This week's menu comes from a friend of mine who lives in Colorado. A bit of planning goes into the meal, however, once you have the old milk can, which Randy says you can find in antique stores, you'll be set to go! "What? A milk can?", you ask. Read on, and be sure to try this out sometime when you have a large group. Randy says that there's "enough to feed an army!"
I think it would be a great meal to prepare with a group of friends in the Fall weather. Throw on your sweats, start the fire....

Entree

Randy's Meal In a Milk Can

First you start a fire in a fire ring and keep it burning down to a nice bed of coal.

While it is burning you can prepare the can:

You need to find some rocks that will fit into the can. Clean them as much as possible by rinsing them or scrubbing them with a scrub brush. After they're cleaned up, place them down inside the milk can. (This is to even out the heat.)

Next:

Layer your vegetables starting with corn on the cob in the husk, as much as you will need, but probably at least a dozen ears.
Then you can add potatoes, carrots, turnips, these types of vegetables.

Now add different types of sausage, ham and have been told that you can even use chicken.

Once you have everything situated in the milk can, pour about two gallons of water over all of the ingredients. Add a bottle of liquid smoke.

Put the lid on the can and set in the coals and then take a 20# bag of charcoal and pour it around the base of the can and let it cook for about 2 hours, maybe 2 and a half hours, until everything is done. Make sure that you see steam rising all the while it is cooking. If the steam stops or begins to die down, add more water. If you want to add cabbage to the can, cut it into large chunks or smaller chunks and add about a half hour before it is done.

You will have enough food to feed an army....

Side Dish

Australian Damper Bread

The original damper bread was a heavy, unleavened loaf that was baked in campfire ashes. Yeast lightens the bread and adds a nice tangy flavor, but the baking powder gives it the texture of a biscuit.
This is the perfect "to-go-with" for the milk can meal.

1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (about 110 degrees F.)
1 cup milk, scalded and cooled to about 110 degrees F.)
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter

In a small bowl, combine the yeast and warm water. Let stand until the yeast is softened, about five minutes. Stir in the milk and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix 3 cups flour, baking powder and salt. With a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs (or rub the butter into flour mixture with your fingers). Add yeast mixture and stir until dough is evenly moistened. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth (2 to 3 minutes), adding more flour as needed to prevent sticking.

Shape dough into a round, lumpy loaf five to six inches in diameter. Dust lightly with flour, then place in a greased 8-inch-round cake pan. With a sharp knife, cut an X about 1/2 inch deep and three inches long in the center of the loaf. Bake on the lowest rack of oven at 375 degrees until well browned (about 55 minutes). Turn out onto a rack and let cool briefly.
Serve warm.

Makes 1 loaf (or about 10 servings)

Beverage Suggestion: Lowenbrau Beer

Dessert

If you're looking for a different kind of dessert, look no further. This is sure to be a crowd-pleaser and will be one of those recipes that everyone will be asking you for. So, save yourself some time, and print a few of these out... you can just hand them to your friends without having to promise to sit down later and write it out for them.

Blueberry-White Chocolate Cake on a Cookie Crust

Blueberries and white chocolate add much to this recipe! You can substitute regular milk chocolate for the white chocolate, if you like.

Cookie Crust: Recipe follows

For the cake:

1 8-oz. package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, unsweetened
1/2 cup coarsely chopped white chocolate OR milk chocolate
Powdered sugar

Prepare the cookie crust as directed below, then set aside. Next:

For the cake:

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until blended. Beat in the eggs, flour and baking powder. Stir in the blueberries and chocolate. Spread batter evenly over the baked cookie crust.

Bake whole cake in a 350 oven until cake is dark golden and the center springs back when lightly touched (about 50 minutes). Let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.
To serve, dust with a little powdered sugar and cut into 3-inch squares. Makes 9 servings.

For the cookie crust:

2 cups crushed vanilla wafers
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons butter, melted

In a bowl, mix 2 cups crushed vanilla wafers, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Add 6 tablespoons butter, melted.
Stir until well combined.
Press over the bottom of a 9-inch square baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned (about 15 minutes).