Wonderful Wednesday - Pie Iron's

So Angela from Angela's Kitchen and I are doing a gluten free camping series this summer! We both love to camp and feel that every child should get to experience the joy and fun of traditional camp food. I get to kick it off with pie irons!
 If you were ever a girl scout, boy scout or camped you might know what I am talking about when I said pie irons. If not this is what you have been missing. Pie irons are two plates of metal that hinge together with a cavity on the inside when they are together. It is in this whole that you place all sorts of yummy fillings and play in the coals of a fire. As you would imagine it gets very hot so you need to be careful with them as they will brand anything and kill the grass when you set them down. I should know, I have a scar on my knee from one when I was young girl scout. Lesson learned, don't repeat my mistake!
As dangerous as they sound they are easy to use and lots of fun in the process. My kids love it when I get our pie irons out because they know some good food is coming soon.

Fit several extra foil sheets to change out when needed.

Helpful hints about pie irons
1. Use foil in your pie irons. (It prevents cross contamination but also means you don't have to scrub the clean.)
2. You need a pot holder close as the clasp will get very warm.
3. A good bed of hot coals helps them to cook faster and more even.
4. Have a good imagination and have fun!











Now for the good stuff, recipes

Gather what you need.

Pie Iron Pizza's
This one is a classic so I wanted to make it gluten and dairy free for my kids
What you need:
gluten and dairy free bread (I used Udi's at room temp)
pizza sauce (read the label)
Dairy free cheese (I used Daiya)
Pizza toppings of your choice (olives, peperoni, peppers, onions, etc)
Butter

All the pizza yummies piled in.

Directions
Make sure you have a nice bed of coals ready and line your pie irons with foil. Butter two slices of bread and place one slice butter side down on the foil. Now top your bread with the pizza sauce, cheese and any other toppings that you want. Place the second slice of bread butter side up on top of your pizza toppings and close the lid. Latch the pie iron closed and place directly on the coals.




Depending on how hot your coals are it will take about a minute per side. You will want to check it for how brown and toasty you like your bread to be.

Nice hot red coals.

Perfect!

 Breakfast Pie Irons

What you need:
Precooked frozen gluten free sausage links
Hash-browns (I used soaked dehydrated ones)
Eggs
Oil

                                                                                  Directions

Sausage in first

Make a wall to hold your eggs.

Line your pie iron with foil and oil both parts of the pie iron. Place the frozen sausage links in the bottom followed by the eggs. It will take some wiggling or building a wall with hash-browns to get the eggs to stay where you want them to. Top the eggs with hash-browns and close the pie iron. Start with the sausage side down in the fire, it will need the most time to warm up and brown. Flip to the other side after a minute or two. This one will take some back and forth flipping and checking to make sure it is done.

Perfection!

Hamburger and hash-browns

What you need:
Hamburger
Hash-browns (I used soaked dehydrated ones again)
Oil

Directions
Pat the hamburger into a thin patty that fits into the pie iron. Top with hash-browns and oil the foil that is going to touch the potatoes. Start on the hamburger side but change to the hash-brown side to ensure you don't overcook the hamburger. It will taste almost like a steak when it is done.












Pie Iron Pies (This is the best!)

What you need:
Gluten and Dairy free bread (I used Udi's again.)
Pie filling of choice (Try this one.)
Dairy free butter substitute of choice

Look at the filling ooze

Directions
Butter your bread and place one slice butter side down in your pie iron. Place your pie filling of choice on top of the bread and top with the other slice of bread butter side up. Place your pie iron in the fire and cook till golden brown. You can top with powder sugar if you want also or eat them as is. The best part about them is the butter makes an almost fried crust to the bread.












Pie Iron Pancakes

What you need:
Pancake batter
Oil

Directions
Add a small amount of oil to the bottom of your pie iron and add enough pancake batter to cover the bottom. Use a paper towel to oil the other side and close the pie iron. Keep it level over the coals and let cook for about a minute before turning. You want to give it time to set up and flip it fast or it will bunch up. Top with your favorite fruit or syrup!












Other ideas to make in pie irons
Taco meat in between bread
BBQ
French toast
Scrambled eggs
Toast with egg in the middle
BLT
Sandwich meats
Muffin Mix

Have fun and go crazy with your choice of fillings! What are you going to try first?