The Boy Scout Planning Guide suggests a  Special Cooking Troop Program Feature for June 2013.  This cooking program feature offers the opportunity to explore cooking with special equipment and techniques, including Dutch oven cooking, foil packs, and camp stoves.

The plans for the Special Cooking  troop program feature can be found in  Volume 3 of Troop Program Features from BSA:

Here is a program feature for a troop that has gone beyond cooking basics. Scouts will learn how to use the Dutch oven and reflector oven and practice cooking with camp stoves, charcoal, and aluminum foil. Since good meals are so important in camp, your patrol leaders’ council will want to use this feature as soon as most Scouts have mastered the basics of cooking.

Special Cooking Programs

Younger scouts can work on their early rank requirements, including menus and cooking, fire safety, and camp stoves.  Older scouts can earn the Cooking merit badge.

The featured activity for this month is a camp banquet where Scouts can share all of the dishes they created using special cooking techniques.

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This camp spinach rice casserole can serve as a vegetarian main dish or a side dish. It is cooked in a Dutch oven.

I like to cut down on my preparation at camp by cooking the rice and chopping the onion beforehand, but you can also do that at camp if you prefer.

Dutch Oven Spinach Rice Casserole Recipe

Equipment for camp

• 12 inch Dutch Oven
• Heavy duty foil
• Bowl and spoon for mixing
• 25 charcoal briquettes
• Spoon for serving

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup uncooked rice
• 1/2 small onion
• 2 packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained (10 ounce each)
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2/3 cup milk
• 4 beaten eggs
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

One day before the campout:

1. Cook the rice according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile chop the onion.
3. Put rice and onion in container and refrigerate.

At camp

1. Prepare your charcoal briquettes.
2. Line the Dutch oven with foil.
3. Mix together the rice, onion, spinach, cheese, milk, eggs, and seasonings.
4. Pour into Dutch oven.
5. Place 8 briquettes under the oven and 17 on the lid.
6. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.

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On a recent campout, I made a this dump cake style Lemon Berry Dutch Oven Cobbler. This cobbler recipe is lighter than some of the other ones I make which have a lot of butter. In fact, I had diet 7Up on hand instead of regular, so I used that, making this a fairly low calorie dessert.

It got rave reviews from the other Scouters. The Dutch oven was empty pretty quickly.

Lemon Berry Dutch Oven Cobbler Recipe

Equipment

• Dutch oven
• Aluminum foil
• Charcoal – 25 briquettes
• Serving spoon

Ingredients

• 1 package frozen raspberries, thawed
• 1 package frozen blackberries, thawed
• 1 box lemon cake mix
• 1 can lemon lime soda

Directions

1. Prepare your charcoal briquettes.
2. Line the Dutch oven with foil
3. Sprinkle the berries on the bottom of the oven.
4. Dump the lemon cake mix on top of the berries.
5. Pour the soda over the cake mix. DO NOT STIR!
6. Put 8 briquettes under the oven and 17 on the lid.
7. Cook for about 30 to 40 minutes.

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Here is an easy camp breakfast recipe for those who enjoy some eggs in the morning. I really enjoy Dutch oven recipes at camp because you can put all of your ingredients in and relax while it cooks. And relaxing and enjoying the moment is part of what really makes camping great.

Dutch Oven Breakfast Quiche

Equipment

• Dutch oven
• Bowl for mixing
• Spoon for mixing
• Charcoal – 25 briquettes
• Spoon for serving

Ingredients

• 1 lb diced ham
• 2 cups milk
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup Bisquick baking mix
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Prepare your charcoal.
2. Sprinkle the ham on the bottom of the Dutch oven.
3. In a bowl, combine the milk, eggs, cheese, and Bisquick.
4. Pour the mixture over the ham.
5. Place 8 briquettes under the Dutch oven and 17 on top.
6. Cook until the eggs are set and cooked through, about 30 minutes.

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This is an adaptation of a Dutch oven cobbler recipe from The Scout’s Outdoor Cookbook. If I could only have one camping cookbook, it might just be this one. (Thank goodness I can have as many camping cookbooks as I want though!) I highly recommend it.

This recipe is a twist on the traditional Dutch oven cobbler. My sons like making this just because of the novelty of the ding dongs in the cobbler.  It is pretty easy to make. Most patrols with at least one experienced camp cook could do this without difficulty.

Ding Dong Cherry Cobbler

Equipment

• Dutch oven
• Bowl for mixing
• Spoon for mixing
• Can opener
• Charcoal – 25 briquettes
• Spoon for serving

Ingredients

• 2 boxes yellow cake mix
• 6 eggs
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1  can cherry pie filling
• 12 ding dongs
• 20 marshmallows

Instructions

1. Prepare the charcoal.
2. Add cake mix, eggs, oil, and water to bowl and mix together with spoon.
3. Open the can of pie filling and pour it into the bottom of the Dutch oven.
4. Cover the pie filling with half of the cake batter.
5. Arrange 6 of the ding dongs on top of the batter.
6. Pour the remaining cake batter over the ding dongs.
7. Put the other 6 ding dongs on top.
8. Add the marshmallows.
9. Arrange 8 briquettes under the Dutch oven and 17 on top.
10. Bake until the cake batter is cooked through – about 45 minutes.

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Hoppin’ John is traditionally served on New Year’s Day to bring luck through the year. You can have it anytime though. This recipe works at camp or you can cook it at home on your stove.

This is really good served with Sweet Corn Bread.

One Pot Hoppin’ John

Equipment

• Large cooking pot or Dutch oven
• Knife
• Cutting board
• Spoon for stirring and serving
• Charcoal, fire, or stove

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dry black-eyed peas
• 1 pound ham
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 6 to 8 cups water (depending if you want it thicker or soupier)
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Prepare the charcoal or fire if necessary.
2. Cut the ham into pieces.
3. Chop the onion.
4. Place the peas, ham, onion, red pepper, salt and pepper in the pot or Dutch oven.
5. Cover with water and bring to a simmer.
6. Cook for about 1 hour, until beans are tender
7. Stir in the rice, cover and cook until rice is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. (Add a little additional water if it looks like there is not enough to cook the rice.)
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. Serve. Sprinkle shredded cheese over top, if desired.

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This is one of our favorite Dutch oven recipes. DS made this recently at a Troop meeting where the Boy Scouts showed off their cooking skills. This recipe also won first prize at a Camporee cooking contest, so I guess it is an “award winning” recipe.

I have also included the instructions for baking this at home in an oven. See the bottom of the recipe.

Pumpkin Crunch

Equipment

• 25 charcoal briquettes
• bowl
• can opener
• spoon for mixing
• aluminum foil
• 12 inch Dutch oven
• knife
• serving spoon

Ingredients

• 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
• 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 eggs
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (the original recipe called for 1/2 cup)
• 1 stick butter, melted

1. Prepare the charcoal.
2. Line the Dutch oven with aluminum foil.
3. Mix pumpkin, milk, sugar, spices, and eggs.
4. Pour mixture into Dutch oven.
5. Sprinkle dry cake mix over pumpkin mixture and top with pecans.
6. Dot the butter on top in very small pieces.
7. Put 8 briquettes under the oven and 17 on top.
8. Check at 50 minutes. It is done when a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Continue cooking if necessary, checking about every 5 minutes.

*If your charcoal is burning too quickly, light some more at about the 30 minute mark.
*If it is getting too brown on top when you check it, move some charcoal to the bottom.

If baking at home, use a 9×13 inch pan. Bake at 350 for about 50 to 60 minutes.

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A couple of our Scouts earned their cooking merit badges at our second summer camp this past summer. Meals at this camp were served in a dining hall, but the merit badge counselor brought lots of ingredients and they cooked a couple of things every afternoon. So at about 3 or 4PM we would get invited over to the counselor’s campsite to sample dishes the group had made. It made a nice afternoon snack. This one was LC’s favorite of all of the dishes we sampled.

Camp Chicken and Stuffing Recipe

Equipment

• Cutting board
• Knife
• Dutch oven
• charcoal
• spoon

Ingredients

• 2 stalks celery
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 cups diced cooked chicken
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1⅔ cups water
• 1 package chicken stuffing mix
• 1 cup chicken broth

1. Prepare 24 charcoal briquettes.
2. Slice the celery.
3. Put 12 of the charcoal briquettes under the Dutch oven.
4. Cook celery in butter in the Dutch oven
5. Add chicken, cream of chicken soup, and water.
6. Bring to a simmer.
7. Mix stuffing mix and broth, spread on top of chicken mixture.
8. Put remaining the remaining 12 briquettes on top of the Dutch oven.
9. Stir together before serving.

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Fresh baked bread tastes wonderful when you are out on a chilly campout. This is a casserole bread which is pretty easy to make.

The recipe calls to mix the dough in a bag. You can do it in a bowl if you prefer, but the Scouts might enjoy squishing it around in the bag. This is a sticky dough, so try to get as much as possible out of the bag when you are ready to put it in the Dutch oven.

If you want to make this recipe at home in the comfort of your kitchen, just use a 350 degree oven.

Herb Casserole Bread

Equipment:
Charcoal
Dutch oven
Large Ziploc Bag
Small bowl

Ingredients
2 T sugar
1 T dried onion flakes
2 t of your favorite dried herbs
1 t salt
¼ t baking soda
2 ½ cups flour

1 pkg dry yeast
¼ cup warm water (not hot!)
1 cup cottage cheese
1 egg
shortening to grease the Dutch oven

Preparation (Before you leave for camp)
1. Combine the sugar, onion flakes, herbs, salt, baking soda, and flour in a large Ziploc bag.

Directions
1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water in a small bowl.
2. Add the yeast mixture, cottage cheese, and egg to the ingredients in the Ziploc bag
3. Squish the bag with your hands until everything is mixed up.
4. Let rise in bag for one hour. (Leave the bag open just a little.)
5. Grease your Dutch oven.
6. Remove the dough from the bag and place in the Dutch oven. (Dough will be sticky.)
7. Let rise about 30 minutes.
8. Prepare about 24 charcoal briquettes.
9. Place half of the charcoal on top of the oven and the other half underneath.
10. Let the bread bake for about 40 to 50 minutes. It should not be sticky in the middle when cooked.
11. Serve warm with butter.

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This is a very sweet corn bread. In some areas, this would be called corn cake. The sweetness of the bread goes well with spicy foods like chili or ham and beans with lots of hot pepper sauce.

This is a pretty easy recipe. Just make sure you test for doneness. Variations in cooking conditions can cause this recipe to require a little more time to cook.

Sweet Corn Bread

Equipment:

• Charcoal fire (20 briquettes)
• 12 inch Dutch oven
• fork and bowl for mixing ingredients

Ingredients

• Shortening to grease the Dutch oven
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 ½ Tablespoons baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup oil
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 ½ cups milk

Directions

1. Prepare your charcoal fire.
2. Thoroughly grease the Dutch oven with shortening.
3. Mix the rest of the ingredients together and pour into the greased Dutch oven.
4. Place 12 briquettes under the Dutch oven and place 20 on the lid.
5. Bake for about 35 minutes. Insert a toothpick or thin knife into the center of the bread. If the toothpick or knife comes out clean, the bread is ready.

Serves 6 hungry campers.

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This variation of campfire potatoes is hearty enough to serve as a main dish. If you are serving it as a side dish, it will make more than 4 servings.

If your Scouts are “meat and potatoes” guys, they will enjoy making this. It is pretty easy, so even inexperienced cooks should be able to handle this.

Loaded Campfire Potatoes

Equipment:

• Charcoal fire (16 briquettes)
• Dutch oven
• Spatula or fork
• Knife
• Cutting board

Ingredients

• 4 large potatoes
• 1 onion
• 6 strips of bacon
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese
• sour cream (optional)
• chives (optional)

Directions

1. Prepare your charcoal fire.
2. Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut into bite sized pieces.
3. Dice the onion.
4. Heat the Dutch oven over the charcoal.
5. Fry the bacon in the Dutch oven until crisp. Remove.
6. Sauté the onion in the bacon grease until it begins to soften.
7. Add the potatoes in with the onion and mix.
8. Cover the Dutch oven and move 4 briquettes to the top.
9. Let cook for 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
10. Crumble the bacon on the top. Garnish with cheese, sour cream, and chives.

Serves 4 as a main dish.

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Most of our scouts enjoy making dump cakes. They are easy enough for novice camp cooks to put together.

There are lots of different dump cake combinations out there. Chocolate and cherries is one of my favorites.  It is good with ice cream, but that is difficult to keep at camp so we substitute whipped topping instead.

For easier cleanup, you can line the Dutch oven with aluminum foil.

Black Forest Dump Cake

Equipment:

• Charcoal
• Dutch oven

Ingredients

• 2 cans cherry pie filling
• 1 box chocolate cake mix
• 1 stick butter
• Ice cream or whipped topping (optional)

Instructions

Prepare your charcoal.

Spread the pie filling in the bottom of the Dutch oven. Sprinkle the cake mix over it. Thinly slice the butter and arrange over the top of the cake mix.

Put about 12 hot coals under the Dutch oven and 16 on top. Let cook until hot and bubbly, about 40 minutes.

Cool slightly and serve with ice cream or whipped topping.

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This recipe is a good recipe for when you have time to let a stew simmer.  Serve some fruit on the side and maybe some bread and you have a full meal. Boy Scouts and Venturers should be able to prepare this meal on their own.

Personally, I prefer “real” mashed potatoes to the instant and would make them instead, but our Scouts like the easy preparation of the instant potatoes. They are not into peeling vegetables, which is also why this recipe calls for baby carrots.

Easy Stew Topped Mashed Potatoes

Equipment:

• Charcoal
• Dutch Oven
• Cooking pot for the mashed potatoes
• Camp stove for cooking potatoes (optional)
• Can opener
• Cooking utensils

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 package dried onion soup mix
• water
• 1 pound baby carrots
• 1 can green beans
• 2 2/3 cups instant mashed potato flakes
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ tsp salt
• 4 Tbsp margarine

Prepare your charcoal briquettes.

Place 14 briquettes under the Dutch oven. Brown the beef cubes in the Dutch oven.

Add the cream of mushroom soup plus one can of water. Add the onion soup mix, carrots, and green beans. Cover and place 12 briquettes on top of the oven. Simmer for about 45 to 60 minutes, until the beef is tender. Check occasionally and add more water if it is getting too dry. Replenish your briquettes if necessary.

Meanwhile, when the stew is almost ready, heat 2 2/3 cups water, margarine, and salt just to boiling. Heat the liquid mixture on a camp stove or over a small charcoal fire. Remove from heat and add milk. Stir in mashed potato flakes and let stand until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Add more milk or more flakes if the consistency isn’t right.

To serve, put a heap of mashed potatoes on your plate. Put the stew on top.

Serves 8

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One of the things scouts enjoy about camping is the independance of cooking their own food. Some scouts will want to cook the easiest, quickest things possible, but others like to cook “real” food. This is a pretty heavy breakfast, but if the scouts have a full morning of activities ahead of them they usually appreciate a big meal in the morning. An it is simple enough that they can do it themselves without any interference from adults.

Mountain Man Breakfast

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