Each year, for the last three years, Driftstone has held a Mountain Pie Championship for any and all campers looking to try an interesting recipe cooked in a pie iron. There are two categories, Savory and Sweet. The first place winner from each category earns an entry into the state Mountain Pie Championship presented by the Pennsylvania Campground Owners Association (PCOA). The championship is held at the Gratz Fair in Gratz, Pennsylvania each year.
This year’s state championship recipes were judged solely on the recipe itself by a panel of judges organized by PCOA. Representing Driftstone were recipes by Lisa Dress (Savory) and Lauren Hurler (Sweet). Our campers came through with winning recipes, Lauren placed 1st in the Sweet Category and Lisa placed 3rd in the Savory Category. For your cooking pleasure here are their winning recipes:
Campfire Empanadas (Lisa Dress) – Makes 2 Mountain Pies. Ingredients: 1/2 lb. Ground Beef, 1/4 Cup Pepper chopped, 1/4 Cup Onion chopped, 1 packet Taco Seasoning, 1/2 Cup Salsa, 1/2 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese, Empanada dough. Directions: Combine ground beef, peppers, onions and taco seasoning, cooking to desired doneness. Spray mountain pie iron with cooking spray or oil. Line the pie iron with empanada dough (store bought or homemade). Fill with beef mixture, salsa and shredded cheddar cheese. Cook on an open fire until dough is crusty. Serve with favorite salsa or sauce.
Praline Pecan Honey Butter Apple Pie (Lauren Hurler) – Makes 2 Mountain Pies. Ingredients: 2 Pink Lady Apples chopped into small pieces, 1/2 to 3/4 stick of Margarine or Salted Butter, 1/8 Cup Pecans, 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. Cinnamon, 2 Tbsp. Honey, 1 Tbsp. Granulated Sugar, 1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar. Directions: Softly boil above ingredients for 15 minutes or until apples are softened. Spray mountain pie iron with cooking spray or oil. Line the pie iron with pie crust (Pillsbury or homemade). Fill with apple mixture. Cook on an open fire 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Top with chocolate and caramel drizzle and whole pecans.