Dutch Oven French Toast Casserole

 This French toast casserole is a crowd-pleaser.  Best to assemble the recipe before lighting your coals. Allowing extra time for the dough to soak up the egg mixture..

Dutch Oven French Toast Casserole
1/2 stick butter, melted
2-17.2 oz cans refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing
6 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream or milk
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans, opt. 
1/2 cup maple syrup

Icing......see below**

Pour the melted butter into the dutch oven covering the bottom.

Cut each cinnamon roll into eight pieces, and place cut rolls in a single layer on the bottom of the Dutch oven.

In a medium bowl, beat eggs with the cream, cinnamon and vanilla until well blended.

Gently pour egg mixture over roll pieces.

Sprinkle with the chopped pecans, and drizzle the maple syrup over top.

Heat up your coals, and place the lid onto the Dutch oven and add 9 hot coals underneath and 18 on top.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25-28 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from the coals and let it cool for 15 minutes.

**Mix Icing tubs with 1/2 c. powdered sugar, 2 T. soft cream cheese & 1 T. milk...
Drizzle icing over the top. 

Pie Filling....for canning

This is another recipe of Mom's recipes that my friend, Sherri Walton shared with me a few years ago, that she has used for years.  Not sure why I didn't have this. It is a little more specific than the one in the cookbook.   

Pie Filling.....Blackberry, Apple or Peach

Place in large canning kettle:

3 1/2 qts. water

8 to 10 c. sugar (I start with 8, add more to taste if needed)

3 c. regular clear jel (Mixed with 2 to 3 c. water from above amount)

4 t. cinnamon

1 t. nutmeg

1 1/2 t. salt

1/4 c. lemon juice (optional, I added this)

Stir and bring to a boil until thick and clear.  See below** or Stir in 5 gallon of fruit, I use blackberries, apples, or peaches.  Continue to cook a few more minutes.  Pour into jars leaving a 1" headspace.  Process in a boiling water bath timing according to elevation chart below.  

0 to 1000 feet elevation = 25 minutes

1001 to 3000 = 30 minutes

3001 to 6000 = 35 minutes

above 6001 = 40 minutes 

Makes about 14 to 18 quarts

**You can add 1 1/2 c. of the thickening to each quart jar and then add fruit to fill each jar.  I found it hard to mix them together in the jar.