Pineapple BBQ Chicken in a Dutch Oven

Cook in the Dutch Oven or Sun Oven for Fantastic Results

I was going to make a pineapple upside down cake for this post, but I am glad my wife suggested making pineapple barbecue chicken.  Our family loves barbecue chicken salad, so this was a great summer meal.  The best part was that I was able to cook it outside in the dutch oven.  If I had started ealy enough I would have opted for the Sun Oven, although it may have been difficult because of the cloud cover we have had.  You can also take your crock pot out to the back porch and cook it outside.  It is enjoyable to find ways to keep the heat out of the kitchen!

After you have cooked this recipe, serve over brown rice or shred the chicken and add to a wonderful leafy salad.  This recipe is very simple, yet delicious:

2 Cups Reconstituted Freeze Dried Pineapple (I cooked 2 Cups of Freeze Dried Pineapple with 2 Cups of Water over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally)

6-8 Pieces of Chicken Breasts and/or Thighs

4 Cups of Barbecue Sauce

For Dutch Oven:  Use a 12" camp dutch oven.  Rub the dutch oven with butter or oil to help the barbecue sauce from sticking so much during cooking.  Mix the pineapple and barbecue sauce together and then pour into the dutch oven.  Add the chicken.  Light 12 Charcoal Brickettes and allow the brickettes to burn for about 10 minutes before placing the dutch oven over the coals.  Cook for 2 hours with the lid off.  If you leave the lid on you will only cook it for 1 1/2 hours but the sauce will be more liquidy.

Sun Oven:  Combine the barbecue sauce and pineapple in your pot and then add the chicken.  Cook for 3 hours.  If possible, re-adjust  the sun oven to keep up with the sun every hour to maintain a consistent temperature in the oven.  If not, you may need to cook for up to 4 hours.

Crock Pot:  Rub the bottom of the crockpot with butter or oil and then add the chicken.  Mix the barbecue sauce and pineapples and then pour over the chicken.  Cook for 3-4 hours on high, or cook 6-8 hours on low.

Featherlite Sleeping Bags

When You Want Lightweight and Compact, Without Sacrificing Warmth

Featherlite 0 Degree Sleeping Bag

Ledge Sports out of Tooele, Utah has an impressive line of synthetic, lightweight, mummy-style sleeping bags.  These bags are much more compact and lightweight than traditional mummy bags, which often weigh 5 pounds or more.  The Featherlite 40 Degree Bag is a great summer bag that has a pack weight of only 2.9 lbs and it has a pack size of 6" x 12".  The Featherlie 20 Degree Bag is a three season bag that weighs in at only 3.4 lbs and has a pack size of 7" x 13".  The Featherlite 0 Degree Bag is a four season bag that is still about half the size and weight of many 0 Degree mummy Bags.  The Featherlite 0 Degree Bag has a pack weight of 3.8 lbs and has a pack size of 8" x 16".

I have used all three of these Featherlite sleeping bags in various conditions and they work very well.  Like all other bags, you have to have  a pad underneath you to achieve the rating of the sleeping bag.  I also sleep cold, so I have to have clothing layers to add extra comfort.  However, the Ledge Featherlite Bags feel to me that they are close in their rating systems to other bags made by Eureka, Slumberjack, Kelty and Vaude.  Many lightweight synthetic bags are very expensive, but these are fairly affordable.  Ledge has even come out with a negative 20 degree Featherlite Bag, but I have not tried it out yet.

Down sleeping bags will weigh significantly less, will pack smaller and retain more loft, but they are much more expensive, harder to maintain and do not provide the same heat protection as synthetic when they are wet.  My only complaint with the Ledge Featherlite sleeping bags is that their zippers are hard to manage most of the time.  I am getting better at holding them just the right way, but they are very finicky.  However, in terms of value, performance, size and weight, the Featherlite sleeping bags are great for backpacking, camping, vacations and 72 hour kits.  In fact, I currently keep a Featherlite 20 degree back in my backpacking assembly, which doubles as my 72 hour kit.

Solar hand cranked Emergency Radios

Hand Crank, Solar Powered Emergency Radios with Built In Flashlights and Cell Phone Chargers

 Eton FR160 Microlink Solar Hand Crank Red Cross Radio/Flashlight/Cell Phone Charger

Eton Corporation is the manufacturer of high quality emergency radios.  They offer a line of self-powered radios.  The internal battery pack on these radios can be charged via solar power, or they can be charged with a built in hand crank.  This means that you have full control over the power.  You don't have to store batteries for these radios.  They are ready to use when you are.

What is nice about these radios is that they offer several fantastic features.  The Eton FR160 Microlink shown above has an AM/FM radio which also has the NOAA channels for emergencies.  NOAA is also often referred to as the weatherband.  These frequencies can be used to alert you to weather caused disasters, storms or other natural disasters.  This radio can also charge cell phones and some portable devices depending on the tips you have.

Eton FR500 Solarlink Emergency Hand Crank/Solar Power Shortwave Radio with Flashlight and Cell Phone Charger

The Eton FR500 Solarlink goes even a step further.  It can charge cell phones, some portable devices, it has an AM/FM radio, the NOAA channels and also features a shortwave radio.  This gives you the full capacity for picking up a wide range of news alerts.  Both of these radios are compact, work well and are manufactured by a proven company.  These radios might be small, but they pack a ton of protection and great features.

Dehydrated Hash Browns

Tasty and Versatile Hash Brown Potatoes

Dehydrated Hash Brown Potatoes are easy to rehydrate and then cook up like normal hash browns.  You boil water and then soak the hash browns in the hot water for 15 minutes.  You then drain the potatoes and then add butter or oil to your pan and cook.  We recommend cooking the hash browns in Red Feather Real Creamery Butter and add Real Salt and crushed pepper to taste.

What is great about dehydrated hash browns is that they don't stick together, which makes cooking them easy.  The hash browns retain their white color very well.  They look and taste like fresh hash browns.  You could also add these into soups, stews, casseroles, or other dishes where potatoes are called for.  Honeyville Brand Dehydrated Hash Brown Potatoes store for up to 10 years in the unsealed can and then can store for up to a year opened on the shelf in a closed can with the lid.

We put together this video on rehdyrating and cooking hash browns.  Hope you enjoy:

Now that you have seen the video, it is time for you to enjoy some great tasting hash brown potatoes at your next breakfast!