Cookin with my cast iron

I recently bought a cast iron skillet(when i say recent i mean today.  Its a lodge cast iron 12", its huge and i only paid $12 for it!  I've wanted one but just couldn't bare to pay the price for a new one-thank goodness for thrift stores.  Anywho, time to time i come across a recipe that looks awesome but cant make because it requires a cast iron skillet/etc.  Well, here are two that i've been saving till i could get my hands on one.

  Queenie's Peach cobbler

• 1 stick of butter
• 1 C sugar
• 1 C flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 C whole milk
• 1 can sliced peaches, don't drain     
• I personally like some cinnamon in my mixture...so im going to add 1 tsp cinnamon

Melt butter in skillet.  In separate bowl mix sugar, flour, salt, powder, and milk.  Pour mixture into prepared skillet and add peaches.

Bake @ 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.
from: www.cookingincastiron.com 
image

Nectarine brown butter buckle
from here 

3/4 cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter, plus additional for greasing pan
1 1/2 cups (6 3/4 ounces) all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of allspice
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
2 large eggs
2/3 cup whole milk or buttermilk
1 1/2 pounds nectarines, halved, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch thick wedges (about 4 cups)
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Streusel
Reserved butter from cake (above)
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) sugar
1/2 cup (2 1/4 ounces) all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Brown your butter: Melt butter in a small/medium saucepan over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Keep your eyes on it; it burns very quickly after it browns. Set aside and let cool (the fridge will hasten this along).
Prepare you pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 10-inch round cake pan, springform or cast iron skillet with parchment paper and butter the paper and rest of the pan generously; set aside.
Make the cake: Whisk flour, baking powder, salt and allspice in medium bowl to blend. In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup cooled browned butter (set aside remaining 1/4 cup for topping), sugar and then eggs, one at a time. Stir in milk or buttermilk. Stir dry ingredients into this wet mixture; mix until just combined and spread batter in prepared pan. Toss nectarine wedges with lemon juice and arrange them in a single layer on top of the batter.
Make the streusel and bake the cake: Stir remaining brown butter, sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt together until large crumbs form. Sprinkle the nectarine-topped batter with crumbs. Bake until top is golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs, about 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes before flipping out onto a cooling rack.

the most blogged about by Nie of famous oreo cookie recipe

Taken from: Cjanes blog


oreo cookies
(a la julie)



1 package of devil's food cake mix
2 eggs
3/4 cup of shortening

blend all together at once.

roll soft dough in small balls
on a cookie sheet.
(don't press down,
keep balls intact before baking)

bake at 350 degrees
for 8 minutes
(don't you dare over-bake)


frosting for the middle:

8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 stick of butter
2 tsp. vanilla
2 to 4 c. powdered sugar
mix until smooth.

when cookies are cool:
frost backs of cookies
and make sandwich with another cookie.


but the real test is "are they really considered homemade if its from a box?".

No.

so i did find this one:

chocolate cookies

1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda

Whisk together. In separate bowl, whisk together:

1 cup butter (If you use unsalted (why?) add 1/8 tsp salt)
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs

Combine. Drop small cookies onto greased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes at 350. Move to wire rack after they’ve cooled.

Whipped Cream Cream Cheese Frosting

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

Whip until quite stiff (but not quite butter-like). In separate bowl, beat:

1 (8 ounce) pkg cream cheese (I use Neufchatel, because I am extremely calorie-conscious)
1 cup white sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture. If too soft, refrigerate for a bit (and next time whip the cream more before folding, and don’t over-fold). Assemble cookies, or just scoop a large dollop of frosting onto a cookie en route to your mouth



now you tell me which one you like best. Please share if you've made both and which you prefer. thx

picture found here

Betty's Graham Cracker Crust

Prep: 10 minutes Chill: 1 hour

need:

1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup- sugar
1 1/2 cups finely crushed grapham crackers**(see below)



1. Melt butter; stir in sugar. Add crushed crakers; toss to kix well. spread evenly into a 9 inch pie plate. press onto bottom and sides to form a firm,l0 99,. even crust. Chill about 1 hr or till firm. (or bake in a 375 degree oven for 4-5 minutes, then cool.) Makes 8 servings.

**Tip:

put crackers in plastic bag,zip shut and with rolling pin crush it.

pic from here

Scrumptious Sweet Potato Pie

Saw this on a box by Betty Crocker

Makes 2 9in pies

Need:

1 Box Betty Crocker(r) sweet potato casserole

2 Cups water

1 1/4 Cups milk

1/3 Cup marg or butter

1 box (15oz) Pillsbury(r) refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

1 3/4 cups milk

3/4 Cup packed light brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp vanilla

5 eggs, slightly beaten

1. heat oven to 375 degrees F. Set Pecan Strusel Topping aside. In 3-quart saucepan, heat 2 cups water, 1 1/4 cups milk and 1/3 cup marg/butter to a rapid boil. Remove from heat. Stir in both pouches Sweet Potatoes with Seasoning until well blended. Pour into large bowl.



2. Place pie crusts in two 9-inch glass pie plates as directed on box for One-Crust Filled Pie.



3. With wire whisk, beat 1 3/4 cups milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla into sweet potato mixture. Beat in eggs until well blended. Divide mixture evenly between pie crusts. Cover edges of both crusts with strips of foil.



4. Bake 25 min. Sprinkle Pecan Streusel Topping evenly over tops of pies. Bake an additional 20-25 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean. Cool completely, about 2 hrs. Serve w/ whipped cream and sprinkle with additional cinnamon, if desired.

high altitude (3500-6500 ft): increase 2nd bake time to 25-30 min.

Upgrade

Wanna upgrade or "dress to impress" with out all the hassle and stress? What I am talking about are simple alternatives to upgrade your average boring foods of convenience to foods of spectacularity!!! Oh yeah, lets get started shall we?

Boring Frozen pizza?



spruce it up with this:



w/ Pesto and ricotta by "gently spreading 1/2 C store-bought pesto over the frozen pizza. Dollop w/1 C ricotta and cook the pizza according to the package directions."


not bad eh? Intrigued? You want me to continue? oh okay, thats what I thought,,,,


Boring Chicken Noddle soup from a can or what not?



spruce it up with this:



make into tortilla soup by bringing to a simmer in medium saucepan. "Add 1 C frozen(or non) corn kernels and 1 tsp hot sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, just until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes(vary). Scoop into bowls and serve with 1 cut-up avocado and 2 C tortilla chips."


~or~



spruce it up:


White beans and Kale



"In a med saucepan, bring the soup to a simmer. Add 1/2 bunch kale, leaves torn into 2 inch pieces(about 4 C.), and cook stirring occasionally, until just tender, 6 - 8 minutes. Stir in one 15.5 oz can rinsed cannellini beans and cook until heated through, 2 - 3 mins. Viola!


...and lets not forget dessert!





Pound cake

spruce it up with:


a toasted pound cake with whipped cream and almonds


Heat oven to 375* F. Spread 1/2 C sliced almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast, tossing occasionally, until golden, 5 - 7 minutes. Heat broiler. Slice the cake into 1-inch think pieces and broil until golden brown. about 1 minute per side. In a med bowl, beat 1 C. heavy cream and 1/4 C confectioners' sugar until soft peaks form. Top the cake with the whipped cream and nuts.



Yum delish!


Good brands to use if ya need a little push;


Campbells select harvest chicken w/ egg noddle soup

Entenmann's All Butter loaf cake

Trader Joe's Pizza 4 Formaggi

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Serves 8

For the Crust:
2 C. Graham cracker crumbs(14 graham crackers)
2 Tbsp Sugar
1/2 C (1stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling:
1 .25-oz. envelope unflavored gelatin
1 8-oz bar cream cheese, room temp.
1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
1 C. sour cream
3/4 C. sugar
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp vanilla

Crust: Heat over to 400 F. Combine crumbs, sugar, and butter in med bowl. Transfer to a 9" springform pan. Using a straight-sided dry measuring cup, press the mixture into the bottom and 2 " up the sides of the pan. Bake until set, 8-10 minutes. Let cool.

Filling: Sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 C. boiling water. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until dissolved, about 5 min. Using a mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Mix the pumpkin, sour cream, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla. Mix in the gelatin mixture until incorporated.
Pour the mixture into the crust and refrigerate, covered, until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.