Mexican Casserole in Cast Iron Cookware

In these cold days of winter, what could be better than a flavor-filled  Mexican Casserole? In keeping with the “South of the Border” theme you might even want to plan an evening with family and friends and play “Mexican Dominoes“. It is a really fun game. Check it out.

Even better the Mexican Casserole is super easy to make, especially with an enameled casserole dish. Here is what you will need:

• one pound of ground beef (meat substitute works well for vegetarians version or use chicken or turkey).
• 1/2 cup taco sauce
• 1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded (soy cheese works but is pricey)
• one (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained
• one medium onion, chopped
• one (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
• one (8-ounce) bag tortilla chips, crushed

How to make it:

1. Cook the ground beef in a casserole dish.  Drain.
2. Mix together the taco sauce and mayonnaise for sauce in a large bowl.
3. Add sauce to the ground beef and set aside.
4. Combine the cheese, pinto beans, onion and tomatoes in a large bowl.
5. Stir in the beef mixture and the chips.
6. Pour mixture into an ungreased casserole dish. Cast iron is the truly non-stick cookware and is healthy by saving the use of grease or oil).
7. Heat in a 350-degree oven uncovered for 30 minutes.

Serves 6

With a cast iron enamel casserole dish that comes with a grill pan lid, you get two cast iron pieces for the price of one.

The casserole dish is so attractive you will want to use it to serve your guests at the table and it will keep your Mexican Casserole warm. Cast iron is great for its even heat distribution and heat retention.

TASTE THE FOOD NOT THE COOKWARE:  CAST IRON COOKWARE

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Cast Iron Cookware and Roasting Potatoes

Cast Iron Cookware Shop offers a real Holiday Helping Hand for delicious sides that will delight your family and guests. Roasted New Potatoes with Blue Cheese Ranch Dressing and Green Onions (from Chef Bobby Flay) complement any holiday meal.

Roasted New Potatoes with Blue Cheese Ranch Dressing and Green Onions

Ingredients:

2 pounds new red or yellow potatoes, halved

Canola oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup Hellmann’s or Best Foods Real Mayonaise

2 cloves finely chopped fresh garlic

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/4 pound crumbled blue cheese

4 green onions

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Place potatoes in a casserole or roaster with the oil and season with salt and pepper.

Roast in the oven until golden brown and tender, about 25 minutes

Transfer potatoes to a platter (you can actually continue preparation and even serve your potatoes from you enamel cast iron casserole or roaster.

Whisk together the buttermilk, mayonaise, mustard and garlic in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Fold in the blue cheese and green onions

Spoon the sauce over the potatoes and serve (serves 4 persons)

You family will love this dish, especially when prepared in cast iron cookware.

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Get the Right Pan for the Job

When is comes to cooking, it is important to get the right pan for the job.

Cast iron cookware is a very old-fashioned manner of cooking. It has made a remarkable comeback over the last few years. There are reasons for this:

• even heating
• heat retention
• versatility
• durability
• non-stick, when properly seasoned

Cast iron cookware is made by pouring molten iron into molds to fashion the designed configurations for baking pans, skillets, dutch ovens, jambalaya pots and cornbread pans.  Cast iron cookware is not a thing of the past but the wave of the future to really make your cooking “pan” out as delicious and healthy. Make sure you get the right pan for the job.

What are the advantages of cooking with cast iron pans?

2. It is excellent for stewing, browning, frying and baking.

3. After seasoning, the surface of the cast iron is totally non- stick. You can cook  with little or no oil making it an exceptionally healthy form of cooking.

4. It is versatile, heavy duty, rugged, durable, sturdy and lasts for generations.

5. It is excellent for cooking when hunting, fishing, camping or scouting, back yard fire pits or even in your fireplace.

6. Using cast iron adds trace elements of iron into your diet.

7. Unlike much cookware on the market it is totally free of  additives that can flake off into your food.

8. It  is excellent for recipes that need to be cooked at high temperatures  as in searing or frying.

9. Compared to other cookware, it is one of the most versatile forms of cookware you can buy.

10. Cast iron cookware is unquestionably the best value cookware you’ll ever purchase. It can be used on the stove top, in the oven and on top of a fire. The fact that it lasts for generations means you will not be reinvesting in cookware every few years. Cast iron cookware is not a purchase, it is an investment. It will become a family heirloom to be enjoyed by your grandchildren and great grandchildren.

11. Cast Iron Cookware allows you to taste the food not the cookware.

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Crispy Salmon with Green Herb-Caper Sauce and Asparagus Cheese Puffs

What a wonderful recipe from Bobby Flay, who for years has shared excellent cooking ideas with us. Make your crispy salmon recipe taste even better when you prepare it in a cast iron casserole and if you have one with a grill pan lid it is like getting two cooking pans for the price of one. If you prepare your  healthy meal in a holiday red enamel casserole, you can serve your family or guests directly from the attractive dish on your table. Cast iron cookware not only has even heat distribution as you cook, it retains the heat to keep you food warm. Another plus is that cast iron cookware is unsurpassed when it comes to clean-up time.

Ingredients:

• 4 (7 ounce salmon fillets, skin on)
• freshly ground pepper and salt
• 1 cup of rice flour
• 1/2 cup water
• olive oil for searing
• Herb Caper Sauce, recipe follows
• 4 lemon wedges for garnish
• Asparagus Cheese Puffs, recipe follows

Directions

Season fillets with salt and pepper, to taste. Combine rice flour with water to make a light loose batter. Heat a large skillet with about 1/4-inch of olive oil. Coat fillets with batter, place meat side down, and sear until golden brown about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn over and sear the skin side for 1 to 2 minutes.

Immediately plate and drizzle each fillet with the Herb Caper Sauce. Serve with a lemon wedge.

Serve the salmon with Asparagus Cheese Puffs.

Herb-Caper Sauce:

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup capers
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Combine all ingredients, except for the lemon juice, in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. Whisk in the lemon juice just before serving.

Asparagus Cheese Puffs:

• 1/2 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1/4-inch pieces and blanched

• 3/4 cup milk
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into  small pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
• Pinch of cayenne
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup coarsely grated Manchego
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Bring milk and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan or casserole over medium high heat. Combine salt, flour, curry, and cayenne in a small bowl. Remove the milk from the heat and add the flour mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the sides. Place pan back on the heat and cook for about 20 to 30 seconds until the mixture becomes a little dry. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl and let cool slightly. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, adding another only when the previous has been incorporated. Add the asparagus and both cheeses to the dough and mix until combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon rounded tablespoons of the mixture onto the sheet pan. Bake in the middle of the oven until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the puffs from the parchment and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings (Recipe Bobby Flay, 2001)

TASTE THE FOOD NOT THE COOKWARE WITH CAST IRON COOKWARE

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Pollo Moruno with Grilled Vegetables

Chicken on your grill with vegetables makes for an easy, healthy meal for the holidays.

Ingredients:

Chicken

• 2.200 pounds (1 kilo)boneless skinless chicken, breasts

• 2 teaspoons ground coriander

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 2 teaspoons Spanish paprika

• 1 teaspoon chili, flakes

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon pureed garlic

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon, juice

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon water, optional

• 6 wooden skewers, soaked in water, for an hour

Vegetables

• 1 red pepper

• 1 green zucchini

• 1 garlic, clove, chopped

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• a liberal sprinkling of dried basil

• a liberal sprinkling of dried oregano

• salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Chicken

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Place the chicken breasts in a bowl. Combine the rest of the marinade ingredients. Mix very well. Coat the chicken thoroughly. If you find that the marinade is too thick you can add the water.

3. Cover and marinate a minimum of 3 hours.

4. Place the chicken breasts on a very hot grill. Grill the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes per side. Slice chicken into large bite size pieces.

5. Cut red pepper and zucchini into large bite size pieces. Toss vegetables with garlic, oil, herbs and pepper. Grill vegetables.

6. Alternately skewer chicken with vegetables. Finish cooking skewered chicken and vegetables in the oven for a few minutes until chicken is cooked through.

Yield: 6

Recipe courtesy of Michell Perez

TASTE THE FOOD NOT THE COOKWARE WITH CAST IRON COOKWARE

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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.

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

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.

(Ellie Kriegar, from Reader’s Digest)

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Cast Iron Cookware Sales Rising

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

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.

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Cast Iron Cookware Shop Offers Tip on Buying Pots and Pans

Buying Pots and Pans

You do not have to be a professional chef to need good pots and pans. They are a necessary investment. Even to make a grilled cheese sandwich properly you need a good skillet (my personal preference is a cast iron skillet). But have you seen the prices of pots and pans lately? It’s no small investment so you need to choose wisely.  Here are a few tips  to help you choose the right cookware for you.

Tip #1: Keep a list of what you make for meals for one month and what  pots and pans you use. It may surprise you how many pots and pans you have that you rarely use. The ones you use on a daily or regular basis may need to be re[laced or upgraded.

Tip #2: If you’re still stumped about which pots and pans your kitchen absolutely needs, start with a 6-quart sauce pan, a 4-quart sauce pan, a 2-quart  sauce pan and a 10-inch sauté pan, says Maria Kopsidas, founder and owner of Cookology, a cooking school and retail store in Sterling. Real Simple magazine, on the other hand, recommends a Dutch oven, a roasting pan,
a pasta pot, a frying pan and a sauce pan.

Tip #3: Know what you’re buying. Pots and pans are made from different metals, such as anodized aluminum, cast iron, copper and stainless steel. Each type cooks the food differently. Anodized aluminum is good for slow cooking, cast iron is good for searing meat, copper is known for evenly heating up food and stainless steel is good for high-temperature cooking, according to Real Simple.

Tip #4: Kopsidas says cookware should last about 10 years. Cast iron cookware will last a lifetime and beyond. But if the handle starts to shake and Teflon is coming off, it’s time to toss them. Check if your cookware has a lifetime guarantee.  Lodge cast iron cookware comes with a lifetime guarantee. If so, you might be able to get free replacements.

Tip #5: Look at reviews of pots and pans. Kopsidas recommends
Cook’s Illustrated’s reviews. Only Cookware, Consumer Reports and Consumer Search also have reviews. And talk to cooking friends. Most have strong opinions on what works and what doesn’t.

Tip #6: If you’re ordering pots and pans online or through a catalog,
make sure you get a deal on shipping. Cookware can be bulky and heavy,
so any break on shipping would help. One word of caution. Some sites that offer “Free Shipping” have simply added additional cost to the price of the product.

Tip #7: Once you know what kind of pots and pans you want, shop around.
Prices vary widely. Kopsidas says some of the biggest sales on pots and pans are around the holidays.

Do your research and homework but be sure you consider the advantage of using cast iron cookware.

Cast Iron Cookware is not just a purchase. It is an investment. It has been in use for centuries. It is relatively low cost. Cast Iron Cookware meets all your cooking needs. Castiron is a heavy duty product that heats evenly and retains heat longer than other cookware. These dutch ovens, fry pans and griddles are made of iron alloys that give them additional strength. It is more versatile than other products. Fry, saute, brown, bake, grill, broil or stew. Use it in your home kitchen, travel kitchen or over your camp fire. The cast iron roasters and casseroles, along with all cast iron products, will go from stove top to oven to table trivet. The enamel paella pan and sauce pan, the pre-seasoned cornbread stick pan and biscuit pan as well as the camping dutch oven add variety to your Cast Iron Cookware selection. Invest in an heirloom. Pass it down to your children and grandchildren.You can’t afford not to invest in cast iron cookware!

TASTE THE FOOD NOT THE COOKWARE WITH CAST IRON COOKWARE

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Cast Iron Cookware Shop Challenges You To Try Your “Skillet” Cooking

Made in the USA, your pre-seasoned cast iron skillet is ready to use. Just rinse and cook. This Lodge deep skillet measures 10.25 inches in diameter, 3.50 inches in depth. It is perfect for breakfast, lunch and dinner, perfect for kitchen as well as any outdoor cooking, whether for campfire or backyard grill. This cast iron skillet has an additional grip handle to aid in safe lifting. There is nothing like Lodge cast iron cookware for making deep fried chicken, onions, cat fish or fries.. It holds heat much better than the thin non-stick pans so the heat distribution is consistent. It heats slowly and evenly. The Lodge Logic skillet is easy to clean. Just use a little hot water and and nylon scrubber. Coat your cast iron frying pan with a little oil when cleaned and dried and it is ready for the next use. The skillet will get better every time you use it. Why bother with expensive wedding registries? The best gift for the new bride is a Lodge Cast Iron Skillet and Dutch Oven. She’ll hand it down to the her children and remember you for giving the wedding gift that is a must have for every kitchen. The pre-seasoned skillet is coated with a vegetable oil formula and ready for immediate use right out of the box. The loop in the handle allows you to hang your cast iron over your kitchen island. Lodge’s logo is featured on the bottom and the cast iron fryer comes complete with care instructions and a lifetime warranty. With Lodge, it is not difficult to have great “skill-at” cooking.

Made in the USA, your pre-seasoned cast iron skillet is ready to use. Just rinse and cook. This Lodge 10.25 inch skillet is perfect for breakfast, lunch and dinner, perfect for kitchen as well as any outdoor cooking, whether for campfire or backyard grill. This cast iron skillet has an additional grip handle to aid in safe lifting. There is nothing like Lodge cast iron cookware for making cornbread. It holds heat much better than the thin non-stick pans so the heat distribution is consistent. It heats slowly and evenly. The Lodge Logic skillet is easy to clean. Just use a little hot water and and nylon scrubber. Coat your cast iron frying pan with a little oil when cleaned and dried and it is ready for the next use. The skillet will get better every time you use it. The pre-seasoned skillet is coated with a vegetable oil formula and ready for immediate use right out of the box. The two pouring lips allow you to drain fat and the loop in the handle allows you to hang your cast iron over your kitchen island. Lodge’s logo is featured on the bottom and the cast iron frying pan comes complete with care instructions and a lifetime warranty.

This cast iron camping dutch oven is small enough to pack easily and large enough to feed a family or group. The flanged lid will hold hot coals to facilitate cooking and to keep ashes out of the pot. The cast iron camp lid can be turned upside down for use as a griddle. You get two products for the price of one.The dutch oven legs provide stability and safety for use over your campfire or fireplace. This camp dutch oven is a skillet, saute pan, casserole cooker and fry pan all in one. A cast iron pot is a lifetime investment. In our family cast iron cookware is passed down from one generation to the next. The cast iron dutch oven was originated for outdoor cooking and for centuries has done it’s job.

[caption id="attachment_995" align="aligncenter" width="136" caption="You Can Have Great "Skillet" Cooking"][/caption]

TASTE THE FOOD NOT THE COOKWARE WITH CAST IRON SKILLETS

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Cast Iron Cookware Shop. What’s In a Name?

What’s in a name? Let us look at the name “Cast Iron Cookware Shop“.

Just what is cast iron? Gray iron was the original “cast iron”. It is an alloy of carbon (C), silicon (Si) and iron (Fe) and contains 1.7 to 4.5% carbon and 1 to 3% silicon.
Cast Iron was first invented in China and poured into molds to make weapons and figurines. Historically, its earliest uses included cannon and shot. The development of the steam engine provided a further market for cast iron, since this was considerably cheaper than the brass of which the engine cylinders were originally made.

Other uses were bridges, columns in buildings, textile mills and of course cast iron cookware. Cast iron is used for cookware because it has excellent heat retention and diffusion and can be produced with a relatively low level of technology. Seasoning is used to protect bare cast iron from rust and to create a non-stick surface. Bare cast-iron vessels have been around for many centuries. Historically, cast iron cookware has been used since about 513 BC in China and since around 1100 AD in England, when each of those regions developed the technology to heat iron to the melting point. Cooking pots were originally made with three small legs so they could sit in the hearth or fireplace. We know this today as a camping dutch oven. Once stoves with tops were made available in the 1700s, the variety in cookware expanded. Types of bare cast iron cookware include dutch ovens, frying pans, deep fryers, woks, grills and griddles.

Cast iron’s ability to withstand and maintain very high cooking temperatures makes it a common choice for searing or frying, and its excellent heat diffusion and retention makes it a good option for long-cooking stews or braised dishes. Because cast iron skillets can develop an extremely “non-stick” surface, they are also a good choice for egg dishes, particularly scrambled eggs. Other uses of cast iron pans include making cornbread and pineapple upside-down cake.

To What Does the Word “Cast” Refer?

Cast iron is made by making a mold from sand and pouring molten iron into the mold. When the metal has cooled and solidified, the sand crust is blasted off and you have a pan, skillet, or dutch oven. Rough edges are removed and smoothed. This method has been around since the beginnings of cast iron and today the makers of the finest cast iron pots and pans still use the sand mold method.

Along with bare cast iron cookware there is enameled cast iron cookware. Enameled cast iron is cast iron that has a vitreous enamel glaze
The enamel coating over the cast iron prevents rusting, eliminates the need to season the metal, and allows for more thorough cleaning.

Enameled cookware is handcrafted from molten iron in individual sand molds with enamel applied in several layers and baked onto its cast iron base. This makes a product that is even more chip resistant. Do not use in the microwave. Hand washing is best for preserving the appearance. Never put cast iron cookware in a dishwasher.

¨Cookware¨ is a Big Part of the Name¨

In his book, “The Wealth of Nations,” Adam Smith wrote in 1776 that the “actual wealth of the nation was not its gold but in its manufacture of pots and pans. ¨There´s gold in ¨them ´thar´ kitchen cabinets!¨

Made in the USA. Lodge Manufacturing is America’s oldest cookware manufacturer and foundry. Located in South Pittsburgh, Tennessee for more than 100 years, Lodge has been making cast iron cookware of unsurpassed quality

[caption id="attachment_901" align="alignright" width="154" caption="Cast Iron BBQ Grill Grate"][/caption]

The true value of names like cast iron cookware, Lodge and Cast Iron Cookware Shop is the earned trust of you who use cast iron cookware and know that a name mean everything.

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