20 Easy Recipes for Cast Iron

Cooking
By Adele Cliff
Text Copyright 2013 Adele Cliff
All Rights Reserved

Contents
Dedication
Introduction
Appetizers
Taco Ring
Mini Pigs-in-Blankets
Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Grandmas Bean Soup
Side Dishes
Cowboy Beans
Moms Corn Pudding
Cheesy Potatoes
Slow Roasted Root Vegetables
Main Dishes
Chicken Pot Pie
Hearty Chili
Creamy Chicken and Rice
Sausage and Sauerkraut
Breakfast
Baked French Toast
Fruit and Nut Oatmeal
Savory Bread Pudding
Breads
Parmesan Herb Biscuits
Beer Bread
Desserts
Firecracker Cake
SIN-fully Good Cake
Cherry Cobbler
Dedication
I was inspired to write this
cookbook by my three children.
Children are lifes greatest blessing
and although I love each of mine
very much, God has doubly blessed
me with children that I really like as
well. Funny, strong and very cool,
my kids have grown into adults that
I always want to spend time with.
To Cody Elizabeth, my cowgirl
diva, I want to thank you for always
encouraging me to try new things.
Any far out idea Ive come up with,
I know I can voice it to her and get
a hearty, Oh yeah! You should
totally do that, mom! I hope that I
have been half as encouraging to
you as you have been to me.
To Chelsea, my airborne missile
operator, I thank you for being
brave enough to get out there in the
real world and face down the scary
things that most of America doesnt
even know exists. Mostly, we all
thank you for being brave enough to
ALWAYS ask the question, When
are we having some cast iron
cooking? We all want it, but you
manage to remind us just how
badly.
And to Jake, my only son, my baby
and the strongest young man Ive
known, thank you for never letting
me take things too seriously.
Whether we are crashed in front of
the t.v. or out for a ride, you make
the simplest things so hilarious that
I can never stay mad about anything.
(Ooooh, look at the campers)
Finally, I cant thank my awesome
husband, Mark, enough for
introducing us to this amazing world
of cast iron cooking. You bought
me that first Dutch oven as a
Christmas present that seemed less
than stellar, but turned into
something the whole family craves
on a regular basis. Thank you for
knowing me better than I know
myself.
Introduction
There is just something inexplicable
about cooking out of doors. I can
still remember the first time we
took our family camping and found
ourselves lusting after the
breakfasts of our fellow campers.
Being a smart mom, I knew my
young children would not want
anything more than their typical
cold cereal, sugary sweet and
lacking in any essential ability to
nourish. As I passed out the plastic
bowls and poured the first serving
of neon-colored rings, I was blindly
distracted by an enticing aroma. I
sniffed deeply as the cereal
overflowed the bowl in my hand.
What was that? I wondered as I
scooped up the spilled cereal.
Its bacon, my husband stated, a
scowl lining his face as he glared at
the cereal box. He seemed to be
reading my mind as I covertly
scanned each of the neighboring
campsites for the source of such an
amazing essence.
It cant be regular bacon, I
quipped. They must have done
something to it to make it smell that,
that I was at a loss for words for
the first time in my life.
We ate in silence, the cereal tasting
like sawdust as we continued to be
lambasted by new scents. Mark
actually moaned when the maple
syrup flowed over the hotcakes in
the campsite across the lane. We
finished our cereal and I threw the
box in the trash as soon as breakfast
was over.
Ive got to go to the camp store, I
announced as I stuffed the
cardboard box under the other
offensive trash. Do you think they
carry hickory smoked bacon?
Many months later, on Christmas
morning to be exact, I opened what
turned out to be one the most
precious gifts my husband has ever
purchased. The box, so heavy I
could barely lift it, was a cube
about 12 inches in each direction.
When I pulled out the 10 inch Dutch
oven, my right eyebrow instantly
rose in suspicion. I had a staunch
no kitchen items rule that I had
put in force the previous Christmas
when I had received a crock pot
from the love of my life.
I thanked him tersely and tucked the
heavy pot into the pantry,
determining to return it when he
wasnt looking. I hated to hurt his
feelings, but what in the world was
I going to do with a cast iron pot
that out-weighed my firstborn?
Less than a week later, I came home
to find Mark making a batch of
spicy hot chili. There went any
hopes for returning the blasted
contrivance. The chili was good,
but not enough to convince me.
Back in the pantry, hidden behind
the ice cream maker, went the Dutch
oven. There it remained until
Memorial Day almost two years
later.
When Mark planned a rustic
camping trip with his family, I
smiled and said, No thank you.
You guys have a nice time.
Dad and I are making dinner later.
Why dont you come out to the
wood-lot and eat with us?
When I arrived almost six hours
later, I was still skeptical. The
moment that I spotted the now
infamous cast iron pot hanging over
the open fire, my cynicism doubled.
When Mark pulled the lid off to
check his steaming concoction, I
was surprised by how good it
smelled. A spicy chicken stew was
simmering happily. Then something
sweeter wafted by.
Upside down cake, Mark stated.
Pineapple, your favorite. I was a
goner. We feasted on stew, biscuits
and of course, that wonderful
upside down cake. I could barely
walk back to the car that night.
From that moment on, it was my
mission to learn as much about cast
iron cooking as I could. There was
surprisingly little available
providing recipes that involved
cooking over fire or even charcoal.
You can jumpstart your own
cooking experience with these super
simple recipes. And yes, my family
has happily tested them all. Enjoy!
Appetizers
Taco Ring
1 tube crescent roll dough
lb ground beef, browned and
drained
cup shredded taco blend cheese
cup salsa
cup sliced jalapeno
cup shredded lettuce
cup sour cream
Lightly grease a 10 pie plate with
vegetable shortening. Unroll and
separate the crescent rolls. Arrange
the crescent rolls around the
perimeter of the pie plate, each
pointing out, making a sunburst
shape. With the backs of your
fingers, slightly flatten the
overlapping pieces of crescent
dough.
Spoon the browned ground beef on
the crescent dough, being careful
not to cover the outer and inner
edges of dough. Top with the
shredded cheese.
Take each outer point of crescent
dough and pull it toward the center,
partly covering the ground beef
filling. Press the tips firmly into the
center portion of dough to seal.
There will be gaps between each
strip of dough.
Place pie plate in a shallow 12
cast iron Dutch oven with feet and
cover with flat lid. Arrange 6 hot
coals in a circle and place Dutch
oven directly above hot coals. Add
8-10 more hot coals around
perimeter of lid. Bake, without
lifting lid, for 45 minutes, adding
additional hot coals after first 30
minutes.
To serve, carefully remove pie
plate from Dutch oven with oven
gloves. Cut into wedges and serve
with salsa, jalapeno, lettuce and
sour cream.
Mini Pigs-in-Blankets
1 tube crescent roll dough
1 package cocktail wieners or
smoked sausage
4 slices American cheese singles,
cut in quarters
Unroll and separate crescent
dough. Cut each triangle in half,
lengthwise, forming 16 smaller
triangles. Place one square of
cheese each dough triangle at the
wide end. Place one sausage on top
of each slice of cheese. Roll up
each one, pressing the pointy tip of
the dough into the roll to seal.
Place each sausage roll on a lightly
greased 10 pie plate. Place the pie
plate in a 12 Dutch oven with feet
and top with a flat lid. Arrange 6
hot coals in a circle and place
Dutch oven on top of coals.
Arrange 8-10 more hot coals around
the perimeter of the lid.
Bake, without lifting lid, for 35
minutes. Replace coals with fresh
hot coals after 30 minutes.
Serve hot with assorted
condiments: ketchup, mustard and
barbecue sauce.
Sweet and Sour
Meatballs
1 bag frozen meatballs, thawed
cup chopped onion
1 8 oz. can pineapple tidbits
1 8 oz. jar grape jelly
1 bottle chili sauce
1 tsp. ground ginger
Combine all ingredients in 10
Dutch oven with feet. Cover with
flat lid. Arrange 6 hot coals in a
circle and place Dutch oven on top
of coals. Place 8-10 more hot coals
around perimeter of lid. Bake for
60 minutes, occasionally stirring
gently. Replace with fresh hot coals
as needed.
Serve hot over rice.
Grandmas Bean Soup
lb bacon, cut into pieces
2 cans northern beans, rinsed and
drained
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and
drained
1 can chicken broth
cup ketchup
tsp. sea salt
tsp. ground black pepper
Arrange 8 hot coals in a circle.
Place a 12 Dutch oven with feet
over hot coals. Saute chopped
bacon until lightly browned.
Remove bacon and set aside. Add
1 can northern beans and the
cannellini beans to Dutch oven.
Pour in chicken broth. Add salt and
pepper and let simmer for 20
minutes.
In the meantime, mash remaining
northern beans with a fork and add
to Dutch oven. Add ketchup and
simmer additional 20 minutes.
Side Dishes
Cowboy Beans
lb. ground beef, browned and
drained
1 can pinto beans, drained and
rinsed
1 can kidney beans, drained and
rinsed
2 cans pork and beans
cup chopped onion
1 can chopped chiles
cup barbecue sauce
Arrange 8 hot coals in a circle.
Place 12 Dutch oven with feet
over hot coals. Saute chopped
onion in oven with 1 Tbs vegetable
oil until translucent. Add remaining
ingredients and cover with flat lid.
Place 8-10 hot coals around
perimeter of lid. Simmer for 60
minutes, stirring occasionally. Add
new coals after the first 30 minutes.
Serve hot with cornbread or Moms
Corn Pudding and your favorite
grilled meats for a real cowboy
experience.
Moms Corn Pudding
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
4 Tbs. butter, melted
1 can creamed corn
tsp. salt
tsp. pepper

1 box corn muffin mix
cup sugar

8 oz. sour cream

2 eggs
In a large mixing bowl, combine all
ingredients. Mix well. Pour into a
lightly greased 12 cast iron Dutch
oven with feet.
Arrange 8 hot coals in a circle and
place Dutch oven on coals. Cover
with flat lid and top with 10 more
hot coals. Bake for 60 minutes,
adding fresh coals after 30 minutes.
Serve hot.
Cheesy Potatoes
1 bag frozen diced potatoes, thawed
1 can condensed cream of chicken
soup
8 oz. sour cream
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
(keep 2 Tbs aside)
tsp. salt
tsp. ground black pepper
3 Tbs. butter, melted
3 Tbs. crushed potato chips
In a medium mixing bowl, stir
together the condensed soup, sour
cream, salt, pepper and all but 2
Tbs. of the shredded cheese. Add
the diced potatoes and fold gently
until well covered in soup mixture.
Spoon the potato mixture into a
lightly greased 12 cast iron Dutch
oven with feet. Top with
remaining shredded cheese. In a
small bowl, mix together the melted
butter and crushed potato chips.
Sprinkle chip mixture over
potatoes.
Arrange 8 hot coals in a circle and
place Dutch oven on the coals. Top
with flat lid and place 8-10 hot
coals around perimeter of lid. Let
bake for 60 minutes, adding more
hot coals after 30 minutes.
Serve hot and stand back. These
are addicting.
Slow Roasted Root
Vegetables
1 bag baby carrots
2 onions, peeled and cut in wedges
3 parsnips, peeled and cut into thick
slices
1 lb. baby red potatoes,
washed
6 cloves whole garlic, peeled
3 Tbs. olive oil
tsp. sea salt
tsp. ground black pepper
tsp. dried rosemary
In a 12 cast iron Dutch oven with
feet, combine vegetables and garlic
cloves. Drizzle with olive oil and
mix to coat evenly. Add salt,
pepper and rosemary. Gently mix
together.
Arrange 4 hot coals in a circle and
place Dutch oven over coals.
Cover with flat lid and top with 6
more hot coals. Let roast for 75-90
minutes, adding fresh coals as
needed.
Serve hot.
Main Dishes
Chicken Pot Pie
1 can mixed vegetables (Veg-All)
1 can condensed cream of potato
soup
2 cans chicken, drained
1 box corn muffin mix
1 egg
cup milk
In a large bowl, stir condensed soup
until creamy. Gently fold in
vegetables and chicken. Spoon into
an ungreased 10 Dutch oven.
Arrange 6 hot coals in a circle and
place Dutch oven on top. Cover
with flat lid and place 6 more hot
coals on lid. Let simmer for 10-15
minutes until bubbling. While
waiting for chicken mixture to heat,
mix corn muffin mix as directed in a
medium bowl. Spread muffin mix
evenly on top of hot chicken and
vegetable mixture.
Arrange 6 hot coals in a circle and
place Dutch oven on top. Cover
with flat lid and top with 6 more hot
coals. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve
hot.
Hearty Chili
1 medium onion, diced
1 lb. ground beef, browned and
drained
1 medium can chili beans with
seasoning
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes
1 packet chili seasoning
Place a 12 Dutch oven over 10 hot
coals arranged in a circle. Add 1
Tbs vegetable oil. Saute diced
onion until translucent. Add all
remaining ingredients and stir to
combine. Cover with flat lid and
add 8 hot coals. Simmer for 60
minutes, adding additional hot coals
as needed.
Serve hot with corn bread or corn
chips. Top with shredded cheese
and sour cream.
Creamy Chicken and
Rice
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 cup long grain white rice
1 can condensed cream of chicken
soup
In a medium bowl, mix soup with
one plus one half soup can of water
until well blended. In 10 Dutch
oven, arrange chicken on bottom,
leaving at least between each
piece. Top with rice and soup
mixture. Do not mix. Arrange 8 hot
coals in circle and place Dutch
oven on top. Cover with flat lid
and top with 8 more hot coals.
Bake for 60 minutes, adding
additional hot coals as needed.
Serve hot with biscuits.
Sausage and
Sauerkraut
1 lb. Smoked sausage, cut in 2
chunks
2 cans sauerkraut, drained and
rinsed
2 Tbs brown sugar
2 Tbs maple syrup
Combine all ingredients in 10
Dutch oven. Arrange 6 hot coals in
a circle and place Dutch oven on
top. Cover with a flat lid and place
6 more hot coals on lid. Cook for
60 minutes, adding more hot coals
as needed. Serve hot.
Breakfast
Baked French Toast
6 slices stale white bread
6 links heat and serve breakfast
sausage, sliced in 1/2 chunks
6 eggs
cup milk
cup maple syrup
tsp cinnamon
In a 10 pie plate, arrange bread
slices, slightly overlapping each.
Scatter sausage pieces over top of
the bread. In a medium bowl, beat
together eggs and milk. Add maple
syrup and cinnamon and mix well.
Pour egg mixture over bread and
refrigerate for at least one hour or
up to overnight. When ready to
bake, place pie plate in a shallow
12 Dutch oven. Arrange 6 hot
coals in a circle and place Dutch
oven on top. Cover with flat lid
and place 6 more hot coals in lid.
Bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot
with additional maple syrup and
whipped cream.
Fruit and Nut Oatmeal
6 cups water
tsp salt
3 cups quick cooking oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
cup maple syrup
cup chopped almonds
cup dried fruit
In a shallow 12 Dutch oven, bring
water and salt to a rolling boil over
10 hot coals. While waiting for
water, mix remaining ingredients
together in a small mixing bowl.
When water boils, stir in oats.
Continue cooking and stirring for
one minute. Remove from fire and
top with fruit and nut mixture. Serve
hot with milk or cream.
Savory Bread Pudding
6 slices stale white bread
6 links heat and serve breakfast
sausage, slice in chunks
6 eggs
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
cup milk
tsp seasoned salt

In a 10 pie plate, arrange bread
slices, slightly overlapping each.
Scatter sausage pieces and
shredded cheese over top of the
bread. In a medium bowl, beat
together eggs, seasoned salt and
milk. Pour egg mixture over bread
and refrigerate for at least one hour
or up to overnight. When ready to
bake, place pie plate in a shallow
12 Dutch oven. Arrange 6 hot
coals in a circle and place Dutch
oven on top. Cover with flat lid
and place 6 more hot coals in lid.
Bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot.
Breads
Parmesan Herb
Biscuits
2 tubes refrigerated biscuit dough
1 Tbs. Italian seasoning
2 Tbs. butter, melted
cup grated parmesan
cheese
In a small bowl, mix together
parmesan cheese and Italian
seasoning. Generously grease a
shallow 12 Dutch oven. Arrange
biscuits in pan, leaving space
between each if possible. Brush
melted butter over the tops of
biscuits. Sprinkle tops with
parmesan mixture. Arrange 6 hot
coals in circle and place Dutch
oven on top. Cover with flat lid
and top with 6 more hot coals. Bake
for 12-15 minutes, until golden
brown. Serve warm.
Beer Bread
3 cups self-rising flour
cup sugar
1- 12 oz. can beer
3 Tbs melted butter

In a large mixing bowl, combine
flour and sugar. Add entire can of
beer and mix well. Batter will be
lumpy. Scrape batter into a well-
greased 12 shallow Dutch oven.
Pour melted butter over top.
Arrange 6 hot coals and place
Dutch oven on top. Cover with a
flat lid and arrange 6 more hot coals
on lid. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until
golden brown and toothpick
inserted near center comes out
clean.
Desserts
Firecracker Cake
1 box Yellow cake mix
1 can Mountain Dew soda

Grease and flour a 10 pie plate.
Mix soda and cake mix in a medium
bowl, stirring for 2-3 minutes to
blend and remove all large lumps.
Pour cake batter into pie plate and
place in a shallow 12 Dutch oven.
Arrange 6 hot coals in a circle and
place Dutch oven on top. Cover
with a flat lid and top with 8 more
hot coals. Bake for 30 minutes, until
a toothpick inserted near center
comes out clean. Remove pie plate
from Dutch oven and let cool 10
minutes on wire rack. Carefully
remove cake from pie plate and
allow cake to cool completely.
Serve with sliced strawberries and
sparklers on top for a festive
presentation.
SIN-fully Good Cake
1 box Devils Food cake mix
3 eggs
vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 jar caramel ice cream topping
1 toffee candy bar, crushed
Grease and flour a 10 pie plate.
Prepare cake mix as directed on
box. Pour batter into pie plate and
place in a shallow 12 Dutch oven.
Arrange 6 hot coals in a circle and
place Dutch oven on top. Cover
with flat lid and arrange 6 more hot
coals on top. Bake for 30-32
minutes, until a toothpick inserted
near center comes out clean.
Carefully remove pie plate from
Dutch oven and place on wire rack.
Using a bamboo skewer or dry
spaghetti noodle, poke hole in the
surface of the hot cake, leaving no
more than 1/4 between each. Pour
the entire can of sweetened
condensed milk over the hot cake.
Wait 10 minutes and pour the entire
jar of caramel topping over cake.
Allow to cool completely.
Spread with whipped topping when
cake is completely cool. Sprinkle
crushed candy bar over whipped
topping. Serve immediately or
refrigerate until ready to serve.
Cherry Cobbler
2 cans cherry pie filling
1 tube refrigerated sugar cookie
dough
2 Tbs sugar
tsp. cinnamon
In a small bowl, mix together sugar
and cinnamon. In a shallow 12
Dutch oven, pour both cans of
cherry pie filling. Slice cookie
dough into slices -3/8 thick.
Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture
over each cookie and place on top
of pie filling, leaving at least
between each.
Arrange 6 hot coals in a circle and
place Dutch oven on top. Cover
with a flat lid and top with 6 more
hot coals. Bake for 20-22 minutes,
until cookies are golden brown and
pie filling is bubbling. Let cool 15
minutes and serve warm with
vanilla ice cream.
Table of Contents
Dedication
Introduction
Appetizers
Taco Ring
Mini Pigs-in-Blankets
Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Grandmas Bean Soup
Side Dishes
Cowboy Beans
Moms Corn Pudding
Cheesy Potatoes
Slow Roasted Root Vegetables
Main Dishes
Chicken Pot Pie
Hearty Chili
Creamy Chicken and Rice
Sausage and Sauerkraut
Breakfast
Baked French Toast
Fruit and Nut Oatmeal
Savory Bread Pudding
Breads
Parmesan Herb Biscuits
Beer Bread
Desserts
Firecracker Cake
SIN-fully Good Cake
Cherry Cobbler