Bemidji Camping: Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler

Since this is our nighttime recipe post, I thought it would be fun to share some of our favorite night time activates. On Friday, while in the campground office renting a canoe, we saw packets of Mystical Fire Flame. Supposable it turns your fire flames from orange to a rainbow of colors. It was amazing. We had so much fun watching it, we went and bought more for Saturday night and to bring home. Just remember to use it after you are done cooking food over your fire. On Saturday night we cracked open about 75 glow sticks got dressed up in them and walked around the campground. Than there is the obvious star gazing. Bemidji is very far away from any city lights giving stargazers a perfect opportunity to see the Milky Way and northern lights, which was a lovely surprise during a middle of the night walk to the bathroom.

We tried out a new recipe for a nighttime dessert. It’s a supper easy peach cobbler that you can make over the fire. It takes about an hour to an hour and half to bake, so we went for a evening swim, and left my dad and mom in charge of the fire. While we were walking back we could smell it from a few blocks away and even over heard other campers talk about the delicious aroma.

Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler

 (I know it looks... well ....interesting, but it is AMAZING)

Ingredients

·      2 cans sliced Peaches in syrup (30 oz cans)

·      1 package white or yellow cake mix

·      ground cinnamon

·      1 stick of butter

1 .    Prepare coals/ fire

2 .    Pour the cans of fruit with the syrup into the Dutch oven.

3 .    Spread the dry cake mix evenly over the fruit.

4 .    Sprinkle with the cinnamon.

5 .    Cut the butter into equal slices and arrange them on top.

6 .    Place dutch oven over 15 hot charcoal briquettes. Put lid on the tip of the oven and place 10 hot briquettes in a check board pattern on top.

7 .    Bake for 45 minutes or until done

Or

Place over fire for an hour to an hour and a half or until done.

NOTE: Done is a relative term don’t expect it to look like cake. Think of it as a pie filling texture.

You can also use this recipe in at home in your oven. Use a 9x 13 pan. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.

Here are some links for more camping ideas:

Camping Part two of four Bemidji Camping: Cheesy Melty Campfire Dip

Camping part one of four Bemidji Camping: Potato Boats

For More camping ideas see my previous post from camping a few summers back.

Bemidji Camping Day Two: Cheesy Melty Campfire Dip

(Sitting above Mississippi River)

The second day we went to down town Bemidji, walked around and had lunch at Minnesota Nice Cafe.  It was a cute little ma and pop cafe on main street. Than we headed to Itaska State Park, where the Mississippi River starts. In the picture below, we are walking across the rocks that create the starting of the Mississippi. 

Cheesy Melty Campfire Dip

Another tinfoil over the campfire recipe. This gooey dip is perfect for vegetables (we usually bring carrots and cucumbers), Chips and Pretzels. 

Ingredients

• 2 sheets of tin foil (about 12 by 12)
• 1 container of Chive and Onion Cream Cheese
• 3/4 cup salsa
• diced tomato 
• sliced green onion

Directions

1. place cream cheese on a double layer of tin foil
2. On top of cream cheese, add salsa, diced tomatoes and sliced onions.
3. Now you need to wrap it up. I suggest you wrap the middle first. Fold foil over 3 times. Than tightly roll ends tightly. 
4. Place on bbq over the fire for 10 to 15 minutes. Be sure to have the seams facing up, so your dip doesn't melt into the fire.

Keep in the cooler (that is if there is any left). You can eat it cooled, or roll it back up and place over the fire again.


Stay tuned for part three of four. Its DESSERT TIME!

Here is camping part one of four Bemidji Camping: Potato Boats

For More camping ideas see my previous post from camping a few summers back.

Merry Christmas

I know it has been almost 2 months ago that I posted, but Christmas cookies are all over my house needing to be shared. No matter if it seemed like The Taste Bud Diaries were dead!

I made the first batch of cookies with my friend Amy, right after Thanksgiving. We made Spritz (recipe below), and gingerbread cookies, both are my favorite. Amy also introduced an added flavor to the spritz recipe that I absolutely love. Using the wreath press, add dough in to the whole than put a dollop of raspberry jam in it. After cooked you can sprinkle powder sugar on top to give it a polished and impressive touch. The flavor is heavenly.

 

The next cookies were twisted candy canes. I made them with the confirmation class of 6^th graders I co-teach. We took a day off from the curriculum and made cookies for women shelters around the twin cities. It was amazing how excited the kids got when they found out they could give back to the community by doing something fun.

 

 

The next cookies were twisted candy canes. I made them with the confirmation class of 6^th graders I co-teach. We took a day off from the curriculum and made cookies for women shelters around the twin cities. It was amazing how excited the kids got when they found out they could give back to the community by doing something fun.

 

Last weekend we went to my grandma’s house to make lefsa. It’s a Scandinavian food made out of potatoes and usually looks like a tortilla when all done. This year we used 7 pounds of potatoes and 3 pounds of butter, for a total of 80 lefsa's. Every Christmas eve we have Swedish meat balls and lefsa. I have never gone a year without. My Parents and brother also made popcorn balls last weekend. Sadly I was not home to enjoy making them. I did however eat my fair share

 

On Thursday evening I was noticing our cookie supply was running low. Paul and I made more spritz for Christmas day, because my family is hosting my mom’s side.  About 15 people would be without Christmas cookies :( We cant have that!

 

 

 

Spritz Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup of butter, softened

½ cup sugar

2 ¼ cups flour

1 teaspoon almond extract or vanilla (I like almond

½ teaspoon salt

1 egg

Heat oven to 400°. Mix butter and sugar. Stir in remaining ingredients. Fill cookie press with dough: form desired shapes on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until set but not brown, 6 to 9 minutes.

You can also use food coloring or sprinkles to add some festiveness. 

 

I will be making a ginger bread cake for Christmas eve at my grandparents, on my dad’s side. And (fingers crossed) will be up in early January. I would do it sooner, but on Christmas night I am leaving for Washington dc and won’t be back until next year.

Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays :-D