Cooking Around a Campfire with Cast Iron Cookware and Accessories

What travels well, cooks evenly, cleans up easily and is just about the perfect cookware for campfire and outdoor cooking?The answer: cast iron cookware. All you need is a campfire with a few hot coals and anyone can cook in the great outdoors or at your backyard fire pit. You do not have a be a rocket scientist or a professional chef.

WHAT YOU NEED TO GET STARTED:

Really, all you need is two pieces.

1. A Dutch Oven (also called camp ovens)
   

   Lodge Camp Dutch Oven

2. A skillet with a lid. Many outdoor     cooks consider other pieces necessary but these two are adequate to get you started.

SOME BUYING TIPS:

• If you shop for a dutch oven, be sure to look for one that comes with a reversible lid that functions both as a lid and when turned over is a griddle. The griddle side has a concave shape which keeps your pancakes, bacon and eggs, bacon, etc. from falling off or dripping into your coals.
• Skillets, like a  Cast Iron combination deep skillet and shallow skillet/griddle is a useful addition to your castiron cook ware. The shallow skillet serves as lid, skillet and griddle. This multi-use cooker is a dutch oven, saute pan and fryer, all in one.  If you want just one cast iron cookware piece for your camping and outdoor cooking, this might just be what you are looking for.

DO NOT FORGET SOME CAMPING COOKWARE ACCESSORIES THAT ARE DESIGNED FOR BIG TIME FUN

When you planing your camping trip, outdoor excursion or back yard cookout, do not forget cast iron camping cookware and camping cookware accessories.

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Cast Iron Cookware Shop With Healthy Dinner Suggestions for Your Family

Salmon with Tarragon Mayo

Salmon is not a mild-tasting fish, so what do you do? Make a creamy sauce of low-fat yogurt, mayonnaise, and herbs. This will balance the flavors and makes the dish cool and refreshing. Serve the salmon on a bed of couscous flavored with the light, wine-based poaching liquid from the fish. This will eliminate a high sodium broth.

Preparation and cooking time: 35 minutes

Ingredients You Will Need:

4 (4 ounce) salmon steaks or fillets
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 to 2 bay leaves
Strip of pared lemon zest

Mayonnaise
4 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped
fresh tarragon

Couscous
1 cup couscous
4 tomatoes, roughly chopped
3 scallions, chopped
2 cups watercress, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper

Preparation:

1. Place the salmon in a deep-sided, nonstick skillet. Pour the wine over it and add the bay leaves, lemon zest, and seasoning to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and poach the salmon until just cooked, about 5 to 6 minutes. It should still be very slightly translucent in the center.

2. Meanwhile, stir together the mayonnaise, yogurt, grated lemon zest, and tarragon. Season lightly with salt and pepper and spoon the mixture into a serving bowl.

3. When the fish is cooked, drain off most of the cooking liquid into a measuring cup, and add enough boiling water to make 1 1/2 cups. Cover the pan with a lid to keep the salmon warm, off the heat.

4. Pour the diluted fish broth over the couscous in a bowl and leave for 3 to 4 minutes for the liquid to be absorbed. Fluff up the couscous with a fork and stir in the chopped tomatoes, scallions, and watercress. Drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice over it, and stir to blend everything together. Season slightly with salt and pepper.

5. Serve the warm salmon with the couscous salad and the tarragon mayonnaise.

Serves 4

Some More Ideas:
Low-fat sour cream can be used for making the sauce in place of the yogurt and mayonnaise.

For a watercress sauce, replace the tarragon with 1/4 cup chopped watercress.

For special occasions: Cook a whole salmon and serve it garnished with twists of lemon and sprigs of fresh tarragon. To cook salmon, season and wrap loosely in a large sheet of foil coated with cooking spray, then bake in a preheated 350°F oven until fish flakes easily with a fork, allowing 10 minutes per pound.

Plus Points:
# Combining mayonnaise with plain low-fat yogurt makes a lighter sauce that is lower in calories and fat than mayonnaise alone.

# Incorporating low-fat dairy products into sauces and soups is a good way to increase calcium and protein intake. Exchanges: starch 2 1/2, vegetable 2, meat (lean) 3, fat 1

Nutrition Facts:
Per serving: calories 463, calories from fat 138, fat 15g, saturated fat 3g, cholesterol 73mg, sodium 247mg, carbohydrate 46g, fiber 4g, sugars 11g, protein 33g. Excellent source of niacin, phosphorus, potassium, riboflavin, thiamine, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C.

(Readers Digest, taken from from Eat to Beat Diabetes)

TASTE THE FOOD NOT THE COOKWARE WITH CAST IRON COOKWARE

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Let Cast Iron Cookware Put Money In Your Pocket

Tourists and locals alike in big cities around the world  are warned to be wary of pickpockets. It can happen anywhere, on the street, on the bus or subway, or while waiting in a line. The pickpockets work alone or in teams, and they utilize a cleaver strategy.  While one guy on the right distracts the victim, another guy on the left slips a hand into the target’s bag or pocket and snags the wallet. There it is. Pickpocketing.

A British broadband company called TalkTalk is reversing this age-old practice. Aware that people are suffering in the economic downturn, they hired 20 former pickpockets and magicians to roam around London to slip cash into pockets and purses.

Put-pocketing. The amounts range from five to 20 pounds.  A 20 pound note is the equivalent of 32 dollars.

Aware that people are suffering in the economic crisis, 20 former pickpockets have turned over a new leaf and are now trawling London’s tourist sites slipping money back into unsuspecting pockets. Along with the money comes a card saying, “Another brighter idea from TalkTalk.”

“The London police are OK with it. Nothing criminal whatsoever.”

Not a single put-pocket has been smacked by someone mistaking them for a pickpocket. Put-pockets say it’s far easier than pickpocketing.

Every time I put money back in someone’s pocket, I feel less guilty about the fact I spent many years taking it out.

London’s police have been briefed about the plan, which will see at least 100,000 pounds given away. (Reporting by Luke Baker, editing by Kate Kelland).

Nancy Gibbs (Essay in TIME, September 7, 2009) writes about the “cash for Clunkers”. Gibbs writes: “What does it tell us about our national character when the most popular government program in years is an economically dubious, environmentally negligible, politically lazy handout from 99% of the population to the other 1%, all aimed at reviving the economy from its vegetative?” So is our government pickpocketing or put-pocketing? Only time will tell.

How can cast iron cookware put money in your pocket? For one thing, it is relatively inexpensive compared to other types of cookware. Therefore it can save you money on your initial investment.

Cast Iron Cookware can also put money in your pocket because you will not be investing again in cookware. Cast iron cookware lasts for generations. You will be able to pass your pots, pans, skillets, dutch ovens and roasters on to your children and grandchildren.

Cast iron Cookware puts money in your pocket by being environmentally friendly and energy efficient. It heats evenly and hold the heat long after having been removed from the source of heat.

Let Cast Iron Cookware put money in your pocket in these times of economic crisis.

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Cast Iron Cookware and Tips For Healthy Eating From Your Grill

There is no doubt about it. Nothing can be more relaxing (almost like riding my Harley) than to fire up the barbecue or gas grill. It gets the endorphins going and provides a sociable, relaxing time in the backyard, tailgating or camping. What is really interesting is the fact that it’s reported to be a particularly beneficial and healthy cooking technique for people with diabetes. (subject for another post). Here are some ways to get the best benefits from grilling.

Tip # 1: Fill the grill with seafood and lean cuts of meat. We even use veggie burger or veggie chicken patties. If you bypass the fatty burgers and bratwursts, you will not necessarily be bypassing taste. Admittedly fat tastes good but what does it do for our arteries? Healthier choices include skinless chicken breasts, beef tenderloin or sirloin (read the label for fat content), and fish.

Tip # 2: Watch a chicken “strip“. It is really not that “sexy” and you will have to help your chicken “disrobe” (or you can leave the skin on while it’s cooking to seal in moisture, and pull it off afterward). It will save you a load of calories and saturated fat — which hamper insulin sensitivity and increase the risk of heart disease.

Tip # 3: Give your chicken a bath. Bathe meats in a vinegar-based marinade. A study conducted at Arizona State University found that eating 4 tablespoons of cider vinegar before eating a high glycemic-index meal (one that includes foods that tend to raise blood sugar quickly) lowered the effect of the meal on participants’ blood sugar by about 55 percent. Low-fat Italian vinaigrette salad dressing with extra vinegar added will even do the trick. You also can experiment with your own marinades using vinegar, olive oil, wine, lemon juice, lime juice, garlic, and herbs.

Tip # 4 Splurge on grilling lessons. Grilling may seem simple, and it is — if you know how to do it properly. You’d be surprised at how valuable even a few simple grilling secrets can be. Do you know how often to flip a piece of meat and when to do it? How to tell when the food is done without cutting into it? The more you know, the more fun you’ll have.

Tip # 5: Skewer some squash, portabello mushrooms, eggplant, and zucchini. Many of your favorite fruits and vegetables will pick up an alluring new taste when grilled. Sliced squash, eggplant, bell pepper, portabello mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, pineapple, peaches, and apricots all fare well on a grill. Coat veggies with a little olive oil before adding to the grill. For small or thin slices that might fall through the bars of your grill grate, use skewers or special grilling baskets, which you can buy in home improvement and cooking stores.

Tip # 6: Packet cooking. Grill delicate foods in packets. I really like this one! Making dinner on the grill doesn’t automatically mean charbroiled meat and corn on the cob. Packet cooking lets you cook all sorts of foods on the grill. Put out a variety of vegetables (bell peppers, onion, snap peas, corn, etc.) and seasonings and let each member of the family design his or her own packet. Just center the ingredients on a large sheet of aluminum foil, add a little olive oil or broth, then fold up the sides, leaving some room for steam to circulate inside. Set the packets on the grill. This strategy works particularly well for delicate or quick-cooking foods, such as fish and boneless chicken breast. Even lean meats stay tender. (Adapted from readersdigest.com “6 tips for healthier grilling“)

Lodge’s BBQ GRILL-GRATE grills those vegetables AND holds them on the grill. There is no “veggie escape” into the coals. It also holds those delicate fish in place. This cast iron grill cooks your steaks, sausage, bacon and other meats evenly without flame damage. It is great for camping and grilling on the beach.

This professional size grill griddle combination from the Lodge Logic series measures 20 by 10 1/2 inches. The actual cooking surface is 19 1/4 by 8 1/2 inches. Use this large grill/griddle combo over two burners on your stove top or over your campfire. One side is ridges for grilling steaks, sausages and hamburgers. The reverse side is smooth for cooking pancakes, eggs or grilled cheese sandwiches. This reversible Cast Iron pan allows the drippings to drain into a gutter where it can be used for flavor or discarded. A loop handle on each end allow for safe usage. Use indoors or outdoors .

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Cast Iron Cookware Creates Crispy or Deep Crust Pizzas

Pizza is a world-popular dish of Italian origin, made with an oven-baked, flat, generally round bread that is often covered with tomatoes or a tomato-based sauce and mozzarella cheese. Other toppings are added according to region, culture, or personal preference. In the US regional forms of pizza, many bearing only a casual resemblance to the Italian original, may be found.We lived in Argentina, with its strong Italian influence, and enjoyed Argentine pizza. We traveled frequently to New York and like New York style pizza. Last year we visited Italy and delighted in the pizza there.

Pizza can be high in salt and fat. There are concerns about negative health effects. However, before we abandon pizza, we might consider
a more Mediterranean style diet and pizza which is rich in olive oil, fiber, vegetables, fruit, flour and freshly cooked food – including traditional Italian healthy pizza.

This handy pizza pan by Universal measures 14 7/8″ x 10 1/4″ x 1 7/8″. Use it to create crispy or deep crust pizzas with ingredients that your family likes best. Kids and grown-up kids will love it.Your pre-seasoned castiron pizza pan will bake and grill and can also be used as a griddle. Biscuits will brown on the outside and be moist on the inside.
The taste is great and the clean-up is super easy.

You will love your pre-seasoned cast iron pizza pan by Universal,
You will love the crispy, or deep crust pizzas you make for your family,
And you will want to give yourself a big hug for getting your pizza pan.

“Taste the Food and Not the Cookware with Cast Iron Cookware.”

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Cast Iron Cookware Shop’s Challenge: Put Us to The Taste

The season of gift-giving is upon us.Here are some things you might want to keep in mind when you buy gifts for family, friends or co-workers.

1. Practical gifts that show your “good taste”. When a gift is practical and corresponds with the interests of the recipient, it can mean more than the price of the gift. A most practical gift that shows your good taste is a gift of cookware. Cast iron cookware is hot this season with the economy in recession.

2. Make sure your present is safe for people and the environment. Show your good taste by avoiding giving pots and pans with non-stick surfaces. These are made using a highly persistent, toxic and bio accumulative chemical known as PFOA. Instead, choose the truly non-stick cast iron pots and pans which allow you “to taste the food and not the cookware“.

3. If someone on your gift list drinks bottled water, you can help them break their bad plastic habit. Show your good taste with a gift of a faucet-mounted water filter and a portable drink container made from stainless steel, aluminum or a new type of unbreakable plastic that is free of the estrogenic chemical bisphenol A. Who wants that plastic taste in their water?

During this Holiday Season, put cast iron cookware to the taste test. Invest in Cast Iron Cookware for yourself or the “foodie” on your gift list. It has been used for hundreds of years. Cast iron Cookware is so versatile it meets all your cooking needs; bake, broil, roast, fry, saute, brown, stew, or grill. Cast iron holds heat longer and goes form stove top to oven to table trivet and your food is still hot and ready to serve.. Cook with Cast iron in your kitchen, in your travel home or on your campfire. Treasure your cast iron dutch oven, roaster, skillet or casserole and purchase the cornbread stick pan, pizza pan, or biscuit pan to add to your selection. This cast iron is all pre-seasoned.
TASTE THE FOOD, NOT THE COOKWARE.

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Cast Iron Cookware and 10 Ways to Enjoy Your Family

Even as Summer is Coming to an End, there are many ways to have fun with your family. Here are ten ways you and Your family can enjoy each other and summer.

1. Camp out in your great back yard with the kids. Pitch a tent and make memories and not travel expenses. Use a Firepit Cookout Set to make pies. Roast dogs or marshmallows. The kids will love them. How about S’Mores for dessert.

2.Create a family challenge and work together to reach it. It might be to ride bikes for 10 miles, or to hike a wilderness trail. Use your imagination.

3. Borrow a karaoke machine and spend an evening of singing and being silly.

4. Wash the car(s) in your bathing suits. The cars will get clean and a water fight will no doubt occur.

5.Prepare a meal together. Make pancakes on your cast iron griddle

6. Host a movie night. Invite friends or neighbors, pop corn and enjoy a favorite family flick.

7.Get in your neighbor’s dirt. Look for an older couple or a single mom in your neighborhood and offer to pull weeds, care for plants or mow grass.

8. Have a reading picnic. Take a picnic lunch and your favorite books to a shady spot.

9. Host a rubber duck race.Label rubber ducks with a marker and find a flowing stream. Cheer for them as they race.

10. Take a mini-vacation. Tour a historic site, or a place you have never been. Choose a place locals usually avoid.

This Rome Cookout Set includes one square cast iron Pie Iron, one round cast iron Pie Iron, one S’more Maker and eight hot dog and marshmallow picnic forks. Enjoy these cast iron cookware accessories with your cast iron camp cooking. Along with your cast iron camp dutch oven and your Sportsman”s Grill, include this camping accessory to complement your cast iron camp cookware.

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