Dutch-Oven Potatoes

  One of my absolute favorite ways to cook is dutch-oven. I love the flavor the dutch-oven gives to food. Dutch-oven potatoes are a particular favorite in this house. I have a feet-less dutch-oven that is great for using in a conventional oven so, of course, I use it a lot. I don't follow a recipe when making dutch-oven potatoes, so I'm going to try to break it down for you.

Dutch-Oven Potatoes

4-6 medium potatoes, washed and sliced thin (Depending on the size of your dutch-oven. For this recipe I use an "8".)

1 medium onion, sliced thin

1/4 lb. bacon

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/2 c. milk

2 c. shredded cheese (or more if you like it really cheesy)

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup 7Up

  Place dutch-oven over medium heat; add bacon and brown. Remove bacon from dutch-oven, leaving bacon fat in the pan; crumble bacon.

  Combine cream of mushroom soup and milk in a small bowl; add about 1/2-1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

  Place a layer of potatoes (about 1/3 of the total slices) in bacon fat in the bottom of the dutch-oven. Cover with 1/3 of the onions, bacon and cream of mushroom soup mixture (in that order). Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cheese over top. Repeat this process. Cover with final layer of potatoes, onions, bacon and cream of mushroom soup mixture. Pour 1/4 cup 7Up over the top. Cover dutch-oven with the lid.

   Bake at 350 degrees 45 minutes-1 hour, or until potatoes are tender. Alternatively place dutch-oven over 12 white-hot coals and place 14 white hot coals on top; bake 45 minutes-1 hour, or until potatoes are tender. Remove lid and cover with remaining 1 cup cheese; replace lid and continue to cook for about 10 more minutes, or until cheese is melted and beginning to bubble.

Note: Never wash a dutch-oven with soap. When a dutch-oven is well-seasoned you shouldn't have a problem with anything sticking. Once you put soap in it, it will have to be re-seasoned. Dutch-ovens have a fantastic quality of flavoring your food, without absorbing the flavor of the food. Simply wash your dutch-oven out with very hot water. Also, place a folded up paper towel in the lid to keep it ajar for storing.