A rather rich dessert that I've learned to love since marrying in to my wife's family.

Hello Dollys (courtesy of my mother-in-law)

Makes on 8" square pan

Crust:
1 cup crushed graham crackers
1 cube (1/2 cup) of butter or margarine, melted

Combine in the pan and pat down into a crust. Sprinkle on top the following:

One small package (3/4 cups) of milk chocolate chips
One small package (3/4 cups) of butterscotch chips
1 cup of shredded coconut
1/2 cup of chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans usually)
one can (14 oz.) of sweetened condensed milk

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 min or until golden brown. Cool in the pan until set. Refrigerate, if desired. Cut into 2" squares and serve.

I attempted to season a brand new dutch oven today. I coated it with Crisco and tossed it on our grill for a little more than half an hour. Then I turned off the grill and noticed a pool of melted Crisco around the edge of the lid. I grabbed a hot-pat and a paper towel and used them to dump the oil off and then closed the grill lid for an hour or so. There is a ring on the lid that doesn't look like it has much seasoning on it. In addition, the pot looks brown instead of black. Did I do something wrong? My idea is to coat it with more crisco and then turn the grill on for another little while to add another layer on top of the first, but perhaps someone out there has a better idea.

Sage Hen Reservoir Trip: Lessons Learned
1) The regular campsites must be reserved 10 days in advance using http://www.reserveusa.com. There is an extra fee for using this system. Also, the system calls it SageHen Reservoir (no space between Sage and Hen, unlike it is spelled on the map).
2) If you like offroading and have the equipment to do it, take the road from Smith's Ferry. It's exciting. Otherwise, take the road through Ola. It's in better condition and is easier on the nerves. And if you go through Emmett, learn the backway from Black Canyon. Driving through town is 20 or 25 mph (nice place, just slow, and we were trying to get home with an unhappy little girl).
3) Sage He Reservoir campgrounds don't have garbage pickup, and some or all don't provide water, so plan to pack it in and pack it out.
4) Firewood is available from fallen trees. It was also for sale from the camp host at Antelope.
5) Antelope first-come first served campgrounds are small and close together. Don't expect any privacy you don't provide yourself. (But I did get to listen to a lot of Johnny Cash from the people in the next campsite.)
6) First-come, first served campground is far from the lake (couple hundred yards, at least). Overflow camping is also.
7) Bring exact change or checks for campground fees. It was $10 and we only had a $20, so we ended up paying for some other people too, and they gave us their $10.
8) Bring appropriate cooking utensils- had stuff to manage coals, but I forgot a wood sppon to stir things with in the Dutch Oven. Hope I didn't scratch off any seasoning.
9) Bring a fishing rod and license.
10) Campgrounds include fire-rings and rock tables, so it's okay to set hot pans and Dutch Ovens on them.
11) Bring salt and pepper & other condiments. Hash browns and Mountain man breakfast can use a little ketchup or salsa.
12) Make sure the meat is already thawed, or it's that much higher risk that it will be raw in the middle. Butterflying (laying flat and cutting horizontally in half almost all the way through and then spreading the two halves out) is a great idea for chicken to help it cook faster.
13) Sage Hen Reservoir is a beautiful area - we'll have to go back again soon.
14) Bringing a camera is pointless if you don't take any pictures. OOPS.

Sage Hen Reservoir Trip (Narrative)
We went car camping (or California camping, as I've heard it called) last night at Sage Hen Reservoir. It's about 20 miles east of Smith's Ferry (home of Cougar Mountain Lodge) and about 18 miles out of Ola, a little farming town. It's about a 2 hour drive from Boise, and our 10-mo. old daughter slept through most of it, because of 1) a new, larger reversible carseat that puts her in a more comfortable position than her old infant carrier, and 2) we timed the trip to coincide with nap time.

The drive up over Horseshoe bend wasn't much fun. Traffic was moderate, but I hate taking those corners with oncoming traffic and other people heading the same direction. I'm amazed we don't hear about more wrecks on that road, even if it is 2 lanes each way. It's fast (55 mph Speed Limit) and curvey.

Besides that, the drive was quite pleasant up to Smith's Ferry. Once we took the road to go up over the mountain, it was narrow, loose gravel, and poor visibility (thank goodness we only had to pass one car, and I saw them coming). Good news is we had my parents late 1990's full-sized SUV with 4-wheel drive. In other words, I was having a great time and my wife nearly got car sick. Normally, it's the reverse. Didn't need 4-wheel drive, but the above-average clearance was helpful for this route.

There are four campgrounds around Sage Hen reservoir (Hollywood Point, Eastside, Sage Hen Creek, and Antelope) and an overflow campground. Antelope campground has an first-come, first-served area which is across the main road from the lake- it's several hundred yards from the waters edge. That's where we ended up, because we didn't think about going camping until Thursday.

Once we got a campsite, we got a fire going (lots of pine needles, dead branches and fallen trees- take an axe and it's easy to get all the wood you'll need... supposing it is dry) despite the general wetness- probably got some of the same storm we had earlier this week. After the fire, we started some charcoal to cook dinner with.

Once we started dinner, we realized we had made a grave error. Our intent was to have Dutch Oven Chicken and Rice (recipe below). But we had forgotten the rice. So we improvised and made Smothered Chicken (recipe below). Thank goodness we had extra hash browns. I wish I would have thought of bringing salt and pepper.

After dinner (during cooking we set up the rest of camp), our little girl was pretty sleepy, so we moved into the tent. We played cards while she slept, until the sun went down too far for us to see the cards. Oh, yes, and it was gently raining. Our little girl hadn't been camping before, and she woke up several times, and was generally unimpressed with sleeping on the ground.

This morning, my wife got up and got a fire going while I made sure our daughter didn't wake up all alone. Once she woke up, I got up and got breakfast going. I made Mountain Man Breakfast (halved), a recipe I picked up off of the Dutch Oven Group on yahoo (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dutchovencooking/) - thanks Black Iron Cooker. The bacon was pretty much burned to the bottom of the oven, but it made for a nice crunchy layer that we dug off the bottom with plastic spoons. Add a little hot Tang (orange drink), and we felt like real people again.

Unfortunately, after my daughters poor night of sleep, she really needed to come home, so we took camp apart and headed home after a quick glance at the lake. Note to self- get a fishing rod and a license, and go fish there. It's a beautiful view and the lake appears to be peaceful. Of course, I saw a truck with a water-ski boat coming, so maybe it's not always peaceful...

Anyway, trip back home through Ola and Emmett was much more peaceful, as the roads are wider, straighter, and more of it is paved.

Recipe: Dutch Oven Chicken and Rice - Given to me by Sue Ellen Tomlinson
Use the following proportions based on the number of people being fed and the size of the Dutch Oven. 1 chicken breast per adult is about right. Double for 12" Dutch Oven.
1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
2 cans water (just use the soup can) or chicken broth (for extra flavor)
1 can white or brown rice
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Pour all ingredients into the Dutch Oven, with the chicken last (and therefore on top). Cook at 350 degrees until the chicken is done and the rice has absorbed all of the water.

Normally, this recipe would be doubled to cook in the 12" Dutch Oven we were using, but we didn't see the point in doubling it for just the two of us. It's also a very hearty meal, so count two people with small appetites as one for the recipe.

Recipe: Dutch Oven Smothered Chicken - Original recipe... (aka, caused by an accident)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
vegatable oil
2 (10.5 oz) cans cream of mushroom soup
1.5 cans water (would recommend 1 can)
Frozen hash browns
Salt and pepper, if desired.

Put just enough oil to cover the bottom of the oven. Warm the oil over DO size plus 2-3 coals. Once oil starts bubbling, add chicken. Turn oven 1/3 rotation at least every 10 minutes, and reposition chicken (to prevent sticking) with each ratation. After 2 turns, chicken should be brown. Turn chicken over. Repeat for 2 turns on other side.

Once chicken is done, pour in mushroom soup and about 3/4"-1" layer of hash browns. Salt and pepper, if desired. Then add water. Put DO size plus 2-3 coals on lid (the coals on bottom should be burned down, so they can probably be left alone. If necessary, add fresh ones to get the mixture boiling). Cook for about 1 hour, turning every 10-15 minutes (more often if heat is uneven). Serve by placing chicken on plate and scooping potato mixture onto chicken.

Recipe: Mountain Man Breakfast can be found in the Messages area of http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dutchovencooking/, but you may have to join the board to get it. I used frozen hash brown shreds rather than fresh potatoes.

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