D is for Doxie and Dutch Oven

Today I am going to blog about Sophie. I blogged about Rosie yesterday.
I have a miniature daschund and her name is Sophie Sue. On April 15 she will be six years  old and has a personality all her own.

 

She's not a "dady's dog" nor a "mommy dog." She's the happiest when we are both home. In fact, her favorite place is to sit with her front paws on me and her back paws on her dad. She hates being cold but  refuses to wear her doggie clothes for more than a few seconds.  She loves to give kisses! I swear that she thinks a kiss will solve any problem in the world!

She has been such a God send. He knew we needed her! She can make me laugh or comfort me. She loves to be a lap dog. She thinks she's the Queen and guardian of the house. Unfortunately, the Queen does not eat unless we are both home.I think she worries that we are not going to come home to her! Why wouldn't we? I've heard speration anxiety is a daschund thing but I am not sure.   She loves to burrrow and play-espcially if you say the word outside!.  She's able to get all of her toys out of her toy box but never manages to put them pack. I'm still trying to teach her that one! She's had so many fun adventures since she's joined our family. I can't wait to share the next one with you.

"Nothing will turn a man's home into a castle more quickly and effectively than a dachshund."- Queen Victoria


Okay I know I'm supposed to keep my a-z post short so here's a quick run down of why I love cooking in my cast iron dutch oven. Anything you can cook in your oven or crock pot, you can cook in a dutch oven. Whether you want a meal of chicken and rice, pot roast and potatoes, chili, or even pizza, a dutch oven does a great job! All you need to do is practice and have confidence.
 A Few Tips For Dutch Oven Cooking:

1. Keep checking your food. Yes, opening the oven does reduce the temperature temporarily. But its better to know what’s going on in there than to burn or  under cook your food. You can check the food quickly with practice.

2. For easier clean-up, fill the DO with water after you’ve removed the food, but do not use cool water in a hot oven it will crack the oven!

2. Practice makes perfect so use your DO frequently and learn!

4. To make the oven easier to clean you can line it with foil or use a foil or tin pie plate in the bottom of the pan. Grease the oil or pan just like you would the Dutch Oven before usising it.

And last but not least my favorite dutch oven recipe:

Dutch Oven Peach Cake 
12 inch Dutch Oven, butter
1 yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup cooking oil
1 – 30 ounce can sliced peaches with juice

Butter a 12 inch Dutch Oven.
In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil and syrup from peaches. Stir til smooth.
Pour batter into a buttered 12″ Dutch oven. Arrange peach slices over top of batter.
Cover oven and bake using 8-10 briquettes under the DO and 14-16 briquettes top for 1 hour or until top center of cake springs back when touched.

Delicious with whipped cream!