Birthday Present

If you had told me 10 years ago, or even 5 years ago, that I would be excited about getting a dutch oven for camping as a birthday present, I would have said you were nuts! You get dirty camping. You have to sleep outside. And the bugs! Don't get me started on the bugs! What changed? I guess giving birth to boys did it to me. Or maybe it was the introduction of Scouting into our lives that did it. My brand spankin' new 12 inch deep dutch oven has been stripped and seasoned and ready for it's inaugural camping trip! Back in January I attended a Scout leadership training where they offered all sorts of classes for leaders to take. One of which was a fantastic class on dutch oven cooking. The instructor was a master dutch oven chef. I mean, this man actually competes in dutch oven cooking competitions and brings home the ribbon! I had no idea these things existed! Dutch oven masters and dutch oven competitions! Who better to learn the ins and outs of how to use a dutch oven from. Tomorrow we head out for three days, two nights of camping at a lake about 3 hours away. It's the lake I spent a week at every summer with my family growing up so it holds all sorts of memories for me. Last night hubby and I, okay, I poured thru my dutch oven cookbooks to decide what recipes I should try. This trip I will be making a raspberry cobbler, biscuits, pancakes and eggs with this bad boy. Wish me luck!!