Blueberry Cream Cheese Pound Cake

This pound cake is easy and fast to make and is moist and sweet and delicious, and disappears as quickly as it’s made. This could be served in the evening as a light dessert as is or with maybe a little fruit and whipped cream spooned over the top. It could be added to a breakfast menu. It is simply delightful with a hot cup of coffee, tea or cocoa. It can be served as is. It is that tasty.

This pound cake is so yummy; I could start every morning with a slice of this and a hot cup of coffee.

This pound cake is simple enough to make in camp or it could be made ahead and taken to camp wrapped in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container. It tastes just as good fresh as it does the next day. Loaves can also be frozen for enjoying much later.

If you’re making this in camp, you’ll want to bake it in a box oven or you could bake it in a Dutch oven with the loaf pans sitting on a trivet. Or you could pour it directly into a small Dutch oven and not use loaf pans at all. How you decide to bake it will determine how many coals you need.

For more quick bread ideas, check out my “Best Banana Bread” recipe and “Cookie’s Cornbread” recipe.

Equipment
2 9×5 loaf pans, 2 medium mixing bowls, sturdy mixing spoon, and measuring cups and spoons.

Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Prep
Preheat your oven or prep your coals. Toss your blueberries in a little flour. This will help them integrate better into the batter and not sink to the bottom.

In a medium mixing bowl, cream butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Mix in the eggs one at a time. In a second medium mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Slowly mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients. By hand, gently fold in blueberries.

Divide the batter evenly between two greased 9×5 loaf pans. Bake in a 350°F oven for 45-55 minutes. Refresh coals as needed. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before running a knife around the outside the pans and turning out the loaves onto a cooling rack.

Makes 2 loaves. Servings will vary depending on how thick you slice the loaf.

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Upping Your S’Mores Game

Saturday, August 10, is National S’Mores Day! Who doesn’t love a warm, gooey s’more?!

For us, it’s just not camping without at least one evening campfire and s’mores, songs, skits and stories.

While the classic s’more consists of graham crackers, chocolate squares and toasted marshmallows, it’s okay to break from tradition and put your own spin on it. Here are few suggestions for upping your s’mores game!

Outer Shell (the Graham Cracker)
Saltine
Chocolate Chip Cookie
Butter Cracker
Shortbread Cookie
Snickerdoodle
Sandwich cookies
Peanut Butter Cookie

Inner Melted Layer (Milk Chocolate Bar)
Peanut Butter Cup
Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread
White Chocolate
Dark Chocolate
Chocolate-Peppermint Candy

Marshmallow Layer
Marshmallow Spread
Flavored Marshmallows
Home-Made Marshmallows

Extras
Chocolate-Covered Raisins
Crispy Rice Cereal
Caramel Sauce
Raspberries
Blueberries
Strawberry Slices
Banana Slices
Apple Slices
Dried Cranberries
Candy-Coated Chocolates
Coconut Flakes
Sliced Almonds
Pretzels

We recommend starting your campfire with s’mores so that by the time the campfire is done, that sugar-high has worn off and everyone is ready for bed. For more s’more information, please read my blog post: “Let’s Talk S’Mores.”

So, what are your favorite ways to jazz up the s’more experience? We’d love to hear them.

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Cranberries are Crazy Good for You

I knew cranberries were good for you, but I didn’t realize they were such a super food. I think I’ve mentioned in previous posts how I grew up on a cranberry farm in Western Washington, which is where I learned to love these tart tiny fruits. I thought I knew everything about them, like how they are packed with vitamin C and are good for your kidneys and your urinary tract. But I realize now that I was only scratching the surface.

A glossy, scarlet red, very tart berry, the cranberry belongs to the same genus as the blueberry, Vaccinium, another well-known super food. (Both berries also belong to the food family called Ericaceae, also known as the heath or heather family.) Like blueberries, cranberries can still be found growing as wild shrubs in northern Europe, northern Asia, and North America. When cultivated, however, cranberries are grown on low trailing vines atop great sandy bogs. That’s how we grew them on the Washington coast.

While cranberries have long been valued for their ability to help prevent and treat urinary tract infections, recent studies suggest that they may also promote gastrointestinal and oral health, lower LDL and raise HDL (good) cholesterol, aid in recovery from stroke, and even help prevent cancer.

One way they do all this is their ability to fight germs. Bacteria doesn’t stand a chance against cranberries. Several studies show that cranberries can help ward off urinary tract infections (in some cases, even those caused by strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria). Cranberries also seem to thwart h. pylori (associated with stomach ulcers) and various gum-disease-causing germs.

Antioxidants in cranberries like oligomeric proanthocyanidins, peonidin, anthocyanidin flavonoids, quercetin and cyaniding help prevent cardiovascular diseases by fighting bad cholesterol plaque forming in the blood vessels and the heart.

Cranberries also contain high amounts of phenolic flavonoid phytochemicals known as proanthocyanidins that can protect us against cancer, neurological diseases and aging, inflammatory diseases, bacterial infections and diabetes.

Cranberries are crammed with vitamin C. One cup of cranberry juice can deliver up to 100% of the recommended daily dose of vitamin C. Just make sure to look for a label that says, “100% juice.”

There is evidence that the vitamin C found in cranberries, along with other antioxidants, can help hypertension. In one study, people who drank 2 glasses of low-sugar cranberry juice daily saw a significant drop in their blood pressure.

Cranberries are loaded with water-soluble fiber (the kind that keeps you feeling full). One cup (cooked or raw) contains about 5g fiber and 50 calories, while 1/2 cup of dried has 3.5g and 187 calories.

So, now that you know just how good for you they are, how do you consume more of them?

Juice ‘em. Drink straight or mix with other fruit juices or other beverages. Cranberry juice is also good spiked. Take advantage of cranberries’ high acid content (they have a pH range of 2.3 to 2.5) and use fresh juice from the berries in place of vinegar in salad dressings and marinades.

Try ‘em dried. Toss 1 to 2 tablespoons into oatmeal, salads, couscous, or quinoa. Look for dried berries that are free of preservatives, since they can degrade the berries’ antioxidants. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how they make an amazing addition to any trail mix or just mix dried cranberries with lightly roasted and salted nuts for a delicious snack.

Cook ‘em. Cranberry relish really perks up sandwiches. The berries also add a bright accent to baked goods, wild rice, and meat dishes, especially pork and turkey. We pair them with Swedish meatballs in place of their cousin, the lingonberry. And, cranberries pair amazingly with white chocolate! Just sayin’….

Eat ‘em fresh. During the fall harvest season, we used to pluck them straight off the vine and munch on them while we worked. To balance their extreme tartness, combine fresh cranberries with other fruits such as oranges, apples, pineapple or pears. If desired, add a little fruit juice, honey or maple syrup to chopped fresh cranberries.

For an easy-to-make salad that will immediately become a holiday favorite, place 2 cups fresh berries in your blender or food processor along with 1/2 cup of pineapple chunks, a quartered skinned orange, a sweet apple, and a handful or two of walnuts or pecans. Blend till well mixed but still chunky. Transfer to a large bowl.

A fruit with a short season, fresh cranberries are harvested between Labor Day and Halloween and appear in markets from October through December. Choose berries that have a bright red color, and that are plump and firm to the touch. Cranberries with a deeper red color contain more pigmented antioxidants. Be careful not to use any discolored, bruised or mushy cranberries as they can develop mold and they can transfer it to other berries. Rinse them well before using.

Fresh cranberries will keep for up to 2 months, or cooked for about a month. In both cases, seal tight and refrigerate. They also freeze really well. Once frozen, cranberries may be kept for several years. To freeze, spread fresh cranberries out on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer. In a couple of hours, the fully frozen berries will be ready to transfer to a freezer bag or a container. Don’t forget to date the bag or container before returning to the freezer.

Now that you know how crazy good for you cranberries can be, don’t just limit them to Thanksgiving and Christmas. Eat them all year long.

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Trail Mix and Match

Today is National Trail Mix Day. Known by many names, I grew up calling it GORP (Good Old Raisins and Peanuts), trail mix is a type of snack mix, specifically a combination of dried fruit, nuts, and sometimes chocolate.

Trail mix is considered an ideal snack food for hiking and camping because it is lightweight, easy to store, and nutritious, providing a quick energy boost from the carbohydrates in the dried fruit or granola and sustained energy from fats in nuts. Trail mix is also perfect for sporting activities, field trips, and other high-calorie burning adventures.

The combination of nuts, raisins and chocolate as a trail snack dates back at least to the 1910s, when outdoorsman Horace Kephart recommended it in his popular camping guide. In the 1960s, trail mix was popularized by Paul Hadley of Hadley Fruit Orchards, who developed energy-boosting blends of dried fruit, nuts and seeds and marketed them to hikers in the neighboring San Jacinto Mountains.

However, in recent years, I feel that trail mix has become less of a high energy snack and more of a camp candy, which is a far departure from its original purpose. For trail mix to pack the energy punch that it’s supposed to, it can’t just be all candy. It needs to be primarily carbs, proteins and fats, with a little sugar for that sweet treat.

So long as trail mix includes the key three, the sky is the limit as to what to put in it. That’s another great thing about trail mix; it is definitely not a one-size fits all. It’s very customizable.

So, what makes a great trail mix?

Well, as we’ve already said, it needs to have carbs, proteins, and fats. It needs to have some crunchy bits and some chewy bits. It needs to have some sweet and some savory. And, above all, it needs to have flavor and stuff you like; otherwise, you’re not going to eat it no matter good for you it is.

Let’s explore the world of possibilities. When building your trail mix, include ingredients from each category and you can’t go wrong.

Nuts or Seeds

Good nut choices include almonds, pistachios, cashews, peanuts, and walnuts. Higher-calorie macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, pecans, and pine nuts are also good options in moderation. Nuts are loaded with healthy unsaturated fats, protein, fiber, antioxidants, vitamin E, and other essential vitamins and minerals. Raw or roasted, go for unsalted, unsweetened nuts to keep sugar and sodium in check.

For those with nut allergies (or just looking to mix things up), seeds provide many of the same nutritional benefits as nuts and many are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, gamma linolenic acid, protein, zinc, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and calcium. Good seed choices include hemp, sunflower, sesame, flax, and pumpkin.

Fruits or Berries

Good choices include dried apricots, pineapple, cranberries, blueberries, cherries, figs, apples, dates, raisins, banana chips, goji berries, strawberries, and mango. Fruit can be a great source of fiber, antioxidants, calcium, and vitamins A, C, and K. Look for dried fruit options with as little added sugar and preservatives as possible (some varieties, like cranberries, are naturally quite tart and almost always sweetened with cane sugar or apple juice). It’s also pretty easy to make your own dried fruit at home in the oven.

Crunchy Bites

For that little bit of crunch try granola, toasted oats, sesame sticks, pretzels, tortilla chips, shredded wheat squares, air-popped popcorn, puffed rice, corn flakes, whole-grain cereals like Cheerios or Chex, bran flakes, and whole-wheat crackers. Grains add complex carbohydrates for extra fiber, which boosts overall energy and helps to keep you full. Choose whole grains whenever possible and avoid highly processed cereals that add unnecessary sugar and sodium.

Sweet Bites

Round out your trail mix with a sprinkling of something sweet, including M&Ms, chips or nibs (dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, peanut butter, carob, butterscotch), gummy candies, chocolate-covered coffee beans, yogurt-covered raisins, mini marshmallows. When choosing chocolate, remember that dark varieties have extra antioxidants. A little bit of sugar is perfectly acceptable and, according to Mary Poppins, “helps the medicine go down.” Just remember to add sugary treats sparingly. They should not be a main component.

Unique Mix-Ins & Savory Extras

Kick it up a notch with coconut flakes, wasabi peas, candied ginger, pork rinds, coffee beans, and seaweed rice crackers. Adding spices is a great way to change up the flavor a bit. Season the mix with sea salt, curry, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, or cayenne pepper.

Some Assembly Required

Start by choosing just a couple ingredients from each category. Keep it simple. Don’t pack too many flavors in, but have enough variety to make every handful a little different. Don’t be afraid to mix it up once and a while and add something new or come up with new combinations.

When you’re ready to assemble, combine ingredients and store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place to prevent spoilage.

When making trail mix for a camping or hiking adventure, sporting activity, or urban experience, allow each family member to build their own. Set out ingredients, grouped by category, and give everyone a resealable bag, mason jar, or plastic container. Guide little ones so they don’t load up on all the sugary stuff and leave out the nutritional building blocks.

Trail mix is a power hitter when it comes to snack food and is not just for hikers. I pack a little trail mix to work every day for a nutritious energy boost for when I hit that afternoon slump. And, yes, I have Craisins in mine! What’s in your mix?

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Baked Oatmeal with Blueberries and Bananas

Here in the northwest, mornings can be on the cool side if not downright chilly. The only exception might be in the middle of July or August. To combat that nip in the air, a warm breakfast is always welcome and oatmeal is always a winner. Our favorite oatmeal is Snoqualmie Falls Lodge Oatmeal.

This oatmeal is loaded with super healthy bananas and blueberries, and the pecans and toasted top give it an almost granola like flavor and texture.

What we like most about this oatmeal is that it’s not made on the stovetop and doesn’t need to be babysat. Everything goes into a Dutch oven and then it bakes for 35-40 minutes. While it’s baking, you can do other stuff, like make coffee!

Equipment
12-inch Dutch oven, cutting board, knife, large mixing bowl, small mixing bowl, measuring cups and spoons.

Ingredients
2-3 bananas, sliced
2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
3 cups old fashioned oats (don’t use instant)
½ to 1 cup brown sugar
1 ½ cups pecans, chopped
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups milk
1 cup maple syrup
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons butter, melted
3 teaspoons vanilla

Prep (about 15 minutes)
Line a 12-inch Dutch oven with foil and apply a light coating of non-stick spray or oil. Start 25 coals in your chimney.

Layer the banana slices to cover the bottom of the oven. Sprinkle blueberries on top of the bananas.

In a large bowl, mix oats, brown sugar, one cup of the chopped pecans, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Pour oat mixture on top of blueberries.

In a small bowl, whisk together milk, maple syrup, eggs, butter, and vanilla. Pour on top of oat mixture. Sprinkle remaining chopped pecans on top.

Bake at 350°F, using 17 coals on the lid and 8 underneath, for 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Makes about 8 servings

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Blueberry Coffee Cake

My daughter’s Girl Scout troop was planning their menu for a big camping trip to Camp River Ranch. For Sunday morning breakfast, the girls proposed coffee cake and we decided to make a blueberry coffee cake and it was divine!

The cake was sweet and loaded with blueberries. The cinnamon topping was toasty and crispy! Freshly baked, it was warm and tasty on the cool morning. We’ll definitely be making this one again. So yummy!

The instructions below start with some home prep and then some prep and assembly in camp. You can also easily make this at home in a conventional oven. It actually goes together pretty easily.

Equipment
12-inch Dutch oven or 9×13 baking pan (for conventional or box oven), mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons.

Ingredients for the Cake
5 tablespoons butter, softened
2 cups flour
2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup sugar
1 large egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup whole milk
2 cups fresh blueberries

Ingredients for the Topping
½ cup flour
½ cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
Sugar, for sprinkling

Prep (at Home or in Camp)
For the cake flour mixture, add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt to a medium bowl or a container or resealable bag and stir to combine. Label the container or resealable bag for transport to camp in your food tote.

For the topping, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a gallon-size heavy duty resealable bag for transport to camp in your food tote.

Prep (in Camp)
Line your 12-inch Dutch oven with foil for easy clean up and coat the foil with cooking spray, oil or butter. If using a 9×13 baking dish, coat with cooking spray, oil or butter.

Preheat your oven or start your coals (25 coals for a 12-inch Dutch oven or 14 coals for a box oven).

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg and mix until combined. Mix in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and milk alternately and mix until totally incorporated. Do not over-beat. Fold in the blueberries until evenly distributed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan or Dutch oven.

For the topping, add the butter to the topping mixture in the resealable bag and mush together until you get a nice crumbly texture. Sprinkle the topping over the top of the batter.

Bake in a 350°F oven, using 17 coals on the lid and 8 coals underneath, for 40 to 45 minutes or until the cake is golden brown. Sprinkle with sugar. Serve with softened butter.

Serves 16

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Blueberry French Toast Casserole

This French toast casserole is loaded with French toast flavor with none of the mess or bread flipping. It all goes together in a Dutch oven and, when it’s done, you can all sit down together and eat.

This recipe can be prepped up to 24 hours in advance so you could prep it at home right before you leave and then assemble it the next morning for a quick and easy breakfast in camp. It also makes a great breakfast at home that you can assemble the night before, and is a great way to do French toast if you’re feeding a crowd. If you dry the bread by baking it in the oven (instructions are at the bottom of the post) then the bread cubes will act like little sponges and really soak up the egg mixture and make a firmer casserole.

We’ve made this with fresh and frozen blueberries and with frozen peaches and we like each of those versions. The one pictured above was made with blueberries. Very yummy! We want to try apples next.

 

Equipment

12-inch Dutch oven or 3-quart rectangular baking dish, mixing bowl, whisk, measuring cups and spoons

 

Ingredients

12 slices white bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 8 cups), dried*

1 8 ounce packages cream cheese, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1 ½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries, peaches or apple chunks

12 eggs

2 cups milk

1/2 cup maple syrup or maple-flavor syrup

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla

 

Prep

In a mixer at home or in a medium mixing bowl in camp, whip or whisk cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs, milk, syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla. The cream cheese will be lumpy and that’s okay.

Place half of the bread cubes over the bottom of a well-buttered 3-quart rectangular baking dish or foil-lined Dutch oven. Sprinkle fruit over bread cubes. Arrange remaining bread cubes over fruit.

Carefully pour egg mixture over the bread mixture. This can be covered and chilled up to 24 hours; however, I would not recommend chilling it in the Dutch oven. I would assemble it in a bowl for transport to camp and then, in the morning, just dump it into the foil-lined Dutch oven and bake. When we made this last weekend, we did everything in camp, assembled, and then let it sit while we prepped the coals and that was plenty of time for the bread to soak up the egg mixture.

Prep 25 coals.

Bake in a 350°F oven, using 17 coals on the lid and 8 coals underneath, for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean, and topping is puffed and golden brown. Refresh coals as needed. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm with maple syrup or flavored syrup to compliment your fruit.

Serves 8

 

*To dry bread slices, arrange bread in a single layer on a wire rack; cover loosely and let stand overnight. Or cut bread into 1/2-inch cubes; spread in a large baking pan. Bake, uncovered, in a 300°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until dry, stirring twice; cool.

 

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Blueberry French Toast Cobbler

I first made this for my daughter’s Girl Scout troop when they were Brownies and they have loved it ever since. It’s always on our breakfast short list when we’re planning a camping menu. We love it for its sweet blueberry compote on the bottom and crusty French bread toasty top. The girls, who are now in high school, made this last spring at Camp Lyle McLeod during our annual encampment. It was a huge hit. A while back, my sister, Kathy, asked me for this recipe so here it is, Kat!

Equipment

12-inch Dutch oven

2 Large mixing bowls

Whisk

Bread knife

Cutting board

Rubber spatula

Large serving spoon

Topping Ingredients

1 baguette of French bread, sliced ¾-inch thick

5 eggs

¼ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

¾ cup milk

Filling Ingredients

4½ cups blueberries

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon cornstarch

3 tablespoons butter

Powdered sugar

Prep Work

Start 33+ coals in a chimney.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, ¼ cup sugar, milk, baking powder, and vanilla. Whisk thoroughly. Add the bread slices, turning once to coat evenly. Cover and allow to set until all the egg mixture has been soaked up by the bread. In the time it takes you to get everything else prepped, this should be ready.

Heat the bottom of your Dutch oven and melt the butter. In another large mixing bowl, combine blueberries, ½ cup sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch. Pour blueberry mixture into Dutch oven. Place soaked bread on top of blueberries. Bake in a 450°F oven, using 22 coals on the top and 11 coals underneath, for 25 minutes or until blueberries are bubbling and bread is golden brown. Remove from heat and sprinkle with the powdered sugar. You don’t need any syrup with this, but you still could, if you wanted to. Serves 6-8.

Summer Fruit Cobbler

The other day, Lisa, one of my Girl Scout leader buddies, asked if I had any good cobbler recipes for the Dutch oven. Lisa is taking her girls camping in a few weeks and wants to make a cobbler but hasn’t had much success. She was looking for a recipe that was “tried and true,” she said.

Right about the same time, we had a couple of nice, sunny days. I was thinking about spring and summer and so I had to make this one. After all, I couldn’t hand the recipe off to Lisa without making it one more time! Right?!

But, as luck would have it, as I was getting ready to make it yesterday afternoon, the rain clouds moved in and the rain began. Undaunted and under cover on my front porch, I forged ahead and I’m so glad I did.

This is a yummy cobbler. The combination of fruit makes each bite a little different and the little bit of cornmeal in the topping brings a nice flavor and texture to the party. My daughter liked it so much she licked her plate! (She told me I had to write that and that I had to use an exclamation point.)

I had frozen peaches, strawberries, and blueberries in the freezer so that is what I used, but you could use any combination of berries to go with the peaches. Just think summer!

Equipment

12-inch Dutch oven

1 medium mixing bowl (for mixing the topping)

1 large mixing bowl (for mixing the fruit)

Pastry cutter

Measuring cups and spoons

Mixing/serving spoon

Knife

Cutting board

Ingredients for the Fruit Filling

2-2½ pounds fresh or frozen peaches, cored and sliced

2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, cored

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1 cup sugar (use a little less if your fruit is really sweet)

¼ cup cornstarch

pinch of salt

Ingredients for the Topping

1½ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup stone ground corn meal (coarse or fine)

2-4 tablespoons sugar (adjust it according the sweetness of your berries)

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup (8 tablespoons) cold butter, cut into small pieces

1½ cups cold milk OR ¼ cup dry milk powder mixed with 1½ cups cold water

Prep Work

This could be done in your home kitchen before you go or in your camp kitchen.

For the filling, mix cornstarch, sugar and salt together. Set aside until ready to assemble cobbler or seal in a bag for transport to camp. If you’re using fresh fruit, you could also prep your fruit.

For the topping, whisk all of the dry ingredients together. Add the cold butter and cut into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or your hands. The mixture will look like cornmeal with larger, pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. If making in advance, transfer to a large resealable plastic bag or cover bowl with plastic wrap. Chill until ready to make the batter.

Assembly

In camp, you may want to line your Dutch oven with aluminum foil because this recipe is really sticky. Start 25+ coals.

In a large bowl, mix all of the fruit with the cornstarch, sugar and salt mixture. Set this aside to allow the dry ingredients to dissolve. Give it a stir once in a while.

In a separate bowl or using the bag with your topping mixture, combine the milk and the topping mixture.

Pour the fruit filling into the Dutch oven. Carefully pour your topping mixture over the fruit getting a nice, even coverage. You want the batter to sit on top of the fruit.

Bake at 350°F, using 17 coals on the lid and 8 underneath, for 30-40 minutes or until the juices are bubbling and the top is golden brown.

Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream. Serves 8-10.