Kindling Fires at Family Campout

"If the world seems cold to you, kindle fires to warm it."~ Lucy Larcom


     We had our annual family campout this past weekend.  Can I just say I love to spend time with my family and I love to spend time in the great outdoors.  I look forward to this event each August.  We camped at a campground in the Uintas called Upper Stillwater.  My oldest daughter took care of providing camping bingo for everyone and camping artwork for the kids.  My husband took care of providing wonderful meals produced from his Dutch ovens.  My daughter got a little creative making s'mores. She tried peanut butter cups and different kinds of marshmallows.  We tried apple pie in the Dutch oven.  Each summer I look forward to time spent in the canoe.  Just like quilting, it feeds my soul.

 

 

 

I was able to go to the Tooele County Fair and check out some of the quilts produced in this county.

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the recipe for the Dutch Oven Apple Pie.  It comes from Friends of Old Deseret Dutch Oven Cookbook 10th Anniversary Edition.

 

APPLE PIE

12" Dutch Oven

Pare, core and thinly slice 10 cups apples (Granny Smith)

 

Combine and sift over the apples:

1 cup white or brown sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

 

Stir the apples gently until they are well-coated.  Place them in layers in the pie shell and dot with butter.  Cover pie with upper crust and bake in a hot dutch oven for 10 minutes (16 coals on top and 10 on bottom).  Reduce heat to 14 coals on top and 10 on bottom and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.

 

Pie Crust

 

3 cups flour

1 cup shortening (can be 1/2 butter)

1 egg

1 1/2 cups water

 

Mix flour and shortening until it has a cornmeal texture.  Beat egg and add 1 1/2 cups water.  Pour half of the egg mixture into the dough.  Using a fork, mix dough as you slowly continue adding egg mixture until it comes into a ball.  Roll out dough and fit into a 12 inch oven.

 

 

 

 

This is the most requested breakfast when we are camping.

 

Mountain Man Breakfast

1 ½ lbs. ground mild Italian sausage

½ to 1 whole onion, chopped

1 large package shredded hash brown potatoes

18 eggs, beaten

2 large handfuls shredded cheddar cheese

Brown sausage and onion in a 14” dutch oven.  Layer shredded hash browns on top of sausage.  Mix one handful of cheese with beaten eggs and pour on top of hash browns.  Put the lid on and cook for 25 minutes (10 coals on the bottom and 16-18 coals on top).  Sprinkle one more handful of cheese on top and cook for 20 more minutes or until done.  Serve with salsa.

 

     I read this book last month as recommended by my friend, Linda.  It was such an enjoyable read.  Each chapter heading includes an inspiring quote by the man who actually made the boat the boys used in the Olympics.  I learned that competing in an event requires not only being in top physical condition but also being mentally strong.  You have to really believe you can do it.