Eat Pecans for Your Eyes. Use Cast Iron for the Your Palate

In a study conducted by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), it was found that pecans are particularly rich in antioxidants. The National Eye Institute Age Related Eye Diseases Study reported that patients with macular degeneration who had adequate intakes of antioxidants were 29% less likely to experience disease progression than those with lower intake levels. The most serious of eye diseases, including cataracts and macular degeneration, are caused, in part, by free radicals. The antioxidants you get in nuts and other plant foods fight free radicals to help keep the eyes free of disease.

Heart Healthy Bonus from Pecans: Vitamin E found in pecans reduces the tendency of LDL cholesterol to oxidize and stick to the walls of your arteries. Pecan are also high in phytosterols, plant compounds that are similar to the active ingredients in cholesterol-lowering margarines, such as Benecol.  (Bottom Line’s Health Breakthroughs 2009)

Here’s a recipe from About.com Home Cooking using pecans.

Maple Pecan Scones Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 2/3 cup maple syrup, plus additional for brushing
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with a cast iron drop biscuit pan or a cast iron muffin pan.  (Alternatively, grease and flour the pan.)

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender, two butter knives, or use your fingers, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in pecans.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together maple syrup and heavy cream until smooth.

Make a well in the flour mixture. Pour the cream mixture in the center. Stir briskly with a wooden spoon until mixture begins to come together into a dough. Do not overmix.

Drop dough into lightly greased muffin or biscuit molds.  Brush tops with maple syrup.

Bake scones 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned. Serve warm with butter.

Yield: about 12 scones

Lodge Cast Iron Cookware, Lodge cornbread/muffin pans, Recipe, Useful Information, cast iron cookware, cast iron cornbread cooker, drop biscuit pan | Comment (0)

Cast Iron Cookware Helps with Your Apple a Day

Bake these apple pie cupcakes in your cast iron muffin pan.   Sample and get your apple for the day.  Send the rest to school with your children for their lunches. Do not forget the “apple” for the teacher.

These cupcakes  are actually surprisingly simple to make. You use the cone method. Use a paring knife and cut a cone shape out of the top of your cupcake to leave room for filling. You want an open-faced cupcake so I in the best tradition of doughnut holes you can eat the tops.  It is a tough job but someone has to do it! As a dessert what could be better than a combination of apple pie and cupcakes?  You can’t beat the cuteness factor either!  Make these for a fall get-together, they are sure to be a hit!

Apple Pie Cupcakes

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

3 cups sifted cake flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 cup butter, at room temperature

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup milk

For the apple filling:

2 tbsp. butter

2 tsp. cinnamon

2-3 tbsp. sugar

3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced

For decorating:

vainilla buttercream (about 3/4 of a batch)

Directions:

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350°.  Use two cast iron cupcake pans.

In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder and salt.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.  Add the vanilla extract and mix well to combine.  Add in the dry ingredients alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Stir until just combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the cast iron cupcake pans filling them about 2/3-3/4 full.  Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 to 22 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pans.  Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

To make the apple filling, heat the butter a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the cinnamon and sugar and cook for a minute, until the mixture begins to bubble.  Lower the heat to medium and stir in the apples.  Mix well.  Cook until the apples are somewhat tender, about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.

While the apple mixture is cooling, use the cone method (explained above)to remove a chunk from the center of each cupcake, making sure to leave a rim around the top of the cupcake.  Fill the holes with the cooled apple mixture.  To decorate, top each cupcake with a swirl of vanilla buttercream.

Source: adapted from Fatty Fat Fats

Nothing can bake your Apple Pie Cup Cakes like cast iron muffin pans.

Lodge Logic Drop Biscuit Pan, Lodge Logic muffin pans, Recipe, cast iron cookware, drop biscuit pan, muffin pans | Comment (0)

Cast Iron Cookware Shows What An Oven’s Best Use Can Be

My grandfather felt that “canned biscuits have ruined many a good woman”. My friend, who wants to hide something from his wife, hides it in their oven. He claims she has never discovered anything yet. I have not become so cynical nor do I feel it is a woman’s job to make biscuits for a man. Maybe that is why I learned to cook. If I want something, I make it. I do not want to be dependent upon a woman or anyone else. However, I agree with Kirk Douglas who said: “If my wife ever leaves me, I am going with her”.

“Biscuit” literally means cooked twice. But you will get it right the first time with your Lodge Logic pre-seasoned drop biscuit pan. Use your favorite recipe for buttermilk drop biscuits, spoon yeast rolls, individual pineapple upside down cakes, corn muffins, souffle and more. The Pan measures 12 3/4 inches x 11 3/16 x 1 1/8.There are 7 impressions. You may need two for family or guests. Lodge.for over 100 years has been making and improving their line of cast iron cookware. If you start or add to your collection of Lodge cast iron cookware with this cast iron drop biscuit pan, you will discover or re-discover what you oven was really designed to do. Your biggest problem may be choosing between garlic cheese or cheddar bacon biscuits.

Lodge Cast Iron Cookware, drop biscuit pan | Comment (0)