I inherited cast-iron skillets, what do I do now?

Hello dear readers!

Well, it was my birthday last week and my mother sent me two of her beautiful cast-iron pans that have been in our family for years.  This gift was pre-arranged and discussed (I mentioned that I wanted them).  I patiently waited to see what this "surprise" would be.  Would the cast-iron skillets need to be restored? Will I ruin them?  What meals do I remember my mom making in them?  What should I make in them?

I was so excited that I must have mentioned that I was getting these pans to everyone I met. 

And the people I talked to had stories to tell: from having them ruined by helpful guests who zealously cleaned the pans with soap, to just forgetting about them - only to find them later rusty and ruined, to searching for pans in vintage stores to try and restore them back to their former beauty.

The pans that my mom sent me are beautifully seasoned.  Their patina are perfectly black.  I suspect, knowing my mom, that she probably dressed them up a bit prior to sending them to me, but perhaps not.

Given that my mom was a busy working woman her whole life, I somewhat expected a disaster to arrive in the mail. I expected to need to restore them and not be able to use them right away. Since these are in such good condition the restoration project has been diverted.  Thanks, Mom!

They arrived perfectly seasoned and ready to go.  Now what?  A bit of fear ran through my body.  Most of my cooking experience is with using woks, sheet pans and my Le Creuset Dutch ovens. What do I do now?

I texted my mom - so what do I make with these?  She quickly texted me back several ideas.  I have to admit, I am a little nervous having these heirlooms.

There are online-only classes you can take from Craftsy to teach you cooking tips and more, please take a look at Craftsy. 

Part of the fun of receiving an heirloom cast-iron skillet is to try and look up its history and learn where it might be from. 

Most likely my mom’s skillet on the right was made in the 1960’s or shortly thereafter.  It clearly shows that it was made in the USA. The 1960s was about the time when the there were new trade requirements for manufacturers to identify the country of origin on their pieces.

According to this article, if a pan has one or more notches in the heat ring, it is likely a vintage Lodge.

My kitchen is small and my townhouse has an open loft style.  The smoke alarm is too close to where my stove is and our exhaust system is just what is attached to the microwave hung above the range.  

I have been begging my husband to just remove the microwave (we never use it) so we can put in a hood exhaust system; because when I cook, I like to get things hot and sometimes smoke happens. 

My husband has made some comments about these pans: "So should we expect the smoke alarm to be going off when you use those skillets?" or "Should I be ready and waiting to shut the alarms off?" (Just ignore him! He means well and supports my numerous projects!)

So what to cook? 

Epicurious warns what not to cook, which is pretty much anything with acid.  No tomatoes, no vinegar, nothing sweet (although one of the ladies I discussed skillets with told me she that has two: one for sweet recipes and one for savory, which I thought was a pretty good idea) and nothing too delicate, like a flaky white fish.

There is nothing delicate about these pans!  They are heavy.  When I was asking people about their stories and memories about cast-iron pans and skillets, I heard many colorful, funny and sometimes alarming examples of what not to do with these pans.  Some of these stories didn't involve cooking!

My first attempt to cook with these pans will be simple pan-seared filet mignon, with a side dish using my mini Le Creuset cocottes.  I will toss a salad in my new wooden salad bowl that I bought for my birthday last weekend while we were in Sonoma, Ca.

These days, I am cooking for just two, but one of my daughters will be home soon from college for the summer.  I think she has some meals on her wish list. 

If you are interested in shopping for your next heirloom cast-iron pans to pass on you your future generations, try Milo or  Kerekes kitchen & Restaurant Supplies. 

I will update this blog with the results! Stay tuned and please share your family stories with me. 

Last Minute Holiday Ideas To Keep Your Season Sane

Need something quick for a Holiday Exchange?  Would you like to stop by the neighbors to say hello and drop off a thoughtful and tasty gift?  Want to offer a small treat to thank your co-workers? In need of a quick host or hostess gift?

Here are some ideas I gathered. Cheers!

Rum and Coke! This cost me about $20 and that includes our Washington state liquor tax.

Bring Holiday Cheer!

Wine and beer are gifts that can make a party festive and fun!

A little booze can be a great ice-breaker for the season. Dress up bottles for a quick gift idea to add something special under the tree or to take to a party.  Please check out my alcohol themed ideas to get the holidays started.

Bark, The Herald Angels Sing! Fa La La La etc...

Holiday bark is a quick and easy treat to give to your friends and family.

The trick to making bark is to not make them too thick. They break easier and are less "fudgie" tasting. You also need to watch when you are melting white chocolate, because it melts at a different time and temperature than dark chocolate.  Here is a link about how to melt white chocolate that you can read before trying these recipes that have a bigger bark than their bite.

Quick Ideas for the Host or Hostess

Keeping things simple is smart when hosting during the holidays.

Holiday are a busy time and calendars fill up fast with all the parties and get-togethers.  Here are some ideas for appetizers and gifts that are easy to make, so you don't show up empty-handed.

Mason Jar Gift Ideas

Mason jars are a pretty way to present gifts to all your Jar Heads.

Homemade gifts can be put in a mason jar or recycled glass to look nostalgic and crafty.  Every year, my mom makes sugar nuts, she can just put them in a jar, tie a ribbon tied around it - and call it good.  You can also make caramel sauce, which is nice to have on hand.  Warm caramel sauce can be drizzled over pancakes or poffertjes (Dutch pancakes) to please kiddos on Christmas morning. Get gift ideas that you can put a lid on.

It's Starting to Look like Christmas!

Simple ideas can add a festive flair.

I love the holidays, but my job keeps me busy and I have to keep my decorating and shopping to a minimum.  Next time you are at the grocery store, pick up holly, cinnamon and other ingredients to make your home festive and smell nice.

Let's Wrap It Up!

Items found in nature are an inexpensive resource to make environmental friendly packaging.

Why do mummies like Christmas so much?  Because it is all about the wrapping.  I tend to love the wrapping more than the gifts, however, as the season carries on, wrapping gifts can start to feel overwhelming.  Don't get too wrapped up and keep it simple.  Here are some quick and easy ideas to wrap the season up!

Dear readers, please send me your ideas on ways to keep the holidays sane and simple.

Happy Holidays!