Cast Iron Inspiration

On Saturday mornings, our cast iron skillet is a member of the family. We’re creating a legacy of memorable meals with this indispensable kitchen tool. We’re not chefs, but my husband and I follow some great recipes for mouthwatering temptations like Granny’s pancakes, Tyler’s Ultimate French Toast, and oven roasted rosemary potatoes to name a few.

Zac was thrilled when I suggested buying a cast iron skillet a few years ago. I had just watched Tyler Florence whip up an amazing breakfast in a pan that belonged to his Grandma and I was inspired to start cooking in a pan that I could one day pass down to my future generations. Although I often joke that I’m lucky that my Mother didn’t teach me how to cook, it was important for me to learn how to cook well so that I can teach my girls. I’ve learned a lot from The Food Network and a lot from stumbling through recipes to improve as I go.

Our kitchen has been a work in progress since we moved this summer. My husband immediately set to work on an amazing redesign and built a kitchen that I never would have even dreamed of using. He’s rounding out the finishing touches and I’m finally starting to feel at home in front of the stove. (What can I say, the barefoot and pregnant thing worked for me?) Prior to moving, I did a ton of research on which stove to purchase for his masterpiece. Induction stoves piqued my interest, but they required all new pots and pans and were more expensive. I debated getting a hybrid stove for a time and easily nixed gas from our options to avoid having a tank on the side of the house. Finding out the dangers of cooking with non-stick pans sealed the deal for an induction stove. We found a great deal on the appliance and I ordered a reasonably priced (under $200) set of stainless steel cookware from a wholesale club. Happily, all the cast iron cookware works on the stove as well.

Although there has been a learning curve for some of my recipes, I’ve actually made quite a few stellar meals on the stove. We’re all eagerly anticipating a visit from Zac’s Granny for Christmas and I can’t wait to spend some quality time in the kitchen with her. She’ll be so proud of her Grandson’s hard work that she might just divulge a few of the secret family recipes.