It's almost the end of April. For most of us, that means camping season is right around the corner. That means my dutch oven comes out of winter storage. Let's say though, that it's either still too cold to head up to the mountains, or your mountains are like mine here in Vegas - steep, rocky, and crowded. Growing up, I got used to camping in places like the Wasatch Mountains in Northern Utah or the Uinta Mountains in Western Wyoming. And I got SPOILED. Camping there is amazing. The camping site next to you is like a mile away (okay, maybe not a mile, but you're still spread out). The ground is soft and level. It's quiet and serene. Here, you're sleeping on top of each other, on a slope, with a million rocks in your back, and everybody is up there to party. Yeah, we don't camp here. Apparently the strip extends up Mt. Charleston.
So, I have learned how to use my beautiful dutch oven here at home. Did you know that you can cook with cast iron pots on a gas range? You can even use them on your grill. And we made sure to build our fire pit deep enough to be able to stick that bad boy down in a fire if we wanted to. I'm not talking about flat dutch ovens that are used in home cooking regularly. I'm talking about the heavy duty, weight lifting cast iron pots with legs that are black. And you DO NOT clean them. They are "seasoned." There is a difference.
This particular recipe is a staple when I use the dutch oven. In fact, I think 9 times out of 10 this is the recipe I've made in it. I use a 10" Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven. This is also a recipe that has been passed down in my family, one made at family gatherings at parks and the lake. It takes minimal preparation - when I make this away from home, I prepare all the ingredients prior to leaving the house and pack them up in baggies. That way I can just cook it. I know some people have called this Sparkling Potatoes because of the lemon lime soda used in "steaming" the mixture. Either way, this is a fun and tasty side dish.
Dutch Oven Potatoes
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. bacon, cut into small pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed
1/2 lb. white mushrooms, sliced
1 (12 oz.) can lemon lime soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
1. Prepare dutch oven, either over coals or on gas range. With coals, place dutch oven on coals and preheat. With gas range, preheat dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Brown bacon in dutch oven. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent.
3. While onions are cooking, chop potatoes into 1 inch cubes. When onions are cooked, add potatoes and mushrooms to dutch oven. Stir together with bacon, onions, and garlic. Add lemon lime soda, salt, and pepper to dutch oven and cover. If using charcoal, place 10-15 briquettes on top of lid. Cook for 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent sticking and burning.
4. When potatoes are tender, remove from heat. Top with cheese and parsley. Recover to allow cheese to melt. Serve immediately.
Serves 10
