My father was a forest ranger and I grew up loving the mountains and the outdoors.  With all the water we have had this year in Utah, the mountains are really green.In the west we are blessed with an abundance of great placess to go outdoor and enjoy.  Cooking a meal outside is an added benefit.

One of my favorite outdoor methods is to cook food inside of food; it is a unique way of both cooking and flavoring foods.  The outer food shields the inner food against the extreme heat and gives additional flavor.

Cooking inside and Orange

Select an orange with a thick peel, because it is easier to remove the fruit inside.  Cut the orange in half.  Ease your finger between the flesh and the peel of the orange.  Slide your finger back and forth to detach the flesh from the peel, leaving an orange “cup.”  A spoon may also help in separating the fruit from the skin.

Eggs or muffins are foods that will cook nicely inside of the orange shell.  For an egg, line the muffin shell with a piece of foil and then put a little oil in the foil.  Then break the egg into the foil-covered shell.  Wrap the outside in foil and place on hot coals until the egg is cooked.  For muffins I like to mix them in a zip-top bag and then squeeze the batter into the shell, leaving a little room for it to rise in the shell.  Wrap the outside in foil and place on a hot coal and cook until done.

Meat Loaf in and Onion

This is one of my signature recipes and is wonderful for a large group.  Each person makes his or her own.

1 pound lean ground beef

1 egg

¼ cup cracker crumbs

¼ cup tomato sauce

½ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon dry mustard

4 large onions, peeled and halved

19-inch heavy-duty aluminum foil

That the onion and cut off the root at the bottom end of the onion so that removal of the center is easy.  The removed center of the onion can be diced and combined with ingredients or used later.

Foil

In a 1-gallon plastic self-sealing bag, combine ground beef, egg, cracker crumbs, tomato sauce, salt, pepper and dry mustard and mix by squeezing.  Set aside.

Cut onions in half horizontally and remove center part of onion, leaving a 3/4 –inch-thick shell.  Divide meat mixture into 4 portions and roll into balls.  Place in the center of the 4 onion halves.  Put onions back together.  Wrap each onion in foil by placing the onion with the meat mixture in the center in the middle of the foil.  Bring the side together cover the onion and mixture.  Fold the foil in small fold until if is cover.  Then flatten the foil on the side down and then roll them in sealing the onion inside the foil.  Cook over a bed of hot coals for 15 to 20 minutes per side.  Serve 4

At Home

Cook at 350° F. in the oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the ground beef and onion are cooked.

Be sure to get outdoors and enjoy these tasty recipes.