There is one favorite pan that we use over and over in our house. It's been around for literally centuries and people of all cultures have used it. What is this favorite pan? The cast iron skillet. We use it from baking, to frying, to sauteing. . .you get the idea. A well seasoned pan has such a beautiful patina on it that no tefflon or non-stick skillet can compete with it.
Sharon Kramis and Julie Kramis Hearne have "written" a wonderful cookbook about the cast iron skillet called "The Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook: recipes for the best pan in your kitchen". Inside, they give insturctions on how to properly season your pan, how to clean it, a brief history of the cast iron pan, the different types and sizes of the pans, and the basics of how to cook in your pan(s).
There are many wonderful, flavorful recipes in this book. While some are more of a "show" recipe (such as Pan-seared duck breasts with orange-thyme sauce. While this is not impossible to do, and I'm sure it's very delecious, how often do people buy duck breast?), there are many easy, for-the-home cook recipes. There are recipes from breakfast fares, to vegetables, to seafood, to baked goods. A very well rounded variety of recipes, for just about any type of food you are looking for to make.
* Due to copywrite laws, I can't publish one of their recipes without their consent. But the following reipes is one I make quite a bit and always in the cast iron skillet. *
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
1/2 cup butter
1cup brown sugar
1 can pineapple rings
1/2 cup walnuts (chopped or halved)
marachino cherries for garnish (optional)
3 egg yolks
1 cup white sugar
1 cup flour
all of the pineapple juice
1 tsp. baking powder
3 egg whites
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. lver low heat, melt butter and brown sugar in a 9" cast iron skillet. Stir gently until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Turn off burner and arrange the pineapple rings in the pan. Arrange cherries in the pineapple rings and sprinkle with walnuts.
2. In your mixer bowl, mix the yolks, white sugar, baking pwder, flour and the pineapple juice until well blended. In a separate bowl, beat the egg white until soft peaks are formed. Fold the white into the batter.
3. Pour batter into skillet over the pineapple and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until toothpick comes out clean.
4. Let the cake rest for about 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto a platter. * Be careful with this part. The carmelized sauce can spill and burn you. Make sure your platter is larger than 9" to prevent this from happening. Place your platter upside down on top of your cast iron skillet. With oven mits on or hot pads, grab both the skillet and the platter on the sides and flip over. Arrange any pineapple rings back on if they come off.*
Jennifer Dewing has experience in the restaurant business. She turned in her chef's hat and donned the many hats of a stay-at-home mother 8 years ago. She is now the mother to 5 children, 7 years and under. She home schools her eldest two children. Her husband is a professional chef and in their house, food is a big part of their family. Come visit her at The Day's Dewings
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