ramblings on cast iron

brownies in an 8 inch square pan

2012-02-01T19:15:00.000-08:00

This seems like something silly to write an article about.

After all, aren't brownies usually made in an 8 inch square pan?

Well, maybe, but I've never personally made brownies in my 8 inch square cast iron pan.

Since I've switched to cast iron, it's always been the wedge pan*, or a cornstick pan!

*Read more about the wedge pan here.

And I've been looking for ways to use my 8 inch square pan, which I don't use much.

So, there you go: brownies.

Be sure the mix you're using, calls for an 8 inch pan. Some require a 9 x 13 pan.

The mix I'm using tonight is from Sam's, and it's Hershey's ultimate chocolate.

I will say, it's more convenient to use that pan. Spooning the brownie mix in the individual wedges or corn molds, can be a pain, although I do like the edges.

"skip a couple of steps" chicken and dumplings

2012-02-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

I've made chicken and dumplings before.

There are lots of recipes for chicken and dumplings.

Here's another recipe I tried, that "skips a couple of steps" over my previous recipe.

It is meant for a crock pot, but can also be slow cooked in a cast iron pot* or camp oven.

*When I slow cook in a cast iron pot, I prefer to do it in the oven at 250, over using a stove burner. It cooks more evenly that way.

Season raw boneless chicken*, with poultry seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper.

*I found that using "pre cooked" chicken makes it too dry.

Brown it in a cast iron skillet, then add to the pot.

Add 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 can cream of celery soup.

Add equal portions of chicken broth and milk. More if you like it soupy, which I don't, so I add less.

Add your veggies. Normal veggies are carrots, onions and celery, but I used what I had in the fridge.

Those were carrots, mushrooms, and one red potato.

Some people like to add peas.

Let it simmer on low heat, until the chicken is all the way cooked. Use a meat thermometer.

Take a can of Grands biscuits and break them into small pieces.

Or you can use thawed frozen biscuits, if you don't like canned. (I don't usually).

Drop them in the pot and continue cooking until they're done. About an hour.

Season with more black pepper. Chicken and dumplings!

My first goat

2012-01-26T19:11:00.000-08:00

Today was my first time eating goat; It was also my first time cooking goat.

I used a recipe from the cookbook Cast Iron Cuisine: From Breakfast to Dessert.

Actually I had used this recipe before, but it wasn't with goat, but with leftover lamb.

It took me a couple of days to make.

Cutting up a goat is an adventure; Do not attempt without a cleaver and bone shears.

Where I live, goat is sold by the quarter. I had a forequarter.

After I bought it, I learned that the hindquarter is more preferable for grilling or roasting.

But since this particular recipe is meant for tough meat, the forequarter was fine.

After you cut up the goat into manageable pieces, season them with salt and pepper.

Heat some cooking oil in a cast iron pot and brown the pieces of meat.

Then remove the browned pieces, and in the same pot, brown some chopped onions and whole garlic cloves.

Reduce heat. Put the meat back into the pot.

Add sundried tomatoes and sliced mushrooms*, and enough beef broth** to cover halfway.

*The actual recipe calls for bell peppers but I don't like them.

**You could also use wine, or any other liquid you want.

Put the covered pot in the oven on low heat (250) for a few hours.

Remove the meat and veggies from the pot and strain the broth into a bowl. Refrigerate until a fat cap forms. Remove the fat cap.

Put the meat, veggies and broth back into the pot. Put back in the oven on low heat to simmer some more.

This recipe can also be done in a crock pot, or outside over coals.

The meat was "fall off the bone" tender. It had a different taste. I liked it.

As I understand, the sun dried tomatoes should not be omitted from this recipe, because it makes all the difference in the taste.

The "way too processed for me" sauce

2012-01-11T00:30:00.000-08:00

So I found a recipe on the internet, that to me, sounded terrible.

It consisted of a sauce made of velveeta, rotel tomatoes, and cream of mushroom (or chicken) soup.

Now, I've always liked the "velveeta and rotel" dip. It was one of the first things I learned how to cook.

And I've always liked the cream soups; My favorite is cream of chicken.

But together? Ugh! Nevertheless, a few friends told me how great it was and that I should try it.

So I made a sample yesterday, just to see if I'd like it.

While I have to admit that it tasted good, I didn't like the way it made me feel afterwards.

It's the same feeling I get after eating McDonald's. That "way too processed" feeling.

The sauce would have been fine without the addition of the cream soup.

Regarding velveeta, I've liked it my whole life, and have always sworn by it for cooking purposes.

But in recent months, that has changed. I actually prefer white american cheese now.

White american cheese can be bought from any store deli, sliced or not.

White american cheese melts great, and I think it tastes better and has a better texture than velveeta.

White american cheese is commonly used in mexican dishes, and is awesome.

You may think that white american cheese is the same as traditional yellow, but it's not. It has a fresher, less "processed" taste, and a better texture.

It's generally better quality because it's purchased in the service deli, and not on the store shelf.

If you're a velveeta fan, I'd encourage you to try white american cheese at least once. You won't regret it.

My first "mostly from scratch" french onion soup

2012-01-09T17:55:00.000-08:00

I've made quickie french onion soup before, using campbell's canned french onion soup.

This was the first time I made it "mostly from scratch."

I say mostly because, I still used canned beef consomme and lipton onion soup mix.

But this time I cooked down the onions first!

Slice up a whole vidalia onion. Melt 1/2 stick of butter in a cast iron skillet.

Heat the butter until it's foaming, and then add the sliced onions. Cook down until caramelized.

While the onions are cooking, start simmering your broth in a small cast iron pot.

I used 2 cans of Campbell's beef consomme. You could use beef stock, or even venison stock.

After the onions are caramelized, add them to the pot of simmering broth and keep simmering.

Add your seasonings; I chose to use lipton onion soup mix.

You could use dried onion flakes, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, beef bouillon.

After it's simmered a while, add your bread and cheese.

I used freshly baked white bread and provolone cheese, with a little bit of white american cheese.

If I were to do this again, I'd use freshly baked french bread, in thick slices.

You can use most any white cheese, but I like provolone.

Into the oven at 400 degrees until the cheese is well melted.

It was the best french onion soup I ever had!

The only thing that might have made it better was, if I had added some red wine.

Should you use the 1 quart camp oven on the stovetop?

2012-01-09T17:11:00.001-08:00

I used to think that you couldn't use a camp oven that has legs on the stovetop at all.

Which, for an electric stove, is mostly true.

It's not impossible, as the pot will heat up, but it is an inefficient use of fuel.

But then I got a gas stove, and discovered that if you take off the burner grate, you can indeed use a camp oven on the stovetop.

So, I figured the Lodge one quart camp oven would not be an exception; I was going to use it tonight, for the first time.

First, due to the legs being so close together, balancing it on the burner without it tipping, was "iffy". You can see how the center of the burner is raised a little.

Second, the flame from the burner rose up the sides of the pot, which would have burned me if I wasn't careful.

So, while not impossible, I don't recommend it. I ended up transferring the broth to another pot.

My first chicken cordon bleu

2012-01-05T06:15:00.000-08:00

I made my first chicken cordon bleu!

I flattened some boneless skinless chicken breasts, then butterfly cut each one.

If I were to do this again, first I'd cut each chicken breast in half, and then flatten each half so they're really thin.

That would make it easier to stuff, and it would be a better balance of chicken to stuffing, instead of mostly chicken.

Then in each breast, I put one thin slice of ham, one slice of provolone and one slice of white american cheese.

I must warn you, american cheese will melt all over the pan. It was still VERY good, but if you don't want cheese all over the pan, then stick with the provolone.

You can use mostly any white cheese; Some recipes call for swiss.

Then I rolled each stuffed breast in parmesan bread crumbs.

Into the oven at 350.

The sauce is optional: Melt 2 tbsp butter, then whisk in 2 tbsp flour. Whisk in 1 cup chicken broth and 1 cup cream. Add black pepper and oregano.

It was very good, just too much chicken and not enough stuffing. Hence, next time I'll cut the breasts in half.

what about frozen steaks under the broiler?

2011-12-08T18:18:00.000-08:00

I had never cooked any steak under the broiler, let alone frozen steak.

As I said in my last post, I like my steaks grilled from a frozen solid state; it turns out good that way.

Besides, that saves the hassle of having to defrost them!

I wondered how frozen steaks would turn out, cooked under the broiler.

After all, a broiler is just an upside down grill, right?

Put the top rack closest to the top BEFORE you turn the broiler on.

Then broil the steaks, turn once, broil some more until done. That's it!

I used the Lodge 12 inch square grill pan, which doubles as a broiler pan.

can you grill frozen steaks on a volcano?

2011-12-08T18:08:00.000-08:00

As you can see from the picture, it had snowed.

And as a result, my propane grill in the backyard was covered in snow.

I wanted to grill steaks for dinner, but not in the middle of the snow!

I've decided that I like my steaks grilled from a frozen solid state; they turn out juicy and medium rare.

But I had never used a volcano stove to grill frozen steaks (only defrosted steaks).

So, I would soon find out that a volcano stove is indeed fine for grilling frozen steak.

Of course, you can't really marinate a frozen steak. I just add garlic salt and pepper afterwards.

Ninth recipe created by me: garlic butter bacon pasta

2011-11-20T13:14:00.000-08:00

Because I added my own little twists to these two pasta recipes, I decided to deem the 9th recipe created by me.

I name it garlic butter bacon pasta.

Similar to shrimp scampi, except for the fresh herbs and bacon bits.

It can be made with shrimp or crab (or both), and with sage or thyme (or both).

The sage or thyme have to be fresh! Dried will not do in this case.

You cook your pasta separately.

Then you melt some butter in a skillet, and saute some minced garlic along with fresh sage or thyme.

Add some cooked shrimp or crabmeat; saute some more.

Toss with the pasta, and top with bacon bits and parmesan cheese.

It's an awesome thing to do with leftover spaghetti.

eighth recipe created by me: cheddar melt lasagna

2011-11-13T18:34:00.000-08:00

This recipe was created by accident, based on what I had available, as most of my recipes are.

It's cheddar melt lasagna. Note I said cheddar melt, not cheddar cheese. There's a difference.

Cheddar melt is a combination of shredded cheddar and shredded american, and it melts much better.

Basically, I had some leftover lasagna noodles and sauce, but was out of mozzarella and ricotta cheese.

I did, however, have some cheddar melt. So I baked the noodles and sauce, topped with cheddar melt!

There you go, cheddar melt lasagna.

Pot Lasagna

2011-11-11T18:14:00.000-08:00

No, I'm not talking about "pot lasagna" like special brownies.

I had planned to make a crock pot lasagna recipe for about a week, and bought all the ingredients.

But then it occurred to me, how would cooking in a slow cooker affect the way the cheese melts?

I like the way cheese melts in the oven. I can't imagine cheese melting the same way in a crock pot.

So I compromised by making the recipe in an uncovered cast iron pot, in the oven.

Boil the lasagna noodles separately; add salt and olive oil to the water.

Make the sauce in the pot. Brown 93% lean ground beef, chopped onions, minced garlic.

Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, oregano, and basil.

When it's done, add a can of tomatoes and a jar of sauce.

Take some of the sauce out and put it in a bowl, leaving a layer of sauce on the bottom.

Then add a layer of ricotta cheese, a layer of noodles, another layer of sauce, cheese, noodles.

Top with mozzarella cheese. I used Kraft shredded cheese with a hint of cream cheese.

Bake in the oven at 350 until done.

It was quite good. Because it wasn't in a shallow pan, it wasn't perfectly cubed. Who cares.

grilling fish on a plank?

2011-11-02T08:23:00.001-07:00

Last night I tried grilling fish on a plank for the first time.

In fact, "on a plank" is a very popular method of cooking fish.

But, as the plank was made of wood, it caught on fire, and it wasn't really cooking the fish anyway.

So I put out the fire and finished the fish on the grill.

But what did I do wrong? I soaked it in water beforehand like I was supposed to.

And the plank was cedar, which is the recommended wood for plank grilling.

The instructions said to soak it for 20 minutes, but that was nowhere near enough.

It was suggested to me, to soak it for 24 hours, then remove, dry, and brush with olive oil.

So I'll try that next time.

You can also soak it in wine, juice, or beer instead of water.

The volcano cooking tent

2011-11-02T08:16:00.001-07:00

This is a demonstration of the volcano cooking tent being used.

It covers your grill to create a "convection oven" effect. Very handy when grilling food.

I had concerns about the wind blowing it away, though. Not sure how to handle that.

I also had concerns about it catching fire, but the material inside is flame resistant.

Note that it gets very hot, so use oven gloves when taking it off, and don't touch the inside!

seventh recipe created by me: black bean and tomato dip

2011-11-02T07:52:00.000-07:00

This recipe was created this morning on a whim.

I was going to make some more salsa to enjoy with my chips, but I had a can of black beans.

So I mixed the black beans drained, 2 roma tomatoes, cilantro, and minced garlic.

I tried it and decided something was missing, so I added a half a jalepeno pepper, like I do for salsa.

I don't normally include peppers in anything; I make an exception for salsa.

I could have added onion, but I didn't. Add it if you want.

This is essentially, my salsa without the onion, less tomato, and black beans.

Black bean and tomato dip!

sixth recipe created by me: blue corn chip pie

2011-11-02T07:49:00.000-07:00

This was a recipe I created a while back, from white chili that was made by someone else.

White chili is chili with chicken and white beans, instead of beef and pinto or red beans.

I didn't actually make the white chili, and it's not my first choice; Someone else had made it.

I decided to spruce it up by making a "frito pie", except I used blue corn chips instead of fritos!

Basically, take the white chili, add shredded cheese, sour cream and blue corn chips.

There you go, blue corn chip pie!

my first shrimp scampi

2011-10-31T19:16:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the recent shrimp scampi recipe contest, I decided to try making shrimp scampi.

I made a modified version of the contest recipe from the Lodge website.

This was also the first time I salted the pasta water, rinsed the pasta, and tossed it with olive oil.

I liked the results!

Boil linguine in lightly salted water until done. Drain, rinse, drain again. Toss with olive oil.

In a cast iron skillet, melt 6 tbsp butter and 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.

Add 3-4 tbsp minced garlic and saute. Don't overcook the garlic. Add black pepper.

Add peeled and deveined shrimp, and cook until done.

I used pre-cooked shrimp, so it was faster for me.

Turn off the heat. Add 1/4 cup lemon juice and shredded parmesan cheese.

I added bacon bits to mine, even though shrimp scampi doesn't normally have bacon bits.

It was thinner because of the lemon juice, although it did add a nice little flavor.

I like a thick sauce, so next time I might omit the lemon juice, or add a lot less of it.

and where are my mexican dish recipes?

2011-10-29T10:27:00.000-07:00

I could have sworn that I posted my recipe for various mexican dishes.

But all I could find was the one for cheese enchiladas.

So, what I do for mexican food is, first make my "base", then use it in whatever mexican dish I make.

The "base" is 93% lean ground beef, browned along with chopped onions and minced garlic.

Add chili powder, cumin, coriander, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper.

Then I take pinto beans, and either mash them up to resemble refried beans, or just add them whole.

That's my "base".

Notice that's how I started my chili recipe; Add ingredients for chili, and it becomes chili.

But it's also how I make burritos:

Put the base in flour tortillas; add cheese, add salsa or taco sauce, bake in the oven at 350.

Make tacos by putting the base in taco shells; add cheese, tomatoes, and sour cream.

Make enchiladas by putting the base in corn tortillas, add cheese and enchilada sauce, and bake.

Make tamale casserole by layering polenta over the base; bake in the oven at 350.

Make nachos by pouring the base over tortilla chips; add cheese and bake.

Make "border patrol casserole" with tortilla chips, cheese, and black olives on top of the base; Bake.

I serve all of the above with sour cream. You have to have sour cream!

I lost my recipe for chili!

2011-10-29T10:15:00.000-07:00

Well much to my dismay, I discovered yesterday that I lost my recipe for chili.

So I had to come up with another recipe. But the good news is, it was a vastly improved recipe!

Brown 1 pound 93% lean ground beef* in a cast iron pot, along with chopped onions and minced garlic.

*I love 93% lean. If you use it, you don't have to drain.

Add chili powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.

Add 1 can of diced tomatoes, undrained, and 1 can of pinto beans*, undrained. Because they're undrained, you won't need to add any broth.

*My former recipe used red kidney beans.

If you don't want beans, you'll need to add a little beef broth. I like it with beans.

Add 1 8 oz can of tomato sauce. Stir and simmer on low heat.

Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese and fritos!

Some people like to add a tablespoon or two of corn flour or "masa", but I didn't have any.

And, some people like to add green chilis or bell peppers. I loathe peppers, so I don't.

The Fried Chicken question

2011-10-28T10:37:00.001-07:00

Someone posted a question to the Lodge facebook page, about their fried chicken recipe.

The question was about the part where you cover and cook on low heat for 45 minutes.

She wanted to know, does that mean removing from the fryer and finishing in the oven?

I believe they mean leave it on the stove on low heat for 45 minutes, but it got me thinking.

What if you do want to start it on the stove and finish in the oven? How would it turn out?

The advice I've received was, fried chicken in the oven COVERED, is not a good idea. It will get soggy.

However, if you remove it from the fryer when it's almost done, put it on a flat cast iron pan, in the oven on very low heat, that will make the chicken crispier.

The basic method is, brown on higher heat, simmer on lower heat, then raise the heat and uncover to crisp. I like the idea of crisping in the oven so it doesn't spatter.

I haven't tried the Lodge recipe for fried chicken, but I'd like to.

You can find the recipe here.

the "leftover batter" pan

2011-10-26T11:22:00.001-07:00

This is allegedly a "griswold leftover batter pan."

I say "allegedly", because Griswold never made a leftover batter pan.

It's a fake. It's a made in China, 3 mold cornstick pan.

If you see this pan listed anywhere, don't buy it.

However, there is an alternative on the market, that you can use.

Lodge makes a 5 mold cornstick pan, that I find is great for using leftover batter.

I was torn for a long time, as to whether or not to get that pan-- after all, I already had a 7 mold and a 9 mold.

But, I'm a cast iron fiend, so one day I broke down and got it. And, it's a great leftover batter pan!

the new Lodge carbon steel skillets

2011-10-26T11:04:00.001-07:00

This is the new Lodge carbon steel skillet. There are three sizes: 8 inch, 10 inch and 12 inch.

They are made in the USA and are the only "pre seasoned" carbon steel pans in existence.

I'm not familiar with carbon steel, but I am aware that it has to be seasoned, just like cast iron.

These pans are pre seasoned. They can be used outdoors, on the stove, or in the oven.

I've never used carbon steel, but I know that carbon steel woks are very popular.

Carbon steel, while thinner than cast iron, can withstand very high heat.

As it's thinner, it does not retain heat as long as cast iron does.

I'm thinking that these pans would be useful for sauteing and stir frying.

These pans remind me of the super lightweight cast iron pans available.

I'd like to try one of these pans. I'd probably get the 12 inch, myself.

the Lodge stainless steel cookware set.

2011-10-26T08:51:00.000-07:00

This is the Lodge stainless steel cookware set.

"But I thought Lodge was a cast iron company!" It is, hence the cast iron skillet in the set.

They don't sell the stainless steel pieces individually; Just the set.

It includes the cast iron skillet, along with a deep skillet, 2 saucepans, and a pot.

Personally, if I didn't already have all the cookware I need, I'd consider buying it.

I wondered why Lodge wants to branch out from their flagship product line of cast iron.

My guess is because many consumers tend to shun cast iron cookware, as antiquated. They want "modern" stuff, such as stainless steel.

But why include a cast iron skillet in the set?

Perhaps to introduce cast iron to a market segment that would otherwise not try it.

I once was one of those people, after all. It only took one try, before I was hooked for life!

Beef n' beans

2011-10-26T08:36:00.000-07:00

This is a slow cook, one pot recipe called beef n' beans. It's literally, ground beef and beans!

You need one pound of ground beef; I use 93% lean. Brown the ground beef on the stove first.

Then add to a cast iron pot*, along with 1 can** of black eyed peas, 1 can of pinto beans, 1 can of tomatoes, 1/2 an onion chopped, 1 cup of salsa***, 1 cup of rice, and 1 cup of water or broth.

*You can just brown the beef in the pot and then throw the other stuff in. If it's 93% lean you don't need to drain.

**If you have dried beans cooked ahead of time, that will also do. You can use any beans you want.

***I used homemade salsa; Jarred salsa is terrible.

Season with salt, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.

Slow cook in the oven for a few hours.

I found that it needed some seasoned salt when it was done.

I also made some extra white rice on the side to go with it, because I like a lot of rice.

Lodge shrimp scampi recipe contest

2011-10-21T14:45:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of a shrimp scampi recipe, made in the Lodge chef skillet.

I've never made shrimp scampi, although I do like it and now I want to make some.

Anyway, there's a contest going on:

Whoever can figure out the ingredients to this recipe, wins a free Lodge guitar skillet. Woo hoo.

Actually, this is the recipe, copied and pasted from the Lodge website:

Kosher salt

1 1/2 pounds linguine

5 tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil

6 tbsp unsalted butter

3 tbsp minced garlic

2 pounds peeled and deveined shrimp

1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (I don't like them so I'd leave them out)

1/4 cup flat leaf parsley

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Bring a pot of water to a boil with 1 tbsp kosher salt in it. Add the pasta and boil until al dente.

Drain, rinse in cool water, drain again, and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil.

Melt the butter with the remaining olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat.

Add the garlic and saute for 3 minutes.

Add the shrimp, 1 tsp kosher salt, and the pepper. Saute the shrimp 5 to 7 minutes.

Remove from heat and toss with the remaining ingredients.

That was the Lodge website recipe. If I were to do this, I'd probably modify it a bit.

I definitely don't like crushed red peppers so that would be out.

And I don't like parsley either, so I never include that. I wonder how cilantro would taste?

I'd probably add bacon bits, even though that's not usually included in shrimp scampi.

And what about whole garlic cloves? You would need to slow roast them ahead of time in olive oil.

At first I was under the impression that you make up your own shrimp scampi recipe for the contest.

But no... the contest is to figure out their recipe, which I just gave you.

And someone's already figured it out, so they're probably going to win the guitar skillet.

Frankly, if I saw a use for the guitar skillet I would have bought it already. So no real loss to me.

But if anything, at least it's made me want to try making shrimp scampi, which may have been the point.

oriental chicken

2011-10-19T18:27:00.001-07:00

This recipe was meant for chicken wings, but I made drumsticks instead.

In a bowl, mix a 2:1 ratio of soy sauce and water or broth. You need at least a cup of soy sauce and 1/2 cup water or broth.

I used beef broth because that's what I had, although chicken broth would be perfect.

You need enough to cover the chicken; I found the part of the chicken that was not immersed in the liquid to be dry, while the part that was immersed, was wonderful.

Add brown sugar, a shot of lemon juice, dry mustard*, minced garlic, ginger, onion powder, garlic powder.

*Regular mustard will also do.

Put it all in the cast iron pot and slow cook until the chicken is done.

This recipe came out of a crock pot cookbook, so it can be done in a crock pot too.

Someone suggested it be done with a whole chicken.

You would either have to inject the marinade, or use a LOT of soy sauce!

Reducing all your cookware to just cast iron?

2011-10-15T13:14:00.000-07:00

I was in an online discussion earlier, about reducing ALL of your cookware to cast iron.

Is it possible? Is it practical?

Well, I've just about got it, actually. There actually are a few pieces I have that are not cast iron:

1. One rectangular pyrex pan, for turkey or whole chicken prep.

You need a pan to defrost turkey or whole chicken in the fridge, to catch the juices; Cast iron isn't practical for that due to rust issues.

Then I cut, rub, and season in the pyrex pan, before transferring to a large skillet for roasting.

2. One 3 quart stainless steel saucepan, for boiling stuff.

I would NOT boil beverages, or water for drinking purposes in cast iron, because the seasoning dissolves into the water. That makes me gag, just thinking about it.

Boiling in cast iron doesn't have any effect on the flavor, as it does with other cooking methods.

I used to use it for plain, unseasoned white rice, until I started using the electric rice cooker.

3. One pasta pot with a perforated lid, for plain, unseasoned pasta.

You could cook pasta or white rice in cast iron, as long as you use broth instead of water.

Otherwise, the seasoning in the pot will affect the flavor, and it will no longer be "plain and unseasoned".

4. One stainless steel turkey fryer pot. There are no cast iron turkey fryer pots.

Turkey frying pots have to be large enough to completely immerse the whole turkey in hot oil without dangerous spillovers, and slender, to save expensive peanut oil.

5. One stainless steel steamer pot, not that I steam much anyway.

It has a double boiler insert-- not that I double boil much anyway!

Steaming in cast iron doesn't have any effect on the flavor either. I find steamed food bland.

6. A couple of microwavable bowls, since you can't microwave in cast iron.

That's it! Everything else is cooked in cast iron.

But what about cake pans? Bake cake in a skillet! Sure they'll be round and not square, who cares?

I recommend one enameled pot, for making jam and scratch tomato sauce.

I don't have a crawfish boiling pot. Those are minimum 80 quarts with a drain basket.

But if I did, it would be stainless steel because there are no cast iron crawfish boiling pots either.

I wish I still lived in a place where I could get crawfish to boil. But I don't, so can't justify getting one.

seriously, hot dogs boiled in coca cola?

2011-10-09T12:01:00.000-07:00

I saw a picture on facebook of someone boiling hot dogs in coca cola, in a cast iron pot.

And I thought, seriously, hot dogs boiled in coke? Nevertheless, I had to try it.

But I was sacrilegious... I used a stainless steel pot instead of cast iron. Why?

Because it leaves a very sticky substance on your pot.

And I didn't feel like scrubbing sugary, sticky stuff off my cast iron today.

Besides, boiling in cast iron has no effect on the food flavor, as frying or roasting does.

You simply boil the hot dogs until the coca cola has evaporated.

I stopped when there was about 1/3 of it left, but it could have kept going.

They tasted like, well, hot dogs. That were boiled in coca cola.

After letting them sit for a while in the thickened coca cola, I tried another one and it had a sweet flavor.

You can cut the hot dogs in pieces, and cut slits on each end, before boiling. It lets the flavor seep in.

I bet ribs would be good roasted in coca cola.

Fifth recipe created by me: Bacon salmon

2011-10-03T16:38:00.000-07:00

This recipe was created by me this evening, part by necessity: Bacon salmon.

See, after scorching the bottom of my camp oven dish last night, I wanted to fry some bacon in my 12 inch camp oven to help re-season it.

So I was planning to have a "breakfast for dinner" night, in which I would serve eggs and bacon and toast, and maybe pancakes too if I felt like it.

But my other half wanted salmon, so he asked if I could make something with salmon AND bacon.

I thought that sounded kind of weird, but wasn't opposed to the idea.

The result was the fifth recipe created by me, which is Bacon salmon.

It's very simple: You season a salmon fillet with black pepper and spray with olive oil Pam.

Bake it in the oven at 350. While it's baking in the oven, fry some bacon on the stove.

Put the cooked bacon over the salmon fillet, and serve.

Alternatively, you can wrap the raw bacon around the salmon and bake it in the oven at 350.

But, I wanted to fry the bacon, so that's what I did.

Volcano Stove 101, for Dummies

2011-10-03T09:39:00.001-07:00

This is a volcano stove.

I've written several articles about the volcano stove, as I've been using it and trying to learn about it.

If you search the internet, you'll find a lot of hype, but very little real practical info.

What is available, tends to be ambiguous, and as I discovered, very frustrating for the beginner.

So this article is meant to be a compilation of practical information that I've learned, based on my recent experiences, that is not found anywhere else.

First, as is widely known, the volcano stove can be used with wood, charcoal, or propane.

It can be used as a grill, or as a stove, using all three types of fuel.

You can take the top grill off and set a wok in it, for stir frying.

There is a "vent" you can open or close. Closing the vent reduces heat. Right is open, left is closed. It's the opposite of "righty tighty, lefty loosy".

If you want to use wood, be sure the pieces are cut to less than 12 inches so they'll fit.

If you want to use charcoal, be sure you put the CENTER PLATE* in place, and put the coals on that. If you don't, it will not get hot enough.

*I know the manual says to put the coals on the bottom-- Don't. It will NOT get hot enough.

This applies whether you are stir frying, grilling, using as a stove, or dutch oven cooking.

If you want to use propane, do NOT use the center plate, for grilling or stir frying.

Only if you're using it as a stove, and want lower heat. The center plate diffuses and reduces heat.

DO NOT use propane for dutch oven cooking. It does not work.

Only use coals for dutch oven cooking. Put coals on the CENTER PLATE, and the pot* over the coals.

*If your pot does not have legs to hold it over the coals, then use a trivet.

Because the volcano is more energy efficient, you won't need as many coals.

Use about 80% less coals than the traditional coal chart, subject to your altitude.

That's a rough estimate; Unfortunately there is no "volcano coal chart". There needs to be.

You have to use an infrared thermometer to monitor the temperature and adjust the coals accordingly.

Use 2/3 on top, and 1/3 on bottom. Ignore the claims about "no top heat." Yes, you do need it.

There is a "middle grill", sold separately, which can go in the same place as the center plate.

There is also a "volcano lid", sold separately, which is a "tent" that allows for convection cooking.

If I can come up with any more helpful info, I'll post it here.

But hopefully, this will give you a good start.

camp oven cooking using propane-- don't do it

2011-10-02T16:18:00.000-07:00

I originally got the volcano stove, intending to use it for camp oven cooking, using propane.

I don't know if it's recommended for that use or not, but, no one has said you couldn't.

So I tried it for the first time tonight.

In a previous post, I pointed out that you need the center plate, in order to support the camp oven over the propane burner.

I was concerned that it would make the temperature too low, since the center plate reduces heat.

I very quickly realized, that wasn't the issue at all-- it got plenty hot enough.

In fact, I was unable to bring the temperature down!

I constantly monitored with my infrared thermometer and it got progressively hotter.

I tried closing the vents (right is open, left is closed-- the opposite of righty tighty lefty loosy).

I tried turning the needle valve down on the regulator.

Both steps helped temporarily, but the temperature climbed back up again.

Another thing I noticed was that there was significantly more heat on the bottom, than on the top.

For camp oven cooking, you normally use more heat on top to create the "oven" effect.

I finally had to turn it off because it was starting to burn on the bottom.

The meat was undercooked, which since it was beef, was OK because I like medium rare.

If it were chicken or pork, it would not have been edible.

I conclude that, with the propane burner, you cannot get the temperature low enough to do the "slow cooking" that camp oven recipes require.

It works fine as a propane stove, and would be fine for stir frying using propane.

But camp oven cooking over propane, I absolutely do not recommend.

The recipe I used was a souped up version (literally-- no pun intended) of flank steak and onion sauce.

I melted butter in the camp oven, browned pieces of chuck roast* in the butter.

*chuck roast is cheaper than flank steak, so I used that.

Then added canned potatoes, chopped onions, minced garlic, cream of onion soup diluted in milk.

This time I added Lipton onion soup mix. Hence, literally a "souped up" version.

You can use the volcano for camp oven cooking using coals.

You just need different amounts of coals than you normally would, if you weren't using the volcano.

And, if you have the time and patience to teach yourself this whole new system, more power to you.

I'm still learning the traditional method of coal cooking, myself, and I think I'll stick to that.

I will still use the volcano as a propane stove.

It's a very useful propane stove, even though I already had one. So, now I have two.

And I will still use it as a portable charcoal grill, even though I have a Lodge charcoal grill.

So, now I have two charcoal grills.

And I will still use it to stir fry outdoors, when and if I decide to stir fry outdoors again.

Although that wasn't what I originally got it for.

lemon olive oil

2011-09-29T10:43:00.000-07:00

In the grocery store yesterday, I sampled some pasta tossed with lemon olive oil.

I liked it so much, that I wanted some. But not at the outrageous price of $12.99!

As the ingredients on the bottle read "extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice", surely I could make my own.

One friend suggested a 2:1 ratio of lemon juice to olive oil. In other words, 1/2 cup juice, 1/4 cup oil.

That mixture was way too strong on the lemon side. Too tart for me.

So I would recommend a 1:1 ratio, as in, 1/4 cup lemon juice to 1/4 cup olive oil.

Add garlic salt or minced garlic if you wish, and toss with pasta and black olives.

Add parmesan cheese and bacon bits.

My first cajun rice (or "dirty rice")

2011-09-29T09:52:00.000-07:00

I made my first cajun rice, also called "dirty rice." It was hands down the best I ever had.

I used the Lodge 3 quart chicken fryer but it can also be done in a dutch oven or camp oven.

I browned 1 pound of 93% lean ground beef, along with chopped onion and chopped green onion.*

*Some people add chopped fresh mushrooms and/or minced garlic.

Added cajun seasoning, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder.

When it was done, added 1 cup of white long grain rice and 2 cups of beef stock*.

*Some people use canned onion soup instead of beef stock.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, simmer until the rice is cooked.

During cooking I added a little more beef stock.

I know dirty rice doesn't normally contain cilantro, but I bet it would be good!

the Lodge 12 inch deep, 8 quart camp oven

2011-09-28T15:35:00.001-07:00

This is the Lodge 12 inch deep camp oven. It's 8 quarts.

The Lodge 14 inch regular camp oven is also 8 quarts.

Those are the only two 8 quart cast iron pots available, that I personally know of.

And they're both camp ovens.

Most cast iron indoor pots sold today, are 5 quarts or 7 quarts.

There might be enameled 8 quart pots, but I'm talking about regular cast iron.

For a while, there was a pot advertised as 8 quarts, but it was actually less than 7 quarts.

On a regular basis, pots are listed on ebay as "8 quarts" because of the #8 marking; Those pots are 5 quarts!

A Griswold #11 dutch oven, if you can find one, is 8 quarts. They are rare and expensive.

Occasionally I search ebay, only to find one for over $100 or more. No thanks.

After the year long fiasco of trying to find a 6 quart pot, and then finally getting one, I'm not sure I want to look for an 8 quart too.

What's the deal? Doesn't anybody like 6 and 8 quart pots? Why are they the red headed stepchildren?

Actually what prompted this article, was a member of a cast iron group I'm a part of, sent a message asking if anyone has an 8 quart pot they're willing to donate.

Well, yes I technically have one, although it's a camp oven. And no, it's not for giveaway.

But, because they're so hard to find, if anyone has an 8 quart pot they're willing to donate to ME?

I'm not very hopeful for a response to that. As if I need another pot.

the volcano jr.

2011-09-27T10:15:00.001-07:00

This is a volcano jr. I don't have one, and they're discontinued so there's no way to get one.

The company is talking about bringing them back, if they think it will sell.

It's meant for smaller pots. It can fit a 6 inch camp oven, or an 8 inch.

Note the support brackets in place to fit the 6 inch oven; For an 8 inch, you don't use the brackets.

It does not use propane; It only uses charcoal or wood.

It came with a grill top, to use as a tiny grill or stove.

It sure is cute. I'm not sure if I'd have use for one or not.

I wonder if you can use a 6 inch camp oven on the regular volcano.

I imagine you can. I guess I better try it sometime and find out.

First use of the volcano as a propane stove

2011-09-24T09:44:00.000-07:00

I've used the volcano as a propane grill; Today was the first time using it as a propane stove.

I used the Lodge 17 inch skillet to cook "breakfast for everybody".

You can't really see the eggs in the pan, due to the sun's glare.

That was before the yolks broke. I hate that!

I cooked the bacon, and the eggs 2 at a time. I prefer to only handle 2 eggs at a time, when flipping. Scrambled is faster of course, because you can cook more at a time.

You can see where cubed potatoes would have also fit in there, for hash browns, but I didn't have a potato.

Anyway, this time I did not use the volcano's "center plate", which reduces heat.

I'm still learning the ins and outs of this thing, but I've found that when cooking with charcoal, it's better to use the center plate and put the coals on that, instead of the coals on the bottom without the center plate. Otherwise, it doesn't get hot enough.

And when you're using it for a propane stove or grill, apparently you do NOT use the center plate, unless you intend to "slow cook" on low heat. Because, it doesn't get hot enough!

I haven't tried it using propane and a camp oven; I imagine you'd need the center plate to support the pot, but what about temperature?

That's what I'll have to find out*.

*Even with the center plate, it was too hot for slow cooking in a camp oven. Don't do it.

I predicted that the volcano is better suited as a propane stove, than as a propane grill.

It is a good propane stove. It does work as a propane grill too, just wouldn't be my first choice.

new way to make catfish

2011-09-19T20:03:00.001-07:00

This recipe I came up with for catfish fillets, is very similar to my batter baked chicken.

I used corn flakes as a "batter", but didn't exactly crush them.

I just poured the corn flakes on the fillets, and sprayed olive oil Pam.

Then I flipped the fillets and did the same thing on the other side.

Baked at 350 until done.

I found it to be quite tasty and crispy.

I loved the way the fish oil seeped into the corn flakes and gave it a slight fish flavor.

Learned a new way to roast chicken

2011-09-10T17:15:00.001-07:00

This is the Emerilware vertical poultry roaster. I actually did not roast chicken in this tonight.

I learned a new way to roast chicken, based on this video, and decided to try it out.

Of course, you need a cast iron skillet; He recommends the Lodge 12 inch skillet.

First you preheat the skillet in the oven at 500 degrees.

Coat the chicken with salt, pepper, and olive oil.

Feel free to add your own seasonings, or coat with melted butter instead.

Remove the skillet and put the whole chicken in, breast side up. Hear it sizzle!

Since dark meat takes longer to cook than white, you need to have the dark meat touching the hot pan.

Brown at 500 degrees for 15 minutes*, then reduce the heat to 350 for another 25 minutes.

*I wonder, if I'd let it brown for 5 more minutes, would it have made the skin crispier?

When I checked the temperature after the timer went off, it was just under 170 degrees.

So to be on the safe side, I left it in the oven another 10 minutes.

He says "there should be just a hint of pink", but my husband will NOT eat chicken with any pink.

But even though I left it in for longer, it was a VERY juicy chicken!

Now I am left with a decision. I have not used my vertical poultry roaster in over a year.

I don't roast whole chickens very often, because de-boning whole chicken after dinner is a gross job.

I usually buy drumsticks or breast fillets. Chicken isn't my favorite thing, but I do like drumsticks.

So when I do decide to roast chicken again, I'm going to do it this way. I liked how it turned out!

And, this way is done in a regular skillet, not the vertical roaster.

Which is a "one trick pony", unless you want to make a donut shaped cake.

Actually, you could cook a lot of things in the base of the roaster; I just usually reach for a skillet.

And it's not Lodge, so I don't have many qualms about letting it go...

"liquid gold"

2011-09-09T05:03:00.001-07:00

The recent advertisements for velveeta cheesy skillets, features a Lodge 12 inch cast iron skillet.

It portrays a blacksmith, calling it "liquid gold!"

Previously, since it reminded me of hamburger helper, I was not planning on trying it.

But, since the advertisement featured a Lodge skillet, that actually motivated me to try it.

You do need the Lodge 12 inch lid, as well as the skillet, to make velveeta cheesy skillets.

Just follow the recipe on the box.

I picked the cheeseburger macaroni, and added my own bacon bits.

I used 93% ground beef, which is what I use in all dishes calling for ground beef, except burgers.

It wasn't bad! I found it to be better than hamburger helper.

Not exactly something I'd cook every day, but not bad either.

See? Including Lodge skillets in your commercials really does work-- at least for one purchase, anyway!

electric option for the volcano stove?

2011-09-08T12:36:00.000-07:00

This is a volcano stove. It can be used with wood, propane, or charcoal.

I recently heard a rumor that the company was considering adding an electric option as well.

The company did inform me, that rumor is not true.

But it started me thinking: Would an electric option be a good idea?

For starters, the volcano is meant to be an "emergency preparedness" stove, for use when there's no electricity.

So, if there's no electricity available, how on earth would you use an electric burner?

Besides that, I do think it would be a neat "bell and whistle" option.

I would probably get one, just "because I can."

I have an electric outlet on my back porch, so it might be useful for summertime outdoor cooking.

This stove is also used for camping and tailgating, where electricity is not readily available.

The only way this idea would not flop, is to have the means to plug it into a vehicle, as well as a 120v receptacle.

That way, campers could plug it into their car, if they don't have a power inverter or generator.

But then, how many amps would it require, to generate the amount of heat needed to cook?

Would you need a "dedicated circuit"-- in other words, a receptacle not connected to any other wiring, so you don't pop a circuit breaker?

Yes, I'm a nerd and I ponder those things.

But for now, it's a moot point, because apparently there are no current plans for that-- for precisely the reasons I've mentioned.

using the volcano as a propane grill, take 2

2011-09-06T18:36:00.000-07:00

So I decided to try the volcano as a propane grill for the second time, using my new burner.

I grilled steaks, marinated and seasoned the same way as last time.

The initial flame, when I lit it, wasn't as big this time.

The flame was blue, until I put in the center plate and it turned orange.

The company told me that's normal, because the center plate reduces the temperature.

I should have left it out*, but by the time I realized, it was too hot to remove.

*Here's what I've learned so far: you DO use the center plate for charcoal cooking, and put the coals ON the center plate; you DON'T use it for propane cooking, unless you intend to cook on low heat. I haven't tried it with propane using a camp oven yet.

I did notice fewer flare ups, but there were some; I don't think they can be completely eliminated.

It serves its purpose as a primitive, portable, hibachi style propane grill.

It still wouldn't be my first choice as a propane grill, but it works if you're tailgating or camping.

So, I stand by my original assessment that it's probably more well suited as a propane stove.

Now I can try camp oven cooking over propane*, which is the reason I got this in the first place!

*Don't use it for camp oven cooking over propane. Read my article to find out why.

from prime rib, to pizza rolls

2011-09-02T14:42:00.000-07:00

This is the Lodge au jus platter. It's meant for serving prime rib in restaurants.

It has a special well to pour your au jus in, for dipping.

You could also use it for horseradish sauce, steak sauce, or ketchup.

What?? Ketchup on steak?? I never knew that was a social faux pas, until I moved out West.

But as you can see, I've done something a little different with my fancy prime rib platter.

I used it to bake pizza rolls, which might also be considered a social faux pas.

I love Totino's pizza rolls. They're a wonderful afternoon snack.

I didn't do it on purpose-- it just happened to be the first thing I grabbed out of the cabinet.

So there you have it-- yet another use for the fancy au jus platter!

Oh, there's one thing you shouldn't try to cook in this: fried eggs. They run right into the au jus well.

But this wasn't meant to cook eggs in anyway.

new propane burner for the volcano stove

2011-08-31T19:03:00.000-07:00

My first time using the volcano stove, was as a propane grill.

As I cited some problems with using it, the company contacted me and said to send the burner back for a replacement, since they believed it was defective.

There was a defect where the regulator connects to the burner, and it was also their "old style" burner.

The old style burner has an adjustable valve at the bottom, so you can adjust the flame.

I found it very difficult to adjust without burning myself, since the flame has to be on, the valve is UNDER the burner, and must be tightened by a metal thumb screw.

Anyway, they abandoned that design, and the new style burner has no such valve.

They had to eliminate the valve in order to get CSA certification, which means, meeting Canada's safety standards to be legally sold there.

So I tested the burner tonight, and found that it indeed produces a blue flame.

It also didn't have that initial huge flame burst when I lit it.

I still think there should be a way to light it from the side-- an "access hole" on the side of the stove itself-- instead of having to reach in there.

So now I need to try it as a propane grill again, and see how it works this time.

For the record, the BTU for the new burner is 19,500.

my first scones

2011-08-31T15:42:00.001-07:00

This is the Lodge cornbread wedge pan. It can also be used to make scones.

This was the first time I ever made scones, and it was with a mix.

I used Cinnabon baking mix, available at Sam's.

Besides the box of baking mix, you also need 1 cup of whipping cream and 1 egg.

Follow the directions on the box, and you have cinnamon scones!

You can also use the mix to make cinnamon rolls, muffins, and coffee cake.

stir frying on a volcano stove

2011-08-31T15:31:00.000-07:00

This is the Lodge wok, and it's going to be used to stir fry on the volcano stove, using coals.

To do this, you take off the top grill and just set the wok in the volcano.

You first need to light up 25 coals, and you need to put them on the CENTER PLATE, not the bottom.

Otherwise, the wok will not get hot enough to stir fry.

You'll want to have a table set up nearby, and have all the ingredients ready.

I preheated the wok and made a simple shrimp stir fry.

I used pre-cooked shrimp*, onions, garlic, mushrooms, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, shredded cabbage, and peanuts.

*You can use raw shrimp if you want to; it just takes longer.

I added soy sauce and five spice for seasoning.

It was my first time ever stir frying over coals.

If you don't have a volcano, a propane stove will also work, or you can set the wok on a trivet over the coals.

You will probably need more coals if you're not using the volcano, since it's "fuel efficient".

Using the 8 inch square pan on the stove burner

2011-08-29T17:25:00.000-07:00

This is a cast iron 8 inch square cake pan.

I was just demonstrating that it can be used on the stovetop, as a small skillet.

I actually used it after this photo was taken, to make a base for a seafood chowder.

To make a base, you melt 2 tbsp butter in the pan, then whisk in 2 tbsp flour, and then about 2 cups milk.

This is also a base for gravy, but what you want is a thick paste, which you then add to your chowder.

Finally found a recipe for the 8 inch square baking pan

2011-08-28T09:57:00.001-07:00

This is a cast iron 8 inch square baking pan. Lodge doesn't make one; It's by Old Mountain.

I was seeking out recipes specifically for an 8 inch square pan, just so I would actually use this pan.

The volume is about 1 1/2 quarts; any recipe calling for this size pan, can be made in a 9 inch skillet.

The Lodge 36 oz oval server, can also be used to make most recipes meant for this pan-- although in some cases, you might have a tiny bit left over.

So I found the following breakfast recipe, which I modified based on what I had available:

Mix 3/4 cup bisquick, 1/2 cup milk, salt, pepper, dry mustard, and 6 eggs in a bowl. Whisk.

Add chopped ham and shredded cheese. The recipe called for swiss, but I just had mozzarella.

The recipe also called for sliced mushrooms and chopped tomatoes, but I didn't have any.

Pour into the pan and bake at 350.

I should have sprinkled some of the shredded cheese on top before baking, instead of mixing it all in.

I also should have added bacon bits!

It was a little dry; I'm sure adding the chopped tomatoes and mushrooms would have made it better, but I didn't have any.

I topped with parmesan cheese afterwards, and some bacon salt.

my first real enchiladas

2011-08-26T20:08:00.000-07:00

Before today, I've always made my enchiladas with flour tortillas, since I like them better than corn.

But they weren't "true" enchiladas, since enchiladas are made with corn tortillas.

I decided to make real enchiladas tonight in the Lodge 12 inch skillet.

I filled the tortillas with monterey jack and white american cheese.

In some of them, I added a spoonful of pinto beans.

I packed the filled tortillas side by side in the skillet, then folded the tops closed, and turned them over with the folded side down. That's how they stay closed, without a toothpick.

Then I grated some cheddar cheese on top, and poured over enchilada sauce from a can.

Into the oven at 350.

I thought they were fantastic.

Some prefer them to be filled with cheddar instead of american, but I don't like the way cheddar melts.

Alternative cleaning solutions for the Scooba

2011-08-26T11:30:00.000-07:00

I realize my blog is titled "ramblings on cast iron" and not "ramblings on floor cleaning", but I decided to deviate for a minute.

This is a Scooba, which is an automatic floor scrubber.

I have "almost whole house" ceramic tile, so I got one.

One of the main complaints is about the proprietary cleaning solution.

It's not only expensive; it doesn't clean.

There used to be a "clorox" solution, which did clean very well. That solution was discontinued and is now VERY expensive.

Now there's this "natural enzyme cleaner", which is environmentally friendly and useless.

But the problem is, you can't use just ANY cleaner in the Scooba!

Some contain oil that can clog it up.

Some leave a sticky residue inside, which will ruin it.

Some will cause it to not start at all.

Some contain bleach or ammonia, which will dissolve the internal rubber parts.

After some extensive online research, and after trying a few of the suggestions myself, here are my recommendations:

Each of these solutions must be diluted with water; the tank holds approximately 1 quart.

Some solutions are 1.5 oz per tank, and some are HALF oz per tank.

1. Armstrong tile and vinyl floor cleaner, which is blue, and available at Wal-mart. 1.5 oz per tank.

2. Mr. Clean multi-surface anti bacterial*, which is yellow, available at Lowe's. HALF oz per tank.

*IMPORTANT! Be sure you use the kind WITHOUT Febreeze or Gain. Just plain Mr. Clean.

3. Proforce no rinse floor cleaner, which is pink, and sold only at Sam's. HALF oz per tank.

4. Fabuloso*, in different colors, available at Wal-mart. 1.5 oz per tank.

*Be sure you use the kind WITHOUT bleach or OXY.

5. Simple green*, which is green of course, available at Wal-mart. HALF oz per tank.

*Lemon scented simple green also works.

6. Ajax fresh*, which is green, available at Wal-mart. 1.5 oz per tank.

*Not regular Ajax-- Ajax fresh, WITHOUT ammonia or bleach.

7. Spic and Span, which is orange, available at Wal-mart. HALF oz per tank.

You may also find those products (except the Proforce) in your local grocery store.

If I find any others, I'll let you know.

Apparently there's a special Mr. Clean Finished Floor cleaner, only available at Sam's, that is "safe for automatic floor scrubbers".

I have not tried that one, since it's not at my local Sam's, and I've found plenty of others to use.

Using alternative solutions does void your warranty, so please be cautious.

I'm just giving you the ones I've personally tested and know to work, and others have reported using for an extended time without damage.

Keep in mind, my scooba is regular sized; I don't have the smaller 230, and never will. So I cannot know, if these are OK for a 230 or not.

Personally, I don't recommend the smaller one. The regular sized one is more robust and does a better job cleaning.

that fool ebay seller!

2011-08-25T19:53:00.000-07:00

I scout ebay listings daily, for Lodge brand cast iron cookware, in hopes of finding a good deal on discontinued models.

And there's this one fool seller, who persistently lists Old Mountain brand cookware, with Lodge in the title.

I have personally contacted this seller; He stated that he purposely puts Lodge in the title, so it will come up in more searches.

That's a practice called "keyword spamming", and it violates ebay rules.

It's also copyright infringement, since Lodge is a registered trademark, and is illegal.

Of course I know better, but an unsuspecting customer could be misled to think he is buying a Lodge product.

I have made numerous reports to ebay, yet nothing has been done, despite their written policy.

So, I am posting this article, advising my readers not to buy anything from ebay seller linxwiler123.

If you search on ebay for Lodge cast iron, enter the keywords "lodge cast -mountain".

That search will list the actual Lodge products, and omit the listings from this seller.

you don't necessarily need a camp oven with legs on a volcano

2011-08-23T17:44:00.001-07:00

I'm not actually cooking anything in this pot; the photo is for demonstration purposes only.

I discovered tonight that, if you are using a 12 inch dutch oven, you don't necessarily need one with legs.

The coals are on the bottom, and the volcano suspends the pot up over the coals.

Note that only applies to a 12 inch oven.

Now, if you're putting the coals on the center plate, then yes, you do need a camp oven with legs to hold it over the coals.

But, not if the coals are on the bottom of the grill***, as you can see.

***If the coals are on the bottom of the grill, then you will need a lot more coals, than if you're putting the coals on the center plate.

***Unfortunately, there is no information as to how many coals you need, if you're using coals on the bottom. And very limited information, if the coals are on the center plate.

***So, unless you feel like experimenting with how many coals you need, in order to cook with coals on the very bottom-- skip this idea.

***Or if you want to slow cook on low heat. I can tell you from my own experience, that 25 coals on the very bottom made the temperature around 250.

my first attempt at cooking in a camp oven with coals on a volcano

2011-08-23T17:38:00.000-07:00

***UPDATE: When I tried this, I had not realized that the coals need to be on the CENTER PLATE, not on the bottom of the grill. That's why the pot didn't get hot enough and I had to add more coals.

***Nowhere in any manual or website is it made clear that you need to do this, so, learn from my experience.

For my first time using the volcano to cook in a camp oven with coals, I decided to "stick to what I know."

So what I made tonight is very similar to this recipe and this recipe, both of which I made a year ago.

It's also similar to this recipe, which I didn't actually make, but I submitted it to an online contest.

Cut up some shoulder roast*, and brown in butter.

*Actually, chuck roast is better. I should have used that.

Add fresh mushrooms, chopped onions, minced garlic, canned potatoes, canned carrots*, cream of mushroom soup diluted in milk, worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, and bacon bits.

*You could use cut up fresh potatoes and carrots, but it will take longer to cook.

I previously mentioned that in a volcano stove, you use less coals than you normally would, and you don't use top heat unless you're baking*.

*Sorry, I disagree with the "no top heat" claim. I explain why later in this article.

Now, I was told that for the average dish, cooked in a 12 inch camp oven over medium heat, you need about 13 coals (for 350 degrees, all on bottom*.

*They need to be on the center plate, not the bottom of the grill. Otherwise it will not get hot enough.

But in order to brown your meat before adding the other ingredients, you need to start out with more coals on the bottom, and then remove them.

So I started with 16 coals. I quickly realized that I needed more*, so I added 9 for a total of 25.

*If the coals had been on the center plate, that might have been enough.

When the meat was browned, I added the remaining ingredients, then removed the coals until the number on the bottom was 13.

I don't know how 13 coals could ever equal 350 degrees; My infrared thermometer was reading 200. I could touch the lid without even using gloves!*

*Because the coals were on the bottom, instead of on the center plate.

I realize that number is subject to adjustment for altitude, but I live in Midland Texas, not on top of the Rocky Mountains*.

*It was because I put the coals on the bottom, instead of on the center plate.

So I put the original coals back, bringing the number back to 25. The thermometer averaged 250.

As the food appeared to be simmering well, I just left it alone, but I started another batch of coals anyway, in case some needed to be replaced.

If I were not using the volcano stove, then the number of coals needed would be 16 on top, 8 on bottom, for a total of 24.

I just checked it and added some Wondra flour to thicken. I'm going to let it simmer for a while longer and then take it off.

I ended up not needing that other batch of coals I lit, but it's always a good idea to have some on hand in case you need to replace coals that are burning out.

Usually it's easy to monitor the coals and swap them out as needed; In the volcano, you have to lift out the pot, which can be a hassle.

Frankly, I don't buy the "no top heat needed" claim, since you need more heat on top than on bottom for that "slow cook oven" effect.

It's impossible to have more heat on top, when there are no coals on top.

The recipe worked, but didn't have that special flavor that comes from a slow cooked oven.

So, if you're going to do this, put some coals on top anyway. Unfortunately, there's no information as to how many on top vs bottom*.

*Use about 90% less. Buy an infrared thermometer to monitor the temp.

This is definitely a "teach yourself" appliance.

Which is why I'm trying to compile some solid guidelines on my blog, based on my own experience, because there's just so very little information out there, outside of "hype".

Lipton onion soup mix would rock in this dish. And it's not to late to add it...

question about woks

2011-08-22T18:39:00.001-07:00

I was asked a question today that I could not answer, but thanks to Lodge cast iron company for coming to my rescue!

The question was, what's the difference between a cast iron wok, and a carbon steel wok?

Besides the obvious fact that they are made of different material-- how do they perform?

Some people swear by carbon steel as the best kind of wok. I've only used cast iron.

Cast iron woks take a little longer to heat up than carbon steel.

Once it does heat up, the heat is more consistent, and you don't have to shake it while cooking.

As I've never used a carbon steel wok, I can't personally comment on how well they work.

I can say that I love my Lodge cast iron wok, and wouldn't trade it for anything else!

Can you grill fish directly on a volcano stove?

2011-08-21T16:51:00.000-07:00

On a standard grill, you can't really grill fish directly on the grill, because fish "flakes," and chunks can fall between the grates when you turn it.

Instead, you either wrap the fish in aluminum foil, or use a grill basket or fish plank.

The Lodge sportsman's grill eliminates this problem, because the spaces between the grates are only 5/16 of an inch.

Yes, I'm a nerd, and I measured: The volcano grill's spaces are just under 1/2 inch.

Which is smaller than a standard grill, but larger than the Lodge sportsman's grill.

So, since I had some charcoal to use up, and some fish to cook, I decided to see if fish can be cooked directly on the volcano.

This was salmon fillets, which I seasoned with cumin, coriander and cilantro.

It was the first time I tried that seasoning on salmon.

There was some minor flaking, which is unavoidable, but no big chunks were lost in the grill.

But some fish is more delicate than salmon, and will flake more.

So if you're still worried, go ahead and use aluminum foil, or a basket or plank.

Trying to make sense of the volcano stove and coals

2011-08-21T09:30:00.000-07:00

The volcano stove is of course, an outdoor stove as well as a grill.

However, there is a third function which is its market niche: cooking with a camp oven and coals.

With the volcano, instead of having your coals exposed, you put the coals in the volcano and slide your camp oven inside.

It can hold a camp oven up to 12 inches wide.

However, apparently using coals in a volcano is completely different from the traditional method.

In other words, the traditional coal chart does not apply, due to the shape and design of the volcano.

It distributes heat along the sides of the camp oven, and is more fuel efficient; therefore the number and placement of coals, is not the same.

I've been reading the volcano cookbook and technical manual which attempts to explain the differences, and trying to make heads or tails of it, for months now. It's very confusing for the lay person.

What I CAN get from it is, you don't need top heat unless you're baking or browning*, and you use less coals than you normally would.

*After trying it out for myself, I'm going to disagree with the "no top heat needed" claim. Yes, you need top heat. Unfortunately, there's no information on how many coals on top vs bottom.

I also get that you can control the heat by opening and closing the vents. Open is hottest, 50% is middle, and closed is least hot.

There's also a "center plate" that you can use or not use*, that diffuses heat for lower temperatures**.

*Apparently, you do need the center plate when cooking with coals. You put the coals, and the camp oven, ON the center plate.

**The plate is used as a heat diffuser when you're using propane, and as a base when you're using charcoal.

But there's no coal temperature chart at all. No way to convert recipes from traditional coal placement, to placement of coals in the volcano.

So I contacted the company in an attempt to get some real info that I can possibly use.

What they could tell me was, for a 12 inch camp oven, 350 degrees (or medium heat) is about 13 coals on bottom*; none on top, unless baking or browning.

*This number is assuming you put the coals on the CENTER PLATE, not on the very bottom of the stove. I figured that out, when 13 coals barely reached 200 degrees.

**This is also subject to adjustment for altitude. Buy an infrared thermometer and check yourself.

***Yes, you do need top heat, based on my experience.

But what about for smaller camp ovens? The book says to place the coals on the center plate for smaller ovens, but not how many to use.

What about deep camp ovens? Do you use the same amount of coals as for standard sized camp ovens?

And what if you're baking or browning? How many coals on top vs. how many on bottom?

When I asked about specific information, they told me to "just experiment".

That's great if you've already mastered the traditional method of coal cooking, and know what you're doing.

But frankly... "Forget everything you've learned-- this is completely different. We can't tell you what the new method is exactly. Figure it out," will certainly frustrate and discourage the average consumer.

So the best I can tell you is, there are cookbooks* and recipes online, that are specifically for the camp oven used in the volcano**.

*Actually, two cookbooks that I know of: The technical manual I've already mentioned, and "volcano magic".

**The dutch oven cookbooks by Colleen Sloan, such as Log Cabin Grub, have some recipes that tell you the coals needed if you're using a volcano.

Either use those recipes, or just use recipes calling for a standard 12 inch camp oven at 350 degrees-- or "medium heat"-- and use about 13 coals*, on the CENTER PLATE.

*Subject to adjustment for altitude. Use an infrared thermometer to monitor temperature.

As there's a lot of hype all over the internet about how great the volcano is, I'm probably going to get some flak for posting this article, as I did the first one.

But as I've said before, this blog was never meant to be "hype" or "advertising".

I post my personal experience exactly as it happened, and if it's not perfect, then it's just not.

***UPDATE: They later got back to me with some more solid info.

25% less coals than you would normally put on top, and put them all on bottom.

In other words, for a 12 inch oven, normally 16 on top and 8 on bottom, based on the traditional coal chart; Put 12 or 13, on bottom only.

None on top unless baking or browning*, in which case you would use about 80% less total coals, distributed 2/3 on top and 1/3 on bottom.

*I disagree. Use top heat all the time.

In other words, for a 12 inch oven, normally 16 on top and 8 on bottom; Put 13 on top, 5 on bottom.

Then I found a boy scout resource that said, for an 8 inch oven, use 8 to 10 coals on the bottom for medium heat; For a 10 inch, 9 to 11 coals; and for 12 inch, 10 to 12 coals.

That resource corroborates with the info I was given. So, now I have something we can work with here.

Please note, this amount of coals assumes you are putting the coals on the CENTER PLATE, not the bottom.

They were never specific about this detail; I learned the hard way.

My third experience with the volcano stove

2011-08-20T16:41:00.000-07:00

So I decided to try the volcano stove as a charcoal grill, for bratwurst and corn on the cob.

I soaked the brats in beer for about 30 minutes before grilling. It was a shortcut from my usual recipe.

I first set up the volcano by placing the "bottom grill" on the bottom, to put the charcoal on.

Then I lit the coals in my charcoal starter, waited for them to be ready, and poured them in.

When I put on the top grill, I immediately realized that I'd made a mistake. The food would be a lot higher than the coals; you want them to be closer for grilling.

I should have put the center heat deflector plate in place, and put the coals on that.

They used to have a "middle grill", sold separately, that was used for charcoal grilling, but it's been discontinued.*

*I emailed the company to ask where I can get one, or if I can get one. Apparently they'll be back in stock next month.

So instead of trying to handle hot coals, I solved the heat issue by covering the food, using a cast iron skillet as a makeshift lid.

The company does sell a "volcano lid," which is a tent looking thing, to cover the food and retain heat.

There is no "lip" around the top grill, so you need to be careful to keep food from rolling off.

Other than that, it's fine as a charcoal grill.

Contrary to what I've read about it, the outside is not "cool to the touch." It won't harm you if you touch it, but it's still hot.

You can still use it on tabletops though. The legs get warm, but not hot enough to melt anything.

My second experience with the volcano stove

2011-08-20T14:51:00.000-07:00

The volcano stove can be used with wood, charcoal, or propane, and can be used as a stove, a camp oven cooker, or a grill.

My first experience was a few days ago, when I tried it as a propane grill.

The company immediately contacted me, convinced that the problems I was having was due to the attachment being defective.

So they offered to replace it. When I get the new one, I'll try it again and see if I have the same issues.

So since I don't have the propane attachment right now, I decided to try it with wood.

See, I've got a stack of firewood in my backyard, that I'd like to get rid of.

I figured using it in the volcano would serve that purpose, so I proceeded to set it up as a wood grill.

I immediately noticed that the branches were too big to fit; The volcano is 13 inches wide.

So to use wood in this, you have to cut the pieces to 12 inches or smaller.

I don't have a hatchet. I started to use a saw, and decided that it was taking too long.

So now I'm just going to use it with charcoal.

Be it known, that you absolutely CAN use wood in the volcano stove. "Yes, you can!" "Si, se puede!"

I'm just not going to, not when I have charcoal readily available. In fact, that's why it was invented!

Anyway, if you want to use wood, you need to cut your pieces to 12 inches or smaller so they'll fit.

For that matter, any charcoal grill can be used with wood. Most people don't, because it's more work.

However some people prefer the way food tastes, cooked with wood over charcoal. Up to you.

salmon pan fried with coriander

2011-08-19T03:25:00.000-07:00

I saw a blurb online where someone was frying salmon fillets in a pan, seasoned with coriander.

There are lots of recipes for "coriander salmon" which are more fancy, but I was in a hurry tonight, so I just seasoned mine with dried coriander and black pepper.

I'm sure fresh coriander would have been wonderful, though.

Sprayed the cast iron skillet with olive oil pam, and fried the salmon in the pan.

Salmon isn't my favorite thing, but it's good for me, so I eat it. I'm always looking for creative ways to make it better.

modified version of my friend's pasta

2011-08-18T10:19:00.000-07:00

The following recipe is a modified version of a friend's pasta recipe.

It's very similar to the shrimp pasta I recently made.

In olive oil, I sauteed some canned crab meat, minced garlic, and fresh thyme. Added bacon bits.

Then poured over leftover spaghetti.

I should have cut up the thyme sprigs before sauteing. They were a little too long to eat without looking like a grazing horse.

Fajitas for everybody

2011-08-17T12:04:00.000-07:00

This is actually not my recipe, or my photo. It was posted on facebook, and I got permission to reprint.

We all know that cast iron is great for fajitas; usually the meat and veggies are made in separate skillets.

It never occurred to me that you can use the Lodge 15 inch skillet*, and make your entire fajita mix in the pan at once!

*The 17 inch skillet would work too, if you have a crowd.

The posted recipe was: Brown sliced sirloin in light olive oil; Season with steak seasoning.

Then add fajita mix* and 1/2 cup water; Add sliced bell peppers and onions. Saute on medium heat until done.

*I assume "fajita mix" is the seasoning mix you can buy in packets at the grocery store.

This way, all the meat and veggies are sauced and tossed together and you can just spoon on the tortillas.

Now, I don't like peppers at all. So, how do you make fajitas without bell peppers?

Simple, I substitute zucchini, tomatoes, mushrooms and garlic cloves. Granted that's not true fajitas, but it works for me!

My first use of the volcano stove

2011-08-15T16:47:00.001-07:00

The volcano stove is hyped as a wonderful tool for outdoor cooking.

It can be fueled with wood, charcoal or propane, and can be used as a stove or as a hibachi style grill.

It's popular among those who cook with a camp oven over coals, because you can remove the grill part and place your camp oven inside.

It's designed to fit the 12 inch camp oven, which is the most commonly used size.

This was my first time using the volcano stove. I used propane as the fuel, using it as a grill for steaks.

In order to use propane with this, you need a special propane attachment, which is sold separately. You need a crescent wrench to attach and detach it.

The steak recipe I used, I discovered at the grocery store, where they were handing out free samples of steak marinated in Pecos 83 BBQ marinade, and seasoned with Adams Reserve Southwest Ancho rub.

I grilled the steaks just as I would on any other grill.

I can't say I'm impressed with the volcano as a propane grill.

It works, and would no doubt be useful in an emergency, but would not be my first choice otherwise.

The flame was difficult to control and there were a lot of flare ups*, contrary to what the product website claims.

*It was later suggested that I adjust the flame on the bottom of the burner. So I tried that, but was never able to get a blue flame**, no matter how I adjusted it.

**Propane burners are supposed to emit a blue flame. Orange flames are cooler and less efficient. The flame was mostly orange, except for one adjustment in which the flame was white.

I closed the vents, which helped with the flare ups, but the flame remained orange.

There are two levers, and both close all the vents at once. Left is closed, right is open.

Now, with steaks, you want the fire to be hot in order to sear the steak. So I wonder if the vents are supposed to be closed when grilling steak?

I haven't tried it as a propane stove yet. My suspicion is that, although it's possible to use as a grill, it's better suited for use as a stove.

But I already have a propane stove.

And I don't like that there's no safe way to light the burner, from the side. You have to stick your hand in there, and I nearly got burned by the flame.

So I removed the propane attachment, which was a disappointment, since I bought this in order to use propane with my camp ovens*.

*Not recommended. Read my article to find out why.

I still intend to try it with my camp oven, since that's supposed to be its niche, but I'll use coals.

It has the advantage of being able to use coals anywhere, since the outside is cool to the touch; It's legal to use in areas where fire is prohibited.

So in other words, this is a glorified fire pit.

The ability to use propane sounded like a great feature, but didn't meet my expectations*.

*The company has offered to replace the propane burner and regulator, so we'll see how that works out.

maple bacon pancakes

2011-08-13T11:44:00.000-07:00

On a website called baconfreak.com, they sell a variety of bacon flavored stuff.

One thing you can get is maple bacon pancake mix, to make maple bacon pancakes.

I quickly discovered that it's basically pancake mix, with bacon bits in it.

So, I could have easily made my own, but it was still fun to try.

I made them this morning on my Lodge cast iron griddle.

You can put all kinds of things in pancakes: bacon bits, pecans, walnuts, small pieces of fruit.

I discovered that the bacon bits made the pancakes much thicker, which is fine with me because I like thick pancakes.

Add more water if you want them thinner; I wouldn't.

sweet and sour wings

2011-08-12T08:18:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from a crock pot cookbook, but I used a 5 quart cast iron pot in the oven at 250.

First you mix the sauce in the pot:

1 cup packed brown sugar, 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 cup beef broth, 1/4 cup white vinegar, then add ketchup, soy sauce, garlic powder, onion flakes, and mustard.

Stir together and heat until thickened. I added a little water to deglaze the pot.

Then added the wings. I used drummettes because I like them better, but you can use whole wings.

Slow roasted covered, for 5 or 6 hours.

They were falling off the bone and tasty!

Grilling fish on the Lodge sportsman's grill

2011-08-10T19:36:00.000-07:00

This is the Lodge Sportsman's grill.

You can grill fish and veggies on this, because the spaces are more narrow than on a conventional grill.

I used it tonight to grill some orange roughy fillets, which I'd never made before.

I was told years ago that "it's great on the grill", so I decided to try it.

You can use a wide variety of seasonings on orange roughy, such as oregano or cajun seasoning. I used lemon pepper, then sprayed on olive oil.

You need a large spatula for grilling fish; Tongs and forks don't work well.

I have to say, orange roughy fillets really are great on the grill!

I also grilled a couple of ears of corn.

That's best done with the corn brushed with olive oil and wrapped in aluminum foil, although some grill it "in the husk".

Practical use of the sportsman's cooker

2011-07-30T18:55:00.001-07:00

This is the Lodge sportsman's cooker. It's no longer made.

It was meant to expand the usefulness of the Lodge sportsman's grill.

As you can see, it fits nicely on two gas stove burners; It wouldn't work well across two electric burners, though.

I never used this pot before, but I was told it makes great baby back ribs.

If you don't have this pot, not to worry-- you can make baby back ribs in any cast iron pot.

Mix 1/2 cup white vinegar, 2/3 cups ketchup, 1 cup sugar*, 1 cup beef broth, worcestershire sauce and onion flakes.

*Brown sugar would work well too.

Put the ribs in a pot and pour the sauce over.

The recipe came from a crock pot cookbook, actually, but I cooked it covered, in the oven at 300.

After 3 hours, increased the temperature to 325.

They were falling off the bone. The only thing that would have made them better was if I had cooked beef ribs, instead of pork.

Practical use of the 17 inch skillet

2011-07-30T11:08:00.000-07:00

This was my first time using the Lodge 17 inch skillet.

The picture is not what I was cooking; I was boiling water in it afterwards, for easier cleanup.

I used it to make "breakfast for everybody". Now, in my house, "everybody" is two people, but I did it all at the same time, in the same skillet.

Six slices of bacon and four eggs fit in this skillet. More could have fit, but there's only two of us.

The bacon went in first, then after they shrunk a little I added the eggs.

I was going to fry the eggs, but the yolks broke, so I just scrambled them.

If I had some potatoes, I'd have cubed them up and thrown them in too.

It was just like the old days, except on a propane burner instead of over a fire.

I thought "ragout" was a spaghetti sauce

2011-07-28T03:39:00.001-07:00

The following recipe is from a "5 ingredient" crock pot cookbook.

I used a cast iron pot*, and it's actually more than 5 ingredients. It's called Beef and Bean Ragout.

*Anything that can be cooked in a crock pot, can be cooked in a cast iron pot, on low heat.

I always thought "ragout", prounounced like Ragu, was spaghetti sauce. Frankly, this turned out to be very similar.

Cut some roast into cubes*. Brown in oil, in the bottom of the pot.

*This was my first time using Adolph's meat tenderizer on anything. I sprinkled it on the meat before I cut it. So far, I like it.

Add a can of roasted garlic diced tomatoes, a can of tomato sauce, half a pack of frozen loose pack hash browns (diced, not shredded), chopped onions, minced garlic, and a can of red kidney beans drained.

The recipe also called for chopped bell peppers; I loathe peppers, so I left them out.

I added some bacon bits too; That wasn't in the recipe.

At first I thought there wouldn't be enough liquid, but the frozen potatoes generated plenty of it.

Let it cook at first on medium, because the potatoes are frozen, then reduce to low.

I added shredded parmesan cheese afterward.

If this wasn't supposed to be spaghetti sauce, it sure was close to it! Spaghetti sauce with added potatoes and beans.

Actually I'd have preferred 93% lean ground beef instead of stew meat. After all, that is how I make spaghetti sauce.

zucchini carrot cake

2011-07-27T15:00:00.000-07:00

The following recipe is from "101 things to do with a dutch oven", and it's specifically for the ultimate dutch oven.

There are three recipes for that dutch oven in this book: sausage spinach wreath, zucchini carrot cake, and chocolate cake.

I don't make desserts very often, and if I did, it probably would not be zucchini carrot cake. The recipe looks good; it's just not something I would pick to make.

I would, however, like to try the chocolate cake recipe.

But for now, I will post the zucchini carrot cake recipe.

Keep in mind, you don't need the ultimate dutch oven for this; A 10 inch camp oven should work fine.

In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup oil, 2 cups sugar, 3 eggs, and 3 tsp vanilla.

Stir in 2 cups shredded zucchini and 1 cup shredded carrots. Add 1 can crushed pineapple with liquid. Mix.

Add 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, and 3 cups flour.*

*If you use self rising flour, you can omit the salt, baking powder and baking soda.

Fold in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts.

Bake at 350 in the oven, or using 10 coals on bottom, 14 on top*. Should take 40 to 50 mins.

*That coal combination is for the ultimate dutch oven; Use the appropriate amount of coals for your size.

For the frosting, mix 8 oz softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup softened butter until smooth.

Add 1 tsp vanilla and 4 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time until blended. Frost cake after it cools.

Now, that's MY kind of salad!

2011-07-27T10:05:00.000-07:00

I'm surveying the cookbook "How to cook everything: The Basics", and found a very simple salad that even I would make.

See, I don't do salad much, because I don't like lettuce. When I do make it, it's a "lettuce free salad".

The salad consists of tomatoes, cubed mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil leaves.

I love tomatoes, I love mozzarella cheese, and I love basil. So I declared, "That's MY kind of salad!"

Personally, I'd spruce it up with some greek olives too, and bacon bits.

So that's what you do with the 5 inch camp oven

2011-07-27T09:39:00.000-07:00

I never sought out a 5 inch camp oven, because I couldn't imagine it being useful for much, except as an outdoor melting pot.

I'm still not going to pay $300 for one, which is the going rate for a Lodge. It's a very hot collector's item.

But after reading this recipe in "101 things to do with a dutch oven", I now understand why it can be useful.

On the other hand, the Lodge 6 inch camp oven is just as useful for the same purpose, and a lot cheaper!

I don't have that one either. So, what is this purpose I discovered?

Making cinnamon rolls. You make your bread in the regular camp oven, and the cinnamon frosting in the tiny camp oven.

In other words, it's an outdoor melting pot.

There are recipes out there specifically for this pot, and eventually I will try them in my 1 quart pot.

I've never made cinnamon rolls, so my first attempt would almost certainly be in the kitchen instead of outdoors, but this recipe looks good.

It calls for a 12 inch camp oven AND a 5 inch camp oven (or 6 inch, if you'd rather save money):

In a bowl, combine 2 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, and 2 tsp baking powder.* Cut in 3/4 cups of shortening.

*Or just use self rising flour.

Add 1/2 cup of milk and mix until dough forms. Roll out to 12 x 16 inches, about 1/4 inch thick.

Grate 3 or 4 apples and place evenly over the top; Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Roll the dough like a jelly roll, and cut into 12 rolls. Place in the large camp oven.

In the small camp oven, melt 1/4 cup butter. Add 2 cups water, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Melt together until smooth. Brush over rolls.

Bake rolls for 30 minutes at 350. If doing this outside, that means 8 coals on bottom, 16 on top.

Similarly, you can make hot buttered rolls by melting butter in the tiny skillet and then brushing over your favorite rolls.

shrimp pasta prepared two ways

2011-07-27T08:21:00.000-07:00

In the cookbook "How to cook everything: The Basics,", there were two recipes for pasta, and I decided to try them both.

The original recipes did not include shrimp; That was my addition.

I boiled linguine in a pot, and sauteed the following two combinations in separate cast iron skillets:

The first was minced garlic, extra virgin olive oil, shrimp, and crushed red peppers.

The second was butter, fresh sage*, and shrimp (no garlic).

*Yes, it does need to be fresh, not dried. It makes all the difference.

Added shredded parmesan cheese to both.

The second was my favorite, by a long shot. I really liked the fresh sage!

The first one needed sprucing up, so I topped with basil pesto. That made it much better.

If I were to do this again, I'd combine the two, and make it with butter, fresh sage, minced garlic, and parmesan cheese.

I later made a modified version with fresh thyme.

My second attempt at potato cakes

2011-07-24T17:15:00.000-07:00

I mentioned in this article that I once tried to make potato cakes out of leftover mashed potatoes, but all I got was a brown crust stuck on the pan and hot mashed potatoes.

I wondered what I had done wrong?

So I tried it a little differently this time.

I sprayed the pan generously with Pam; One batch I cooked cold out of the fridge, and the other batch after the potatoes got to room temperature.

This time, at least the brown crust didn't get stuck to the pan...

It was essentially, a patty of hot mashed potatoes, with a very thin brown crust on the outside.

Every recipe I find, says to cook them while they're still cold. Personally I didn't see any difference between the two.

I'd have liked if they were crispier. I wonder if there's a trick to that, besides maybe cooking them longer?

Or perhaps adding bread crumbs...

my first smoked salmon, first time using the ultimate dutch oven

2011-07-23T16:05:00.000-07:00

This is my first time using the ultimate dutch oven.

I'm using it to smoke salmon outdoors, on a propane burner.

It's on my outdoor cooking table, which is built from cinder blocks and patio stones.

Tonight I discovered a feature of the ultimate dutch oven that I did not realize was there: It has a notch between the lid and pot, to insert a meat thermometer.

I knew the ultimate turkey roaster had one, but didn't realize this one did too.

I smoked some mesquite wood chips in water for about an hour, then put them in the bottom of the pot.

You don't necessarily have to soak them in water; You can soak them in beer, liquor, or other liquid for flavor.

I cut up the salmon fillet into four pieces. I did not season beforehand; I put some black pepper on it afterwards.

I could have used the bottom rack for the fish, but I decided to use the top rack. (I left the bottom rack out).

Turned on the burner, left the lid cracked until it started smoking, then put the lid on.

I checked after about 30 minutes and it was done.

It tasted like smoked salmon. While I normally don't really like smoked meat, I can say that I like smoked salmon.

You can do this in a regular dutch oven; Just use a round cooling rack on top of the wood chips.

Cleaning this pot wasn't nearly as much of a hassle as it was for the turkey roaster, which is a major pain to clean.

So now I have this pot next to my back door. I'll try using it again, and maybe I'll warm up to it.

Two recipes calling for two identical Lodge pans

2011-07-23T12:49:00.000-07:00

This is a Lodge 2 quart casserole dish. It's discontinued.

There's a recipe in "A Skillet Full", which calls for two of these pans; You'll be lucky if you can find one!

Luckily, the Lodge 10 1/4 inch skillet is about 2 quarts, so you can use those for this recipe.

Since I have my own stuffing recipe, and I generally only make stuffing at Thanksgiving, it's not likely I'll be trying this one. So I'll just post it here:

Donny's Dressing

1 stick butter, melted

1/2 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup chopped celery

3 8 oz packages plain stuffing mix

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

1 large can sliced mushrooms

6 hard boiled eggs, chopped

6 cans chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350. Saute onion and celery in a little of the butter.

In a bowl, mix stuffing mix, pecans, mushrooms, sauteed onion an celery, eggs, broth, and remaining butter.

Add additional broth if mixture is not moist enough. Pour into the 2 casserole dishes. Bake 30 to 45 mins.

The next recipe from the same cookbook, calls for two Lodge 10 inch square skillets.

If you don't have two of those, then one square and one round, would work just fine. Or two round skillets!

Once again, I only make stuffing at Thanksgiving, and I have my own recipe, so I probably won't be making this one.

So I'll post it here as well:

Mrs. Reed's cornbread dressing

1 skillet of cornbread (your favorite recipe)

8 cups chicken broth (as much as needed)

1/2 cup chopped green onion

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp sage

6 hard boiled eggs, chopped

Make cornbread and cool. Crumble into a big bowl. Add onions, carrots, parsley, eggs, black pepper and sage.

Stir in enough broth to make a thin mixture.

Pour into greased hot skillets, and bake at 400 for 30 minutes until brown.

two skillet breakfast

2011-07-23T10:40:00.000-07:00

The following recipe is from "A Skillet Full" and it calls for two Lodge 12 inch skillets.

I don't have two regular 12 inch skillets; I used one 12 inch regular, and one 12 inch pro logic.

I halved the recipe, which was still plenty. The recipe is called "egg casserole for a crowd."

It called for chopped dried beef, but I used chopped ham instead.

In one bowl, mix 1/2 pound of chopped ham, some "real bacon" bits, and 1/2 carton of fresh sliced mushrooms.

In another bowl, mix 8 eggs and 1/4 cup evaporated milk.

In one skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter. Whisk in 1/4 cup of flour, then 1/2 cup of milk. Add black pepper. Whisk until it's a creamy gravy.

Turn off heat, mix in ham and mushroom mixture, and set that skillet aside.

In the other skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter and pour in the egg mixture. Scramble the eggs.

When the eggs are done, pour into the first skillet, then top with a few more mushrooms.

Into the oven at 275.

It would have been even better if I had sauteed the mushrooms in olive oil and Worcestershire sauce ahead of time.

The recipe didn't call for shredded cheese, but I bet it would be good, topped with that.

There's no way the whole recipe would fit into one 12 inch skillet, so if you're doing a whole recipe, you'd have to divide it between both of them to bake.

the simmer mat

2011-07-22T20:11:00.001-07:00

This is a simmer mat.

It's not cast iron, and it's not a trivet, although it can be used as one.

It's meant for putting on your gas stove burner, to help diffuse the heat so that the food doesn't burn as much.

I discovered this when I was trying to find a solution to my food burning on the bottom, when I was trying to simmer on my gas stove.

You can use it on electric stoves, too.

Check out their website for more information.

Been looking for recipes for the ultimate dutch oven

2011-07-21T19:07:00.001-07:00

I have an ultimate dutch oven that I have never used, so I would like to put it to use at some point.

So I've been looking for recipes, which aren't very easy to come by.

There used to be an Ultimate Dutch Oven cookbook, but it's been discontinued.

The recipes I do find, I'm quickly realizing that most anything that can be made in the ultimate dutch oven, can be made in a regular pot.

And, if it can be made in a regular pot, it almost always can be made in the ultimate dutch oven.

The other night I made a recipe that came with the manual, but since it was a dessert, I used a smaller pot to make it.

I just can't justify making any dessert, bread, soup or stew in this pot*, when I can more easily make it in a smaller pot.

*You certainly CAN make that stuff in the ultimate dutch oven. I just wouldn't, if I can use a smaller pot that's easier to carry and clean.

Nevertheless, I'm seeking out things that I am willing to try-- mostly meat dishes.

I can see how it would be useful as a small smoker, but smoked meat isn't my favorite.

I am willing to try smoked salmon, since I've never had that. I don't have an ultimate dutch oven recipe for smoked salmon, but I'm sure any recipe will work.

Now, there's one interesting, yet ridiculous looking recipe that I will probably not try, because sausage isn't my favorite thing, and it appears to be a hassle.

It's in the cookbook "101 things to do with a dutch oven", and it specifically calls for the ultimate dutch oven:

Sausage spinach wreath

1/2 pound fresh ground pork, browned and drained

1/2 pound pork sausage, browned and drained

1 package cream cheese, softened

1 can water chestnuts, drained and chopped

1 box Knorr vegetable soup mix

6 oz chopped frozen spinach, thawed

2 green onions, chopped

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

In a bowl, mix all ingredients except pastry, cover, and set aside.

I'm going to skip the fancy complicated stuff you're supposed to do with the pastry to make it into a wreath.

Just cut it in pieces, and lay them on the bottom of the dutch oven rack. It'll be fine.

Place meat mixture in a ring over the puff pastry pieces. Then put some more pieces on top.

I'm pretty sure you could use pie shells in place of the puff pastry.

Place the rack in the preheated dutch oven; Bake at 400 degrees using 15 coals on bottom and 20 on top.

Should take 40 to 50 minutes; check with a meat thermometer and make sure it's 160 degrees.

It's possible I may try the meat mixture itself and make a pork meatloaf. But I wouldn't need the ultimate dutch oven for that either.

This cookbook has three recipes specifically for the ultimate dutch oven: sausage spinach wreath, zucchini carrot cake, and chocolate cake.

skillet pot pie

2011-07-21T18:40:00.000-07:00

I used the last of my ultimate roast to make a pot pie in a skillet.

Pot pie is very simple; You just use your choice of meat, veggies and sauce, between two pie crusts.

I've often used leftover stew, using my stew to pot pie trick.

My veggies always include carrots, mushrooms*, onions, and minced garlic. Celery is optional, so are peas.

*fresh mushrooms. friends don't let friends use canned mushrooms.

You can use potatoes if you want but I usually don't, since it makes it too starchy for me. If the stew contains potatoes, I take them out.

The "sauce" can consist of cream of chicken soup, or you can make your own beef gravy.

Bake in the oven at 350 until done.

"loaf pans are great to cook in!"

2011-07-21T01:30:00.000-07:00

Before I started really cooking, I never saw any need to have a loaf pan; After all, I could buy bread from the store-- why would I need it?

And one day it was suggested to me, whether you plan to make bread or not, "Loaf pans are great to cook in!"

I've talked about using loaf pans in my blog before. I use them for making bread and meatloaf, of course.

I've also used them for precooked frozen turkey loaf, and answered a question about how many pounds of beef fit in a loaf pan.

So besides that, why else are they great to cook in?

It's all about thinking outside the box. You can use them to make side dishes and desserts too.

Anything that can be cooked in a small pot, can be cooked in a loaf pan.

I made cobbler in mine:

Mix 1 cup bisquick with 1/2 cup of milk (more if needed),1/2 cup of sugar, and 2 tbsp melted butter.

Put your fruit in the pan first, then pour the mixture over the fruit. Into the oven at 375.

Lodge had discontinued their loaf pans for a few years, but now they're back by popular demand.

Since it's cast iron, you can use it on the stovetop as well as in the oven.

Old Mountain makes a loaf pan, but the ends are slightly beveled, not straight like a traditional loaf pan.

My first loaf pan was a Sante Cabin because I couldn't get a Lodge one. I kept that one, but sold the Old Mountain one.

Two different Lodge chef platters

2011-07-20T18:33:00.001-07:00

This is a Lodge chef's platter, with a wood underliner.

It's part of their sizzleware serving platter line.

The one pictured above is about 11 x 7 inches.

Recently, Lodge released a second chef's platter, which is 12 x 15 inches and is called the Jumbo chef's platter.

So, don't be confused if you decide to order one; Make sure you're getting the size you want.

They're usually used to keep hot food hot, but you can also chill them in the refrigerator to keep cold food cold.

Actually, you can do that with any cast iron griddle or skillet; I had not realized that.

I don't have either one of the chef platters, and don't anticipate needing one.

I have the special steak platter with the au jus well, which I had written about in a previous article, thinking I would not get one because I didn't need it.

Famous last words.

In any case, if you have a fajita pan or small griddle, you can use it for the same thing.

Lodge divided rectangle mini server

2011-07-20T18:09:00.000-07:00

What on earth do you do with this?

This is the Lodge divided rectangle mini server. It's part of their tableware line.

You can't really cook in it, unless you want to make three brownies or three cornbread squares*.

*A consumer suggested it was "great for mini meatloaves for the kids."

The Lodge website suggests serving three chicken wings, or heating and serving three different types of sauces.

I figured it might be good for serving sushi. But as many sushi places as I've been to, I've never seen it used for that.

I've really never seen it "used" at all.

There's a recipe posted on the Lodge website which can be served using this: Steamed Appetizer Sampler.

Note that you can't COOK it in this pan; you SERVE it in this pan.

I don't have one, don't plan to get one, just thinking about it and wondering what I'd ever use it for.

contest for the Lodge oval mini server

2011-07-20T17:43:00.000-07:00

This is the Lodge 9 oz oval mini server.

It's not to be confused with the new 36 oz oval server, which is bigger.

You can read more about Lodge tableware mini servers here and here.

Now why would I be writing a dedicated article about this little piece of crockery?

Because there's a contest going on right now.

Apparently Lodge mini servers are used in restaurants across the country, although in my years of going to restaurants, I've never seen one.

So if you go to a restaurant and order something served in this particular mini server, take a picture of it and upload it to the Lodge facebook page, along with the recipe.

The best photo and recipe will win FOUR of those oval mini servers.

Personally, I don't even need one, let alone four of them!

The Lodge website says they're "perfect for asparagus tips and mushroom tips".

I'm sure they're great for looking cute when having guests over for dinner.

They are about 6 inches long and 3 inches wide. So if you can picture, that's smaller than a 6 inch skillet, which is plenty small I think.

Again I say, 100% useful for its intended purpose, BUT the small skillets serve the exact same purpose and more.

And the skillets are cute too!

I sold some of my cast iron!

2011-07-20T07:49:00.001-07:00

Yes, it's true. I looked at my cast iron collection and decided I had entirely too much, so I listed some stuff on ebay.

Just a few "non Lodge" pieces that I wasn't using, and probably wasn't going to.

As I've said before, the first to go was the ultimate turkey roaster, for various reasons.

Next to go was my two pie pans. I wasn't using them, and I have two #7 skillets and a 9 inch skillet, which can be used for pie.

I really prefer a handle that I can grab when removing stuff from the oven, so my oven gloves don't get dirty.

And then the Old Mountain loaf pan.

Now, loaf pans are wonderful to cook in, but I really don't need five of them!

Old Mountain got the ax because it's shaped slightly different than a standard loaf; The edges are beveled, instead of straight like a normal loaf pan.

Finally, the four small griddles from Sante Cabin. Brownie skillets, cookie skillets, whatever.

Not because they aren't useful, but because I have plenty of small Lodge pans that are useful for the exact same purposes.

I tried to sell the Old Mountain 4 quart oval pot, but nobody bought it and nobody would take it for free, so I guess I have myself a pot.

There was nothing wrong with it; I just wasn't using it. In fact, I made my most recent pork tenderloin in that pot just so I could say I used it once!

I prefer round pots to oval.

Soon I'm going to sell one of my #9 skillets (11 inch), which is the perfect size I think... but I just don't need two of them.

At some point I'm going to purposely try and use my ultimate dutch oven to see if I want to keep it. I haven't used it yet; haven't had reason to.

Some might say hey, you can't have too much cast iron! Admittedly though, I looked around and thought to myself, yes, I have entirely too much.

My first camp oven dessert

2011-07-20T07:17:00.000-07:00

This is a Lodge camp oven.

Traditionally, smaller sized camp ovens have been used to make desserts, and I made my first camp oven dessert.

Right now there is a burn ban in Midland, so I could not use coals; I just put it in my regular oven at 350.

This recipe came from the manual for the ultimate dutch oven, which is the smaller cousin to the ultimate turkey roaster.

See my earlier article comparing the two.

Even though the recipe came with the ultimate dutch oven, I decided to use a 4 quart Lodge camp oven, which fit the recipe just fine.

The recipe was Cherry Soda Cobbler, but I like strawberry better so I used that.

2 cans of pie filling, 1 yellow cake mix, 1 can of Sprite.

First add the pie filling, then the yellow cake mix, then the Sprite.

Into the oven at 350. I checked on it after 30 minutes and left it in a little longer, until I could smell it.

It was good, except that I completely forgot the cool whip. Never forget the cool whip!

I think next time I will use only ONE can of pie filling, or perhaps frozen strawberries.

The cake mix I used was Duncan Hines.

recycled ultimate roast

2011-07-20T07:14:00.000-07:00

I made enough of the ultimate roast last night to have it another night.

But I decided it needed some sprucing up, so I strained the liquid, put it in a skillet and made a gravy out of it with wondra flour.

Then I added bacon bits to the gravy.

Poured it back onto the roast and veggies. It was quite good!

There's still some left. I'll probably make a pot pie out of the rest.

can you make brown n serve rolls in a french roll pan?

2011-07-19T16:31:00.000-07:00

This is a french roll pan.

I wondered if those brown n serve rolls that I like so much, could be made in this pan.

They come in packs of 12, and there are 12 spaces for rolls.

So I put one in each space; Since they were a bit narrow, I laid them on their side.

They came out perfect!

Curved bottoms on baking pans allow for better air circulation underneath, so you don't have a flat overcooked bottom.

So... yes, you can make brown n serve rolls in this pan!

recipe calling for two 10 inch skillets?

2011-07-18T18:50:00.000-07:00

This recipe caught my eye, for the very reason that it calls for two Lodge 10 1/4 inch skillets.

Normally I'd be tempted to try it out for that reason alone. I only have one of those skillets, but there are others that I can easily substitute for the other, such as the Lodge square skillet.

But because I loathe peppers of any kind, I'm not a fan of "mexican cornbread" which is what this recipe is.

So I'll just post the recipe without trying it out myself, OK?

It's from the cookbook "A Skillet Full".

"Mexican Cornbread for a crowd"

4 tbsp cooking oil, divided

3 cups white self rising cornmeal

1 1/2 cups plain flour

2 tbsp sugar

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup finely chopped bell pepper

1/2 cup diced pimentos

2 or 3 Jalepeno peppers, finely chopped

1 2/3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 15 oz can cream style corn

1/2 cup cooking oil

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 cup sour cream

3 eggs, beaten

Put 2 tbsp oil in each skillet and place in oven while preheating to 400.

Mix cornmeal, flour, and sugar. Add onion, bell pepper, pimento, jalepeno peppers. Stir carefully.

Add cheese, corn, cooking oil, buttermilk, sour cream, and eggs. Mix well.

Divide into hot skillets. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until done.

Apparently you can also use a Lodge bundt cake pan, but those are no longer made and hard to find.

Good to know, though, that two skillets can be substituted for recipes that call for a bundt pan.

Ultimate Roast

2011-07-18T18:12:00.000-07:00

Ultimate Roast is the final recipe in the manual that came with the ultimate turkey roaster.

I've already tried the other recipes, which were for ultimate veggies, yankee ribs, and cornish hen.

Since I no longer have my turkey roaster, I used the Lodge 7 quart pro logic pot. I think it was my first time using that pot!

I seasoned the roast with Lawry's seasoned salt with cracked pepper. Melted butter in the pot, and browned the roast.

Added quartered red potatoes, baby carrots, onion quarters, whole mushrooms, a few corn cobs, minced garlic, 1/2 can of Coke*, and more seasoning**.

*I wonder how it would have tasted with beer instead of Coke?

**I should have added bacon bits. That would have been tasty! Whole garlic cloves could also be used, instead of minced.

Covered the pot, into the oven at 300.

After 2 hours it wasn't done yet, so I upped the temperature to 350. Although it's always better to cook roast "low and slow".

After it was done, I added Worcestershire sauce for flavor.

When I was eating it, I added "bacon salt", which gave me the idea that I should have added bacon bits. It was my first time trying "bacon salt" on anything.

Check out my spruced up version of the leftovers!

Having tried every recipe in the manual, I can now discard it, since I no longer have the pot.

I conclude that there's nothing you can cook in the ultimate turkey roaster, that you can't cook in any large cast iron pot.

I do acknowledge that the convection cone speeds up the cooking process, as the recipes do take longer than stated in the manual. But, it was cumbersome and such a pain to clean.

At first I thought I might regret getting rid of it; I don't have any regrets, nor am I sorry I tried it out.

I do still have the ultimate dutch oven and plan to try that out eventually.

The 10 inch camp oven lid fits on a 5 qt dutch oven

2011-07-16T18:30:00.000-07:00

Some people want a camp oven without legs, which Lodge does not sell.

Pictured above is the Lodge 10 inch camp oven lid, on a Lodge 5 quart dutch oven.

As you can see, it fits.

Note that the 12 inch camp oven lid will NOT fit on the 7 quart dutch oven, even though they are both 12 inches.

This is because the 7 quart dutch oven has 2 pour spouts on either side. So, it will not make the proper seal required with dutch ovens.

The pro logic 7 quart pot does not have the pour spouts; I tried the 12 inch camp oven lid on that one, and it "sort of" fits, but again, not with a proper seal.

So, if you want to have a pot with a flat lid, but no legs, then the 10 inch camp oven lid with the 5 quart pot, is the combination you want.

If you want a bigger pot with a flat lid and no legs, then I don't know what to tell you, except to buy a camp oven and cut the legs off with a grinder.

high desert cornish game hens

2011-07-16T17:20:00.000-07:00

The following recipe is modified from the manual that came with the ultimate turkey roaster.

I don't have my ultimate turkey roaster anymore, so I used a 5 quart cast iron pot.

First you have to make the stuffing:

Chop a sweet yellow onion and cook down in olive oil, in a cast iron skillet.

Put the onions in a bowl, along with wheat bread broken into 2 inch pieces, and a can of cream of chicken soup.

Add sage and "grub rub" seasoning*. Mix.**

*Grub Rub is an all purpose seasoning available in my local store; you can order it online.

**The recipe called for Camp Chef Sidewinder wing seasoning, which I do not have. So I used grub rub.

The recipe called for stuffing the hens with this mixture, but I baked it separately in a skillet.

Coat the cornish hens with "grub rub" and sage. Spray with olive oil Pam. Place in a cast iron pot, in the oven at 350.

I removed the stuffing when it was done, after about 45 minutes.

After an hour and a half, the hens still weren't quite done, so I took the lid off and roasted another 30 minutes. It helped to brown the skin.

I have to say, the stuffing and the birds were quite good.

Next I'm going to try the final recipe in the manual, which is ultimate roast.

Previously I tried the other two recipes which were ultimate veggies and yankee ribs.

Lodge dutch ovens with spiral bail handles

2011-07-16T13:03:00.000-07:00

This is a Lodge indoor dutch oven with a spiral bail handle.

The 9 quart dutch oven ONLY comes with this handle.

But the 5 and 7 quart dutch oven can come with this handle, or with 2 side loop handles.

The difference amounts to personal preference; The loop handles make it easier to handle the pot in and out of the oven.

The bail handle is for hanging your pot over a fire, of course. The spiral in the middle is for comfort when lifting.

The pots with the loop handles are cheaper than the ones with the bail handles, so if you don't plan to cook over a fire...

Isn't it ironic, that I would call a pot with a spiral bail handle, an "indoor pot"?

I refer to pots without legs as "indoor pots" because they can be used in your indoor kitchen, in the oven or on the stove.

As opposed to "outdoor pots" with legs to be used over coals.

But I recognize that if you're using this pot over a fire, then it becomes an outdoor pot!

The griswold #9 dutch oven

2011-07-15T15:18:00.000-07:00

This is a Griswold #9 dutch oven. Why is that so important?

For the past couple of years, I've been searching for a 6 quart pot for indoor use, in regular cast iron.

In this article, I lamented that Lodge makes a 6 quart enameled pot, and a 6 quart camp oven, but NOT a regular 6 quart pot, in regular cast iron.

And neither does anybody else!

Now, why was that so important? Because I had a pot in every quart size, EXCEPT 6; I could not find one.

Thirty years ago, Lodge did make a 6 quart pot; The model number was 9DO. If you find one of those, it's very rare.

And twenty years ago, they made a 6 quart flat bottomed straight kettle, which I've been looking for, and have not found.

So I saw this Griswold pot on ebay. It was a #9. Pots used to be sold by model number, not volume.

So, since the Lodge 6 quart pot was a #9, I guessed that the Griswold 6 quart pot was also a #9. It was a gamble, but I had to try it out.

At first I did a visual check next to my 5 quart pot. My face fell, because they looked nearly the same.

Then came the water test; Indeed, 6 quarts of water filled this pot.

So, if you're looking for a 6 quart cast iron pot, suitable for indoor use... The Griswold #9 is the one you want.

The Lodge 36 oz tableware server

2011-07-14T17:47:00.001-07:00

This is the Lodge 36 oz tableware server.

It's not to be confused with the Lodge oval mini server, which is only 9 oz.

I wrote about it in this article, although I did not have a picture of it, nor had I actually seen one.

The picture makes it appear smaller than it really is; It's about the size of a standard fajita pan.

At 36 oz, it's slightly over 1 quart. So it can also be considered a 1 quart casserole dish.

And as an 8x8 square baking pan is approximately 1 1/2 quarts, you can make most recipes that call for a square baking pan, in this dish-- such as this recipe.

Recently, Lodge put out a contest: Whoever submitted the best BBQ sauce recipe, won this item for free.

As I've never personally made BBQ sauce, I did not enter this contest. I should have found a recipe and tried it out, but I didn't.

The mini servers are meant for tiny servings of appetizers or desserts, but this server is big enough for a small meal.

my first borscht

2011-07-14T17:14:00.000-07:00

Borscht is a Russian soup.

I got this recipe from a "5 ingredient" cookbook.

It was pretty simple, really.

I browned beef cubes in cooking oil, in a cast iron skillet before transferring to the pot; The original recipe did not include that step.

With the beef cubes, I added a can of beets (two would have been better), a jar of red cabbage, an envelope of Lipton onion soup mix, and some beef broth.

The original recipe called for water; Broth is always better.

I had trouble finding the jar of red cabbage; It was by the kosher foods in the grocery store. I figured it would be by the sauerkraut, but it wasn't.

Apparently you can also add onions, carrots and potatoes, but this recipe didn't include those ingredients.

Serve topped with sour cream.

Since I'm from South Louisiana and we eat rice with our soups and stews, I cooked some rice to pour it over.

This "5 ingredient" cookbook appears to be too simple for me, but I still can get ideas from it.