Streamlined-- And Not
Streamlined? I finally signed up for Bloglines. Super easy-- super MAJORLY timesaving. I can roar through my (yikes) two dozen favorites now!Not streamlined? (But awesome anyway) The gargantuan cast iron skillet my hubby excitedly brought home to me the other day. It's 15-- yes 15-- inches across. This I know because hubby took his tape measure to it. (What is it with guys and BIG stuff anyway? It just pleases them to no end!) Anyway, I've tossed my flaky Teflon pan--no more Teflon for this gal. Between this new skillet and the smaller one I already had, I'll never need to buy skillets again in my life. Might need a crane to get the big boy to the table, though! The thing must weigh 10 lbs empty!
Oh, and dinner? Stirfried sesame chicken, carrots, onions and cabbage over rice. Gobbled happily by all. (Yep, everyone seems healthy today!)
posted by owlhaven @ 9:19 PM
8 Comments:
i love bloglines!!
oh, and men and their tape measures..? well that's kinda cute.
So is it true that when you get a new iron skillet you have to do all that special "treating" to it to get it all seasoned, etc?
Oh, Lucky, lucky You! Having a sweet hubby who knows the quality of a good iron skillet! And you are so right about having it the rest of your life.
I have 3 for ages--an 8", 10", and a 12", which I haven't used lately since there's only one son left at home. I can't part with any of them yet...I like to cook too much!
Our church kitchen has a 15", which I used to brown hamburger for sloppie joes to feed college choir members. I'll never forget it when a younger woman almost took that skillet and put it out for the Rummage Sale for the paltry price of $3. I could tell she had no idea of its true worth.
I'm glad your tribe is on the mend. I went to the clinic for germ-killing drugs just yesterday.
Shannon, It's really easy. When you first get the pan, coat it with a thin layer of shortening. Bake it in the oven for an hour. When you wash it, avoid soap, especially at first, as it takes the seasoning off. Once it gets well-seasoned it will darken in color and become just as easy to clean as a non-stick pan. But if you do happen to burn something on really well,scratch it off with steel wool or one of those green scratchy plastic pads, and re-season by wiping with an oil-dampened paper towel before putting it away. That's it.
I honestly don't know exactly how many cast iron skillets I have, but I do know I wouldn't trade a set of Emerilware, Le Crueset or Allclad for them. Some of them were my Grandma's, some were my Mama's, and some were my husband's Granny's. I have a couple of 6-inch skillets that are ideal for cornbread for 2 or 3 people.
My 18yr daughter wants me to give her one of the 6-inch skillets for Jiffy Mix cornbread.
I was taught by Mama to season or reseason cast iron by generously greasing with bacon grease or lard, inside and out, and placing in a 300 degree oven for 3-4 hours. Repeat if food still sticks.
If I fry something, or bake something in iron skillets, I most of the time just wipe out with a paper towel, and put the skillet back in the hot oven, turn the heat off and let it cool in the oven. That really helps keep them seasoned.
Whatever you do, don't let them soak, especially with dish soap or any other degreasers or Comet. That's death to your hard-earned seasoning. When burnt on grease built up too much on the outside, Mama would just put the skillet in the coals of the wood stove for several hours, or put them in a wood fire outside and let the build-up burn off.
Long post, but hope this will help ya'll, if you didn't already know most of this, :)
What a sweet husband : ) - he knows how to serve his bride!
And that stir fry looked great...wanna share the recipe??
Your're making me hungry. That stirfry looks delicious.
You are gonna LOVE bloglines.
I have three of the 10" ones and finally got the 15" one like you have. What a difference! I don't know how I ever lived without it.
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