I would like to talk to you about something near and dear to my heart. Cast Iron. I love my cast iron.
It is an unspoken rule of the South that any woman who is about to be married should receive two very important pieces: a deviled egg plate and a cast iron skillet. I got both. Since I have been married I have added a couple pieces to my cast iron repertoire. Another skillet and a cast iron griddle. I love them all.
The advantages to cast iron are bountiful. First and most importantly, even heating. A cast iron pan can heat up quickly and evenly and hold that heat for quiet a long time. Very useful when you are making a grilled cheese sandwich and your children decide now is the time to pee all over the floor. You can turn off the skillet, flip your sandwich and attend to the mess and come back to a perfectly cooked sandwich.
Secondly, a well-seasoned cast iron skillet kicks any non-stick skillet’s butt. You can also use all the metal utensils you want on cast iron. You’re more likely to hurt your utensil before you hurt your skillet.
Lastly, it lasts more than a lifetime. No seriously, you will never have to replace cast iron cookware. Is it rusty? Fine, scrub it with steel wool and re-season. Did your house burn down? I promise that skillet is just fine. You say this was your grandmother’s skillet? Even better! Everyone knows that a cast iron skillet only gets better with age.
Other wonderful benefits of cast iron are wall-art, weaponry, and a healthy dose of iron for your daily diet ( great for preggos!).
The only thing that you should never,ever, ever, ever do to your cast iron cookware is put it in the dishwasher and/or use soap on it. And don’t leave it in a sink full off water either. I remember my very own mother threatening me within an inch of my life should I ever commit the sin of washing her cast iron the wrong way.
Now, I’m sure you thinking that this wonderful piece of cookware probably costs a fortune. Well, I’m here to tell you it doesn’t. You can find cast iron at yard sales and junk stores, but new cast iron comes from South Pittsburg, TN at the Lodge Cast Iron factory. A wonderful place and you should stop by next time on your way through. They have a room in the back full of “seconds”. Piles and piles of cast iron cookware for dirt cheap. Not a thing wrong with them. My kind of place.
So anyway, now that I have filled your head full of cast iron sweetness, let me show you how to make one of my favorite childhood dishes in a cast iron skillet. Cast Iron Southern Fried Apples.
First slice and peel your apples. They should be about 1/4″ – 1/2″ wide.
Next, melt the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
Add apples and cover. Cook for 5 minutes.
Remove lid and stir. Add in sugar and cinnamon.
Re-cover and cook for another 5 minutes.
Kill the heat, remove the lid and stir. Remove from pan and let cool for a few minutes before serving. Perfect by itself, on top of ice cream and car bumpers.
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 t . cinnamon
- 3 large tart apples
Instructions
- First slice and peel your apples. They should be about 1/4" - 1/2" wide.
- Next, melt the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
- Add apples and cover. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Remove lid and stir. Add in sugar and cinnamon.
- Re-cover and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Kill the heat, remove the lid and stir. Remove from pan and let cool for a few minutes before serving.
Nutrition
I think I stumbled upon you through doobleh-vay and I just wanted to say how much I'm digging your site! It's just what I've been looking for in my winter-cooking doldrums with my lack of both money and inspiration. 🙂
Could you please tell me what ‘car bumpers’ are? I love this apple recipe!
Ha! Car bumpers. You know fenders. Enjoy the recipe!
Thank you for the delicious and easy recipes. Do you have a recipe for a layered salad?
I love the Southern cooking.
Like a 7 layer salad? I haven’t made one of those in a while. WHat a great idea! I’ll get to work on that as soon as possible. Thanks for stopping by!