Holiday Leftovers For a Cuban Sandwich

What can you do with what is left from your Holiday Festivities? Here is a delicious way to use your leftovers from the family feast.

Turkey Cuban (Serves 2)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Dijonnaise

2 tablespoons leftover cranberry relish

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 slices good quality Italian bread

8 slices thinly sliced Swiss cheese

4 slices thinly sliced deli ham

6 slices leftover sliced turkey, white or dark meat or a combination

8 dill pickle slices

4 tablespoons Hellmann’s or Best Foods Real Mayonnaise

Preparation:

Whisk together the mayonnaise and cranberry relish in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Put the bread on a flat surface and spread each slice with some of the mixture.

Top two of the slices of bread with 1 slice of the cheese, ham,turkey another slice of the cheese and pickles (in that order).

Place the remaining bread on top, mayonnaise side down.

Heat a hot skillet

Lodge 12 Inch Skillet

over medium heat or a panini press. Wrap a brick in heavy duty aluminum foil (if not using a panini press).

Rome Panini Presses

Spread 1 tablespoon of the mayonnaise on the top of each sandwich and place in the skillet (if using) or in a panini press, mayonnaise side down. Place the brick on top of the sandwiches and cook until the bottom is golden brown (about 2 minutes).

Remove the brick, spread the top of the sandwiches with the remaining mayonnaise, turn over, place the brick back on top and cook until the bottom is golden brown and the cheese has melted (about 2 minutes). Cut in half and serve warm.

(From Bobby Flay)

The brick in a cast iron skillet works but a cast iron panini sandwich maker from Rome Industries works even better.

The Holiday Meal and the Leftovers all taste better when cooked in cast iron cookware.

TASTE THE FOOD NOT THE COOKWARE WITH CAST IRON COOKWARE

Chipotle Orange Glazed Pork Chops

Looking for an easy dinner? An easy-to assemble glaze will give your pork chops a sweet and spicy flavor. Chipotle Orange Glazed Pork Chops, done in a cast iron grill is your savory solution.

Cast iron Enamel Red Roaster/ Grill Pan Lid

Ingredients:

2 tbs. pure maple syrup

2 tbs. thawed frozen orange juice concentrate

1 tsp. finely chopped, seeded, canned chipotle chili, plus 1/2 tsp. adobo sauce in which it comes packed

4 3/4-inch-thick (about 8 oz. each) center cut, bone-in pork loin chops

1/2 tsp. salt

Casserole with Grill Pan Lid

Preparation:

1. In small bowl, combine maple syrup, orange juice concentrate, and chipotle.

2. Coat cast iron grill pan with cooking spray and preheat over medium-high heat.

3. Sprinkle both sides of chops with salt. Brush one side generously with glaze. Place chops in grill pan, glazed side down. Brush other side with glaze.

4. Cook over medium-high heat until cooked through but with slight blusgh in center, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Lodge BBQ Grill Grate

(Ellie Kriegar, from Reader’s Digest)

Apple Puddings for Your Holidays

APPLE CUSTARD PUDDINGS.
Put a quart of pared and quartered apples into a casserole, with half a
cupful of water and cook them until they are soft.

Lodge Casserole

Remove from the fire and add half a cupful of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of butter an  the grated rind and the juice of a lemon.

Have ready mixed two cupfuls of grated bread crumbs and two tablespoonfuls of flour.

Add this also to the apple mixture, after which stir in two well-beaten eggs.

Turn all into the enamel casserole dish and bake forty-five minutes in a
moderate oven.

Serve with sugar and cream or hard sweet sauce. The beautiful red enamel casserole dish is so attractive you can take the dish to your table and serve the pudding from the dish.

APPLE TAPIOCA PUDDING
Soak three-quarter cup of tapioca and boil it in one quart of water
until clear, sweetening to taste.

Pare and core six apples and place
them in a cast iron casserole dish.

Casserole with Grill Pan Lid

Fill the cores with sugar, pour the tapioca
around them and grate a little nutmeg over the top.

Cover and bake in the casserole until the apples are soft Serve with cream.

TURDUCKEN FOR THE HOLIDAYS

"Turducken"

A little boy was asked how he liked the holiday turkey. He replied “I like the bread he ate“.  If he had been served turducken I suppose he would have said he liked the chicken and the duck. What is turducken? It is a chicken stuffed inside a duck which is then stuffed inside a turkey. The term turducken comes from the combination of tur(key), duck, and (chick)en. It has fast become a popular recipe for the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays.  Each slice contains portions of chicken, duck, and turkey with stuffing in between the layers. Allow adequate preparation time. It’s not difficult to make, but it is a little time-consuming. The end result is a worth the effort.

(Recipe Peggy Trowbridge, Home Cooking Guide)

You will need:
• 10 to 12-pound turkey, deboned, except for wings and legs.
• 5 to 6-pound duck, completely deboned.
• 3 to 4-pound chicken, completely deboned.
• Prepared stuffing (see recipe).
• Metal skewers.
• Large roasting pan.

Enamel Roaster/GrillPan Lid

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 4 hours

Ingredients:

• 2-3/4 cups prepared savory bread stuffing, at room temperature, divided use
• 2 cups prepared cornbread stuffing, at room temperature, divided use
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
• 1 (10 to 12-pound) turkey, deboned
• 1 (4 to 5-pound) duck, deboned
• 1 (3 to 4 pound) chicken, deboned
• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 3 cloves garlic, cut in quarters
• 6 fresh sage leaves
• 2 Tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 Tablespoon browning sauce (such as Gravy Master® or Kitchen Bouquet®)
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Have the turkey, duck, and chicken already deboned (save the bones for stock) before you begin to assemble the turducken. Keep all of the poultry stuffing. refrigerated until you are ready to use it. Do not assemble turducken until you are ready to bake it in order to avoid food-borne  illness from contaminated  stuffing.

Measure out 2-1/4 cups of bread stuffing and set aside. Place remaining 1/2 cup of bread stuffing in another bowl and add 1/2 cup of the cornbread stuffing along with the whole berry cranberry sauce and pecans. Toss gently to combine. Place remaining 1-1/2 cups cornbread stuffing aside. You should have 3 separate stuffings.

Lodge Cornbread Wedge Pan

In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine butter, garlic sage , and thyme until herbs are finely chopped.

Run your hand under the skin to separate and make a pocket, but do not separate skin completely from the meat. Distribute the butter herb mixture evenly under the skin.

Rub the skin of the turkey with the browning sauce (promotes even browning but doesn’t add flavor), then the olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and freshly ground pepper .

Flip the turkey over so it is open and skin-side down. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 300 F.

Spread bread stuffing evenly over turkey cavity. Place duck on top of bread stuffing, skin-side down.

Spread cranberry nut stuffing on top of open duck cavity. Top with chicken, skin-side down.

Spread cornbread stuffing on top of open chicken cavity. Skewer the back of the chicken closed. Bring up the sides of the duck to cover the chicken. Skewer the back of the duck closed. Repeat process with the turkey. Carefully turn the turducken over, so it is seam-side down and breast-side up. Remove all skewers except the last one holding the turkey together.

Place turducken in a heavy roaster. Roast 3 to 4 hours, until meat thermometer inserted in the very center of the chicken stuffing reaches 165 F. Baste once per hour with pan juices. If turducken begins to get too brown, tent loosely with heavy-duty aluminum foil that has been coated with vegetable spray.

Let turducken rest 30 minutes before carving. To serve, slice turducken across the breast to show off each layer.

"Turducken"

Yield: 12 to 14 servings

TASTE THE FOOD NOT THE COOKWARE WITH CAST IRON COOKWARE

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas in Lodge Enamel Cast Iron Casserole

Cheesy Chicken “Enchiladas”

Ingredients:
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 oz. reduced fat sour cream
8 oz. Ranch salad dressing
flour tortillas (10-15)
jar of salsa
shredded mexican cheese ( 3- 4 cups)

Directions:

Cook chicken breasts  until cooked through. A cast iron casserole works wonderfully and is non-stick when seasoned properly. Set aside to cool a bit.

Lodge Casserole

While chicken is cooling, mix up the sauce. In a large mixing bowl, combine half of the sour cream and half of the Ranch dressing. In a small bowl, combine the rest of the sour cream and Ranch dressing. Stir both until well combined. Shred or chop the cooked chicken and add to the large mixing bowl. Mix well with sauce.

Preheat the oven to 375°. Spray the casserole lightly with vegetable oil Take one tortilla and top with a little less than 1 tbsp. of the sauce from the small bowl. Spread over the tortilla in an even layer. Add some of the chicken mixture to the center of the tortilla. Top with salsa to taste. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, to taste. Roll up tortilla and place, seam side down, in the casserole dish. Repeat with remaining ingredients (usually makes 10-15 enchiladas).

Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes (30 for a crispier tortilla). Allow to cool a few minutes before serving. The Lodge Red Enamel Casserole Dish is an attractive serving dish to take to your table and it will maintain heat to keep your enchiladas warm.

Quesadillas Deliciosas

(Adapted from the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook)

Featured, Lodge cookware, Recipe, casseroles, enamel casserole | Comments (2)

DAYS OF FOOD,FUN,FAMILY,FRIENDS AND FESTIVITY

HOLIDAYS:  Days of food, fun, family, friends
and festivity.

* Have fun with your friends.

* Enjoy food with your family.

* May the holidays be a festival of joy.

for you, for your family and for your friends.

Make your holiday funds go farther. Make your Holiday even more festive. Take advantage of our holiday sale; and give a gift of good taste.

10% off all Red Enamel Cast Iron Cookware, both Kinetic and Lodge. Order now to insure shipment arrives for your special holiday meal.

Shop early for your holiday gifts.

Sale lasts until November 30, 2009.

Watch for the Lodge Red Enamel products that are being added.

Lodge Red Enamel Casserole

Lodge Red Enamel Dutch Oven

HOW TO ROAST ANY VEGETABLE

To me, when it comes to cooking or anything else for that matter, simplicity is the operative word. Take for instance some cauliflower.  What could be more simple than to slip a cast iron casserole into the oven for a simple olive-oil-topped roast?

Cast Iron Enamel Casserole/Grill Pan Lid

Why not find some fresh vegetables to roast from your local market or backyard garden?

Here is a simple formula (thanks to Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan) to start with when thinking about roasting vegetables. Practice and be creative with your veggies. I think there are two ways to be creative.

One, come up with something no one has done before. That is difficult and few can do it.

Two, use familiar ingredients and procedures in a different combinations. This is easier and we all can do it.

How to Roast Any Vegetable:

Pre-heat oven to 425°F
Chop or break up vegetables, or roast them whole. The larger the piece, the longer it will take to cook.
Place in an oven-safe skillet or cast-iron pan, or a roasting pan. Have neither? Make a boat out of aluminum foil. Whichever you use, tent the top with foil.
Drizzle with a spoonful or two of olive oil, just enough to very lightly coat when tossed. Toss.
In general, the harder (to the touch) the vegetable, and larger in size, the longer it takes to roast. Whole beets can take an hour or more, while asparagus will roast up in about 10 minutes and doesn’t need the tenting.
Test to see if done by pricking with the tip of a paring knife. Knife should pull out easily. Also notice the aroma becoming rich and even listen for sounds from the oven.
For a crispy finish, remove when you have 5-10 minutes left.
Serve with a light shower of sea salt or sprinkle nuts (whole, chopped or ground), breadcrumbs, or grated cheese (like Parmesan) on top.
Don’t be afraid to experiment: while the classics like potatoes, squash, beets and carrots are always good, try branching out with cabbage, fennel, leeks, even fruit like grapes, oranges, quince. Be creative but remember simple things usually are the tastiest.

Cauliflower Roasted

Cast iron Enamel Red Roaster/ Grill Pan Lid

Happy roasting.

Money-Saving Tips on Buying Quality Pots and Pans

Now is a good time to take advantage of holiday sales and finally buy that top-notch Skillet or Dutch oven, or maybe your gift list includes someone who needs a whole set of pots and pans. It’s a good time of year to be in the market for cookware. But be careful of buying huge sets with pieces you’ll never use.

Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Here are some tips on saving money when choosing pots and pans:

1. Go for quality. Buying top brands will serve you well in the long run. Remember, the most expensive are not necessarily the best. The least expensive may not be the best buy either for they could represent a false savings.

2. Consider how the cookware will be used. Materials are important considerations.

Lodge 12 Inch Skillet

• Aluminum is good for high heat.
• Stainless steel with a nonstick surface is good for a cook just starting out. (Be aware of the fact that some finishes wear through fast).
• Plain cast-iron cookware, seasoned to create a nonstick surface, is excellent for eggs, while the weight and finish of enameled cast iron make it perfect for braising and stew — and just about everything else.
  

  Enamel Roaster/GrillPan Lid

3. Know what’s essential. Decide which pieces are must-haves for you. (like frying pans and a stockpot). Be aware that some sets don’t include these pots or pans.

4. Customize your preferences. For less money you can buy the pots and pans you need and will use rather than investing in a cookware set. Know your cooking style and the cookware you need and you will make better choices.

5. Shop around. The timing couldn’t be better to purchase cookware.  Mix and match and get some good deals.

Adapted from an article by Betsy Vereckey Associated Press

CAST IRON COOKWARE: TASTE THE FOOD NOT THE COOKWARE

Cast Iron Cookware Sales Rising

The International Housewares Association reports dollar sales
of cast-iron cookware are up 20 percent.

Cookware You Can Love

Why is this?

• Interest is growing thanks to pre-seasoned pans.
• Celebrities using the pots on TV cooking shows.
• Consumers’ growing concerns that nonstick coatings can flake off. Is it any wonder that simple, rib-sticking foods like bacon and eggs
  are back on the plate?

There is no better time than now to fall in love with cast iron cookware or fall in love all over again with the cookware loved by your mother and grandmother. There is nothing old-fashioned about the cookware that is the truly non-stick, lasts forever and allows you…

TO TASTE THE FOOD AND NOT THE COOKWARE.

Enamel Roaster/Grill Pan Lid

Cast Iron Red Enamel Roaster

This casserole "beauty" with grill pan lid would love to live in your home.

3-Bean Pot with Apple Dessert Pizza

This is a delicious, nutritious, healthy and easy-to-make dish, and you only need one pot. A cast iron dutch oven

The kids can help dump all the ingredients in and stir it up. Serve it with corn bread for a hearty, healthy supper. A cast iron cornbread pan is ideal.

Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Cornbread Wedge Pan

Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 4 hr
Ingredients:
6 mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2
1 15-ounce can white beans, drained
1 15-ounce can red beans, drained
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained
1 8.25-ounce can sliced carrots, well drained
2 14.5-ounce cans Cajun style stewed tomatoes
1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a cast iron pot and heat on stove, stirring occasionally, until warm (about 20 minutes).

Note: For variety, add 1 cup of your favorite cooked, diced meat, such as Polish sausage or chicken. It’s also a good way to use leftover turkey from Thanksgiving.
(Recipe Lion)

Then you can delight your family or guests with a  great dessert.

Apple Dessert Pizza
Description:
Looking for one of the best fruit pizza recipes? Give this easy fruit pizza recipe a try. Combine an easy pizza dough recipe that is full of flavor with a fruit pizza recipe for a delicious dessert.
Ingredients:
pie crust recipe for two 9 inch pie crusts
8 Granny Smith apples
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
Instructions:
1.Roll out the pie crust to fit on a cast iron pizza pan.

Cast Iron Pre-Seasoned Pizza Pan

2.Peel core and thinly slice 8 Granny Smith apples into a large bowl. Mix in lemon juice, water, lemon rind and 1 cup of sugar. Arrange apple slices evenly over the pie crust.

3.Cut peanut butter and butter into flour and 1/2 cup of sugar until crumbly. Cover apples with the crumb mixture.

4.Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour at 350 degrees F.

(Recipe Lion) A marvelous source for great recipes.

CAST IRON COOKWARE ALLOWS YOU TO TASTE THE FOOD NOT THE COOKWARE