Author Irene Rawlings shares cast-iron recipes from Sisters on the Fly

Local author Irene Rawlings, a Sister herself, pulled together Cast-Iron Cooking With Sisters on the Fly, a book of recipes from her fellow canned-ham travelers; she'll be signing copies at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Tattered Cover LoDo. For added atmosphere, a few sisters will be parked outside with their brightly decorated trailers, but if that's not enough impetus to get you down there, read on for a recipe preview. Be a happy camper!

See also: - Cast-Iron Cooking With Sisters on the Fly - Cooking with Pete and Barb Marczyk: lemon pound cake - In the kitchen with Patxi Azpiroz, chef of Patxi's Pizza: meatballs

A popular recipe at Sisters picnics. It cooks while everyone is fishing and is ready to eat in time for supper. Sherree Duncan (Sister #492) serves this with warm tortillas.

Serves 10

1 package taco seasoning mix 1 teaspoon garlic powder ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 (7-ounce) can chopped green chilies 1 (5- to 7-pound) pork shoulder roast ¼ cup olive oil 2 cups water Lime wedges, for serving

Combine the taco seasoning, garlic powder, brown sugar, and chilies.

Coat the roast with the olive oil and rub with the seasoned chilies to cover well.

Place the roast in a 16-inch Dutch oven and add the water. Cover tightly and cook at 300°F (11 coals on top and 21 coals on the bottom) for 6 hours, turning every hour. The roast should be forktender. If additional cooking is needed, turn up the heat (add 3 coals to the top and 4 coals to the bottom) and cook, uncovered, for an additional 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and let rest for 15 minutes. Shred, using two forks, and place on a platter with plenty of lime wedges. Retain the pan juices to pour over the meat if moisture is needed.

A South Carolina Sister was inspired to create this dish when she received a box of Cal-Mex goodies from her "Secret Santa," a California Sister. For more of the story, see page 204. You'll get "messy" eating this, but you'll have fun.

Serves 6

Marinade ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil Pinch of salt 1 tablespoon ground cumin 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon dried oregano, crushed 1½ teaspoons dried basil, crushed A generous dollop of chili-garlic paste Juice of 3 fresh limes 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro 2 pounds shrimp, unpeeled 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Fresh salsa (see page 21), for serving

Put all the ingredients for the marinade in a shallow 9 by 13- inch glass casserole dish. Lay the shrimp in the marinade and turn to coat well. Marinate for about 30 minutes.

Fry the shrimp in the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a preheated cast-iron skillet over medium heat, turning and basting the shrimp with the marinade. This will only take about 3 minutes. Serve with fresh salsa.

Because all of the ingredients travel well, this is a great camping recipe that can be quickly assembled after a day on the water. This recipe was developed by Kim Korstad (Sister #373) and revised "just a little" by Carol Sacher (Sister #328).

Serves 8 to 10

4 cups bite-sized broccoli pieces 1 cup chopped celery 1 cup golden raisins 1 cup red seedless grapes, cut in half 1 cup white seedless grapes, cut in half 1 cup raw, unsalted sunflower seeds ¼ cup raw, unsalted slivered almonds ½ cup diced red onion ¼ cup diced green onions 8 ounces crisp bacon, crumbled (can use precooked apple flavored)

Dressing 1 cup mayonnaise ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar 3 tablespoons cider vinegar

Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl.

Mix the dressing ingredients in a separate bowl and pour over the salad. Toss lightly.