A New Addition

Well, I'm back from trip #2. This time I went to good ole' Milton, PA, to visit my family.I had a great time; however, I do have to admit, that seeing family wasn't the only reason for my trip.

There is a town next door, Watsontown, that I am quite fond of. It's a very tiny town, but it holds great memories for me. My grandmother and grandfather lived in Watsontown and we visited with them quite often while I was growing up. Every friday night from August through November, my sister and I would spend time there, watching Nickoloden (which we didn't get on our country-bumpkin tv) and eating cookies, while mom watched dad coach the high school football team.

My grandmother would often take us to the candy store or the park, and sometimes my grandfather would push us on the little, wooden tree-swing while we kept watch for Sammy (the snake).

Once a year, Watsontown had held community-wide yardsales. Almost everyone in town participated. Everywhere you would turn, you would see books or trinkets - things people no longer had use for.
This year was no different. And I was looking for something: Cast-iron.

Well, I'm sad to say that all I found were a $2 Ralph Lauren sweater, a 50 cent book by Michael Lee West (Crazy Ladies), and an orangish, porcelain Santa plate that cost me a quarter. No cast-iron. I've been told it was there, but I must have looked at the wrong houses.

Despite not finding cast-iron at the yardsales, I picked some up anyway. My momma had bought me some. Yay!

I'm now the proud owner of a Lodge brand, Corn Bread Pan (I'm sure there are other ways to use it. I'll figure those out later).



Of course, I won't be able to season or use it for a while though. We leave again tomorrow - California this time. We're jet setters apparently.

Before I go, let me share a recipe that I've been making for a while, and finally tried in the new skillet. I call it Creamy Mustard Chicken, but please, feel free to change the name. It doesn't sound nearly as appetizing as it actually is.

Creamy Mustard Chicken
1tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 insanely large Chicken Breast (or 2 normal sized ones), cut into bites
1 can of Cream of Celery Soup
1/2 c Apple Cider
2 tbsp Spicy Brown Mustard
1 tbsp Honey
1 c. Egg Noodles

1. Heat your skillet over medium-high. When warmed, add oil and chicken. Brown chicken; remove to plate.
2. Add soup, cider, mustard, and honey. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add chicken and simmer 10 minutes.
3. While simmering, cook egg noodles as directed on package (boil 3-4 minutes).



If by chance you have a better name for the recipe, please share!

Sin City Skillets

Whew! I feel like it’s been such a long time since I’ve last posted.

See, we went out West. We’re actually doing quite a bit of traveling this month. Tomorrow we head to Pennsylvania and on Tuesday we head to California.

But this past trip…We went to Las Vegas and Northwestern Arizona.

I was worried about what I would be able to write about when I got home. I haven’t cooked in a week. My poor skillet sat on my stove top, all cold and lonely. But, I was in luck.

While in Vegas, we went to Mario Batoli and Joseph Bastianich’s restaurant, Carnevino. I had an interesting experience while there. See, I was a bit ill prior to dinner so I wasn’t feeling so much like eating. But as it was 9:30 at night and we hadn’t eaten since 11am, I knew that I needed something in my belly. Of course, Sumo ordered the steak – and it was good (he always lets me try at least 1 bite). But I didn’t want a steak – it sounded too heavy. So, I ordered an appetizer: Eggplant.

Imagine my surprise, and joy, when the eggplant was seated in front of my face served in none other than a cast-iron mini-skillet. The skillet was so darn cute and the eggplant looked beautiful. It tasted wonderful, too.

Now, I’m sure it wasn’t cooked in the mini-skillet, just plated on it. But still, a skillet makes a wonderful serving dish.

What a versatile instrument of cooking! See why I love it yet?



Of course, I also ate some great food in Arizona – and I have a few skillet ideas…

Everything's Coming Up Bacon

It's official. Sumo has become spoiled. It's my fault, too. I should have known it would happen. You can't make a man bacon for breakfast one day and then not expect him to want it for breakfast each day. Have I created a monster? A bacon-loving monster?

Anyway, I've been making him 2 slices of bacon with his breakfast each day for about 2 weeks now.  We were running low the other day, so I headed out to Giant. There I found Smithfield Bacon being sold at a significantly reduced price. Instead of their delicious pork-product costing $5.99, it was now only (gasp!) $3.99.

I knew what I needed to do. I needed to stock up. Pronto.

No I didn't go all crazy coupon lady on Giant, I didn't buy out the shelf, and I don't even have a bacon coupon. But I did buy a few packs of varying flavors.

I got Hometown Original Bacon, Naturally Hickory Smoked Thick Sliced Bacon, Naturally Hickory Smoked Cracked Peppercorn Coated Bacon, and Naturally Hickory Smoked Maple Flavored Bacon. Wow, I feel like Bubba, talking about his shrimp varieties.

Anyway, at 2 slices a day, 7 days a week...

Here's hoping Sumo's arteries don't clog.

A Cast-Iron Stirfry

I had some problems with this one. Not anything that couldn't be changed the next time I made it. Infact, I'm blaming the problems on Sumo. They were all his fault.

Everyday, when he leaves the office, he calls me from his car. I know that as my cue to start making dinner. So, yesterday, when I got the call, things were no different. The problem was that he took longer to get home than dinner took to make.

Here's what I made:

Steak Stirfry:
1 tbsp. Sesame Oil
1 tbsp. Sesame Seeds
1-2 Cloves Garlic; minced
1 bag Frozen Vegetables (I used Giant brand Stirfry Vegetables)
1 (8oz) Steak (cut of your choosing – I prefer skirt or flank); cut into think strips
Salt
Pepper
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 c. Minute Rice (or other white rice); cooked
Handful Scallions
1. Preheat skillet on stove top to medium/high. On a plate, season steak with salt and pepper.
2. When pan is warmed, add oil and sesame seeds; saute until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add vegetables. Saute for 3 minutes. Add garlic and steak along with 1 tbsp soy sauce. Cook 2 minutes for medium/rare. Remove to large bowl.



3. Add rice to skillet with other tbsp soy sauce. Do not leave in skillet for long. Remove quickly to bowl with steak and vegetablees. Mix all together and plate.



Now, my problem with this was that I had it all in the bowl and Sumo was no where in sight. I could have dug in and had a meal fit for a King (or Queen, rather), but I figured I'd be nice – Sumo works so hard.

Well, the fact that he wasn't home yet did have me a bit worried. I don't often cook steak, but I do know (mainly because I'm the grill master of the house, and proud of it), that steak continues to cook for a few minutes after you remove it from heat.

When I removed it from the heat, it was appropriately medium/rare. When Sumo got home it was inappropriately well done. So, sad to say, not much of the steak was eaten. Bummer.

The veggies, seeds, and rice were darn delicious though.

What have I learned? Well, when making steak, wait until all of the dinner party is present. Unless, of course, you like your steak well done. Then, by all means, make it early.

Skillet Brownies

Yes, I did. I made brownies in the skillet. Or, rather, one, giant, round brownie. Of course, I cut it into 20 smaller ones, so we'll leave it at brownies. Just remember that it was circular and made in a skillet.

Never before have I made brownies in a vessel that made it so easy to remove them. It was perfect: no scraping with a knife, no fighting with burnt edges.

Now, all of that said, there was one slight problem: how long do you cook brownies if you're using a skillet? The box (yes, I used a box. Pillsbury = Delicious. Everyone knows that.) gives directions for a 9"x13" baking pan, a 9"x10"  (or somewhere near there), and an 8"x8". But no where does it say what to do when you have a skillet with a 12" diameter.

I figured that since skillets retain heat so well, I'd try 20 minutes set at 350 degrees. After 20 I stuck in a knife. As I licked the goo from the knife, I thought, "These are delicious." But the were way too runny, so I set the timer for another 10 minutes.  It was just slightly too long.

If you like perfectly cooked, cake-like brownies, cook them for 30 minutes. That's what I ended up with; however, if I ever make these in the skillet again, I'll probably take them out at 26 minutes, and let them cook in the skillet until they reach their desired gooey-ness level.

Nevertheless, I really can't complain.

I've got a plate full of brownies!

The Dirty Skillet

While researching my skillet, I came across a lot of info about how to clean it. One site said use soap, one site said don't use soap. Some said to use a plastic Brillo pad, some said use salt and a paper towel. But there is one thing that everyone seemed to agree with: Don't put it in the dishwasher.

Man, they almost make you want to not use this pan for fear that you'll have to figure out how to clean it afterwards.

Well, I'm here to tell you that I've tried a few of these techniques and I'm ready to let you know what works and what just doesn't.

#1. The Soap Method.
Many people say that it's fine to use soap. Soap can help get a good scrub going to remove bits and pieces that are stuck to the pan.

Everyone does agree, however, that you should not soak your pan in soap water. Cast-iron is quite prone to rusting, and the soap can eat away at your seasoning.

#2. The No Soap Method.
The common belief is that if your skillet has nooks and crannies, or areas where the seasoning isn't quite 'just right,' the soap will get in there and dry. Then when you cook, you'll have trace amounts of soap in your food.

It is also believed, as I said above, that the soap can corrode the seasoning which you worked so hard to achieve.

Instead of using soup, just use warm water and a sponge.

#3. The Brillo Pad Method
Note: I do not mean a legitimate Brillo pad - obviously that would scrape the seasoning away. But many people use a sponge with a bit of a plastic-like scraping area.

I was using a normal sponge that had one surface with a plastic scraping area. Maybe I scraped too hard, or may you shouldn't use those. I definitely scraped away much of my seasoning. That's why I reasoned my pan yesterday. I think I'm going to give it another coat today, for good measure.

But there is hope for this method: I bought one of these at the grocery store yesterday.

It looks like a little pillow. The whole thing is made of soft cloth, but the side pictured has a material with more of a texture that helps to scrub tough spots but doesn't scrape off the seasoning either.

If you want one, It's made my Scrubbing Bubbles (whom I love) and costs $4.00 (it's a 2 pack). Oh, it's also machine washable - yay!

#4. The Salt and Paper Towel Method.
This method works wonderfully and you don't have to worry about water touching your skillet.

Here's how to do it: With the skillet still warm, pour a little salt on the area where the food is stuck and take a paper towel to it. The salt works as an abrasive and removes the food, but isn't abrasive enough to remove the seasoning.

It works very well. My only problem with it is that if your seasoning is a bit off (as mine was from the Brillo-pad Method) the paper towel rips a bit and comes off in the pan.

Choose whichever method you prefer. Just know that if water touches your pan, you've gotta dry it with a towel, and stick it back on the stove for 2 or 3 minutes. No Rust Allowed!

Hola Paella, Me Llamo Christina

About a year ago, while working in downtown DC, I was walking around at lunch time and saw something quite interesting. You see, there was a restaurant around the corner called Taberna Del Alabardero. It was a Spanish restaurant and I had always wanted to go there. Sadly, as I had a 30 minute lunch and that's not really conducive to going to a sit down restaurant, I had to walk by on a daily basis, smelling the deliciousness that poured forth from the doors. 

One day, as I was walking by, I noticed some employees outside holding up a very large skillet. I knew right away that it was for paella - mmm...paella... But really, when I say 'very large skillet' I mean I could lie down inside that skillet and fry up like a piece of bacon. Seriously. Ok, I know that I'm only 4'6", but come on. That's a darn big pan. 

Now, my skillet is no where near the size of that skillet, but it can make paella, too.  

My paella has to be a bit different though, and I'm sure it's no where near authentic. First of all, Sumo is anti-seafood. There is probably some traumatic childhood experience in there somewhere, but I don't know where. No fish, no crab, no shrimp. No nothing. And secondly, I'm not spending $18 for a tiny bottle of saffron, so I'm sure my paella can be classified as a fraud. 

But I don't care. It's still delicious. 

Anyway, it's the first time I've made it in this pan, and I'm so glad I made enough for leftovers. Now I have lunch!

Here's my recipe:

Chicken & Chorizo Paella

1/2 lb Chorizo; sliced into bites

1-2 Chicken Breasts; cubed

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1/2 Onion; sliced

1 (5 oz) pkg Yellow Rice

1 can Stewed Tomatoes

2 cups of Chicken Stock

1 cup Frozen Peas; thawed

1/4 tsp Pepper

1. Preheat skillet to Medium/High. Add the chorizo and brown for 3-4 minutes. Remove chorizo to plate and drain fat from pan. 

2. Add oil, chicken, and onions. Cook until chicken begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove to plate with chorizo. 

3. Add the rice, tomatoes and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. 

4. Add chicken, chorizo, and onions back in along with peas and pepper. Cook another 10-15 minutes, or until rice is done and no real liquid remains. 

Now for the tips: If I remember anything from my high school trips to Spain, it's that the rice on the bottom of the skillet, the kind that kinda sticks and gets a bit crunchy, is highly desired; however, while cooking with an iron skillet, you don't really want stuff sticking to the bottom. You'll have to scrub the skillet to get the crunchy rice off, and by scrubbing the skillet, you'll remove some of the seasoning on the skillet - the same seasoning that you worked so hard to achieve. So, when the moisture gets low, just stir often. 

You could use any type of sausage in place of the chorizo. I just like the chorizo because it tastes so good with it's slight spice. If you feel so inclined, or just already have it in stock, go ahead and use your hot italian sausage. It will all cook up the same. 

I calculated the calorie count for the way I made the dish to be around 1425. I split it into 4 portions, each around 356 calories. This gave a good amount - not too little, not too much. 

My last tip is to keep this recipe close. You'll definitely want to make it again, and soon. 

There's a Pie in My Skillet

That's right! A pie in my skillet. And oh, does that pie look good.

Ok, actually, I've already eaten about half of it. It tasted good, too.

I was leery about cooking a pie in a skillet. You see, I'm a pie-maker (www.straightfromthepiehole.blogspot.com). I've always used pie pans. I have pie pans in red, in blue, in green. I've got them in aluminum, glass, and ceramic. I've got pie-birds, and pie-covers, and even a pie-carrying contraption. So, never in my life, did I think I would use something other than a pie pan to actually make a pie.

Well, since I'm new to the magical ways of the skillet, I wanted to try it out. I've seen recipes for pineapple upside-down cake, pizza, and even chocolate chip cookies for the skillet, so I figured a pie - simple.

Now, I bet you're expecting me to tell you how difficult it turned out to be, and how I should have known that  a skillet wasn't the correct vessel for pie-making.

But I'm not. It was simple. It cooked beautifully. The crust is perfectly browned, but light and flaky. The fruit inside was the best part though, but that could just be because I used peaches, and peach pie tends to be my favorite (and chess pie, and vanilla cream...I could go on).

But here comes the crazy part. I'm going to share the recipe.

I don't take the decision to do this lightly. In fact I really don't want to give away the recipe for my crust. I sell my pies. So the problem arises with your being able to make something that I actually sell. But, alas, the nature of the skillet blog is to share, so I'm putting my ego aside and throwing you a bone. Or, rather, a crust. ...Something like that.

Chrissy's Pie Crust and Peach Pie

For Crust : I can't believe I'm doing this...
2 c. Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 c. Vegetable Oil
6 tbsp COLD Water

1. Sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Add oil and cold water. Mix until able to form a ball of dough (should not flake or be too sticky - if flakey, add tiny bit more water; if too sticky, add bit more flour).
2. On floured parchment paper, roll entire ball of dough into a large circle. Make sure it's large enough to cover the bottom and sides of the skillet.
***Since it's made with oil, there is no need to refrigerate the dough before rolling it out.***

For Filling: this part isn't so hard to part with...
4 or 5 (I used 5 for my 12" skillet) large peaches; peeled, pitted, sliced
2 tbsp Lemon Juice
1/2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon (I like to add a little more though; I love cinnamon)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c milk
Sugar, for sprinkling

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place peaches in a large bowl and add lemon juice. In separate bowl, mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add to peach bowl. Mix gently, but coat well. Pour into crust.
3. Fold sides of crust over peaches (since it's in the skillet, you're not doing a top crust).
4. Using a pastry brush, brush milk over the crust and sprinkle liberally with sugar.
5. Bake at 400 for 1 hour, turning the pie halfway after 30 minutes. Cool on wire rack before serving.

Now, the only problem I ran into was that the peach juice bubbled up and caused the crust to stick to the skillet. Being new at the skillet, and not really sure what to do, I soaked the skillet in water for about 20 minutes, then used a plastic scrubber to remove the stuck on bites. This did slightly undue the seasoning I had on the surface of the pan. So I will be doing a re-seasoning tomorrow.

Also, you want to eat the pie as soon as possible. Leaving food to sit in an iron skillet, can slightly alter the taste of the food. I removed my pie to a large plate and have it hanging out, counter-top-style.

My Skillet Says, "Mangia!"

Did you know that my skillet speaks Italian?

Oh, I guess you wouldn't have any idea - you haven't eaten dinner at my house yet.

Well, then, sit back and allow me to tell you all about it.

Ok. So far, I know of 2 languages that my skillet speaks: Bacon and Italian. Hey, bacon is a language to some people. Anyway, the first Italian dish I tried to make in her came out wonderfully.

See, I judge a dinner's merit on how much Sumo liked it. And he loved this. So far, it's this and the Quinoa. And, yes, the bacon. Geeze!

I read an interesting recipe that called for gnocchi to be made in the skillet. I decided I'd switch some things up with the recipe to make it more along the lines of how Sumo would like it. He hates bland food - I think it's an Indian thing, though he hates Indian food, too. Anyway, I added some spice, subtracted some cheese, and switched up the type of tomatoes. It was delicious and looked quite stunning (smelled pretty darn good, too).

And it was insanely easy to make. Here, try it!

Gnocchi with Chicken, Spinach, and Tomatoes
2 tbsp Olive Oil
16oz Gnocchi
1 Onion; sliced
1-2 Chicken Breasts; cubed (I used 1 very large breast; I think the chicken had implants...)
4-5 Cloves Garlic; minced
1/2 c Water or Chicken Broth
1 bag Prepared Baby Spinach
1 (15 oz) can stewed tomatoes (I like stewed because of the shape; they look prettier on the plate.)
Few shakes of pepper
Few shakes of Red Pepper Flakes
2 tbsp grated Parmesan

1. Heat skillet to medium high. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and gnocchi. Cook, stirring often (gnocchi is kinda gummy, so it sticks a bit) until starts to brown, 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

2. Add remaining olive oil, chicken, and onion to pan and cook, stirring, 2-3 minutes. Stir in garlic and water/broth. Cover and cook until onion is transparent and chicken is cooked through, 4-6 minutes.

3. Add all spinach (just dump it on top) and cook, stirring, until it begins to wilt.

4. Stir in tomatoes, pepper, and red pepper flakes, simmer. Stir in gnocchi and sprinkle with cheese. Cover and cook until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling, 2-3 minutes.

Here are some tips about this meal.
1. If you aren't ambitious enough to make your own (I'm not), you can find gnocchi in the frozen section of your grocery store.
2. If you have any fresh basil on hand, go ahead and throw it in. I have about a million pounds of fresh basil, as I planted too much during the spring. Sadly, it was pouring down rain when I needed it. I could have went outside to cut some, but, once again, I'm not that ambitious.
3. Thaw your gnocchi before putting it into a hot skillet with hot oil. If there are ice chips, you're going to have problems. Now, if you add your oil directly before adding the gnocchi, the oil will be heating up, and any ice chips on the gnocchi shouldn't splatter. I like to add oil after the skillet is hot. That's what my uncle Mark, The Skillet Man, told me to do and I listen to him.
4. This makes 6 servings, but if you use only 1 chicken breast, and are eating this as your whole meal, you can easily turn it into 3 or 4. I made it into 3 servings, so it was around 500 calories per serving. I should have made it into 4, because afterwards, I felt full.
5. Put some in a container and refrigerate it. You will want some tomorrow. Sumo is doing happy hour with a friend tonight. Guess what I'm having for dinner? ...oh yeah!...

That's Some Goooood Cookin'

Well, the skillet has me back to being a good cook, because last night's dinner was mmm...mmm....delicious!

I took some chances last night with this meal. I didn't think it would be bad, but I wasn't quite sure that it would be good. In a normal pan, when I feel that way about what I'm making, it ends up being not quite so enjoyable. But last night, I could have eaten thirds. Sadly, I didn't make enough to even get seconds.

I do think I could have made it even better, and I'll mention how after I've posted and explained my recipe. But for now, this in itself was absolutely delicious.

Skillet Seared BBQ'd Chicken with Green Beans
Flour (est. amount needed for dredging)
McCormick's Garlic Pepper Seasoning (a few twists of the grinder)
Salt and Pepper (probably about 1/4 tsp of each)
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Chicken Thighs with skin
Canned Green Beans (I used 2 cans - we're trying to eat more veggies)
BBQ Sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's Honey Chipotle BBQ)

1. Preheat skillet on stove top to medium-high. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a large, shallow plate mix together flour, garlic pepper seasoning, salt, and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour mixture.
2. Add oil to skillet. Place chicken in skillet, skin-side down. Allow to sear for 3 minutes. Flip chicken and sear other side for 3 minutes.

3. Push chicken aside and add green beans.
4. Remove skillet from stove top and add to oven. Cook for 25-30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

5. When chicken is done, remove skillet from oven. Once chicken is plated, with BBQ sauce in a small dish, use a pastry brush to rub it over top of chicken, coating thickly. Plate green beans and enjoy.

Ok. For one, I need to say that the green beans were insane. I don't know if it was due to the little olive oil remaining in the pan, or the juices and browned bits from the chicken, but those beans were fantastic.

Now, to make the chicken even better: Next time I make this, I will sear the chicken, but before adding it to the oven, I will apply one coat of BBQ sauce. Then, after 10 minutes I will re-coat (and do so every 10 minutes until chicken is done). The last coating will still be when the chicken is plated. I think this will allow the sauce to adhere better to the meat. Sounds yummy.

Man, I'm hungry now.

Skillet 101

Last week I shared my uncle Mark's guide for seasoning a new skillet. Well, I was thinking about that and trying to decide what it is exactly that I want to accomplish with this blog. I know that I want to post recipes, anecdotes, and pictures. But do I want to share more than that? There's so much history to the skillet, so many benefits. Should I share that information, too? 

I think so. 

So, I've decided that now and then (probably when I have nothing else to post) I'll do what I'm going to call, Skillet Tutorial. BORING! I know, sorry. I'll try to keep them enjoyable. 

Today's lesson is about the health benefits of cooking with cast-iron. 

There are two real benefits health-wise when it comes to cast-iron cooking. The first is that your iron intake goes up slightly. The second is that you aren't getting any of the unhealthy metal or chemical combinations that you would if you were cooking with something else, say, Teflon. 

First of all, our bodies need a certain amount of the mineral iron to function properly. Iron aids the production of red blood cells, specifically the main protein in them, hemoglobin. Hemoglobin carries oxygen throughout the body, and without it, the muscles (and other organs) wouldn't work properly. A deficiency of iron can cause fatigue, shortness of breath, and even shorten your attention span. By lacking in iron, a person can develop anemia, and children who lack iron can have stunted growth (might that be why Mom made me take iron supplements? Hmm...). 

The amount of iron the body needs depends on age and sex. As a woman of childbearing age, I should be consuming 18mg of iron a day. Whereas, Sumo, on the other hand, should be consuming around 8mg. Children under 10 and teenage boys should limit their intake to between 8 and 11mg. Teenage girls should intake around 15mg per day. When women have left the childbearing age, their iron intake should drop to around 8mg daily. 

Many foods contain iron, but most people still don't get the proper amount (especially women). There is a great chart on the CDC's website, http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/vitamins/iron.html, that shows the amount of iron in certain foods. But by cooking in cast-iron, you can add even more.

When you cook in cast-iron, iron can be absorbed into the foods your're preparing. Again, here's a great little chart: http://www.pyroenergen.com/articles/cast-iron.htm. 

And secondly, it has been proven that the non-stick coating on other pots and pans can break down when cooking above the smoke-point of the oil used. Now, there are rules to use that help this to not happen, and I'm definitely not going to stop using the pans I already have. However, if it comes to increased iron or increased chemicals, I'd go with the iron anyday.

So, not only is it a tool that helps your food taste better, but it helps you feel better, too. I think that's reason enough to keep one around. 

***The intake of too much iron can lead to iron toxicity. Be sure to follow the guidelines provided in the CDC list and, if unsure, see a doctor. ***

Laboring Over the Skillet

Well, it's Labor Day weekend and I've definitely been laboring.

Why, just last night I spent an hour hanging around the skillet. Of course, I didn't do much - that skillet should earn an allowance with all the work she does. I sat around reading the Post, retrieving the skillet from the oven every so often to alter something here and there. I took a few pictures, too.

Anyway, my efforts, or rather the skillets efforts, paid off. Dinner was good, and though time consuming, was very easy to prepare. Here's what I made:

Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Asparagus
1 Sweet Potato; sliced
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
2 (4oz) Chicken Thighs
Fresh Asparagus; cut into 2" pieces

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Lay the potatoes in a single layer in the skillet. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, stir to coat. Add to oven and roast 15 minutes.

3. Coat chicken and asparagus with remaining tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. Remove skillet from oven and push potatoes to one side. Add chicken, skin-side down. Return to oven, roast 25 minutes.

5. Remove from oven and turn the chicken. Push chicken aside and add asparagus. Return to oven. Roast 5-7 minutes longer. Remove from oven and plate.

There you have it: A tasty (and nutritious) dinner that was easy to make. But no one else has to know.

Tell them how you labored.

Skillet Peaches; Rum Edition

So, most of you know that I'm an avid pie-maker. I even have a pie blog - www.straightfromthepiehole.blogspot.com.  Well, I was making a pie on Friday and guess what? I used my skillet!

No, I didn't use it to bake the pie - soon, my friends, soon. I used it to saute up some rum peaches.

Rum peaches? Yes.

Here's how they go:



Rum Peaches


2 Tbsp Butter
2 Lg Peaches; peeled, pitted, and sliced
2 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1/4 C. Rum

1. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add butter.
3. When butter is melted, add peaches. Stir constantly for 2 minutes.
4. Add sugar and cinnamon. Stir constantly for 1 minute.
5. Add rum. Allow to boil, stirring constantly, until most of the liquid has boiled out.

Now here's the fun part: You can choose what to do with it! I put my rum peaches in the bottom of a pie (Rum Raisin Peach - mmm...). I'm imaging the peaches in some type of dessert cup, with a scope of vanilla bean ice cream on top. Or, OR! The ice cream on the bottom and the peaches served over the top.

What would you do? Any good ideas?

Somebody Ring the Breakfast Bell

Ahhh...weekend. Time off from work, time to spend with family, time for breakfast. And let me tell you, this skillet knows breakfast.

I've already established the skillet's awesome ability of frying up some deliciously, tasty bacon. But I hadn't tried the #1 weekend breakfast staple yet: Eggs.

First, I have to tell you about the small mistake that cost me two eggs and gained me my first skillet related burn. Really, I need to be more careful, or just more awake when I use hot pans.

So, I had just finished frying up the bacon. I made 3 slices for Sumo and 1 slice for me. As they were draining off their grease, I decided to see what would happen if I fried my eggs up in the leftover grease from the pan. I didn't drain any of it. I just started cracking eggs into it. Well, I don't know if there was too much of it, or if the browned bits of bacon on the bottom of the skillet did the trick, but the eggs stuck. I couldn't get my spatula under them. As I frantically tried to free those eggs from the bottom of the skillet, I realized I had lost my battle. So, I picked up my skillet, with pot holders of course (more on that in a later post), and walked towards the sink.

While waiting for the sink water to get nice and hot I rested the bottom of the skillet on the aluminum edging of the sink. When the water was hot, I stuck her in there. As I started scrubbing with all of my might, I nonchalantly rested my forearm on the same edge that the hot skillet had been resting on. Well, I'm willing to say that aluminum conducts heat pretty well and that my arm didn't rest there for too long.

Luckily I had aloe in the house, as I'm quite prone to sunburns.

Anyway, when I was done washing out the skillet, I dried her, and regreased her, and placed her back on the stove top. I turned the stove back to medium, and this time, added a bit of smart balance before adding my eggs.

Those eggs cooked up beautifully. The skillet is so large though, that the eggs spread out more than I would like them to. I told Sumo I need more skillets, but in different sizes.

All in all though, even with the burnt arm, breakfast was delicious. ...especially since I topped it off with Green Mountain's Pumpkin Spice coffee. Mmm...

Sumo's Breakfast

The Skillet vs The Bad Recipe

Ok, so, maybe the skillet doesn't make me cook better. Last night's dinner was blehhhhhh. I mean, it cooked well (that skillet knows who's boss), it just tasted boring. It was a recipe I found in an old dieting cookbook from the 90s. It's called Fiesta Chicken, but seriously, if I showed up to a fiesta that was that boring, I'd turn around and go home.

At least it looks pretty.  I'll spare you the recipe - unless of course you ask for it.

Oh, and if I'm scoring the match, I'd call it a draw. Perfect cooking, less-than perfect taste.

The First Real Meal

Yep. It's official. I have decided that this skillet makes me cook better. Or, it, at least, makes my food taste better. Normally my food is bland and boring, but this was delicious. Sumo was upset that I didn't make more; normally he grumbles that he has to finish what's already on his plate.

Maybe the skillet brings out my love for cooking, or maybe it just exudes magic powers. I honestly didn't mind laboring over the stove for an hour and a half. Though, I'm sure it helped that  most of that time I didn't really do anything. 

Anyway, you're probably sitting there wondering if I would just tell you what I made already. And I say, "Yes!" I think I'll even share the recipe. 

Now, to start, please know that this recipe isn't exact. I'm estimating the measurements for some things; I'll put an asterisk next to those to help you out. Just know that you can add more or less depending on your tastes. My measurements are approximations. I'm also writing the recipe for 2, if you need more, just double it! Or triple...whatever.

CHICKEN & QUINOA BAKE

1/2 c. Onion; diced

2 Celery Stalks; diced

1 c. Water

1/2 c. Quinoa - I used red, organic from Trader Joe's (thank you Erin Persaud), but you can find it in the Natural Foods section at most grocery stores

1 Chicken Bouillon Cube

1/2 tsp. Poultry Seasoning

1 Garlic Clove; minced

1 (7 oz) can Corn

1/2 tsp. Cumin*

1/4 tsp. Cayenne*

2 Chicken Thighs; skinned - I left the skin on for fun. 

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. With skillet on stove top, heat set to high, add all ingredients except chicken. Bring to a boil. 

3. When mixture begins to boil, remove skillet from heat, add chicken (just place on top), and cover (I don't own a true lid for my skillet, so I used one from a large soup pot I already do own). Bake skillet at 350 for 1 hour or until chicken is done. 

Remember to wash out the skillet after you're done with it. Just use a sponge and hot water. After you've scrubbed the quinoa out of your skillet, take a bit of oil on a paper towel, and wipe her down. Then store her back on top of the stove (it makes it look like you do a ton of good cooking when you store a skillet on the stove) or wherever you prefer to store her.

And yes, a skillet is definitely a her. 

**On a side note, Sumo has asked me to make him bacon for breakfast every morning now.**