Country Pork Rib Stew

I'm not good at making meal plans, in spite of my best effort. Many days I pull something out of the freezer and hope for the best - I have no idea what to do with it and half the time I don't know for sure until it's done! Sometimes the result is good, and sometimes it's not. Tonight, the result was amazing. We just finished dinner, and the kids have shooed me into the computer room to type out what I did. They want me to make it again!

When I create, I don't measure, so it's really difficult to type it out. I'll try to guess, but if anyone else happens on this and wants to try it, adapt it for your own. Those of you who need exact recipes - I'm sorry! 

Country Pork Rib Stew

1 onion, sliced

1/2 green pepper, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp olive oil

Saute the vegetables in a dutch oven on medium high heat until soft. Add :

2 lbs. boneless country pork ribs, cut into stew sized pieces

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic and herb seasoning

Stir and cook on medium high until lightly browned.. Add:

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup V-8 juice

1/4 cup sherry wine

1 tomato, diced (canned would be fine too)

Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.  About 30 minutes before dinner time, remove cover and raise the heat slightly. Mix 2 Tbsp flour with 1/2 cup water until very smooth. Stir slowly into stew and mix well. Simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Just before serving, I added a small can of green beans and a small can of mixed peas and carrots, just to stretch it out a little. It was a good fit!

Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.

The sauce was SO delicious, the kids and I (we're all soup lovers) ate it in a bowl, over rice, like soup! 

** Feel free to add whatever vegetables you like. I wish I'd added some celery and potatoes or turnips.

** I think this would also be great for the crock pot.

These quantities served 8 people, but we all ended up wanting more. I'm going to double it next time.

Dump Cake

You know what a "dump cake" is, right? You have just a few ingredients and you just DUMP them into a pan to bake. They are super easy at home, and very popular on Scout camp outs. We cook them in a Dutch oven, using coals for the heat (top and bottom). Yummy!

The standard Dump Cake uses canned fruit, a cake mix, and a stick of butter. Some recipes call for cutting the butter into pats or bits, some call for melting. Either way is fine. I go with pats because it's less work!

Flavor variations are endless - experiment to find your own favorite! I am posting some of ours below. You can use no-sugar-added fruit, gluten free cake mix, margarine (yuck. just saying), whatever your taste buds or health needs require. Even throw some fresh fruit into the mix. The key is you need the juice from the fruit, and some sort of liquid for the top.

In a recent training class, I learned a new trick. Instead of butter, use a can of carbonated beverage. Just pour over the top. It performs the same function as the butter, but is cheaper and easier to carry (no refrigeration needed). I do prefer the taste of butter, but on Scout trips we will be doing the soda from now on. Again, the flavor varieties are endless! We want to find a fruit to go with vanilla cake and root beer (think root beer floats!).

Each recipe is good for an 8-10 dutch oven or 9x13 pan, and makes 10-12 servings. Grease the pan!! Line it completely with foil for easier cleaning. Bake at 350 in the oven, or use coals at the campground. Instructions for charcoal cooking can be found HERE (< click).

Instructions for all recipes: "Dump" ingredients into pan, in this order: fruit, cake mix, butter or soda. Be sure each layer is spread out evenly, but do not stir. If using soda, stir it slightly into the cake mix to avoid dry spots, but be careful not to mix with the fruit. If using butter, place the bits evenly over the top. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes, until cake layer is done.

Enjoy!

Original Dump Cake

1 can cherry pie filling
1 can pineapple, any form, WITH juice
1 box vanilla cake mix
1 stick butter, cut into pats or bits
(OR one can soda)

Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake

2 cans cherry pie filling
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 stick butter, cut into pats or bits
(OR 1 can soda)

Cherry Cola Dump Cake

16 oz. maraschino cherries WITH juice (remove stems!)
1 chocolate cake mix
1 can cola (try cherry cola or cherry Dr. Pepper for more flavor!)

Peach Dump Cake

1 29-oz can peaches
1 box vanilla cake mix
1 stick butter, cut into pats or bits
(OR 1 can soda)

Lemon-Blueberry Dump Cake

2 cans blueberry pie filling
1 box lemon cake mix
1 stick butter, cut into pats or bits
(OR 1 can soda)

Apple Spice Dump Cake

2 cans apple pie filling
1 box spice cake mix
1 stick butter, cut into pats or bits
(OR 1 can soda)