Apple Oatmeal Cookie Dump Crisp

This was fun to make and super easy. It’s a great recipe for a beginner chef. There are only 3 ingredients and I only dirtied one bowl and my pastry cutter so easy clean up.

We used apple pie filling but you can use any pie filling you prefer. You could even mix together two different cans for your own custom flavor. If you prefer your crisps a little more fruit heavy, you could add a third can of pie filling. Try it both ways and see which you like better.

When it’s baked, the oatmeal topping becomes very crunchy and granola like. It was very tasty. Serve it with whip cream or a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream. Everyone gave it a thumb up. We would have gotten two thumbs up but no one wanted to put their spoon down!

If there are any leftovers, you can eat them for breakfast the next morning. My daughter did that and she loved it.

Equipment
12-inch Dutch oven or 9×13 baking dish.

Ingredients
2 cans pie filling
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cubed
1 (17.5 ounce) bag oatmeal cookie mix

Prep
Foil line or grease a 12-inch Dutch oven or grease a 9×13 baking dish. Cube the butter and, in a medium bowl, combine it with the oatmeal cookie mix using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the butter is pea-sized or smaller. Add the pie filling to the baking vessel and sprinkle the oatmeal butter crumbles evenly over the surface. Bake in a 350°F oven, using 17 coals on the lid and 8 underneath, for 50 minutes or until the pie filling is bubbly and the oatmeal topping is golden brown. Refresh coals as needed.

Serves 8-10

If you like this blog and don’t want to miss a single post, subscribe to Chuck Wagoneer by clicking on the Follow Us button in the upper right corner and follow us on Facebook and Pinterest for the latest updates and more stuff!

Is Your Camp Kitchen Covered?

The bulk of my camping experience has been in the Northwest where you just accept the fact that it will probably rain at some point during your campout. So, in addition to having a good quality tent, you also need a good canopy tent for your camp kitchen. These are often referred to as easy-ups or pop-ups and they offer protection from both sun and rain.

A canopy tent also gives you a place to hang a lightweight lantern to illuminate your kitchen in the dark. Some folks string white outdoor Christmas lights and run them off of a battery to illuminate their camp kitchens in the evening. I like to string a couple of clothes lines to hang wash cloths and dish towels to dry. Just remember to pull them in before you go to bed so they don’t pick up condensation overnight; otherwise, you’ll wake up to damp towels.

If you are camping in a national or state park group site, they usually have a covered shelter with a concrete floor where the picnic tables are. They are usually large enough to accommodate your kitchen equipment and depending on the size of your group, you may be able to designate one of the picnic tables as kitchen workspace. Some group shelters have built in cabinets with countertops, maybe a sink with running water, electricity, and maybe a fireplace. You’ll be camping in style if you have one of these.

Most of the time, you’ll probably be in a regular campground campsite, which will not likely have any kind of permanent shelter.

Location, Location, Location
Most campsites have a picnic table and a grill box. If you can, you’ll want to position your kitchen canopy tent near both of these. You’ll want the ground to be as level as possible and free of tripping hazards like tree roots and large rocks.

Set Up
Once you’ve deployed your canopy tent, stake your legs and weight them if you need to, and stake out your guy lines. For safety, both for your campers and for your canopy tent, hang brightly colored flags on the guy lines to help folks see them and not trip over them. The last thing you want is someone yanking a guy line and ripping a hole in the covering.

What Size Do I Need?
Canopy tents vary in size and deploy quickly using a folding frame, usually at least two people are needed. Most are 10×10, but smaller and larger ones are available, some have overhanging eaves offering more shade, and some come with sidewalls for added protection from the elements. If the one you have or the one you want doesn’t have sidewalls, but you want the added protection from sun, rain, or wind, you can easily attach tarps using bungees or rope. I like to at least tarp the corner where my coolers sit to keep the sun off of them.

When deciding what size to buy, think of all the equipment you’ll want to have under the canopy, including your chuck box, totes, work tables, camp stove, Dutch oven table, etc.

Another thing to consider is how many bodies need to be working in your camp kitchen? Is it just you? Will you have sous chefs? If you regularly have helpers in the kitchen, you’ll want to allow for more maneuvering room.

What work zones will you need? You’ll probably want a designated space to wash dishes. You’ll definitely want a space for prepping and mixing.

At this point, it might be helpful to grab a pencil and some graph paper and sketch out your kitchen layout to ensure everything is under cover and you still have maneuvering room. Sketching a few different sizes and layouts will help you decide which size of canopy tent will best serve your needs.

Protection from the elements is important for you, your equipment, and the food you are preparing. A canopy tent should be high on your priority list. Where you like to camp will determine just how high on the priority list it actually is. For me, it’s a must have.

If you like this blog and don’t want to miss a single post, subscribe to Chuck Wagoneer by clicking on the Follow Us button in the upper right corner and follow us on Facebook and Pinterest for the latest updates and more stuff!

Hot Dogs and Beans! A Winning Combo!

July 13 was National Beans and Franks Day. Today, July 15, is National Hot Dog Day.

Hot dogs are a camping and backyard grilling classic. They’re also a beloved protein of just about every kid I know.

In the summer, we’re probably grilling dogs at least once a week either in camp or in the backyard. In the winter, I’ll slice them in half lengthwise and fry them for a sandwich or a bowl of ramen or I’ll serve them alongside a pile of macaroni and cheese. I don’t know where I learned that but I love those two side by side; however, I’ve never mixed them together. I might have to try that!

Speaking of mixing together, two things that go really well when combined are hot dogs and beans. I remember eating a lot of beans and wieners on camping trips as a kid. The easiest way to make them is to open a can of your favorite baked beans and add sliced hot dogs to them and heat them together. It’s a tasty, hearty meal that is super simple to make and is easy on the budget. It makes a winner dinner for a beginning grub master. This is a great meal for a Friday night roll into camp because you can have dinner on the picnic table in less than 30 minutes. It also uses only one skillet for easy cleanup.

If you want a little more control over the ingredients, beans and franks are also easy to make from scratch. Again, it’s simply a can of beans and some sliced hot dogs and then the fun begins as you dress it up any way you like. Here’s one of my favorites. It is sweet and savory, and has complex flavors. Every spoonful is a little different.

This recipe is easily scalable. Cut the recipe in half for 2 or scale it up for as many as you need to feed (and your skillet can hold)! We use all beef hot dogs and, depending on the size of your hot dogs, you may want to halve or quarter them lengthwise before you slice them. I use a 4-ounce can of fire roasted diced green chiles, but you could substitute something fresh and as mild or as hot as you like. I use red bell pepper and yellow onion because we almost always have those on hand, but you could substitute to your liking. For some additional heat and flavor, you can add a splash of your favorite hot sauce or some red pepper flakes.

Ingredients
4 bacon strips, cooked and cut into 1 inch pieces
4 all-beef hot dogs, sliced
1/2 cup diced bell pepper (red, yellow, orange or green)
1/2 cup onion (yellow or white), diced
1 tablespoon spicy mustard
1/4 cup ketchup
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
30 ounces Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup (4-ounce can) fire roasted diced green chiles, mild or hot

Prep
Slice the hot dogs, and dice the bell pepper and onion. Pop the top on the can of diced green chiles or, if you’re using fresh, dice those. In a small bowl, combine the mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, black pepper, and salt. To this, you’d add your splash of hot sauce or red pepper flakes, but that’s optional.

On medium heat, warm a large skillet or cast iron pan. Fry the bacon to your liking, remove, and set aside on a paper towel. Drain off any excess bacon grease, but leave enough to sauté the hot dogs and vegetables. To the skillet, add the bell pepper, onion, chiles (if using fresh), and sliced hot dogs, stirring until the hot dogs are browned and the vegetables are soft and caramelized. Slice bacon and add to skillet along with Great Northern beans, chiles (if using canned), and sauce. Continue to heat and stir until all ingredients have combined and sugar has fully dissolved. Serve hot with a cold potato, pasta or green salad on the side.

Serves about  4.

If you like this blog and don’t want to miss a single post, subscribe to Chuck Wagoneer by clicking on the Follow Us button in the upper right corner and follow us on Facebook and Pinterest for the latest updates and more stuff!

Is Your Camp Kitchen Layout Efficient?

There are lessons that we can learn from our home kitchens when setting up our camp kitchens.

In the 1920s and 1930s, the home kitchen underwent a massive renovation and has, for the most part remained consistent with neatly organized cabinets, counter space, easy-to-clean tiled backsplashes, and optimal layouts to maximize efficiency.

But what about our camp kitchens? Are they efficient? Can we easily access what we need? Do we have adequate work space? Is there a designated place for clean up? Is there a place for cooking with a Dutch oven or a box oven, and a place for starting our charcoal?

According to HGTV, the best kitchen layouts are Galley, L-Shaped, and U-Shaped or Horseshoe.

Galley Kitchen Layout
This efficient, “lean” layout is ideal for smaller spaces and one-cook kitchens. The galley kitchen, also called a walk-through kitchen, is characterized by two walls opposite of each other—or two parallel countertops with a walkway in between them. Galleys make the best use of every square inch of space. You typically see them any where there are tight quarters like airplanes, boats, submarines, motor homes and camper trailers.

L-Shape Kitchen Layout
An L-shaped kitchen solves the problem of maximizing corner space, and it’s a smart design for small and medium sized kitchens. The versatile L-shaped kitchen consists of countertops on two adjoining walls that are perpendicular, forming an L. The “legs” of the L can be as long as you want, though keeping them less than 12 to 15 feet will allow you to efficiently use the space. With an L-shaped layout, you’ll eliminate traffic: The kitchen will not become a thoroughfare because it’s just not logistically possible.

Horseshoe/U-Shaped Kitchen Layout
The horseshoe, or U-shape, kitchen layout has three walls of workspace. Like the L-Shape, this layout eliminates traffic because it is a dead end. Having three walls of workspace allows you to set up multiple workstations and is great for multiple cooks in the kitchen.

I prefer the horseshoe because it maximizes my work space and uses the traditional work triangle, which is efficient. I can set up my chuck box, a large camp stove, my Dutch oven table, and I can have 2 tables for work space with one doubling as a dish washing station. I can use the corners and the space under my tables for my food totes, coolers, general storage, and garbage containers. If you’re using a standard 10×10 canopy shelter, this still leaves a generous amount of space in the middle for maneuvering. It will still be tight, and if you have multiple cooks in the kitchen, you will be bumping butts; however, weather permitting, some folks could work on the outside perimeter of the canopy shelter.

If you’ve got a larger canopy shelter, something along the size of a 10×15 or 10×20, you could add a center island of tables for added work space and it could double as a serving area. Just set out all the food and eating utensils on the island and campers can file in on side, walk around the island to fill their plates, and exit out the other side.

Work Zone Concept
Over the years, the traditional kitchen has evolved into a more practical “work zone” concept and that can work in our camp kitchens as well. I almost always have helpers in my camp kitchen especially on scouting campouts. I’m always grateful when folks volunteer to help out. It lightens the load and makes for good socializing and memory making. And, if an issue arises, you have more heads to brainstorm a solution.

When laying out your kitchen, be mindful of where folks will be standing while they work and make sure everyone has access to equipment, food totes, coolers, and recipes.

Position your work zones to allow enough space for folks tending to pots on the camp stove, prepping ingredients, washing dishes, starting charcoal, or preparing biscuits or a dessert for baking. Folks are usually very understanding and courteous toward each other, but you still want everyone to have a little elbow room. I try to allow about 3 feet of space, which is what I have in my home kitchen between my counters and my small center island. My home kitchen is 12×10, which is just a little bigger than my 10×10 camp kitchen.

So, take a look at your home kitchen or think about the home kitchen you’d like to have. What do you like about it. How can you apply that to your camp kitchen? Take stock of what you got and think about what you need in your camp kitchen. Will it be just you in the kitchen or will you have others in the kitchen with you? What work zones do you think you’ll need? Do you need a place for Dutch ovens? Where will dishes be washed? How much “counter space” do you think you’ll need? And then start figuring out the layout that will work best for you and your sous chefs.

If you like this blog and don’t want to miss a single post, subscribe to Chuck Wagoneer by clicking on the Follow Us button in the upper right corner and follow us on Facebook and Pinterest for the latest updates and more stuff!

Deviled Egg Potato Salad

 

I grew up with a simple, straight up potato salad. It wasn’t anything fancy and didn’t include any “weird” ingredients, but I loved it for its simplicity. It didn’t matter what else was on the picnic table, it went with everything. Unfortunately, the recipe (if there ever was one) was not passed down so I decided to recreate it.

It took a lot of trial and error to get all the flavors balanced, but I think I got it or, at least, I’ve gotten really, really close. When I’ve made this potato salad for family and friends, they say it has a very deviled egg flavor so that’s what I’m calling it.

I’ve made it with baby red potatoes, mini golds, and russets, and I have to say that I think I prefer the russets, but the others were tasty also. The russets seem to soak up more of the dressing, which is maybe why I like them better. If you choose to use golds or reds, you may find that you don’t need as much dressing. Just eyeball it and you’ll be okay.

I make this at home, the day before we leave, and load it into a hard-sided container for the ride to camp in my cooler. If I think I’m going to set it out for more than one meal then I will portion it into smaller containers so that it’s not going in and out of the cooler.

For the russets, I like to “bake” them in my Instant Pot or I’ll bake them outside in a Dutch oven because who wants to fire up their indoor oven in the middle of summer. If you’ve got an outdoor fire pit, you could wrap them in foil and bake them in coals. I don’t recommend boiling the russets because they break down too easily and you end up with more of a mashed potato salad. The golds and reds could be boiled or baked either in coals or in the Instant Pot.

You could also pre-mix your sauce and chop your veggies at home, and then bake your potatoes in camp and assemble in camp. I like to make it at home right before we go because potato salad is one of those dishes that tastes better the next day.

So, here is my favorite potato salad and I think it’s as close to grandma’s as I’m gonna get. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 1/2 to 2 pounds potatoes of your choice (mini gold potatoes, russets, red potatoes, etc.)
3/4 cup (2-3 stalks) celery, diced
4 eggs, hard-boiled, diced
1/4 cup (2-3 stalks) green onion, sliced
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon parsley, dried or 1 tablespoon fresh
1 tablespoon sweet relish or 1 cup sweet pickles, diced

Prep
Bake or boil the potatoes and hard-boil the eggs. Halve or quarter the smaller potatoes. For the larger potatoes like russets, large dice them down to bite-sized chunks. Mix together the ingredients for the sauce. Slice and dice the celery, green onion, and eggs (as fine or as chunky as you like). Combine all ingredients, stirring gently so as not to crush or mash the potatoes unless that’s your preference. Cover and chill.

Food Safety Tip: Eggs should sit at room temperature no longer than 2 hours.

Serves about 8.

If you like this blog and don’t want to miss a single post, subscribe to Chuck Wagoneer by clicking on the Follow Us button in the upper right corner and follow us on Facebook and Pinterest for the latest updates and more stuff!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Backup

April 2 is National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day. When we camp, we always have a stash of PB&J makings in our food tote. When you’re camping with groups of youth, there is bound to be at least one picky eater in the bunch and even though they may have participated in the menu planning, now suddenly, at meal time, they don’t want what’s on the picnic table. When that happens, we usually point to the PB&J makings and say, “There you go.”

When we’re camping, we also plan our menu very tightly to minimize leftovers. If our campers are a little hungrier than we anticipated, someone may not be able to get their seconds or thirds that they want. Making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is a great way to supplement and fill a hungrier belly.

Likewise, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich makes a great snack any time of the day, even midnight. The peanut butter provides a hit of protein, which will help you sleep warmer and better.

If your food tote includes some fresh fruit like bananas or apples, these can be either added to the sandwich or used in place of the jam. My daughter loves peanut butter and banana sandwiches which were also a favorite of Elvis Presley.

If the temperature is a little chilly, you can also slap your sandwich on a griddle and grill it. The peanut butter gets all melted and gooey and is almost decadent.

We usually pack a couple of small jars of jelly and/or jam in different flavors so folks have a choice and, if we have any peanut allergies in the group, we’ll also pack another kind of nut butter that they can have. There are lots of options out there or you can make your own nut butter using any combination of nuts and/or seeds.

So, when packing for your next camping trip make sure your food tote includes bread, nut butter(s), and jelly and/or jam. There is something about a PB&J that is both filling and comforting, and it is good any time of day or night as a meal supplement, meal replacement or a snack.

If you like this blog and don’t want to miss a single post, subscribe to Chuck Wagoneer by clicking on the Follow Us button in the upper right corner and follow us on Facebook and Pinterest for the latest updates and more stuff!

On Top of Spaghetti

I’m not sure why, but spaghetti seems to be one of the most popular meals young scouts make on their first campout. I suspect one reason might be that mom or dad actually made the sauce at home and, in camp, all the scout has to do is warm it, cook the pasta, and combine the two.

Another reason might be that spaghetti can be pretty easy for a young chef if they are simply using a jarred sauce. Again, all they have to do is warm the sauce, cook the pasta, and combine. Meat is optional. But if they wanted a meat sauce, it’s not difficult to brown ground beef, sausage, turkey, or plant-based protein before they add the sauce or they could add a bag of Italian-style meatballs to their sauce. And, let’s admit it, meatballs are just fun! Who doesn’t like a plate of spaghetti and meatballs?!

The dish is actually named for the type of noodle used, which is long, thin, solid, cylindrical pasta. The sauce is a tomato sauce with meat and/or vegetables. A meat-based sauce is typically called a ragù and is a type of sauce, which should not be confused with the brand of jarred sauce found in most grocery stores.

The great thing about ragù sauces is that there are a million variations. Some are heavy, hearty and much more suited to cold, winter days. Others are light, herby and more suited to the warmer spring or autumn seasons. I can’t say that we eat a lot of spaghetti in the middle of summer although we have been known to toss together some vegetables and pasta with diced tomatoes, but it’s not what I would call a traditional spaghetti and ragù sauce.

If you don’t want to or have the time to make a sauce from scratch, jarred sauces are great to use as a base. I call them a base because they are middle of the road as far as flavor goes so they can appeal to a mass audience. If I am using a jarred sauce, I always tweak it and I encourage you to do the same.

Even though most jarred sauces have oregano and basil in them already, I always add more. I’ll add parsley, and maybe some onion powder and garlic powder. Sometimes I’ll add some red pepper flakes for a bit of heat. Other options include marjoram and chili powder.

Here’s what I do when I’m not following a recipe and I’m starting with a jarred sauce: I taste the sauce and then I start grabbing spice jars and sniffing and my nose tells me what to add. Let your nose and your taste buds guide you and you’ll end up with a great sauce.

So, if you’re looking for a quick and easy spaghetti sauce grab a jar and go for it. When you’ve got it to your liking, add some meatballs and pasta and serve it with a salad and some garlic bread. Your hungry campers will love it!

If you like this blog and don’t want to miss a single post, subscribe to Chuck Wagoneer by clicking on the Follow Us button in the upper right corner and follow us on Facebook and Pinterest for the latest updates and more stuff!

Tex-Mex Tater Tot Casserole

This is a great year-round dish. It’s hot and hearty, it packs a little heat to warm your belly, but it is surprisingly light. So, regardless of the season or the climate, this is a great dish. It’s also very versatile and can be easily customized to your tastes and dietary needs. For example, we have a family member who can’t have corn so we serve the corn on the side and those of us who can have corn simply mix it in on our plates.

The black beans could be swapped out for a different kind of bean. The green chiles could be swapped for something hotter. The taco seasoning can be adjusted as can the cheese blend. I encourage you to modify and make it your own, but first try this version because it is pretty darned good.

At home, you can make this using a skillet and a casserole dish or, if your skillet is large enough and oven proof, you could make it all in the one skillet. In camp, you could make this using the same skillet and casserole dish combo with a box oven or you could do the whole thing in a Dutch oven.

Start to finish, this takes about an hour to get on the table, which is nice and while it’s baking, you can prepare your side dishes. I recommend a green salad with a cool creamy dressing, cornbread, or simply a handful of chips. You’ll also want to have some sour cream and salsa handy, as well as a good hot sauce for those who like it spicy! Chop some fresh cilantro for a garnish and serve with a pitcher of lemonade and/or margaritas.

Equipment
12-inch skillet, 9×13 casserole dish, and box oven; or 12-inch Dutch oven

Ingredients for casserole
1 pound ground beef
1/2 onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 batch taco seasoning mix (see my recipe below) or you could use a store-bought packet
1 (4-ounce) can green chiles
1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.4-ounce) bag frozen corn
1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce
3 cups shredded cheddar and Monterey jack cheese or your favorite mexi-blend, divided
4-5 cups frozen tater tots
Cilantro, optional garnish
Sour cream, optional

Taco Seasoning Mix
(This is for 1-pound of ground protein)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cumin
3-6 dashes of Tabasco sauce, added separately (I mixed it into the enchilada sauce)

Prep
Prep coals or preheat oven for 375°F. For home or a box oven, spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Over coals or a camp stove or stove top, on medium heat, using a 12-inch skillet or a Dutch oven, brown the ground beef and sauté the onion until thoroughly cooked. Drain off excess fat if you need to. Add the taco seasoning, enchilada sauce, green chiles, black beans, frozen corn and stir until combined. Simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes.

For the skillet/casserole dish to oven method, pour the meat mixture into the casserole dish, sprinkle on 2 cups of the cheese, and gently place the tator tots on top (you don’t want them mixed in). Make sure the tator tots are spread evenly over the top in one layer. The casserole dish can go into a 375°F box oven or home oven. The box oven will need about 15 coals.

For the skillet or Dutch oven method, remove from heat and let it rest for just a moment to stop bubbling. Sprinkle on 2 cups of the cheese, and gently place the tator tots on top (you don’t want them mixed in). Make sure the tator tots are spread evenly over the top in one layer. The skillet can go directly into the 375°F oven. The Dutch oven can be lidded and moved to coals on the top and bottom for a 375°F oven. A 12-inch Dutch oven will need about 27 coals (18 on the top and 9 underneath).

Bake for 35-40 minutes then sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese over the top and bake another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with chopped cilantro, sour cream, chips and salsa, salad, and/or cornbread.

Serves about 8.

If you like this blog and don’t want to miss a single post, subscribe to Chuck Wagoneer by clicking on the Follow Us button in the upper right corner and follow us on Facebook and Pinterest for the latest updates and more stuff!

Let Them Eat Cake!

Just because we’re camping doesn’t mean we skip dessert. On the contrary, camp is the perfect place to roll out something decadent because we all know that what happens in camp stays in camp. But baking can be challenging (there is chemistry involved), and it can be even more challenging in a camp kitchen.

And, for the record, we love boxed cake mixes and canned frosting. If you add a can of pie filling and a can of soda pop, you’ve got the makings for a great dump cake.

In camp or at home, if you’re looking to kick it up a notch, nothing beats a cake made from scratch. You don’t need to be an experienced baker to turn out a great cake, but knowing the basics helps.

First, Read the Whole Recipe
Always read all the way through a recipe before you start. Butter has to be softened, nuts may need toasting and chopping, chocolate may need melting. Ingredients like eggs and milk should be brought to room temperature or the ambient temperature in camp. Scanning the recipe helps you get a game plan in your noggin.

Mise en Place
This is a fancy schmancy French term pronunced: mi zɑ̃ ˈplas, which means “putting in place” as in set up. Set out all ingredients and pull out any equipment you may need. Measure and mix your dry ingredients, measure your wet, chop whatever needs to be chopped, melt whatever needs to be melted, have your charcoal ready to light. Get everything ready to go.

This is a good habit to get into no matter what kind of cooking or baking you are doing. It ensures you don’t forget an ingredient and, once you start, you won’t be interrupted because something needs to be prepped.

Prep Your Oven
At home, remember to turn on your oven at least 10 to 15 minutes before baking so it has time to heat up. Likewise, in camp, make sure your box oven or Dutch oven is ready to go along with your charcoal in a chimney. Light your coals when you think you are about 15-20 minutes away from going “into the oven.”

Prep Your Pan
If the recipe requires it, grease and flour the cake pan before making the batter, so everything is ready to go when the batter is. To grease, use vegetable shortening on a paper towel. Vegetable shortening doesn’t darken as quickly as butter does, and it goes into crevices of fancy bundt pans, without puddling the way nonstick sprays do. To dust pans with flour, sprinkle them generously (for dark batter, use cocoa to avoid a white coating). Invert pan and tap lightly to remove excess.

Prep Your Dry
Measure all dry ingredients in metal or plastic measuring cups. I keep a complete set of metal measuring cups in my chuckbox. Always lightly spoon in flour and confectioners’ sugar, taking care not to pack it down or tap the cup. Fill to overflowing; level cup with a knife or straight-edge spatula. For packed brown sugar, press firmly into the cup.

Prep Your Wet
Measure liquids in a glass or plastic measuring cup specifically for measuring liquids. I like to place the measuring cup on the kitchen counter or the top of my chuckbox because it’s level (I always level my chuckbox when setting up my camp kitchen). Setting the measuring cup on top of my chuckbox also puts the measuring cup at eye level so I can read the mark accurately without stooping (I do enough stooping in camp tending to my charcoal and ovens). And, pour in the liquid all the way to the mark.

Use Real Measuring Spoons
The spoons in your flatware set are not standard cooking measurements. I keep a couple sets of metal measuring spoons in my chuckbox. That way, if I’m measuring something wet or something dry, I probably have a clean measuring spoon in the size that I need. And, yes, I’ve watched young chefs measure using the spoon from their mess kit.

Rack/Pan Position
At home, place baking pan on the middle oven rack, at least 1 inch from sides of oven, so heat can circulate. You’ll want to ensure good heat circulation in a box oven in camp. If you are baking in a Dutch oven, place a trivet in the Dutch oven to rest your cake pan on (if you’re not cooking directly in the oven). After minimum baking time, touch center of cake lightly with your fingertip. If no imprint remains, or if a wooden toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, cake is done. In camp, I usually recruit a helper who either lifts the box oven or the Dutch oven lid so I can quickly test and then they quickly set it back down. Every time you lift the box or the lid, there is huge heat loss so you want to work as quickly as possible to retain as much heat as possible in case the cake needs more time.

Cool Down Time
Allow cake to cool in pan 10 to 15 minutes on a wire rack. If you leave it in the pan too long, it will steam and get soggy. Then run a knife around edge and invert cake onto a wire rack to finish cooling, about 2 hours for thick cake pans, bundt pans, and fluted shapes. Frost, glaze, or dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Now, you have a cake that should win you some Ooos and Aaahs. We like cake.

If you like this blog and don’t want to miss a single post, subscribe to Chuck Wagoneer by clicking on the Follow Us button in the upper right corner and follow us on Facebook and Pinterest for the latest updates and more stuff!

Tweed Pound Cake

Today is National Pound Cake day and this is my second favorite pound cake. The first is my grandmother’s German chocolate pound cake, which was always my birthday cake. I’m having to recreate it and I’m very close. I’ll let you know when I get it! Until then, I console myself with the tweed pound cake.

This is a finely textured sour cream cake named for the flecks of chocolate that resemble tweed fabric. It is so delicious that it needs no frosting. Seriously. I love it unfrosted. If you really wanted to frost it, I would recommend a chocolate glaze spooned over it.

I make this in a bundt pan at home; and I make it in the same bundt pan in camp, only I bake it in a box oven. It’s a fun treat and usually disappears pretty quickly. It’s cake, and who doesn’t love cake?!

Equipment
Bundt pan, box oven or deep Dutch oven.

Ingredients
4 ounces semisweet chocolate
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, measured unsifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs, large
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces sour cream

Prep
Grease a 10-cup fluted baking pan or bundt pan and dust with flour or cocoa powder. Grate or chop chocolate.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. This could be prepped at home and brought to camp in a resealable bag or plastic container.

In a large mixing bowl, using a sturdy spoon, cream butter and sugar until blended and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing in each one. Add vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and sour cream, beginning and ending with flour (batter will be thick). Stir in grated chocolate.

Spoon batter into pan and spread evenly. Bake in a 325°F box oven, using about 13 coals or in a 12-inch deep Dutch oven on a trivet, using 20 coals on the lid and 10 underneath, for 45-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Refresh coals as needed.

Cool cake in pan on wire rack 15 minutes. With small metal spatula, loosen cake from side of pan. Invert cake onto wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 16 servings, or less… Just sayin’.

This post has been shared at Homestead Bloggers Network. If you like this blog and don’t want to miss a single post, subscribe to Chuck Wagoneer by clicking on the Follow Us button in the upper right corner and follow us on Facebook and Pinterest for the latest updates and more stuff!