Mandi, you'l love it and figuring it out is all the fun.
I have also cooked everything you can imagine in a dutch oven.
When you start buying this stuff, look at pawn shops, garage sales, flea markets, estate sales, antique stores and swap meets.
Look for old LODGE ovens. The older ones will have "LODGE" stamped in the cast iron.
The newer ones will have "LODGE" in raised lettering done when casted.
The older ones might not be quite as obvious from years of use.(ash, grease, oil and soot will fill the lettering in some.)
#1 tip I can give you is this.....70% of your heat goes on top.
#2 tip is to always, always pre heat.
No matter what your cooking if you put the food into a cold dutch oven, it will not come out correctly.
Some other tips and suggestions.
As Paul said, season it, lard, bacon grease, even store bought peanut or olive oil.
Worst whooping I ever took was using detergent in my Dad's, just wipe, scrape and burn clean, then re oil.
Store them in a plastic trash bag, to keep the dust from sticking to the oiled surface.
Ashes are hot but not enough to cook, but coals are, less ash more coals cook better.
Dad took a square head shovel and cut out a big square in the head and welded in large expanded metal.
Leaving about a 1 1/2 inch piece of the original shovel all the way around, for rigidity.
This shovel is his pride and joy, as he can sift the ashes out and get only good, hot coals.
Here's a great, easy cobbler recipe.
One box, cheap white cake mix.
One can cheap cherry pie filling.
Two sticks salted butter.
Sugar and cinnamon.
Pre-heat oven and lid.
Use one stick butter and liberally coat inside of oven. (Don't actually use the entire stick, just coat it well).
1/3 of dry cake mix spread in bottom of oven.
Dump entire can of pie filling on top.
The rest of cake mix spread on top of filling.
Slice up one stick butter and the rest of the one used for coating at start.
Spread butter slices evenly over top of cake mix.
Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top.
30% heat under bottom, 70% heat on lid.
Cook to a golden brown top and butter and filling juice should be bubbling through crust in a few places.
I take mine with a scoop of vanilla icecream. Mmmmmmmmmmm!
