tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55588586792144676352023-11-15T09:36:51.814-08:00Cast Iron CookwareCajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-68090804634190542732013-03-25T18:41:00.001-07:002013-03-25T18:41:24.667-07:00Ways to make pots, pans last longer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Follow these guidelines for choosing and maintaining sustainable cookware and bakeware. <br />
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By Tom Watson <br />
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<strong>Ecoconsumer </strong><br />
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With all the reality-cooking shows on TV, maybe the next one should be a competition to choose safe, durable cookware. To make sure it has the required drama and suffering for a reality show, the producers could arrange for an eco-friendly, cast-iron skillet to fall on a contestant's head. <br />
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Ouch! But going “green” with your pots and pans doesn't need to be painful. Just follow these guidelines for choosing and maintaining sustainable cookware and bakeware that can last a lifetime. <br />
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<strong>Don't get burned </strong><br />
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The most common cookware-related worry among consumers is that nonstick cookware emits toxic fumes. Just last month, a California-based environmental blogger recommended that readers immediately toss out all their nonstick cookware. <br />
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That's not necessary. Nonstick cookware should be safe in normal use, according to Consumer Reports magazine and various regulatory agencies. <br />
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Cooks still need to be careful, however. The chemical PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) in Teflon and many other nonstick cookware coatings may create hazardous fumes if a pan gets extremely overheated, say to 500 degrees or more. Never leave a pan unattended or empty on a hot burner. <br />
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<strong>Go for a guarantee </strong><br />
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Although nonstick cookware that does not contain PTFE may sound tempting, consumers usually have no assurance that alternative nonstick coatings are any safer. Several environmentalists and researchers have expressed concerns about “nanoparticle” cookware coatings. <br />
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On the plus side, a potential health benefit of nonstick cookware is that you can use less oil and butter when cooking. <br />
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But a significant environmental problem with nonstick PTFE pots and pans is that many last only two or three years. Choose pots and pans, especially nonstick cookware, with a lifetime or 25-year warranty. Check online reviews as well. <br />
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<strong>Mix it up </strong><br />
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Even if it seems like a great deal, resist buying a large set of cookware with items you'll never use. A 10-piece set will serve the needs of most households, since lids are considered pieces and that usually means six pots and pans and four lids. <br />
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However, rather than using a set of a single type of cookware, many serious cooks use a mix of cast iron, stainless steel, copper and aluminum pots and pans. <br />
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Look for cast-iron skillets, one of the greenest choices, at thrift stores or antique shops. Never buy nonstick cookware used, since the coating may not last. When you're done with a nonstick pan, put it in the garbage. <br />
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<strong>Take good care (rhymes with cookware) </strong><br />
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Extend the life of your cookware by treating it right. Different types of pans have specific care requirements, so read and follow manufacturers' care advice. <br />
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As a general rule, don't put cookware through the dishwasher. It will last longer if you scrub it out by hand with soap and hot water. <br />
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New cast-iron pans are usually “pre-seasoned.” That means they have been oiled to make them nonstick. But you'll still need to re-season them yourself occasionally, which involves oiling and baking them. <br />
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<strong>Bake with caution, or duck </strong><br />
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Do you know anyone whose glass bakeware has exploded during or just after baking? Many folks have experienced this, including Seattle-area residents. According to Consumer Reports, Pyrex and Anchor Hocking bakeware products are made from soda-lime glass and are more likely to shatter than European-made bakeware, which is usually made of a more expensive glass called borosilicate. <br />
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Even though this problem has received national publicity for several years, the ConsumerAffairs consumer-news website continues to receive complaints, including more than 20 about exploding Pyrex in the past three months. <br />
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Anchor Hocking and World Kitchen, the maker of Pyrex, generally blame the users, but they do offer practical advice for keeping your bakeware in one piece, such as this on the Pyrex website: “Always place hot glass bakeware on a dry, cloth potholder or towel,” and “Never place hot glass bakeware on top of the stove, on a metal trivet, on a damp towel, directly on a counter or in a sink.” <br />
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If you aren't comfortable using soda-lime bakeware, search online for “borosilicate bakeware” to find sources for those products. <br />
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Whether you aspire to be on “Top Chef” or just dabble in the kitchen on weekends, you'll get more out of cooking and baking when you have the right tools for the job. <br />
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Read More Here<br />
<a href="http://cajuncastiron.com/longer.asp">http://cajuncastiron.com/longer.asp</a><br />
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CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-38164383546757641932012-10-15T19:15:00.001-07:002012-10-15T19:15:38.726-07:00Dutch Oven Cooking: Two guys who keep the fires burning <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
CAMP VERDE - By the time Lewis and Clark emerged from the wilderness, following their epic transcontinental voyage of discovery, most of their cargo had been jettisoned. <br /><br />The only things remaining, outside of trade items aquired from the Western tribes, were their guns, their knives and their cast iron cookware. <br /><br />When George Washington's mother divided her estate, she made provisions for passing on her cookware to her heirs. She referred to it as her "iron kitchen furniture." <br /><br />And early pioneers heading west packed, as an integral part of their larder, a collection of cast iron kitchenware. <br /><br />There was a time not all that long ago when cast iron cookware was appreciated in a way that few other things were. It came in a variety of shapes and sizes, but the single most important component was an iron pot with a tight fitting lid, widely referred to as a Dutch oven. <br /><br />The most popular version was a uniquely American invention, its designed credited to the famous patriot Paul Revere, that had three iron legs cast onto the base of the pot and a lid with a cast edge that kept the ashes out of your dinner. <br /><br />When Bill Stafford first began cooking with Dutch ovens he had little idea of the history behind the tools of his trade. But after nearly 20 years cooking for trail crews, charitable organizations and special events around the valley, he has discovered that he is carrying on a tradition older than America itself. <br /><br />"I didn't get into the Dutch oven cooking for historical reasons. But once I got into it, the interpretation of its common sense approach to producing a lot of food for a lot of people with relatively inexpensive ingredients, became an added reward," he says. <br /><br />With Stafford and his partner, Bob Tenner, the history and practicality of the Dutch oven remains as appreciated as ever. And for anyone who has had an opportunity to sample dishes the two have prepared, it's easy to see why. <br /><br />Stafford has been cooking in Dutch ovens since 1994. That was the year he began pulling duty as a Forest Service employee, cooking for volunteers and agency employees doing backcountry trail work. It's also the same year he began serving Dutch oven meals for Camp Verde's Bread of Life Mission. <br /><br />Tenner, who moved to the valley from Florida, began helping Stafford in 2004. He didn't have much experience with Dutch ovens when he started, but at no point has he ever been the junior member of the team. <br /><br />"The first time I cooked with a Dutch oven the meal was burnt biscuits that looked and tasted like hockey pucks," says Stafford, "Like Bob, I got my first taste in the Boy Scouts. I got my cooking merit badge burning biscuits in a Dutch oven. <br /><br />"I've learned a little since then, but I would still be burning stuff if it I wasn't for Bob. We are partners in this. It's not something one person can do well, and more than two can handle when the number of meals reaches 40 or more." <br /><br />Together they put on at least 20 demonstrations and meals a year. They still cook for the Bread of Life every six weeks or so. <br /><br />They still cook for the Forest Service, and they can be seen on a regular basis at Fort Verde, cooking for volunteers and the public, at events like the Buffalo Soldiers, History of the Soldier and this weekend's Fort Verde Days. <br /><br />They have cooked for as many as 300 people at once, managing upwards of 30 ovens plus cowboy coffee pots at one time. They have cooked stews, roasts, biscuits (unburned), cobblers, and just about anything else that will fit under the lid. <br /><br />"I'm a slob in the kitchen. I tend to slop things around. So I do well outside," says Stafford, "With Dutch ovens the clean up is easier and anyone who can walk and has at least one good hand can do it. It's not rocket science." <br /><br />They both have a collection of Dutch ovens, many with histories that date back well over 100 years. Their appreciation runs deep. And it is clear when watching them do their thing that they love what they do. <br /><br />But the real lure for both of them is the final product -- the dish that emerges once the ash-covered caldron comes off the coals and the lid is opened. <br /><br />"There is something about a meal coked in a Dutch oven," says Tenner, "It taste better. I don't know if it's from smoke being drawn in under the lid or the oil we treat the ovens with. All I know is that whatever you cook in one has a unique, woodsy flavor you can't get anywhere else." <br /><br />Stafford and Tenner will be sharing all the benefits and techniques of Dutch oven cooking on Saturday and Sunday, on the parade grounds at Fort Verde State park, as part of the Fort Verde Days celebration. <br /><br />Stop in and get a taste of two guys who love everything there is to love about a Dutch oven. And, if you make it at the right time, you might also a taste of what keeps their fires burning. <br />
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Read More: <a href="http://cajuncastiron.com/burning.asp">http://cajuncastiron.com/burning.asp</a><br />
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CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-46829462692304186282012-05-22T15:35:00.002-07:002012-05-22T15:35:14.300-07:00It requires some elbow grease, but cast-iron cookware has its merits<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It doesn't surprise me when I decide I prefer to do something the old-fashioned way. <br />
As a rule, I'm slow to embrace change, regardless of the progress it represents. Generally, my children are the opposite. So I'm amazed when one of my children — in this case, my son-in-law — opts for "last century" over "latest technology." But this time, I saw it with my own eyes, so I know it's true. <br />
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I was in Georgia visiting my new grandson when I walked into the kitchen and saw my son-in-law cooking with a cast-iron skillet. Two things surprised me. The first was that he was cooking. The only reference to his culinary skills I had ever heard involved opening cans of Chef Boyardee ravioli. (Not that I think that's a bad thing. In fact, it's one of the things I like about him.) But now, not only was he standing in front of a stove frying meat, he was using a cooking utensil that many households abandoned years ago in favor of Teflon-coated pans. <br />
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He told me he used it all the time. And I thought, well, if he can, so can I. We had used some cast-iron frying pans decades ago, but found they were too much trouble to care for with two little kids demanding our attention. Besides, with two more mouths to feed, we couldn't afford meat, hence the fondness for Chef Boyardee, and Teflon. <br />
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I searched around and finally located our cast-iron pans. I would have found them much faster if I had just asked my wife because she knew right where they were, and I would never have looked there. But finding the pans was just the start of my adventure. <br />
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What I found wasn't so much a pile of cast-iron pans as much as it was a rust collection. Suddenly, my new project didn't seem like as much fun. I sorted through the pans and selected the one with the least amount of rust. Along the way, I wondered why we had so many of the doggone things. We must have a hundred pounds of cast iron that we don't use. Maybe they multiply, I don't know. But they sure do rust. <br />
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This meant the first order of business was rust removal. That involved a lot more elbow grease than I had intended to expend. But, after significant scrubbing, I finally got down to cast iron. On the plus side, the pan was a little lighter. The next step was "seasoning" the pan. <br />
I did a Google search and there are literally hundreds of ways to season a cast-iron pan. Some involve lard, vegetable oil or shortening. None of them involve elbow grease, which is a good thing since I was out of it after cleaning off the rust. I opted for vegetable (canola) oil because it was the easiest, my normal course of action. After oiling the pan and baking it for an hour, my pan had passed the first stage of seasoning. <br />
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The second stage was frying a pound of bacon. That seasoned the heck out of it. The bacon tasted a little rusty, but the pan was at least usable at that point. The challenge now is to see if I'm willing to keep up the maintenance. <br />
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I suspect I will … for a while. My wife has let me know in no uncertain terms that the cast-iron frying pan is my responsibility. So my fascination with cast-iron cooking will probably last just as long as I am willing to clean the pan and keep it seasoned. I give it two weeks. <br />
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Read More: <a href="http://cajuncastiron.com/elbow.asp">http://cajuncastiron.com/elbow.asp</a></div>CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-87149324635437659162012-04-12T18:40:00.002-07:002012-04-12T18:40:26.385-07:00Jane Says: Ditch Your Nonstick Cookware for Cast Iron<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Jane Says: Ditch Your Nonstick Cookware for Cast Iron<br />
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Stuff you should know about cast iron cookware:<br />
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My pans are old and made by manufacturers such as Lodge, Wagner, and Griswold. They all happen to be so well seasoned they are as slick and impermeable as a politician's grin. If you want that patina, troll yard sales or online sources until you find the sizes you're looking for. I've only used the “preseasoned” cookware made by Lodge a couple of times, and it seems to work fine. And even though you won't be able to pretend it's a family heirloom, it certainly makes the mere idea of cast iron more approachable to someone who's unsure about how to season a pan properly or who simply wants a frittata for lunch. Today. <br />
There is a real mystique about cleaning cast iron. Personally, I think all that business about wiping it out, then filming it with oil until you use it again is disgusting. Guess what happens? Unless you use that pan all the time, the oil coating is going to turn rancid. Aside from tasting vile, rancid oil forms free radicals in the body, and we all know by now that those are harmful. I'll take a modern-day nonstick pan over rancid oil any time. <br />
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So how do I clean my cast iron? I wash it, very gently, with dish detergent . (I have wanted to confess this unorthodoxy for years.) That said, I don't use an abrasive scrubby, and would never let cast iron soak or sit in the sink for hours or put it in the dishwasher. After washing, I work it over with a kitchen towel, then put it in the oven to get dry as a bone. <br />
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Stuff you should know about enamel-coated cast iron cookware: <br />
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I try not to name-drop, but it's no secret. It's not nearly as sexy, mysterious, or inexpensive as unadorned cast iron, which is why I'm not giving it the same amount of space. But its signature pale interior allows you to easily gauge the doneness of whatever you're cooking, and unlike cast iron, it won't react to an acidic tomato or fruit sauce, giving it an off flavor or unappealing color. And I never ever get tired of how it cleans up like a dream. The only tough part is having to pick a color. <br />
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<a href="http://www.cajuncastiron.com/ditch.asp">http://www.cajuncastiron.com/ditch.asp</a></div>CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-65957388051825085432012-03-22T19:17:00.000-07:002012-03-22T19:17:38.686-07:00Cast-iron fans say there's nothing it can't cook<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Cooking with cast iron is a way of life for Dawn Mills and her family. Before she turns on her home oven, she has to relocate all of the cast-iron cookware that she stores inside.<br />
"I probably have upwards of 50 pieces; a majority of them are Dutch ovens used for outdoor cooking. Many are skillets," Mills said. "But I have my favorites ... the pieces that I want to cook with no matter where I am cooking."<br />
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In March, she and her husband, Jim, will be competing for a third time in the International Dutch Oven Society World Championship Cookout in Utah. For the preliminary competition, they will cook Chipotle Chicken Rolls - a variation on chicken cordon bleu - Italian Cheese Bread and Southern Pecan Pie.<br />
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If the Newkirk couple advances to the finals, they will cook a recipe called Three Little Pigs - a pork tenderloin stuffed with ham and wrapped in bacon - Parmesan Herb Rolls and Very Berry Cherry Pie.<br />
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Learning to cook outdoors developed as a welcome distraction from her empty nest, she said.<br />
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"When our sons left home, it started to be a hobby for us," Mills said. <br />
Mills, assistant principal of Lincoln Elementary School in Ponca City, is the secretary of the Heartland of the Prairie Dutch Oven Society in Oklahoma. The group meets monthly for Dutch Oven Gatherings and hosts a benefit for the American Red Cross every spring.<br />
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Cast-iron cooking has many benefits, Mills said. <br />
"If you have it seasoned correctly, it is a very nonstick surface. The cost is also decent and it lasts forever, and you don't have to worry about the lining peeling out," Mills said. "And when you put the lid on, it is like its own little convection oven."<br />
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Certain foods, such as cornbread, taste best cooked in cast iron, Mills said. <br />
"You need to take the skillet and get it pretty hot first with a good oil base and then put the batter in there," Mills said.<br />
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Some cooks swear that you can tell the difference between fried chicken that's been cooked in cast iron and chicken that hasn't. Cast iron also gives a nice sear to a steak, and many chili cooks prefer to use cast iron.<br />
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During demonstrations, Mills tells people that "there's nothing you can cook on the stove or in the oven that you can't cook in cast iron" outdoors. She even made a coconut pie once and whipped the meringue by hand.<br />
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Ken Jones, another member of the Heartland of the Prairie Dutch Oven Society, said there is an art to cooking with cast iron.<br />
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"We use recipes that are made for the Dutch oven, but I like to take regular recipes and adapt them," Jones said. "Cobblers are very popular - so are cakes. Casseroles also convert to Dutch ovens, as well as biscuits and breads."<br />
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It does take longer to cook outside using briquettes for heat, Jones said. But there are benefits to that, too.<br />
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"It's the original slow cooker," Jones said. "We do a lot of talking while we cook."<br />
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Jones said anyone interested in learning more about cooking with cast iron outdoors can watch a demonstration by the Oklahoma Dutch Oven group based in Tulsa. The group gathers at Haikey Creek Park during the warm months and can be reached at blackettle66@att.net.<br />
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Here are some recipes made for cast-iron cookware.<br />
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Dawn Mills said her mother made this family recipe for her when she was little and she has gone on to win cooking competitions with it.<br />
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Read More<br />
<a href="http://cajuncastiron.com/nothing.asp">http://cajuncastiron.com/nothing.asp</a></div>CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-75622242320647860932012-02-20T17:21:00.000-08:002012-02-20T17:21:40.111-08:00Iron Ladies: Cast iron takes the prize for most versatile kitchen performance<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Cast iron is the Swiss army knife of the kitchen. It is a versatile tool, a multipronged culinary threat capable of searing an ahi steak and crisping a cornbread crust. <br />
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"It's our favorite black dress in our wardrobe of pans," said Julie Kramis Hearne, co-author of this past fall's "Cast Iron Skillet Big Flavors" [Sasquatch Books, 2011; 157 pages; $19.95]. "Everything just tastes better." <br />
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Cast iron cookware also deserves the Swiss army knife's slogan, "Your Companion for Life." It's virtually indestructable and relatively inexpensive, with 10- and 12-inch skillets starting running from about $20 to $35. And once it acquires a good seasoning, it functions much like a nonstick pan. <br />
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To boot, it also can be good for your health, as the pans leach iron, which is helpful for those with iron deficiencies. [Conversely, if you suffer from excess iron, it would be best to steer clear.] <br />
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But the true benefit of cooking with cast iron is how it handles food. It withstands, and maintains, exceptionally high cooking temperatures, so it's a popular choice for searing or frying. Meanwhile, its excellent heat diffusion and retention make it perfect for stews or braises. Also, since iron skillets develop a "non-stick" surface, they are a good choice for eggs, particularly scrambled. Bakers use it for making cornbread, cobblers and cakes. <br />
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"The more you cook with cast iron, the better it gets," <br />
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Read More At: <a href="http://cajuncastiron.com/versatile.asp">http://cajuncastiron.com/versatile.asp</a></div>CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-51180476351300181232012-01-25T17:50:00.001-08:002012-01-25T17:50:25.149-08:00Stovetop Cast Iron Grills - Mark, sear meat just like on a cookout<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Miss the taste of grilled goodies when it's too cold to grill outside? <br />
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Or worse yet, do you live in an apartment with no space for an outside grill at all? <br />
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With the soggiest weeks of winter approaching, it's worth it to consider a good, heavy iron or anodized aluminum grill pan for stovetop use. <br />
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There are many types to choose from: a plain cast iron model is the least expensive, but must be seasoned and cared for like any other cast iron. A pre-seasoned cast iron pan is more expensive but convenient; it still must be cleaned gently, dried immediately and oiled each time you use it. <br />
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You can also find enameled cast iron, which is somewhat nonstick, seasons with use, and eventually becomes totally nonstick but it's pricey. <br />
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Finally, the folks at Cook's Illustrated recommend aluminum, but I've had a shiny aluminum grill pan that warped over high heat and was quite "sticky." Heavy anodized aluminum works better. Grill pans with nonstick coatings such as Teflon are not recommended, as the whole point of a grill pan is high-heat cooking, and nonstick coatings don't hold up under high heat. <br />
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I would recommend a pre-seasoned or enameled cast iron pan, or one of heavy anodized aluminum. <br />
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Grilling on metal is not exactly like an outdoor grill, and not exactly like searing in a flat skillet either, but somewhere in between. You get the crosshatch marks and a nice charred flavor, but not the smoke of wood or charcoal. If you want a smoky flavor, a marinade or rub made with smoked paprika or smoked salt can add it. <br />
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A superhot grill pan will smoke on its own, however, especially with foods that release a good bit of fat, such as salmon. You'll want to turn on your exhaust fan and remember that thick metal holds heat, so turning off the heat under the grill doesn't lower the temperature of the cooking surface for a long time. <br />
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Many of the rules for grilling on cast iron are the same as those for grilling over charcoal or gas. <br />
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1. Bring the food to room temperature before cooking it. Refrigerator-cold meat will not cook evenly on any type of grill. <br />
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2. Let the grill pan preheat adequately. You shouldn't use super-high heat, but do give the pan time to get very hot. Letting it set over medium heat for about five minutes should give you the heat you want. A drop of water should "skitter" over the surface and evaporate immediately when the pan is hot enough. <br />
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3. Lightly oil the food or grill surface before placing the food on it. To lightly oil, wipe it on with a clean towel. Never pour oil into an iron grill pan. You're not frying here. <br />
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4. After placing the food into the pan, leave it alone! After a minute or so, check to see if it can be moved. If so, you can turn it clockwise a quarter turn to get hatchmarks, but only flip it over once. <br />
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5. Never puncture the meat with a fork of any kind. Use tongs to move and turn it when necessary. <br />
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6. A very thick piece of meat or fish can be seared on the pan and then finished in a low oven so it doesn't get overly-charred on the surface before the center is cooked. This is one disadvantage to a grill pan versus an outdoor grill — there is no "cool corner" to place the food in and no lid to close for those last gentle moments. <br />
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Read More: <a href="http://cajuncastiron.com/cookout.asp">http://cajuncastiron.com/cookout.asp</a></div>CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-47222643503788755932011-12-03T10:00:00.000-08:002011-12-03T10:00:25.295-08:00Cast iron, it’s all gravy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I know that the large one and the small one were Grandma’s. I think I picked up the medium one at a garage sale somewhere.<br />
All of them have been well seasoned with use and have never really been scoured nor washed with soap.<br />
I’ve steamed asparagus in the largest one by laying a thin layer in about a cup of water. Made an upside-down pineapple cake in the medium one. And the eggs just slide out without sticking in any of the pans.<br />
Cornbread just wouldn’t be cornbread if it were prepared in anything other than a cast-iron pan.<br />
One of my dad’s favorite dishes is chicken fried steak and gravy made in a cast-iron pan. It’s not a heart-healthy choice, so Shari and I only make it for him about once or twice a year.<br />
Start with cubed steak or what was once called “minute steak,” a palm-sized cut of meat that looks like it’s been pounded down to about a quarter-inch thick (the reason it’s called minute steak is because it only takes a few minutes to fry in a hot pan). Season about a cup and a half of flour with salt and freshly ground pepper, maybe add a bit of garlic powder if you like. Lightly coat a piece of steak on both sides with the flour. Shake most of the flour off, leave a little bit on because you want to make crumbs (for eating as well as for seasoning the gravy).<br />
Heat up about two tablespoons of oil (vegetable or bacon grease) in a medium cast iron pan. When the oil is hot, carefully place the meat in the pan, about four pieces at a time. What you’re looking for is a medium to deep brown color on the meat, about three to five minutes per side.<br />
When done, take the meat out of the pan and place on a couple of paper towels. Scrape most of the crumbs out of the pan and put them with the steak on the paper towels. <br />
Reserve about one tablespoon of grease in the pan. With that, we’ll make a roux for gravy.<br />
What follows are inexact measures as I find that making gravy is a personal preference. Some folks like a thick gravy, some thin; some like it made with milk, some with water. My sister Shari adds onions . . . sometimes LOTS of onions . . . that were sautéed in the pan after the steak had been fried. <br />
You’ll have to trust your eye and your own taste buds with this. Just keep in mind that it’s just flour and water and oil/grease and if it doesn’t turn out the way you like, you can always start again.<br />
Heat up the oil/grease in the pan over medium high. Sprinkle in about one-third cup of flour. Have your choice of liquid (water or milk) handy, starting with about one cup. With a metal whisk, stir the flour as it browns in the pan. Once the flour turns a medium brown color, slowly begin pouring in your liquid, a tablespoon or two at a time, whisking as you go so that lumps don’t form. Continue to slowly add liquid until you get the consistency you prefer for your gravy.<br />
Now you have a choice: you can return the fried steak to the pan along with the crumbs or leave it out and serve the gravy on the side. Either way, this is great over rice. Serve it with a simple green salad for a comforting meal. <br />
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<br />
Read more: <a href="http://cajuncastiron.com/gravy.asp">http://cajuncastiron.com/gravy.asp</a></div>CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-27529217277099659872011-11-21T11:49:00.001-08:002011-11-21T11:49:52.343-08:00Cast-iron cookware passes test of time<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Are you getting ready to cook up a green-bean casserole, bake some tasty corn bread, or stir up some stuffing for Thanksgiving? <br />
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Maybe this year you can do your holiday cooking the old-fashioned way. <br />
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Our great-grandmothers didn't have Teflon-coated pots or throw-away aluminum pans. They cooked with time-tested cast-iron cookware. <br />
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Although very heavy to handle, cast iron remains a popular choice for true chefs today. <br />
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Why? It's durable, stick-resistant (when properly taken care of) and an excellent heat conductor, heating food quickly and evenly. <br />
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Some also like the fact that, when used correctly, you don't need to coat cast iron with butter for cooking — making it a good way to cook fat-free. <br />
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Aesthetically speaking, too, if you have a big old farmhouse or other type of period home, cast-iron cookware can be prominently and beautifully displayed, giving your kitchen a warm, vintage ambiance. <br />
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If you opt to buy and use old cast-iron cookware, keep this in mind: Cast-iron cookware needs to be “seasoned” in order to be used correctly. <br />
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My husband Brad, who likes to take out the big old cast-iron skillet to make Sunday pancakes from time to time, says the proper way to season the cookware is to coat it with cooking oil before use (canola or sunflower is good, but you can also use a shortening such as Crisco), then put it in a 350-degree oven and repeat these steps a couple of times. <br />
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This, he notes, gives the cookware a nice, shiny, waxy finish, which serves as a natural “Teflon,” so to speak. Food won't stick. <br />
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In addition, the more you do this, and cook with the pot or pan, the better it gets. <br />
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Proper care of cast iron is imperative if you want it to last for years and years. <br />
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Never harshly scrub your cast iron, or put it in the dishwasher to clean. This can ruin the finish. <br />
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It's best to gently clean with warm, soapy water and, when it cools, coat it with oil again and dry with a paper towel before putting away. <br />
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Brad likes to cover his cast-iron skillet with plastic wrap to protect it until the next time he takes it out. <br />
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Note that cast-iron pots or pans can be used in the oven or on a stove-top, but they are best used with a gas stove, rather than electric. <br />
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If you do use an electric stove, keep the temperature on a lower setting. <br />
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Also, very cold liquids poured directly into a hot cast-iron pot could cause the pot to crack. So be careful. <br />
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There are many varieties of cast-iron cookware. <br />
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Pots and pans are, of course, the most common you'll find at flea markets or antique shops, but you can also search out Dutch ovens (great for stews), griddles, pie pans, tea kettles, waffle irons and more. <br />
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<br />
One great cast-iron item we have in our shop, more for display than actual use, is a sausage stuffer from the 1800s. <br />
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Now that's something your great-grandmother probably would have loved. <br />
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<a href="http://cajuncastiron.com/time.asp">http://cajuncastiron.com/time.asp</a></div>CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-81384592861643048742011-11-09T19:10:00.002-08:002011-11-09T19:10:50.675-08:005 Myths of the Cast Iron Pan Explained<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Cooking with cast iron pans can be tricky. They're heavy and rust easily. But they last forever (if properly treated) and also retain heat longer, making them an ideal pan to keep food warm. That's why people love them. But a quick Internet search on how to correctly cook and clean these pans turns up loads of contradictory information.<br />
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Some say to always clean the pan with soap and others say soap will be the death of your pan. Or perhaps you've been told cooking with a cast iron pan is a good way to absorb iron, however, there are those who believe that the frying pan will add unwanted metals into your food.<br />
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It's time to put these myths to rest. FoxNews.com consulted certified master chef, David Kellaway, managing director of the Culinary Institute of America's San Antonio campus to finally set the record straight.<br />
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Myth or Fact: Cleaning With Soap Ruins the Pan <br />
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Chef Kellaway says to pick your battles when it comes to washing your pan with soap. "You can wash it with soap if you had a particularly messy sticky cooking session," he said. "But you need to re-season immediately. Get it as clean as you can, dry it, coat it with oil inside and out and then bake it at 350 degrees for an hour and a half or so."<br />
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Seasoning prevents the pan from rusting, which can occur if the pan is left slightly wet overnight.<br />
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Myth or Fact: Metal Utensils Scratch the Surface<br />
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I remember my mom telling me wooden spoons are the only way to go so you won’t damage the pan's surface. But after all these years, it turns out it has nothing to do with the pan's surface. "A cast iron pan that you’ve been using on a regular basis with some hot water washing and thorough drying will overtime build up from the cooking process a very thin layer of carbon," explained Chef Kellaway. "If you then are in the habit of using metal utensils and you begin scraping the bottom of the pan, the thin layer of carbon gets scratched up into the food."<br />
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While the carbon layer is not harmful or toxic, it will discolor your food. Wooden or silicone utensils are preferable.<br />
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Myth or Fact: Cast Iron Pans Heat Evenly<br />
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Cast iron pans are excellent heat conductors, thereby making them ideal for cooking. The belief is that it might not distribute as evenly as an aluminum pan of the same size, but not so says Kellaway.<br />
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"Cast iron distributes heat very nicely," said Chef Kellaway. "It's not used commercially because of the weight and the care required to keep them clean without rusting."<br />
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Myth or Fact: Once Rust Appears, it's Time to Throw it Out<br />
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If rust begins to form in your pan, do not throw it out! Chef Kellaway says to simply start at square one.<br />
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"Scour it with a Brillo pad and wipe it with some dense shortening and allow it to get hot. Once it's cool, wipe off the grease and repeat this process until your pan is rust-free."<br />
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While your pan may not be as good as new, Chef Kellaway says when it comes to cast iron pans, "well used" is what to be expected.<br />
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Myth or Fact: Cooking With a Cast Iron Pan Gives You Nutrients<br />
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"I don’t have lab data on that but I think that if all of your hot food was prepared in hot iron pan that might be true," he said. "But since people don't use the pan all the time, the amount of iron you would get is so minimal."<br />
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Now that that's all settled, get out your cast iron pan and start cooking!<br />
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<a href="http://cajuncastiron.com/myths.asp">http://cajuncastiron.com/myths.asp</a></div>CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-46951480027269230562011-11-09T19:10:00.000-08:002011-11-09T19:10:00.009-08:00What use is a cast iron frying pan full of rocks?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">When I bake bread I put the pan full of rocks on the bottom of my oven when I turn it on. By the time the temp is where I want it that frying pan and the rocks in it are very hot. That's when I slide in the proofed dough and toss in a cupful of water to create a burst of steam.<br />
So why the rocks? To increase the surface area, thus creating a bigger burst of steam.<br />
Plus it's cool to have a frying pan full of rocks sitting around in my kitchen because every now and then a visitor will ask "What's the frying pan full of rocks for?" And I can say "Ballast."<br />
<a href="http://cajuncastiron.com/rocks.asp">http://cajuncastiron.com/rocks.asp</a></div>CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-83113646310173101762011-11-09T19:09:00.001-08:002011-11-09T19:09:24.206-08:00Worlds Largest Cast Iron Gumbo Pot<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- <br />
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Chef and restaurant owner Bob Baumhower said when he was feeding tornado victims immediately after the storm, a friend called. <br />
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Baumhower said, “I get all from my buddy Chef Folse and he said how can I help? We start having conversations after that. We had a lot of different ideas. He's Mr. Louisiana; he's got the big pot.” <br />
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A big pot indeed, the 220 year old pot will hold enough gumbo to feed a small army.<br />
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<a href="http://cajuncastiron.com/tornado.asp">http://cajuncastiron.com/tornado.asp</a></div>CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-1479960627485731082011-10-05T19:59:00.000-07:002011-10-05T19:59:22.621-07:00Remove Rust from Cast Iron Cookware in Your Oven<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">If you have a rusty cast iron skillet or dutch oven the easiest way to remove the rust is by running it through the self-cleaning cycle found in most modern ovens; by the end of the cleaning cycle any rust is turned to ash. This effectively "resets" your cookware and you will have to season it before you cook with it. <br />
Permaculture site Rich Soil maintains that this method is easier and way more effective than using sandpaper, wire brushes, or chemical cleaners. The cookware may not look great when you first take it out of the oven, but after washing off all the ash it should look almost new. Since the self-cleaning cycle might discolor removable oven racks, you may want to consider placing the cookware on a brick or ceramic coffee mug to keep it off your oven's coils as shown in the photo above. <br />
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I tried this method out a year ago with an old Griswold cast iron skillet that belonged to my grandmother but had languished in a garage for a few years after she died. The skillet was covered with surface rust, but the self-cleaning cycle took care of that and after seasoning the cast iron skillet it has since become my favorite pan. <br />
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Read More Here<br />
<a href="http://cajuncastiron.com/selfcleaning.asp">http://cajuncastiron.com/selfcleaning.asp</a></div>CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-69267051108092580342011-09-28T18:20:00.000-07:002011-09-28T18:20:22.960-07:00Cast-Iron Chefs: Hunting season heralds black pot cooking<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Don't ask someone for a recipe when it comes to cooking in a cast iron pot. <br />
You're likely to get general directions that include "just put some (fill in the blank) in there and stir it for a while." <br />
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Cooking in a black pot is more of an art than a science. Much of it is knowing what looks right. <br />
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Now that fall is officially here, and hunting season is just around the corner, people all over the south are trading out the cast-iron fish fryer for the cast-iron jambalaya pots and cornbread skillets. <br />
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The black pot is an icon of southern cooking -- especially south Louisiana and Cajun cooking -- but, it risks falling into the generation gap if today's 20- and 30-somethings don't pick up where their parents and grandparents left off. <br />
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"It's like Cajun French," said Shelley Jinks Johnson of Alexandria. <br />
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"My mom's family was Cajun. They spoke French, but it wasn't something they taught, because it was looked down on. Instead, it was something they used to talk over the kids. It was kind of the same way with cooking." <br />
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In the past few years Johnson, 37, has become more interested in cooking -- and in maintaining the kitchen traditions with which she grew up. <br />
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"My grandfather was originally from Marksville, and the only way he ever cooked jambalaya was in a (cast iron pot) that he hung in the fireplace over an open fire," she said. <br />
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She's inherited several of her mom's cast iron skillets and a pot that may have belonged to her grandfather. For black pot cooking, the older the pot the better. <br />
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"With cast iron, you'd rather have one that's old and used than to go buy a new one," Johnson said. <br />
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The newest member of the Johnsons' cast iron clan is a large stew pot Shelley bought her husband, Calvin, a little over a year ago. <br />
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Calvin Johnson is originally from Bayou Chicot in Evangeline Parish. <br />
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"That's just how you cook, especially with rice and gravy," he said. "My mother cooked with a cast iron pot every day." <br />
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Cast iron is unlike any other store-bought cookware in that you can't (or shouldn't) just pull it out of a box and prepare a meal with it. <br />
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The tradition of cast iron includes the ritual of burning out and seasoning the pot. <br />
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While techniques differ, the main component of seasoning a black pot is fat. <br />
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"I just basically built a fire in my fire pit outside, and I let (the pot) sit on top of the coals," Calvin Johnson said. <br />
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"I kept pouring oil on it -- I just used vegetable oil -- and I kept pouring oil, and pouring oil. You're really never (finished seasoning). The more you cook in a pot the better it gets." <br />
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It's easy to tell how old a cast iron skillet is. Look at the bottom. If it's slick, it's probably been used for many years. <br />
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Marksville resident and grocery store owner Lonis Kelone has his mother's 9-quart cast iron pot. <br />
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"Throughout the whole time I was coming up, my mother always cooked in a cast iron pot," he said. "It's the only pot she ever had. I'll bring it out every now and then and cook something in it." <br />
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Kelone has several black pots at his house -- one for every occasion -- and even more at his store, where he both cooks with them and sells them new (and seasoned). <br />
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Kelone seasons his pots a bit differently than Calvin Johnson seasoned his. <br />
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"First I take a scouring pad and soap and get it real clean," Kelone said. "Then I take hog lard and wipe the inside and outside of the pot with the lard. After that, I put it in the oven at 400 degrees for an hour and a half. <br />
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"Then, I take it out of the oven and put it in a vat that all of the hog lard is in, I just dump that hot pot in the hog lard. <br />
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"When the pot cools, it draws in some of that hog lard. I let it soak in the lard for two or three days. I wash it again, and after that I soak the pot in hot cracklin' grease for two or three days." <br />
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Kelone understands that not everybody who buys a new cast iron pot will want to go through the trouble of soaking it in hog lard. <br />
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"My suggestion to anybody who buys a pot is cook something fattening in it," he said. "But, don't fry fish in it when you first buy it. The pot will absorb that fish flavor." <br />
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The simple act of preparing the pot for cooking is enough to make health fanatics run the other way. <br />
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Black pots aren't meant to cook health food. They're all about comfort food. <br />
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"There is nothing that makes a gravy as good as a cast iron pot," Calvin Johnson said. <br />
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"It's ultimately a gravy machine. The secret to getting a good gravy -- you start browning your meat, and you brown it until it almost gets burned, and then you brown it some more. Put a little splash of water to deglaze the pot. Then, you put all the onions and bell peppers and all that in there. It does takes some time." <br />
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A well-worn cast iron pot becomes non-stick, which, along with the iron itself, helps it make a dark brown gravy without burning. <br />
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"A black pot has no hot spots in it," Kelone said. "The heat is evenly distributed. Meat usually sticks on hot spots." <br />
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Preparing the pot for its first meal is one ritual, and cleaning it after use is another. <br />
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"You never wash a black pot in soapy water -- and you really never put it in a dish washer," Kelone said. "You rinse it out with hot water and wipe it down. Store it with the lid off it, because it'll rust if you put the cover on it." <br />
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Kelone said his favorite black pot meal is pork stew with turnips, while Calvin Johnson prefers pot roast. <br />
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Shelley Johnson uses her skillets for cornbread and biscuits, two things she said should never be cooked in anything but cast iron. <br />
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"It's hard to explain what cast iron does for flavor," Kelone said. <br />
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"It adds character to your gravy. Every time you cook with it, you're getting flavor from everything else you've cooked in it." <br />
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Read More Here<br />
<a href="http://cajuncastiron.com/hunting.asp">http://cajuncastiron.com/hunting.asp</a><br />
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</div>CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-71342664655129852822011-09-20T17:05:00.000-07:002011-09-20T17:05:39.042-07:00How to keep your campfire cookware soot-free<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Whether it's hot dogs on a stick, roasted corn, hobo dinners cooked in tin foil or cobbler in a Dutch oven, I love campfire cooking. I'm less thrilled about washing the dishes afterward. In particular, soot from cooking over a wood fire used to coat my pans, turning them - and my hands - a messy, jet black. The stuff was nearly impossible to remove until I remembered a trick I learned as a kid in Girl Scouts.<br />
<strong>Liquid dish soap is your friend </strong><br />
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To prevent soot buildup, rub a thin layer of liquid dishwashing soap on the outer surface of any piece of cookware that touches fire. You can use a paper towel if you like, but I just use my fingers. Avoid pour spouts, the rim of cookpots and any surface that will touch food, such as skewers and the prongs of your hot dog stick. <br />
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The coating should be thin, but even. <br />
Once you've applied the soap, use the piece normally. For the best effect, apply the soap immediately before cooking and place the pan over the fire while the soap is still wet. Soot will still adhere to the surface, but will wipe off easily once it gets wet. Sometimes it wipes off with a dry paper towel. <br />
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If you miss a spot, you'll have to scrub the hard way. Try a fine abrasive cleaner such as Barkeeper's Friend or products made for glass cooktops. <br />
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This technique works for non-porous metal and enamel-coated cookware. Do not try this on the inside of your cookware, and be careful with porous metals such as cast iron. I've used this method with a Dutch oven, but I'm not sure I'd try it with something thinner, like a griddle. <br />
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<a href="http://cajuncastiron.com/tradition.asp">http://cajuncastiron.com/tradition.asp</a></div>CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-21030525032605973082011-08-29T18:05:00.000-07:002011-08-29T18:05:21.366-07:00Cast-iron cooking a family tradition<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Skillets handed down through generations Cast-iron skillets, muffin pans and griddles hang on the walls of Sharry Nail's Buckingham kitchen like an arsenal of weapons ready for the call of duty at a moment's notice. <br />
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They make attractively rustic accents against the room's clean, white walls, but they're not merely decorative. Collected over the last 43 years, her cast-iron cookware produces crusty corn bread, crispy fried okra, jambalaya, biscuits, corn sticks and much more. These heavy-duty pans also carry the weight of family history. Nail's great-grandmother and her grandmothers cooked with some of them. Someday, she will pass them on to her children. <br />
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"It's the way I was brought up," says the 61-year-old Alabama native affectionately known as "Ma Roux." "Good food, good memories. That's what it's all about. There is no better way to keep family and friends close than a good meal cooked in cast iron." <br />
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Especially in the South, cast-iron cookware is an essential, versatile, even beloved culinary tool. The country cousin of fancy stainless steel-clad, it holds heat well, sears effectively, cooks evenly and costs far less than the shiny pots and pans celebrity chefs wield on Food Network. A starter skillet will set you back less than $20 at a hardware or discount store, and you can use it for searing (steaks), frying (chicken) or baking (cobbler). <br />
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"It's a must-have," says Rebecca Lang, a contributing editor for Southern Living magazine and author of the recently published "Quick-Fix Southern" and other cookbooks. "I don't know what I would do without them. The longer you use them, the better they get." <br />
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Why do they age so well? If properly seasoned and carefully maintained, cast iron achieves a slick surface over time without the chemicals that go into coating most nonstick cookware. <br />
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"With cast iron you can get an incredible sear on something like a steak that is nearly impossible with a nonstick pan," Lang says. "I haven't run into anything I can't cook in it." <br />
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Her Athens, Ga., kitchen is home to a still-growing collection of cast-iron cookware from family members as well as flea markets. The most precious piece was handed down, of course <br />
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Read More<br />
<a href="http://cajuncastiron.com/tradition.asp">http://cajuncastiron.com/tradition.asp</a></div>CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-87012664978672062232011-08-21T11:35:00.001-07:002011-08-21T11:35:48.504-07:00The Joy Of Cast Iron<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Cary, NC – You know how I promised you a cast-iron post? Well, I consulted with a friend who used to be in the culinary gadgets business (she worked in that high-end cookware store in the mall – you know the one), and she came up with a whole list of reasons why cast-iron is amazing. <br />
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<h2><strong>The Benefits of Cast Iron </strong></h2><br />
<strong>Cast-Iron is naturally non-stick</strong>. Once you season your cast-iron skillet, you don't have to worry about your food sticking. As long as you re-season it every so often, it's the perfect non-stick pan. <br />
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<strong>Cast-Iron fumes won't kill your family bird.</strong> While I'm not quite sure about birds, non-stick pans do give off fumes that can harm you and the environment. When non-stick pans are heated to high temperatures, they give off about a dozen harmful chemicals. When cast-iron pans are heated to high temperatures, they just get hot. <br />
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<strong>Inexpensive purchase price</strong>. Cast-iron is cheap. You can get a 8 1/2? diameter skillet for fifteen dollars, as opposed to a $25 non-stick pan, or a $160 stainless steel pan. <br />
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<strong>Easy to clean.</strong> I mean, what other kind of cookware begs you not to use soap on it? Any stubborn food particles can be scrubbed with a brush and coarse salt. You can also wipe your pan out with a paper towel, if you want <br />
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Retains heat very well, which uses less energy. Cast-iron takes a little longer to heat up, but once it's hot, it stays hot. It also tends to distribute heat more evenly, which means you'll have better eggs, pancakes, cornbread, fish, chicken, burgers, panini sandwiches or whatever you choose to make in your skillet. <br />
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In the end, you can pass it along to another generation to use , since even if it got rusted from years of attic neglect, you can sand and re-season it and voila – you have a new pan and you can go back to #1 above. That's what I love about cast-iron: It'll last forever. I've seen pans that are at least fifty years old. They're great family heirlooms: “This was my great-grandma's first cast-iron frying pan…” <br />
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Read More Here <a href="http://cajuncastiron.com/joy.asp">http://cajuncastiron.com/joy.asp</a><br />
</div>CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-88035955893389439182011-08-19T08:13:00.002-07:002011-08-19T08:13:41.731-07:00Noted: Cast Iron Revival<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">There's nothing in the world quite like your grandmother's quilt with the tattered corner, worn down from all those days you spent on the couch with the flu. Shiny new cars and electronic gadgets are nice, but the most valuable things we own tend to have a patina of time, evidence of a life of love and use. So it might seem strange for cookware to fall into this category, but when it comes to cast iron skillets, the more broken-in they are, the better. <br />
Lodge Cast Iron, one of the only American metal foundries producing cast iron cookware , has figured out how to make brand new cast iron skillets that seem like they've been passed down from your grandma. The tricky thing about cast iron skillets is that they must be seasoned with oil before they are used, a process that intimidates many cooks. Lodge realized they could take care of this essential step by seasoning their cookware before shipping it to stores. They found a new audience of would-be chefs, ready to try out out cast iron skillets for the first time. “In a short five years we went from nothing seasoned to everything seasoned,” Kellermann says. “And our slogan, when we introduced it: ‘We should have thought of this a hundred years ago.'” <br />
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<a href="http://cajuncastiron.com/noted.asp">http://cajuncastiron.com/noted.asp</a></div>CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-37099966596713367722011-08-19T08:13:00.000-07:002011-08-19T08:13:05.123-07:00Remove Rust From Cookware with a Potato<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">We've mentioned before that you can clean cast-iron cookware with a potato, but cast iron isn't the only cookware you can clean rust and wear from with a sliced-up tuber. Any rusted cookware that's showing its age can be cleaned up with a potato and a little baking soda or dish soap. <br />
Re-Nest reminds us that any metal cookware that's getting a little rusty can be cleaned with a potato cut crosswise dipped in a little baking soda or dish-soap. We wouldn't recommend using dish soap on your cast iron cookware, so your milage may vary there, but for your other non-stick or metal pots and pans, a potato can be a good way to scrub up rust and make your cookware look like new.<br />
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<a href="http://cajuncastiron.com/potato.asp">http://cajuncastiron.com/potato.asp</a></div>CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-16684293632665332842011-08-19T08:12:00.000-07:002011-08-19T08:12:20.467-07:00Cooking with cast iron should not be feared<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Even the most technology-obsessed cooks, those with remote-read Bluetooth-enabled meat thermometers, electric wine bottle openers and Youtube recipe swaps still can get back to the low-tech basics like a cast-iron skillet. <br />
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Cast-iron cookware is making a comeback among cooks who prize its durability, easy cleanup and heat retention. <br />
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Cast-iron cookware fell out of favor after World War II when a surplus of aluminum made its way into lighter-weight pots and pans. <br />
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Before long, a cast-iron skillet was seen as a sign of old-fashioned stubbornness, wielded primarily by disgruntled housewives in endless comedies. <br />
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Apart from its dubious distinction as a would-be weapon, cast iron is versatile, transferring from stovetop to oven with the same reliable, even heating. <br />
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Once cast iron's porous finish is treated with oil, a process called seasoning, food does not stick to cast iron, making it, according to cookbook author Tracy Barr, “the original nonstick cookware.” <br />
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The seasoning process used to scare off some cooks from buying cast-iron cookware. <br />
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To season cast iron and make it smooth, several bouts of heating and piling were required<br />
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<a href="http://cajuncastiron.com/feared.asp">http://cajuncastiron.com/feared.asp</a></div>CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-89694750833429145342011-08-19T08:11:00.000-07:002011-08-19T08:11:14.219-07:00Cast Iron Revival Keeps US Foundry Cooking<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <strong>Tennessee company is last in nation still turning out daily production </strong><br />
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Tucked between the Tennessee River and the hills of Marion County lies the small town of South Pittsburg, Tennessee. Home to just 3,200 people, it has one claim to fame: a metal foundry called Lodge Cast Iron. <br />
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Lodge is the last company in the nation still turning out cast iron skillets on a daily basis. <br />
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"We produce about 80,000 pounds [36,000 kilos] of cast iron cookware daily," says Bob Kellermann, chief executive officer of Lodge Cast Iron. "We have two high-production molding lines and each molding line will crank out 400-plus molds per hour and we run two 10-hour shifts a day, so you can do the math." <br />
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<a href="http://cajuncastiron.com/revival.asp">http://cajuncastiron.com/revival.asp</a></div>CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-19048379863385882522011-06-12T11:07:00.001-07:002011-06-12T11:07:46.753-07:00Linda Master's From the Kitchen: Tennessee Onion Soup Gratin steals show<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Jennifer B. of Falls Church, Va., was awarded the cast-iron skillet crown as the grand prize winner of the 2011 National Cornbread Cook-Off for her original main dish recipe Tennessee Onion Soup Gratin, according to a press release from Martha White. Entrants qualified for the contest by submitting an original, main dish recipe prepared with Martha White cornbread mix and baked in Lodge Cast Iron cookware. Jennifer B. used classic French onion soup as her inspiration for Tennessee Onion Soup Gratin. Her rustic soup draws delightful flavor from caramelized onions, bacon, Swiss chard and white beans. Cubes of Monterey Jack cheese are mixed into a cornbread topping batter, made with Martha White Yellow Cornbread Mix. The batter is spooned over the stew and baked until golden brown — reminiscent of the melted cheese on French Onion Soup. Her original main dish recipe earned the top prize of $5,000 cash, a 30-inch stainless steel gas range from FiveStar Professional Cooking Equipment and special gifts from Martha White and Lodge Cast Iron. <br />
The second-place winner, Margee B. of White Salmon, Wash., took home a $1,500 cash prize, plus special gifts from Martha White and Lodge Cast Iron. Her creative Caramelized Maple Apple Bacon Brunch Bake recipe features cornbread made with Martha White Cotton Country or Buttermilk Cornbread Mix flavored with caramelized bacon, cheese and maple syrup. Cornbread wedges are topped with a sautéed, spiced apple, orange and raisin mixture and garnished with toasted pecans, bacon, nutmeg and a dusting of powdered sugar before serving. <br />
Andria G. of Matthews, N.C., created Sausage and Spinach Calzone Cornbread, a new twist on a hearty Italian favorite made with Martha White Yellow Cornbread Mix. The cornbread is loaded with Italian sausage, spinach, roasted red peppers, ricotta and Italian cheeses. Individual servings are topped with marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese for an easy-to-make main dish full of robust flavor. She won the third-place prize of $1,000 along with special gifts from Martha White and Lodge Cast Iron. Additional National Cornbread Cook-Off finalists each took home $150 cash and special gifts from Martha White and Lodge Cast Iron. <br />
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Read More Here<br />
<a href="http://www.baxterbulletin.com/article/20110608/LIFESTYLE03/106080334/Linda-Master-s-From-Kitchen-Tennessee-Onion-Soup-Gratin-steals-show-?odyssey=nav%7Chead">http://www.baxterbulletin.com/article/20110608/LIFESTYLE03/106080334/Linda-Master-s-From-Kitchen-Tennessee-Onion-Soup-Gratin-steals-show-?odyssey=nav%7Chead</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.cajuncastiron.com/">http://www.cajuncastiron.com/</a><br />
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</div>CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-22814798353100903132011-06-12T11:02:00.000-07:002011-06-12T11:02:11.541-07:00Louisiana Dutch Oven Society<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><h1> </h1>The LDOS is organized exclusively for charitable, scientific and education purposes. To promote the opportunity for all Dutch Oven cooks to gather and better their skills through friendly Dutch Oven Gatherings (DOG). Promote the art of Dutch Oven cooking through demonstrations and local DOGs. Engage in charitable, literary, social, educational and other activities that promote the art of Dutch Oven cooking. <br />
Our Motto: <br />
Good folks gathering for great food and great fun! <br />
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<br />
<strong>State Cook-Off </strong><br />
May 28, 2011 <br />
3-Pot Cook-off <br />
2-Pot Youth Cook-Off <br />
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<a href="http://www.cajuncastiron.com/">http://www.cajuncastiron.com</a></div>CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-8760893542103323092011-05-14T12:05:00.000-07:002011-05-14T12:05:24.166-07:00Learn More About Cooking Glorious One-Pot Meals<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Glorious One-Pot Meal Recipes are: <br />
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<strong>Unique</strong>: This is a totally revolutionary method of cooking. Find out what makes it so different . <br />
<br />
<strong>Quick:</strong> Most recipes take less than 30 minutes to prepare and need only 30-45 minutes to bake. <br />
<br />
<strong>Easy:</strong> Even novice cooks can make successful Glorious One-Pot Meals. <br />
<br />
<strong>Healthy:</strong> Each Glorious One-Pot Meal is low in fat and high in nutrition. <br />
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<strong>Tasty: </strong>The infusion cooking method of Glorious One-Pot Meals packs each ingredient with flavor without any disintegration. Each food emerges whole and intact from the pot to your mouth. Expect firm and succulent vegetables, tender and flaky fish, and light and fluffy grains that burst with flavor. <br />
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<strong>Flexible: </strong>Any Glorious One-Pot Meal recipe can be adapted to meet any dietary requirement. <br />
<br />
<strong>Convenient: </strong>Glorious One-Pot Meals accept fresh, frozen, dried and canned foods for the ultimate in convenience. <br />
<br />
<strong>Exciting: </strong>Glorious One-Pot Meal recipes span the globe of cuisines and flavors to please even the most gourmet palates. <br />
<br />
<strong>Visually pleasing</strong>: With an emphasis on variety, each Glorious One-Pot Meal boasts a rainbow of colorful vegetables to make an attractive plate. <br />
<br />
Read More Here<br />
<a href="http://cajuncastiron.com/onepotmeals.asp">http://cajuncastiron.com/onepotmeals.asp</a></div>CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558858679214467635.post-9890974046302846232011-05-01T11:56:00.001-07:002011-05-01T11:57:35.835-07:00Learn More About Cooking Glorious One-Pot Meals<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><h1>Glorious One-Pot Meal Recipes are: </h1><br />
<strong>Unique</strong>: This is a totally revolutionary method of cooking. Find out what makes it so different . <br />
<br />
<strong>Quick:</strong> Most recipes take less than 30 minutes to prepare and need only 30-45 minutes to bake. <br />
<br />
<strong>Easy:</strong> Even novice cooks can make successful Glorious One-Pot Meals. <br />
<br />
<strong>Healthy:</strong> Each Glorious One-Pot Meal is low in fat and high in nutrition. <br />
<br />
<strong>Tasty: </strong>The infusion cooking method of Glorious One-Pot Meals packs each ingredient with flavor without any disintegration. Each food emerges whole and intact from the pot to your mouth. Expect firm and succulent vegetables, tender and flaky fish, and light and fluffy grains that burst with flavor. <br />
<br />
<strong>Flexible: </strong>Any Glorious One-Pot Meal recipe can be adapted to meet any dietary requirement. <br />
<br />
<strong>Convenient: </strong>Glorious One-Pot Meals accept fresh, frozen, dried and canned foods for the ultimate in convenience. <br />
<br />
<strong>Exciting: </strong>Glorious One-Pot Meal recipes span the globe of cuisines and flavors to please even the most gourmet palates. <br />
<br />
<strong>Visually pleasing</strong>: With an emphasis on variety, each Glorious One-Pot Meal boasts a rainbow of colorful vegetables to make an attractive plate. <br />
<br />
<strong>Read More at</strong> <a href="http://www.gloriouspotmeal.com/">http://www.gloriouspotmeal.com/</a><br />
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<a href="http://cajuncastiron.com/articles.asp">Cajun Cast Iron Cookware</a><br />
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</div>CajunCastIronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09559240914661635489noreply@blogger.com0