down cake, Pineapple upside down cake, Apple Pie with Maple Sweetenings. A beef rump roast with maple infused broth and vegetables. These were just a few of the favorites enjoyed in the Tasty Bite Corner of Dutch Oven Alley.
The rains started late Saturday, and continued all night, stopping by noon on Sunday. It was cool and damp on Sunday. At least, the birdies were chirping and the trees have started to leaf out. The rain didn't stop our special guest, Amy Roloff from coming over to the Diva Cooking Area and learning about the basics of DutchOven cooking. We explained the process, and got Amy started with an easy dish of Sweet Potatoes Vindaloo. She got to serve up dump cake. WE all made sure she knew about all the fun and good dishes. Of course, Amy got the first slice of the golden crusted Apple Pie. She said she'd be back with the DutchOvenDiva for a complete lesson! Way to go!
We're going back to the National Maple Syrup Festival in 2011.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
A Drop in the Bucket, March 2009
A fabulous time down at National Maple Sugar Festival in Medora Indiana this past weekend. We cooked and cooked, demo'd, tasty bites. Fabulous visitors and adoring fans of the Dutchoven Diva (and friends)! The weather was fabulous..spring, sun. And I get to do all again next weekend. Yahoo! We love Burton's Maplewood Farm!
The favorite dishes included Maple and Bacon Glazed Donuts, Sweet Potatoes Vindaloo with Maple Glaze, Maple Oatmeal Raisin Cookies and French Toast Casserole with a drizzle of Burton's Maple Syrup. Of course, the meatloaf with Maple BBQ sauce was a huge hit!
It's everything MAPLE!
The favorite dishes included Maple and Bacon Glazed Donuts, Sweet Potatoes Vindaloo with Maple Glaze, Maple Oatmeal Raisin Cookies and French Toast Casserole with a drizzle of Burton's Maple Syrup. Of course, the meatloaf with Maple BBQ sauce was a huge hit!
It's everything MAPLE!
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