The Pioneer Woman and My Cyber Monday Cast Iron Skillet

Here’s a little story about how I met and fell in love with my cast iron skillet. It’s all thanks to… well, a bunch of things! To start, I’ve never been one to watch cooking shows. Sure, I saw a couple Emerils, BAM!, and the occasional Iron Chef, but they just didn’t interest me.

The day after Thanksgiving, my extended family met up at my aunt and uncle’s house in Virginia. My aunt aka Aj who LOVES those shows introduced me to Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman on Food Network. Just like that, I was hooked! Now I totally want move out to the middle of nowhere and live on a ranch! She has an awesome blog as well: The Pioneer Woman. I don’t know whether it’s her laid back style of cooking, her delicious looking food, her absolutely gorgeous kitchen and home (aka the lodge) with perfect lighting, her sweet voice or that heartwarming smile and dimples, but I just love her and her delicious looking recipes!

This past Cyber Monday, Sweetie and I hit our local mall over lunchtime to check out a couple things. It’s always fun to shop with my hubby! I happened across this cast iron skillet at Crate and Barrel. Because of Ree, my aunt and another friend who have repeatedly told me I neeeeeeeed one, I am now the proud new owner of this beauty. I used it once and already I’m in love. It reminds me of the one my mom used for oh so many years. I’ll probably get all buff while using it, too, since this thing is so darn heavy! But, what I love most about this is that it was made in the good ol’ USA!!!

Here’s my first use of my new cast iron skillet: sauteing veggies from my CSA Papa Spuds that were on the verge of going bad. These green peppers, yellow squash, onions and baby bella mushrooms were sauteed in grape seed oil with a dash of salt and pepper. I successfully revived the veggies and put them back in the fridge for later use. haha.

Yesterday, I made a breakfast burrito for myself using those veggies and, as always, I stuffed it too full. So, even though I had no where to be, I stuck it in my EasyLunchboxes, the perfect way to tame an over-stuffed burrito! Then, I plopped myself down on the couch in front of a DVR’d episode of, you guessed it: The Pioneer Woman! It put me in just a fabulous mood to get going on the much dreaded task of Christmas decorating. haha!

In this breakfast:

1. 2 Trader Joe’s organic brown eggs with Trader Joe’s Mexican shredded cheese and sauteed veggies topped with Texas Pete’s and Wickles on a Banderita’s Whole Wheat Flour tortilla
2. Fage Fat Free Greek Yogurt topped with Nana’s Homemade Applesauce. See here for the recipe I use: Homemade Applesauce
3. Fresh strawberries

I just LOVE my cooking in my cast iron skillet. Not only does it heat up quickly, I swear it somehow makes food taste better. Maybe it’s all the seasoning from foods past or not worrying about toxic non-stick coatings slowly leeching into my food, but something about it just makes the food I cook in it taste better! I also like the way it sears meats, for example, kind of like on a grill. Maybe it’s that in combination with my gas stove, but I feel like it’s the next best thing to grilling outside. Grilled cheese sandwiches in my cast iron skillet are another great duo.

Here are just a couple of the many many recipes that I can’t wait to try out from Ree Drummond: Steak Oscar and Blackberry Chip Ice Cream. Don’t they just sound so delicious?

*updated 8/21/2014:
I thought I’d add a quick note about how to take care of your baby. While it may require a little more effort than other pans, I think it’s well-worth the trouble. My bro ran across and sent me this article from the Lodge Cast Iron: How to season your cast-iron skillet. Basically:

1. For less messy pans, just wipe it with a damp wash cloth or paper towel while pan is still warm (but not hot). For really messy pans, you can use a little mild soap and a non-abrasive sponge in warm water. No harsh cleaners, though!
2. Alternatively, you can scrub it clean with some kosher salt and oil. Give it a quick rinse after.
3. Try to dry your pan immediately, to prevent rusting.
4. To store, occasionally coat it with a little cooking oil and “bake it in” at 200 degrees F for about 15 minutes.
5. If you mess up your pan like I did and somehow lose the seasoning, just rub the inside of the pan with some shortening and bake at 350 for about an hour. Be sure to line the rack below it with eithe foil or a sheet pat to catch any drips. This really worked to save mine because I was THIS close to throwing mine away! Whew! BTW, if you’re wondering, I totally wrecked my pan when I baked a frittata in it. I don’t know where it went wrong, but I was sad after. There are SO many recipes out there that bake the food right in the pan, but I am NEVER baking anything in it again!

And I have to show you how my collection has grown. : )

I’m LOVING the square grill pan for making delicious paninis! It’s the best panini maker EVER!!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Feel free to make my day by leaving me a comment, following my blog via email, on Facebook or on Instagram – the more the merrier!

Christine, aka happyvballgirl : )

To check out items used in this post or some of my favorites, simply click here: “Products I Love“. Purchases made using these links earns me a little extra cash to support my bento habit, which Hubby really appreciates. Haha! So, THANK YOU, should you choose to purchase any of ’em!

Disclosure: This blog contains affiliate links. : )