RECIPE MEATLOAF MINI BUNDT CAKE PAN

RECIPE MEATLOAF MINI BUNDT CAKE PAN

Great looking & tasting individual servings. Start your mashed potatoes right after you pop your meat mixture in the oven to bake. These will all come together while things are hot. Serve with a side of steamed vegetables, bread, etc. ~Rick Beach
Servings: 6 Servings

Ingredients

MEAT LOAF

  • 1 1/2 lb Ground Beef Lean or Sirlon
  • 2 Gloves garlic Minced
  • 1 Med Onion Diced
  • 3/4 Cup Celery Sliced/Chopped
  • 1 Cup Ketchup
  • 1 Cup Bread cubed
  • 1/4 Cup Milk
  • 1/2 tsp Mustard Yellow French's Hot Dog type
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Liquid Smoke Hickory Flavor
  • 2 Tbsp Cilantro dried flakes
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper ground
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 2 Large Eggs

MEATLOAF TOPPING

  • 1/2 Cup Ketchup

MASHED POTATOES

  • 3 Large Russet Potatoes Peeled and cubed
  • 3 Cloves garlic Peeled
  • 1/2 Stick Butter
  • 1/2 Cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • Bacon Crumbs and Chopped Chives Optional garnish

Instructions

MEATLOAF

  • Preheat oven to 350°F
  • Saute the Garlic, Onions, and Celery in a small amount of olive oil.
  • In a mixing bowl combine all ingredients and mix together by hand.
  • Divide the meat mixture into 6 equal parts. Press into a greased (6) mini bundt pan. [I use half of my 12 unit pan]
  • Bake 45 minutes. Turn out upside down on a foil lined cookie sheet. Pre Grease or spray oil the foil first. Add the topping and return to the oven to broil.

MEATLOAF TOPPING

  • Set Oven to High Broil. Spread the 1/2 cup ketchup topping on the exposed tops of the 6 upside down mini meatloaves. Dividing the ketchup equally and using it up. Immediately return the 6 mini's to the oven and broil the ketchup side up for 5 minutes. The topping ketchup should be broiled just enough to slightly dry it, but not brown or burn it. Remove from the oven and top with mashed potatoes before serving.

MASHED POTATOES

  • Cover cubed potatoes with water, salt and gloves. Cook at a low boil for 20 minutes. Test potatoes to see if close to done. Stir and continue to low boil about another 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
  • Skim off the garlic (save it), then drain off the water. Crush the cooked garlic cloves with the back of a spoon. Return the drained cooked potatoes and the cooked crushed garlic to the still hot cooking pan. Add the Butter, Buttermilk, and salt. Allow the butter to melt.
  • First mash the potatoes with a potato masher, Then whip them using a mixer until they are fluffy. Adjust your milk to get the desired consistency. Be careful not to add too much liquid.
  • Use a piping bag and tip, or a spoon to top the baked mini meatloaves with whipped mashed potatoes. Garnish and serve.

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Recipe: Cake Cherry Bundt done in a Dutch Oven

 Recipe & Photos: Rick Beach
This is a box cake version.  I have a “scratch’ recipe too.

12 inch Dutch Oven and Bundt Cake pan that fits inside.  A deep Dutch Oven helps.

Hot Coals for 350°F

Ingredients

1   Chocolate Cake Mix (Devils Food that calls for 1/3 cup oil & 3 eggs)

Zest of 1 orange

Juice of 1 orange           Combine juice and water to equal liquid

Water                               called for on cake mix

1/3 Cup Oil  (amount of oil called for on cake mix box

3 eggs           (called for on cake mix box)

½ Can   Cherry Pie filling chopped coarsely

1 Can of your favorite icing ( or prepare your own homemade) (I use Cream cheese Vanilla)

½ Can Cherry Pie Filling – leave cherries whole

Prepare cake mix (The type that on the box it indicates 1 Cup water, 1/3 Cup Oil, and 3 eggs.  Do not use the total water indicated.  Fresh squeezed Orange Juice is used in place of some of the water.

Dump the cake mix in a mixing bowl.  Zest the orange peel into the mix.  Squeeze the juice from the orange you just grated the peel.  Squeeze the juice into a measuring cup.  Add enough water to the juice to equal 1 cup total liquid (or whatever the total liquid is on the cake mix.  Pour this into the mixing bowl with the cake mix and zest.  Add the oil and 3 eggs.

Chop ½ the can of cherry pie filling until the cherries are in course pieces.   Add the chopped cherries to the mix and using a mixer beat the cake batter per the instructions on the cake mix.

Reserve the other ½ of can of filling for topping after the cake is baked.

Spray oil the bundt cake pan, then pour in the beaten batter.

Pre-heat the Dutch Oven and lid with coals for 350°

Once the Dutch Oven is hot place the bundt pan in, cover and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.  Gently raise the lid and test for doneness with a knife or tooth pick.  Mine normally take 35 minutes.  Bake and test every 5 minutes until tooth pick comes out clean.

Cool completely.  Ice the top and about ¼ the way down.  Spoon the remaining Cherry pie filling on top of the icing allowing it to ooze down the sides.  Serve

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CHRISTMAS COOKIES

“Tis the Season.  Make up boxes of cookies, candies, chocolate dipped pretzels, etc.  Have these on hand the week before Christmas to spread a little joy and love with your friends, family, and neighbors.

Here are a couple very common recipes to start out with.

Our favorite is right off the bag of Nestle’s ® Chocolate Chip Bag

Nestle’s® Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 5 dozen

2 ¼ Cups          Flour

1 tsp                Baking Soda

1 tsp                Salt

1 Cup               Butter softened

¾ Cup              Sugar – White Granulated

¾ Cup              Brown Sugar Packed

1 tsp                Vanilla

2                      Eggs

2 Cups             Nestle’s ® Chocolate Chips

1 Cup               Nuts Chopped (Optional)

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Combine Flour, Baking Soda, and salt in small bowl.

Beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until creamy.  Then add eggs one at a time beating well after adding each egg.

Gradually beat the Flour mixture into the creamy butter mixture.

Stir/Fold in the Chocolate Chips and Nuts.

Drop by rounded Tbsp. onto an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 9-11 minutes until golden brown.  Cool on baking sheet 2 minutes then move to wire rack to cool completely.

For cookie bars:  Preheat oven to 375°F.  Grease 15×10 Jelly Roll Pan

Spread prepared cookie dough into the prepared pan.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool on rack.  Once cooled, cut and remove from pan.

(A Pizza wheeled rolling cutter works great for cutting the bars)

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Cookie Press Christmas Cookies
Decorate with Icing and Sprinkles

Plain/Vanilla Spritz Cookie Press Cookies

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 cup butter

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Heat oven to 375°F. In large mixer bowl combine sugar, butter, egg, salt, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until mixture is light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add flour. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed, 2 to 3 minutes. Place dough in cookie press. Form desired shapes 1 inch apart on cookie sheets. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

Chocolate Spritz Cookie Press Cookies

Makes about 60

1-1/4 cups butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

2 large eggs
3 ¼ Cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars, and vanilla, until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Gradually stir flour mixture into butter mixture. Shape dough into a log and place in your cookie press. Press cookies out onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Layered Vanilla and chocolate Cookies

Used press with wide saw toothed die and lay out a long strip.
On top layer a long strip of white/vanilla

Variation use crushed candy, (Crushed candy canes work good) between the layers.
Cut the strips in bite sizes and bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes.

Decorate with white or colored icing and sprinkles.

To make pinwheels

Roll a Layer of the Vanilla dough out on wax paper.  On a second piece of wax paper roll out a thin lay of the Chocolate dough.  Flip the chocolate layer over on top of the white.  Press dough together slightly.  Peel off the top layer of wax paper.  Roll the double layer of white and chocolate into a log removing the bottom wax paper.  Cover the dough log with wax paper.  Then cover in foil and chill in the fridge for about an hour.  Then remove foil and wax paper, and slice disks off the log about 1/4 inch thick.  Arrange on cookie sheet and bake as directed above.

 

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Chocolate Dipping Sauce 

for Pretzels, Ritz Crackers, Oreo Cookies, etc

For every 8 oz of  Chips (Chocolate, White, etc) add 2 Tbsp. of Crisco Shortening
In the microwave or double boiler heat and stir until silky smooth

Dip your items in the melted chocolate and lay out on wax paper.  You can speed this up by using chilled cookie sheets.

Dipping a second time after the first dip has cooled will make a thicker layer of chocolate.  Either way, before chocolate has hardened you can drizzles with sprinkles or colored sugar.

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Bread Rolls & Artichoke Spinach Dip Bake

 

Recipe & photos by:  Rick Beach

By combining two of our favorite recipes you can bake this fabulous Dutch Oven treat.  This creation is great as an appetizer.

Use:
Old Fashioned White Bread Recipe
Artichoke Spinach Dip

Use a 14 inch Dutch Oven that has been well greased.  Grease up a relatively straight sided bowl to be placed right side up in the center of the Dutch Oven.  Size it properly to get 2 rows of finished rolls.  The dip will fill this space created by the bowl once removed.

Preheat oven to 375°F  if using the kitchen oven.

The rolls are from our OldFashioned White Bread recipe.  Use 1 Tbsp Agave or 1 ½ Tbsp white sugar in the recipe where it calls for Agave.  Follow the recipe through the first rise of the dough.  Turn out on a floured board and divide into 24 – 28 equal chunks of dough.  Tuck each piece of dough into itself to form a roll.   Arrange two rows of buns between the bowl and the side of the Dutch Oven.  Spray the tops with cooking spray such as Pam, or brush with melted butter.

Cover the Dutch Oven with Plastic wrap and set in a warm draft free area (top of the pre-warming stove) to allow the dough (now rolls) raise the second time.  This can take anywhere from a 1/2hr to 1hr.  Allow the dough to double in size.

In the meantime prepare the ArtichokeSpinach Dip up to the point of baking.  But do not bake it.  Refrigerate the dip while waiting for the buns to rise.

If baking with charcoal start your coals 15 minutes prior to the following steps.

Once the buns have risen, heat the dip until warm using a sauce pan or microwave.  Just to the warm point.  Do not cook it.

Once the dip is just warm, gently slide the bowl out of the center of the rolls.  Spoon the dip into the center hole the bowl created.  Pack the dip up against the raised rolls circling the interior of the Dutch Oven.  The center hole should now be filled with dip about 1 ½ to 2 inches deep.  Do this gently so you don’t make the raised rolls deflate and go flat.

In a standard kitchen Oven bake uncovered at 375°F for about 40 minutes or until the rolls become golden brown.

Baking with charcoal, bake covered; applying more heat to the 14 inch Dutch Oven lid, and less underneath to get 375°F (Generally 19 coals on the top lid.  11 coals underneath the Dutch Oven.  Arranged coals just inside the outer perimeter –  If using a different sized Dutch Oven adjust accordingly)  Bake around 40 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown.

Per the Artichoke Spinach Dip recipe remove from the heat and garnish with Mozzarella Cheese and Fresh Ground Pepper.

Serve hot.

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Italian Bread

Rick Beach

2 cups warm water
3 tsp Rapid Rise Bread Yeast
5 3/4 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon Agave Syrup
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon salt

1 egg white, lightly beaten for bushing dough prior to baking  (Do not use the yoke)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds or Cornmeal

Directions

Combine the water and yeast in the bowl and allow the yeast to work for about 5 minutes.

Add the Agave and oil to the warm water and yeast mixture.  Start mixing in the flour on low speed until dough starts to form (Use Dough hook). Once combined and dough is wet sprinkle the salt onto the dough, and knead with dough hook on medium speed for 8 to 10 minutes, or until dough is firm, smooth, and elastic.

Place the dough in a large heavy lightly oiled bowl and spray the dough with a thin coating of cooking spray. Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to raise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size. Remove the wrap, punch down.   Turn out on floured board.  Flatten and roll up. Roll the dough up tightly, sealing the seam well.. The dough should be elongated and oval-shaped, with tapered and rounded (not pointed) ends.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

A heated or pizza stone can be used for baking directly on the stone.  Alternately, an inverted baking sheet may be used.  I prefer a double perforated French Bread Pan and make 2 loaves from this recipe.

Allow the dough to proof, loosely covered with a damp towel, for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.  This can be done on a piece of foil that is coated with spray (Pam).

I raise my dough this second time right in the double Perforated French Bread Pan. The perforated pan is sprayed with oil as well as coating the dough.  Remember to cover with a damp towel.

Once raised double again, brush the dough with the egg white and sprinkle the sesame seeds or cornmeal over the top. Using a razor blade or sharp knife, score 3 (1/4-inch deep) slashes across the top of the dough at a 45 degree angle.

Spray the dough loaves with water from a water bottle and place in the oven.  Immediately close the oven and bake for 3 minutes. Open the oven door and spray the dough again with the water bottle. Close the oven door and bake for an additional 3 minutes before spraying the dough for a third time (the spraying of the dough ensures a crisp golden brown crust). Bake the dough for 45 minutes or until a hollow thud is heard when the bread is whacked with the bowl of a wooden spoon.  Water spraying can be omitted and you will still turn out with excellent bread.  Allow the bread to cool slightly before serving.

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APPLE PIE


(
with Dutch Oven Baking Technique)

Recipe and Photos: Rick Beach

6-7 cups of medium tart apples (Granny Green), cored, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt  + a few shakes on top of apple mixture before placing the top crust on
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

½ tsp. cornstarch
3 Tbsp. flour
3 Tbsp. butter

2 Pie Crusts

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl except the butter and pie crusts.
Then pour the mixed ingredients into the pie crust lined plate/tin. Dot with chunks of the butter.

Add a few shakes of salt on top of the apple mixture now in the bottom pie shell.

Top with the other crust. Cut steam slits in the top crust and sprinkle the top with some additional sugar.

Foil protect/tent the exposed crust edge to prevent premature browning

Preheat Oven to 450°F (For charcoal use the 3 uppy down rule for coal counting)

Bake at 450°F for 15 minutes. Remove the foil that is tented over the crust edge.

Reduce heat/coals to 350°F and bake for 35-45 minutes, until apples are tender and juices are bubbling out of the steam slits.

Dutch Oven baking for pies in general.  Whether using a glass pie plate or metal tin plate (Not deep dish pies with crust directly in the Dutch Oven) raise the plate/tin off the bottom of the Dutch Ovens cast iron.  Several methods are used.  Any type of trivet works.  I personally use an adjustable leg trivet with very short legs.  Mason jar metal rings work too.  The trivet or spacer goes in the bottom of the Dutch Oven before the pie plate/tin is placed in the DO.

I always tent my outer perimeter exposed pie crust with foil for the first 15 minutes of any recipe.  This avoids premature crust browning. Use the normal recipe for a conventional oven and adjust your charcoal coals to equal the heat settings.

A long piece of foil (double it if using cheap thin stuff) is draped in the Dutch Oven prior to the pie being placed in.  The ends of this foil can be rolled up or left hanging out under the DO lid.  This foil is used for lifting the pie out after baking.  This foil lifter is especially useful when the pie plate/tin and the Dutch Oven sides are a tight fit.

Glass pie plate shown on an adjustable leg trivet (shown with 1 1/2 inch legs

When pie baking in a Dutch Oven the bolt legs would be removed an 1/2 inch bolts/legs used

Ready to bake
Ready for the ice cream

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Cobbler “Fort Hall Wild Apple”

Recipe and Photos submitted by Nancy Lane

12 inch Dutch Oven and lid

Hot Coals for 350°F

Crazy Crust

1 C. butter

1 1/2 c. milk
2 C. sugar
2 C. self-rising flour

1 C. Apple Pie Filling

Melt the butter and preheat the DO over the chimney starter while the briquettes are heating.

Mix the Milk, Sugar, and Flour together and dump on top of the melted butter.

Dump the pie filling in on the crust mixture and spread evenly across the top.

Bake at 350° with the appropriate amount of briquettes.  With a 12 inch oven use 15 on top, 9 on the bottom.  Rotate the Pot and Lid 30 minutes into it.

Then remove the bottom coals and place on top with the existing coals already there.  Check often until the crust browns.

RECIPE:DUTCH OVEN APPLE DUMP CAKE

Dutch Oven Apple Dump Cake 

Recipe and photo submitted by Rick Beach

From our “First Annual Vintage Trailer Rally” @Lake Havasu State Park, Arizona. We managed to fire up the Dutch Ovens for the Potluck meal. Here is the Dutch Oven Apple Dump Cake Recipe:

1 Can Apple Pie Filling (Somewhat chopped)

1 Stick of Butter 

1 Box Cake Mix (White or Yellow) 

1 Tbsp. Cinnamon 

3 Tbsps. Brown Sugar 

1 Sprinkle Salt 

8 oz Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider (Or Clear soda such as 7Up, Sprite, etc)

Start your charcoal 15 minutes ahead. 12 inch Dutch Oven – Apply a good coating of Crisco or Spray oil 

Melt 2 Tbsps. of the stick of butter in the bottom of the Dutch Oven. Pour in the chopped apple pie filling and add half the Cinnamon, Half the Brown sugar and shake of salt.

Dump the dry cake mix on top of the apple mixture and spread evenly.

Chop the remaining butter in chunks and distribute over the dry cake mix.

Pour the Cider over the entire top of the cake mix best you can.

Sprinkle the remaining Cinnamon and brown sugar over the top. 

Cover the Dutch Oven with its lid.  Coals for 350 degrees heat.

With a 12 inch Dutch Oven, place 9 coals on the bottom at the outer perimeter. Add a full ring of coals to the top at the very perimeter of the lid (about 15 -18 coals.

Bake about 45 -60 minutes. 

The cake should be somewhat firm on the top, but gooey when served. Best served hot with some vanilla ice cream and a little whipped cream. 

If you like a sweet sour combination, serve with creamed cheese. Once it is cold I love it with a sharp cheddar cheese.

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RECIPE: Biscuits – Southern Buttermilk Biscuit Recipe

 Southern Buttermilk Biscuit Recipe

Photos courtesy of Cecil Nye

Recipe & Photos submitted by Cecil Nye

More of Cecil’s recipes can be found at the Iron Cooker website


 

Ingredients

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the board ( if you can get White Lily flour, your biscuits will be even better)

 
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder ( use one without aluminum)
1 teaspoon kosher salt or 1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, very cold
1 cup buttermilk ( approx)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 450°F.
Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, or in the bowl of a food processor.
Cut the butter into chunks and cut into the flour until it resembles course meal.
If using a food processor, just pulse a few times until this consistency is achieved.
Add the buttermilk and mix JUST until combined.

If it appears on the dry side, add a bit more buttermilk. It should be very wet.
Turn the dough out onto a floured board.

Gently, gently PAT (do NOT roll with a rolling pin) the dough out until it’s about 1/2″ thick. Fold the dough about 5 times, gently press the dough down to a 1 inch thick.
Use a round cutter to cut into rounds.
You can gently knead the scraps together and make a few more, but they will not be anywhere near as good as the first ones.
Place the biscuits on a cookie sheet- if you like soft sides, put them touching each other.
If you like”crusty” sides, put them about 1 inch apart- these will not rise as high as the biscuits put close together.

Bake for about 10-12 minutes- the biscuits will be a beautiful light golden brown on top and bottom.
Do not over bake.

Note: The key to real biscuits is not in the ingredients, but in the handling of the dough.
The dough must be handled as little as possible or you will have tough biscuits.
I have found that a food processor produces superior biscuits, because the ingredients stay colder and there’s less chance of over mixing.
You also must pat the dough out with your hands, lightly.

Original submission 3/2015

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