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Editorial
Hello ,
Hi there and welcome to the next edition of the HBHW newsletter. Last week I promised you a new cookbook and it is ready - The Hillbilly Housewife's Cast Iron Cookbook. The first reviews are in and so far I am happy to report that everyone seems to like it just
as much as I have enjoyed putting it together for you. In this week's issue, I'm sharing one of the recipes from the book along with some tips on seasoning and re-seasoning your favorite cast iron pans. I love this week's inspirational quote and inspirational image. Don't forget to join us on the HBHW FB page to share recipes, tips and of course talk about cast iron cooking. On the home front there isn't much news to report. Our garden is growing well and
we're busy wrapping up the school year. My grandmother is back in the hospital. She fell and broke her arm and cheekbone. I would love to be able to go visit her this summer. All funds raised from the Cast Iron cookbook sale will go towards buying a plane ticket. I'd appreciate it very much if you could order a copy here: http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/ebooks/cast-iron.htm Until next week, Susanne - The Hillbilly Housewife
www.HillbillyHousewife.com |
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"Cast iron is so superior for cooking utensils to our modern aluminum that I not only cannot grieve for the pioneer hardship of cooking in iron over the hearth, but shall retire if necessary to the back yard with my two Dutch ovens, turning over all my aluminum cookers for airplanes with a secret
delight." Majorie Kinnan Rawlings, 'Cross Creek' (1942)
Featured Recipe of the Week |
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Cast Iron Skillet French Toast
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/ebooks/cast-iron.htm
In a large, shallow bowl, mix together eggs, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla until well combined. Warm cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Lightly grease with butter. Dip pieces of bread one at a time. Immerse and coat both sides. Don't soak too long or it'll get soggy and fall apart. Just dip it briefly so it gets immersed. Soak only as many slices as you will be cooking at one time. Place the
soaked bread in the greased skillet. Cook the bread on both sides until a light golden brown. Arrange the cooked French toast on plates and dust with powdered sugar. Add syrup to taste.
A Few Related
Recipes
You're welcome to share the recipe on Pinterest, Facebook etc. I'm also sharing a lot of recipes on the HBHW Facebook page. Click on through to check it out. As always, likes, comments and shares are much appreciated.
:)
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Kindle News
35 Simple and Tasty Chicken Crockpot Recipes I love my crockpot. There are quite a few days when I couldn't put a home-cooked meal together without it. It's so easy and convenient to dump everything in the pot in the morning, turn it on and then go about my day. When dinner time rolls around,
the food is ready to eat and after dinner there's only one pot to clean up. Chicken is perfect for crockpot cooking. Buy it on sale and throw it in your freezer. You can change out different cuts of chicken. For example, if a recipe calls for chicken breast, but thighs are on sale at your grocery store that particular week, feel free to use them instead. |
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The Hillbilly Housewife Recommends
I'm a big fan of cast iron skillets and use mine several times a week. Sadly cooking with and caring for these wonderful skillets is becoming a bit of a lost art. They have been replaced by so called "non-stick" pans, but if you ask me, there's nothing better to cook in than a well-seasoned cast iron skillet. That's why I've put together a new little cookbook full of recipes perfect for cooking in your favorite cast iron skillet along with
some helpful tips on choosing and caring for your cast iron cookware. You'll also find a helpful FAQ section in the eBook http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/ebooks/cast-iron.htm To spread the love of Cast Iron Cooking, the Cookbook is on sale this week for $2.50. http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/ebooks/cast-iron.htm |
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Frugal Fun on Facebook
We're having a lot of fun talking about all things frugal and homemaking on Facebook. Join in the discussion at the Hillbilly Housewife Facebook page. Be sure to like the page so you don't miss a thing. Here's just one of this week's topics. |
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Sad Tale Of A Once Perfectly Seasoned Cast Iron Pan
This is the tale of a perfectly seasoned cast iron frying pan. If you own any cast iron cookware, you know what a pan looks like and cooks like when it's been seasoned and used with love for years. You may also know that sometimes the pan takes a beating and has to be re-seasoned. My friend Patti Winker of RemarkableWrinklies.com has such a pan. She loves cooking old fashioned meals in old fashioned ways. She has even gathered together over 400 recipes from the "good ol' days" and put them in a cookbook. Be sure to check it out by clicking here: Memory Lane Meals Just to show you what a lovely pan Patti had, here's a picture of the pan
taken some months ago for an article she was writing. Beautiful isn't it. |
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The sad turn of events was innocent enough. My friend had cooked a little breakfast early one day in her beloved cast iron skillet, and after eating, set the pan in her empty sink to cool it down enough so she could wash it up a little. Well, the day progressed as days often do and, getting busy with her normal routine, she forgot about the pan.
That wouldn't have been a problem, except she was then called over to her daughter's house for an evening of catching up on some fun cooking shows, and decided to spend the night. Okay, still not a problem just letting the pan sit there, unless you happen to have a husband come home in between... a husband who cooks himself a little dinner. That sweet man decided to do his wife a favor. After washing his own dishes, he thought he'd give that cast iron pan sitting there,
now with stuck-on food, a good soaking. So, filling it with a good dose of dish soap, some cleanser, and hot water, he went to bed. And that is where my friend found her pan when she got home the next morning. Even as she walked up to the sink, she said the smell of iron and cleanser hit her nose. She knew the pan had been soaked into oblivion. As she carefully washed it, she could see the seasoning was peeling away, and once it started, it was too late. She
had to scrub it raw and start over.
Featured Article of the Week |
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How To Season and Re-Season Cast Iron Cookware
The following is a small excerpt from "The Hillbilly Housewife's Cast Iron Cookbook". It's the most frequent question I get about cooking with cast iron skillets. Over time, cast iron cookware develops a thin protective coating known as "seasoning" from the natural fats and oils associated with the
cooking process. This coating fills in all the nooks and crannies inherent in the pan metal to create a smooth, uniform surface. This seasoning is what gives cast iron cookware its wonderful non-stick quality. Today, most new cast iron cookware comes with this protective coating or "seasoning" already on them. If the package has "pre-seasoned" printed on it, your new pan should be ready for use because the manufacturer has already completed the initial seasoning process for
you. When you buy a brand new pre-seasoned cast iron skillet, all you need to do is rinse it out in hot water and dry completely by placing on your cooktop over medium-high heat. Make sure the entire surface is dry before putting away because cast iron can and will rust if water is left sitting on its surface. After cooking, once the pan cools to the touch, rinse it under hot water while using a dishcloth or soft-bristled nylon brush to remove cooked-on particles. Also avoid using
any harsh soaps, detergents, or metal scouring pads and scrapers as these items can damage or remove the seasoning. How to Re-Season Your Cast Iron Skillet If your seasoned cast iron cookware loses its sheen for whatever reason, you may need to re-season it to get it back into tip-top shape. |
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Please don't forget to "Pin" these articles and posts when you head to the Hillbilly Housewife website to read more. It helps get the word out about the site and the newsletter. Thank you! |
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A Little Something Inspirational...
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Final Thought
That's it from me for this week. I'll be busy wrapping up the latest HBHW cookbook. With a little luck it will be ready later this week. I'm also doing my best to be active on the HBHW Facebook page. I hope you stop by and say hello. I hope you have a productive rest of the week as well and wonderful weekend.
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