Hellomy Foodie Friends!
Happy New Year in 2023. Making New Years’ resolutions and resolving to change and improve yourself and your life is an almost unavoidable part of the transition to a new year. One definition of the word resolution is: “a promise to yourself that you will make a serious effort to do something that you should do.”
However, it is important to remember that the New Year isn’t meant to serve as a catalyst for sweeping character changes. It is a time for people to reflect on their past years’ behavior and promise to make positive lifestyle changes. For some people, that might mean to start cooking, period. For others, it might mean to stop eating out so much and get back into the kitchen. For still others, it might mean finally tackling that challenging recipe you’ve always meant to try but have never had the motivation or nerve.
Why should you cook? Cooking is good. Cooking is pure. Cooking is one of those human things you can do that will improve almost every aspect of your life, and there’s nothing quite like the feeling of having mastered some dish where you know you could make it blindfolded if you had to. Just about anything you concoct in a kitchen is going to be healthier for you than what you might order in a restaurant, even if it’s the cheesiest, most pepperoni-laden pizza you can dream up.
Consider using cast iron for the hearty winter dinner recipes you make this year. Cast iron has had a resurgence in demand. These pans are extremely versatile and can last a lifetime. Everything from frying eggs, cooking a stew and baking a pie can be done in a cast iron pan. With a little care, these pans can become a hand-me-down family heirloom. Owning one can open up a whole new world of cooking, and the flavor that a cast iron pan can add to food is amazing.
In order to be successful when using cast iron, you have to know how to care for it, basically what to do and what not to do to your pans. If you treat them right, they will be so easy to cook with and will quickly become your go-to pan. First, season your pan. Seasoning is basically oiling the pan to give it a nonstick surface and prevent rusting. Even though most pans are sold “pre-seasoned,” you’ll still want to season it before its first use. Give your new pan a good rinse with plain old water and then heat it on the stove over medium heat. Once the pan is warm, add a small amount of oil. Using a cloth, work the oil all around the inside bottom and sides of the pan. Give it a good coat, about a teaspoon for a 10-12 inch skillet, but not so much that there is standing oil in the pan. Then let it cool to room temp. You’ll want to repeat this process a few more times until the surface is glossy, but not sticky. and if needed, scrub lightly. A properly seasoned pan is naturally nonstick; however, if there is stuff stuck to the pan, you can scrape it and scrub with a hard bristle brush. After washing or scrubbing if necessary, make sure to fully towel dry your pan to prevent rusting.
Our favorite and best-selling cast iron is Lodge. Lodge is pre-seasoned cast iron cookware so they begin the seasoning process for you. Lodge provides the pre-seasoned cookware with no synthetic chemicals; just soy-based vegetable oil. The more you use your cast iron, the better the seasoning becomes. Lodge is MADE IN THE USA and has been making cast iron cookware in South Pittsburg, Tennessee since 1896. With over 120 years of experience, their cast iron is known for its high-quality design, lifetime durability, and cooking versatility and is FAMILY-OWNED.
For 2023, cook something new each week. Everyone wants to eat healthier in the New Year, but you should also try to eat more diverse foods. After all, variety is the spice of life. This year, choose an easy dinner recipe you’ve never tried before at least once a week. Sing, dance, play music really loud, and have fun eating your very own creation. Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place, for the cool tools to help make your cooking resolutions a reality. Remember my Foodie Friends; “Life Happens in the Kitchen.” Wishing all a Happy New Year for 2023,
Take Care,
John & Paula
