Dutch Oven Cooking: Fiesta Omelet

I’ve been working (eating) my way thru The Scout’s Outdoor Cookbook, put together by Christine & Tim Conners. It was a gift from a friend, who I think was simply tired of my complaining about eating the same old thing all the time. It’s been a great tool to expand on the trusty old recipes in the Scout Handbook.

This week I flipped back to the beginning of the book to page 2, Fiesta Omelet, contributed to the collection by Scoutmaster Ed Newell of Troop 25, TwinRiver Council NY. In full disclosure I’m not really an omelet-kinda guy. I like my eggs scrambled, please and thank you. But this recipe is rated “easy” and serves 6-8, perfect to suggest to the New Scout patrol.

Ingredients:
5 slices of bread slightly dry
8oz pack precooked sausage links
1 doz eggs
16 oz jar “Newman’s Own Peach or Mango salsa,
16 oz shredded taco cheese
1/2 stick butter
Hot sauce to taste

Prep:
1. Tear dried bread into pieces, line bottom of 12″ greased Dutch oven
2. Break sausage links into small chunks & sprinkle over bread
3. Whisk eggs in medium-size bowl then spread evenly over sausage
4. Pour salsa evenly over eggs
5. Top mixture with shredded cheese
6. Slice butter into thin pats, laying slices evenly across cheese
7. Use 12 coals under, 12 coals on the lid, bake about 20 minutes or until eggs congeal and cheese melts
8. Serve, adding hot sauce to taste.

My meal turned out OK. I live in a small town and our market doesn’t carry anything exotic like “Newman’s Own” (Sorry, Ed) so I substituted chunky Pace salsa—it turned out a bit watery. I’m going to wrap my leftovers in tortillas for breakfast burritos. And also I did my test run indoors, which changes the look and feel. Everything tastes better in camp!  Adjust how spicy your salsa & hot sauce are to your own scouts’ palates (my guys are Scandinavian bland).  Overall it’s an easy meal for your Scouts to try if they’re stuck in the “same old thing” rut.

p.s If you have new Scouts coming in or are entertaining Webelos, be sure to ask about food allergies (milk/cheese in this one).
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