Western music under the starry skies...and dessert of course!

Last night was just magical! I was lucky enough to attend a Juni Fisher concert (she's an award-winning Western music star) in Sonoita, Arizona. It took place in the courtyard of the lovely local B&B, La Hacienda de Sonoita (http://www.haciendasonoita.com/). The setting was gorgeous and with lights strung around the columns of the flagstone courtyard and a big mesquite fire roaring in the outdoor kiva fireplace it was truly inspirational and a one of a kind venue! The cool night was lovely and clear, so you could look up from your seat and name the constellations as you listened to the clear, beautiful voice of Juni singing her original songs about cowboy life, women rodeo stars, and life on the range. I personally love cowboy/western music. It is a far cry from the whiny ballads and countrified rock of modern country music. It harks back to folk music and Irish music and soothes the soul and takes you back to a time of simplicity and beginnings of the West. So the evening was really wonderful and I wish more people had taken the opportunity to experience Juni's music in such an intimate and awe-inspiring setting.

Of course, one cannot forget the important things...libations and dessert! The cool night air was tempered by hot decaf coffee, offered with several "tonics" to add some kick and warmth to the body! It was a nice, gourmet cowgirl's touch, but the real pièce de résistance was the delicious, warm, freshly prepared, pineapple upside down cake made in a dutch oven! It was fantastic! My mother used to make this dessert when I was a child, but I don't remember it being this fluffy, this light and this delicious! And of course, there is nothing like a real dutch oven, over the fire dessert to complete an evening that celebrated Western life and the cowboy legacy!

So, I thought I would post the dutch oven pineapple upside down cake recipe I like the best and throw some Juni Fisher info your way as well. Maybe you can purchase a CD, build a fire, brew some coffee (spiked with Bailey's was yummy), bake a pineapple upside down cake over your fire and look up at the stars and maybe feel some of the blessings that we did last night! ENJOY!!


Juni Fisher
2008 Western Heritage Wrangler Award Winner
2008 WMA Songwriter of the Year
2007 WMA Song of the Year Songwriter
2006 WMA Female Vocalist of the Year
2005 AWA Western Female Performer of the Year
2005 WMA Crescendo Award
Red Geetar Records
www.junifisher.net
615-289-1292

Dutch Oven Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 can sliced pineapple rings (10 slices), with juice
10 maraschino cherries


Preheat a 12-inch Dutch oven with about 8 coals underneath and 18 on top.
In a mixing bowl or gallon-size storage bag, combine dry cake mix, eggs, oil and pineapple juice. Stir until lumps are gone. If more liquid is needed, use a bit of the cherry juice. Set aside.
Melt butter and brown sugar in the preheated Dutch oven, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Place the pineapple rings evenly in the oven. Place a cherry inside each ring. Pour cake batter evenly over the rings. Return heated lid to the oven and bake about 35 minutes or until the cake is done in the center. The cake will shrink away from the sides a bit when done.

Remove the lid and invert the cake onto a serving dish.