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Well, after reading the post on all the different gravies, it made me think about all the different foods from everywhere! Since there are people on this site from all over the world, I thought it might be fun and interesting to see what kinds of foods are cooked in different places, and how to cook them!!

Now we dont need to have a recipe that is 5 pages long, but I was hoping that we could come together and share some of our favorite recipes that are easy enough for most to cook!! (Though some of us should probably just avoid the kitchen and everything in it!! ) This should be fun, and give us all an opportunity to broaden our cooking skills!! Hope I dont burn down the kitchen in the process of trying to cook some new foods!!

For me, one of my favorite foods is one that my grandmother cooks. She calls it swiss steak- and if there is anyone here from switzerland, this may in no way be related to you or your food!

Ok, she gets steak, doesnt really matter what kind, she uses the cheapest you can get, but takes a lot longer to cook and get it tender. I get pre tenderized meat cause I am always in a hurry!! You cut it into peices, about the size of the palm of your hand, and trim off the fat. Take flour and add seasonings- normally salt and pepper, plus whatever else you like, I use some called natures seasonings, basically onion flavoring and veggie flavoring. Dip the meat into the flour and brown in a hot skillet with just the bottem covered with oil. (I use canola or veggie oil whichever i have handy) Brown the meat very slowly so it doesnt get tough.

Once the meat has been browned, take it out of the pan and set aside. Brown a little flour into the pan and add about 2 or 3 cups of water. Take a can of tomatoes- diced, chopped, stewed, whatever you have, and pour it in, add one onion chopped, and carrots chopped- depends on how many members of your family like them as to how many you should use, me normally about 3 or 4 cause there are only 2 people who eat them. Once you have it all in there, put your meat back in the pan- takes a BIG pan normally! Then cook over med-low heat for about 2 more hours to make sure it gets nice and tender. Be sure to stir frequently so it doesnt stick!!

Serve over rice or mashed potatoes, I like rice, but my grandma does potatoes, so whichever floats your boat! My grandma says this is a complete meal, but I try and add salad as well just so the kids get their daily amount of veggies!!

This sounds a little hard, but really once you get it in the pan it cooks itself, you just stir and go about your business cleaning or watching tv or whatever you need to do!!

It is really a good meal, so hopefully someone will at least try it!!

Now, who else has a good recipe, my cook book needs to be fatter!!

This isn't one of my recipes but something my chef put together last night... when he told me what it was my reaction was "no way is this going to work" but surprise, it was fantastic and really simple.

Take a banana wrap it in prosciutto or parma ham, place in a container just big enough to hold it. Top it with Bechamel sauce. Microwave for about three minutes and then put under the broiler until the sauce lightly browns. I know it sounds weird but it was delicious!

Hi Cassie.

I'll come back to this tomorrow morning if i can.... the chocolate mousse is absolutely delicious!

I love your idea and tried it several times on here, but will still make my contribution all the same.

As much as I love artistic, creative and rich foods, I always go back to basics, since they are the ones that you can whip up in a jiffy when need be.....(please!! someone, ring my doorbell!!!)

This is an entire meal, so be patient in reading.....and c'mon, it's dead easy to make.

Bake Potato Au Gratin....( I start with the longest cooking item first)

Take any potato, although fresh from the garden is always best. If supermarket bought, try the red ones.

Punch pototo with fork, then wrap in tin foil.
Put in oven at 375 for 30-35 mins.
Take out potato and cut in half
Take potato halves and with small teaspoon, scrape out insides into bowl and save skins. Immediately add loads of butter, salt and pepper. Once somewhat creamy, add loads of shredded cheddar. Mix well. Pack it all back into the empty shell skins and wrap once again in tinfoil......

That's it for the carbs....Next post will be the protein.

This is how I make my baked potatoes!! Very good, especially if sprinkeled with a few bacon bits just before eating!!

Cant wait to hear the rest of the meal!!

Okay, since you asked for it:

Kansan's Dutch Oven Upside Down Cake
(Also known as "Dump Cake")


2- 20 oz. Cans cherry pie filling
1 yellow cake mix (18 oz.) or (two Jiffy mixes)
1- 8 oz. lemon-lime soda (drink 4 oz.)

Line a 12`` Dutch oven with foil. Pour in pie filling. Sprinkle cake mix evenly over filling. Pour pop over the cake mix. Stir gently to combine cake mix and pop only ( not pie filling ). (May also be mixed separately and poured over filling.)
Bake 35 minutes until top is brown and springs back to the touch. Use approximately 9 coals on the bottom and 10-12 on the top.

<or>

Try Apple in one half, Peach in the other. Do not mix together.
Bake in oven for 30-35 minutes at 350*
Clean Up. Wad up foil Wash dirty spoon.

<or>

Use 1 can strawberry filling and 1 can cherry filling, mix and prepare according to directions above.

Darn! Now I'm gettin' hungry!

WOW! This sounds SOOO good!! I will definately have to try it with the strawberry and cherry!! Thanks so much!!

Definately sounds weird, but what the heck, i will try almost anything once!! Only a couple of question, what is a prosciutto or parma ham and what is Bechamel sauce??

need to know that before I go shoppin for ingredients!!

Thanks so much!!

Yes but with real cholesterol bacon bits. Not the fake ones that cause cancer!!

Hi Kansan, a fun twist on that dump cake, especially for kids, or any jello enthusists... is to make the sponge the use a straw to insert holes in the cake and pour your jello over the cake, it soaks down through the holes making little jello straws through out, if your really patient you can do 2 or 3 flavors.

You're welcome! I've made this at mountain man rendezvous for many years and it's always a crowd favorite. Plus it has the benefit of being adaptable for making in the kitchen or at the campsite.

Now, in the interest of maintaining world peace, I'm going to volunteer one more recipe:

For those who still hold to the custom of making fruitcake every Christmas, I have found a WONDERFUL recipe guaranteed to be the best you ever tried. Be sure to read the directions VERY carefully, then... Enjoy!

Christmas Whiskey Cake

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
6 large eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
3 cups flour, sifted
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup Bourbon
1 pound pecans, chopped,
3 cups white raisins or candied fruit
1 tsp. nutmeg
AND... A very large bottle of good bourbon whiskey

First, sample the whiskey to check for quality. Assemble all of the ingredients. Check the whiskey again. To be sure it is of the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink it.

Repeat this step.

Turn on the electric mixer and beat one cup of butter in a large fluffly bowl. Add one teaspoon sugar and cream until beat. Make sure the whiskey is still okay... Try another cup.

Turn off the mixer. Beat six leggs and add to the bowl, then chunk in the cup of dried flute. Mix on the turner. Throw in two quarts of flour. Gradually pour in the cow. Add two dried anything. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaters, pry it loose with a drewscriver.

Sample the whiskey again and check it for tonsistency.

Next sift two cups of salt or something... Who cares?

Check the whiskey again.

Now sift the nutmeg and your nuts. Add one table. And the spoon... Of whiskey, or something. Whatever you find left.

Cour another pup of viskey and spoon your mouth into some.

Grease the oven. Turn the crake pan to 350 degrees. Don't forget to beat off the turner. Pour the oven into the batter. Throw the bowl out out the window. Lick the batter off the floor, being careful not to will the sphiskey. Bake 300 minutes at 50 degrees. Finish the bobble of whishky and go to bed.

...Who the heck likes Fruitcake anyway?

Sorry, I forgot how you put the recently repacked spuds back in the oven for 5 or 10, then it turns so ooeyy-gooeey good.

Step 2 of "tumpa's tantalizing trio"

In a bowl, mix schredded Jarlesberg cheese, with a clove of chopped garlic, salt, pepper and a bright and dry douse of white wine, until it soaks the rest of the ingredients.

Take two chicken breasts ( always most romantic times two, cooking for one sucks!.....see my other thread!)

At the thickest part of the meat, cut a slit, gradually reaching out to the edges without compromising your potential pouch....

Push the mix of cheese, garlic and wine into the pocket with particularly well placed passion.....when completely full, lay them contently in bake dish bedding.....!!!!

Bake at 375 with lid on, or tinfoal wrapping on baking dish, for 35 mins. Remove lid or tinfoal and allow another 5-10 for browning.

During that 5 to 10......

STAYED TUNED FOR PART III !!!!

Oh yes, it has to be fried bacon crunched into peices, not those little peices that are so hard your teeth break before the "bacon" does!!

I have never tried them back into the oven before, I always just dig out the potatoes and make it all on a plate or bowl, then put the cheese on top and pop it into the microwave to melt the cheese, but would prolly be much better in the oven since it gets a bit dried out in the nuke machine!!

Another "Mountain man" recipe (cooked in a Dutch Oven)

Baked apple pancake

4 granny Smith apples, fresh sliced and soaked in 1/4 cup lemon juice (tastes good & prevents rusty apples)
2 cups (dry) water-only buttermilk pancake mix
About 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon & nutmeg.

Dump mix into dutch oven, add apples and lemon juice and enough water to form a loose batter.

Cover and bake for 30-45 minutes on medium fire.

Variation- add some raisins or a handful or two of those 'craisins', or whatever berries are on sale.

Usually serves 4-5, but don't expect seconds or leftovers.

Wait a sec....

I was following recipes, real American like, then something came up from the Kansan, that didn't sound like a recipe at all.....

"2 cups (dry) water-only buttermilk pancake mix"

OMG my stomach is growling so bad now!! I better go and get a snack for real this time!! I will never make it to part 3!!

And now that we've covered dessert and breakfast, it's time for my favorite main course:


Grilled Venison Chops

Ingredients: Venison chops cut 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick (bone-in, just like a T-bone beef steak)
Butter
Durkees Kansas City style steak seasoning
Hot fire or grill

Preparation: Coat both sides of chops with seasoning lightly or more depending on your taste. (Durkees contains salt among the ingredients) Let stand at room temp. While charcoal burns down or grill heats up. Also great grilled over hardwood fire.

When fire is ready place chops on and put a large pat of butter atop. fire should be medium hot and meat should be 4-6 inches away.

When butter has melted (smear with knife or BBQ brush) onto the meat turn, over and place another pat of butter atop. When butter melts and juice just begins to run clear is when they are done, avoid overcooking, about 6-10 minutes per side depending on heat level.

Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes before serving with wild and brown rice. Stewed squash goes very well with this. Don't forget the dry red wine, Merlot preferred.