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Originally Posted by TUFFTORQ
what are some of the trail receipe favorites?
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Here is the Cobbler receipe I sent to Brentbba last week. We ate this in Anza Borrego made with black cherries. I have made it numerous times and noone has complained yet:
"Good times this past weekend. This assumes you have a 12 inch Oven. Here is the "mix" that I make prior to leaving town, so in effect, it's like a cake mix, except you make it from scratch:
3 cups all purpose flour
1.5 cups sugar
some ground nutmeg (it's potent if you grind the pods, but adds good flavor
1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 tsp baking powder
1 cup nuts if desired-I keep separate and add when I mix in the milk-see below. Pecans and walnuts are both great. I used pecans this past weekend.
Mix the dry stuff together and put in a plastic bag.
For the fruit-any will do. Have the scouts cut up apples or peaches in season. I used pears once-it's a sophisticated adult taste. The scouts will like peaches or apples better. THe cherries I used this weekend were really good-I'll make those again. I want to try it with fresh apricots. Look for blackberries in DV. Anyway:
3-4 cups of any fruit(more is generally better but the amount is not critical)
2 cups of sugar
You mix the fruit and the sugar just before you start making the cobbler. If you are using fresh apples, mix the fruit and the apples when you light the charcoals. This helps to form a bit of syrup. Keep this separate from the batter.
Once your coals are ready, heat the cast iron dutch oven (technically a "camp oven" or "cowboy cooker" since you need the lid with the flange to hold the coals and feet to keep it out of the coals). Once the oven is warm, add 2 sticks of butter (not the fake stufff) and melt in the bottom.
Now mix enough milk into the mix to make a smooth stirrable batter. Add the nuts to this batter. Pour the batter into the oven, and distribute evenly over the bottom.
Now pour in your fruit mixture-It should be syrupy by now. I just pour it over the batter and don't mix.
To cook-I use charcoal because it is easier to regulate the heat. 9 coals on the bottom and 18 on top. It's generally a 1/3--2/3 ratio. It is very important that you turn the oven every 5 minutes about 1/4 turn, and turn the lid 1/4 turn the other direction. This avoids hot spots and burning the cobbler. I start checking the cobbler after 45 minutes, and 45-55 minutes will do it. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Variations: add 1/2 cup oatmeal to the dry mix-adds texture. Or, make an oatmeal and brownsugar mix and sprinkle on top-it makes a carmelized crunchy top. You can cut up another stick of butter (I know...) and mix in the batter. This is really good, but overkill. I added 2 eggs to the batter once, and it puffed up too much, but tasted great.
If you buy a Dutch Oven, the 12 inch is sort of the standard size. However, Lodge makes a 12 inch that is extra deep. I'm going to get one. That would be better if your troop is big and you need to make a bit more. Just adjust the amount of batter and mix, and increase the cooking time and possibly and extra 2-3 coals.
I wrote a lot, but it is much easier than it sounds. Just remember-dry mix/nuts/smooth batter--fruit plus additional sugar--melt butter in the oven--add the batter--add the fruit and cook for 45-60 minutes.
AJP"