Oklahoma's Wildlife Expo 2012 Coming Soon

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife will be hosting their Wildlife Expo, September 28th through September 30th, 2012. 

One of the great things about the Wildlife Expo is it's the perfect opportunity to introduce children to the wonders and activities of the outdoors.  For children their is archery, fishing, kayaking, ATV riding, mountain biking, and shooting a shotgun, just to name a few of the activities.

For all ages there are opportunities to visit numerous displays and information booth, attend seminars on survival skills, game calling, hunting dog training, Dutch oven cooking, and fly fishing among other outdoor activities.

The event is totally free and is designed to instill an appreciation for the wildlife and natural resources of Oklahoma.

For a complete schedule of activities visit the wildlife departments information page.

Wildlife Expo 2012

Dutch Oven Cooking - Southwest Swiss Steak

As they say... this recipe is da bomb!

I think one of the secrets to the delightful flavor of this recipe is the roasted peppers.  When we roast bell peppers it simply causes the flavor of the pepper to bloom. 

We had this for supper last night and at the end there wasn't anything left except a little of the sauce. 

So, I am glad to share this recipe and the below "what you need" and "how to do it" instructions are based on a 14 inch Dutch Oven.

SOUTHWEST SWISS STEAK

What You Need

4 portions of tenderized bottom round steak
salt
pepper
Lawry's seasoned salt
paprika
2 gloves of garlic
1/4 cup of canola oil
2 tbs. butter
3 slices of hickory smoked bacon (cut into one inch squares)
all purpose flour for breading the steak
1 10.5 oz. can of Rotel with lime and cilantro
1 15 oz. can of stewed tomatoes
1 8 oz. can of tomato sauce
1/4 tsp. oregano flakes
2 tbs. sugar
3 bell pepper - one yellow, one red, one green
2 stalks celery (take rib off of celery)
3 pinches of celery leaves (chopped finely)
1/2 cup of water
2 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 medium yellow onion (slice into rings and sliced again)
4 oz. Sugar Snap Peas

Ahead Of Time

Season the steak portions with Lawry's seasoned salt and paprika.  Use enough to sprinkle both sides of steak, but don't coat completely overpowering the steak.  Set steak portions aside. 

Get grill or open flame going for roasting the peppers. 

While waiting on the flame, prepare the celery by slicing into 1/4 inch slices.  Finely chop the celery leaves.  Cut both ends of the Sugar Snap peas off.  Set these ingredients aside awaiting the addition of the roasted peppers.

Once flame is hot roast the pepper creating a char over about 60% of the pepper surface.  Let the peppers sit and cool.  Once cool remove most of the char and then chop coarsely and add to other vegetables.

In a bowl, mix the Rotel, stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, Worchershire sauce, garlic gloves (smashed and slashed), oregano flakes, and the 2 tbs. of sugar.  Mix well and set aside to allow the flavors to meet.

How To Do It

Have the Dutch oven charcoals ready.  Coat the steak portions in flour.  Add canola oil and butter to warmed Dutch.  Brown the steak on both sides in Dutch Oven. 

Next, add the prepped vegetables along with the water.

Now, add the bacon slices on top of the vegetables.

Finally, pour the sauce mixture over the mixture.

We will cook this recipe for an hour and half with fourteen coals on bottom and twenty-six on top.  If your coals look spent half way through then prepare more coals. 

After cooking, let rest in Dutch for ten minutes, then remove lid and let rest an additional five minutes before. serving. 

The roasted peppers along with the contrast of the sugar against the Rotel, and the Sugar Snap peas brings a lot to the flavor of this creation. 

Of the course there is the bacon.  Bacon is a magic food.  Bacon goes good with anything including... bacon. 

We served this over a bed of rice and this dish goes well with a southwest avocado and cucumber salad.

Enjoy. 

Dutch Oven Gathering Coming Soon

Next Saturday, April 28th, will probably be an excellent day to fly fish, and as much as this possibility intrigues me, the angling will give way to a worthwhile event - The Arbuckle-Simpson Nature Festival.

As part of the festival there will be a Dutch oven gathering and cook-off held at Sipokni West Old West Town near Reagan, Oklahoma.  Dutch oven cooks will gather in fun and fellowship to prepare their favorite recipes in their black pots. 

Miss Carol and I both will be attending this event, dressed in our time period clothing and cooking in our Dutch ovens. 

Miss Carol will be preparing Dutch oven Chicken Pot Pie

The attending public will be able to sample he various dishes fixed in the black pots by cooks from across Oklahoma and Texas. 

All proceeds from this event go to the support of the TREES (Tishomingo Refuge Ecology and Education Society) program through the Arbuckle-Simpson Nature Festival. 

Miss Carol will be preparing Chicken Pot Pie in her Dutch oven and I've yet to decide what to cook in my Dutch.  Perhaps Crab Stuffed Anaheim Peppers are in order, or maybe good and tasty Roasted Potatoes.  Maybe my favorite Dutch oven recipe, Chicken in Cherry Sauce, will be in order.  No matter what, the event will be fun and a good time for all.

Again, this event is Saturday, April 28th.  Dutch oven offerings will be ready at 11 a.m., so make plans now to attend and sample the wonderful food prepared in Dutch ovens over open fire.  

Dutch Oven Boneless Chops with Blueberry Sauce

Here's a Dutch oven recipe for that other white meat... pork. And this recipe adds a little twist to the usual pork serving.

You will need:

(To Serve Two)

Four boneless pork chops
Lawry's season salt, pepper
1 can of OregoN's Blueberries in sauce
1/8 cup of sugar
1/4 tsp. of cinnamon
1/3 tsp. of ginger

Here's how you do it.



Season your chops with the Lawry's season salt and pepper on both sides.

Start your coals for your heat source.



While the coals are heating up, get out your favorite outdoor serving ware. In this case I chose my Rainbow Trout collection from Cabela's.



Sit your Dutch directly over an open campfire or bed of coals and add the chops. Brown on both sides. After browning remove to another plate.

Add blueberries and remaining ingredients and return Dutch to bed of coals.


With a wooden spatula, stir blueberry mixture to dissolve sugar and mix ingredients. Stir slowly bringing the mixture to a bubbling simmer. Let simmer three minutes and return chops.



After adding chops remove Dutch from bed of coals and place 16 coals on top lid and cook for fifteen to twenty minutes.

As sides, consider fresh garden new potates with green beans topped with roasted slivered almonds along with fresh sweet corn.