pineapple upside down cake

For one 10-12 inch Pineapple Upside Down Cake, you will need:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 20 ounces pineapple rings (1 large can) reserve juice
• 1 Yellow Cake Mix
• 3 Eggs* or as cake mix requires.
• 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil* or as cake mix requires.
• Water see directions for amount

Instructions

• Melt the stick of butter in the bottom of the Dutch oven, either by sitting it over coals or on top of a camp stove.

  When the butter is completely melted, throw in the brown sugar and stir until it begins to melt. It should be thick, but not clumpy.
• Set the pineapple rings in the bottom of the Dutch oven on top of the brown sugar mixture, reserving pineapple juice.
• Make cake following the directions on the box.

  Use the reserve pineapple juice in place of water. If you don't have enough (you probably won't, add just enough water to achieve the required amount.
  
• Carefully pour the cake batter over the pineapple and brown sugar mix.
  
• Put the lid on the Dutch oven.

  Put briquettes on top of and below your Dutch oven.

  On calm, moderately warm day with little or no wind, you will need about 12-14 briquettes on top and 9-10 on the bottom for a 10-inch Dutch oven. 
  
• Bake the cake for about 30 minutes.

  DO NOT lift the lid to check it for at least the first 20 minutes or you will just let all the heat out.

  I usually check the cake the first time when I can smell it baking. It usually takes about 30-40 minutes, depending on outside conditions.

  The cake is done when it is bouncy to the touch. When the cake is done, remove it from the coals and remove the lid.
  

Braised Ribs

INGREDIENTS:

3 pounds bone-in beef short ribs

2 Tablespoons vegetable Oil

Salt

Black Pepper

1 Large Onion

4 Cloves Garlic

3 Cups Broth

2 to 4 springs fresh herbs, such as rosemary or thyme

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat the oven and season the meat. Arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven, remove the racks above it, and heat to 325°F. Brush each short rib with the oil, then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Brown the short ribs. Heat a deep, wide Dutch oven or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the short ribs in one layer, leaving room between each and working in batches if necessary. Now would be a good moment to turn on your hood vent or fan, if you have one! Sear the short ribs without moving for several minutes on each side, letting them brown deeply. Use tongs to turn and sear all sides. This will take about 15 minutes total.

Cook the onions. Turn the heat down to medium and add the onion and garlic around the browned short ribs. Let the onions cook until they soften, about 5 minutes.

Add Broth and bring to a simmer.

Braise in the oven. After the liquid comes to a simmer, add the herb sprigs. Cover and place in the oven. (Alternately, this is the point where you can transfer to the slow cooker for 8 hours on the LOW setting, or continue cooking on very low heat on the stovetop.) Braise in the oven until the meat is very tender and pulling away from the bone, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Rest the meat. When the meat is done, rest in a covered pan for 20 minutes before serving. Serve by gently tugging the chunks of meat away from the bone and spooning the saucy onions over top.

OPTIONAL STEP — Refrigerate overnight. While short ribs can be served immediately, they are a very fatty cut, which makes the dish very rich and even greasy. I prefer to let the ribs sit in the sauce and cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate them overnight. At this point, you can scrape away the hardened layer of fat from the top before reheating. They will also improve in flavor and tenderness while resting overnight.

Reheat. To reheat, cover and warm over low heat on the stove for 15 to 20 minutes.

Lettuce Wraps

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce (see below)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha, optional
• 1 (8-ounce) can whole water chestnuts, drained and diced
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 head butter lettuce

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add ground chicken and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the chicken as it cooks; drain excess fat.
2. Stir in garlic, onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, ginger and Sriracha until onions have become translucent, about 1-2 minutes.
3. Stir in chestnuts and green onions until tender, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. To serve, spoon several tablespoons of the chicken mixture into the center of a lettuce leaf, taco-style.

Hosin Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar 
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 clove garlic , grated
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well (or blender)