Belated Merry Christmas to all - but what did you get?

M

music-city-missy

Well-known member
My husband who constantly tells me I am tearing down the house with all my cookware and cookbooks, got me a freaking 14" Lodge cast iron frying pan. Okay so I love it and can cook a whole chicken in it if I can figure out how to get it eavenly heated - I have a Viking range but I'm still not sure how to fit this on the eyes properly. But we buy these for the fire stations I build. What the heck am I going to do with a 14" skillet especially cooking for 2?

I did figure it out I think - he's hoping I'll get rid of the small one leaving me with my large chicken fryer and this one - neither of which I could ever pick up and use to hit him or anyone else over the head with.

He also got me the corn stick pans - he visited the actual factor store on a trip.

I got myself a Le Creuset risotto pot from mom and dad - ventured out and got Caribbean blue for a change - decided things don't have to match - there are too many fun colors. Next - I want a yellow piece.

My stepsons got me a Kuhn Rikon 6" knife - I told them to go to TJ Maxx/Home Goods - the KR are cheap there and they really are pretty darn good knives especially for under $10.

 
I have one of those Lodge corn stick cast iron pans, but have never been able to get the

corn sticks to come out of the pan... they're usually (always!) left half stuck in the pan, leaving me with good, but ugly, corn pods. And a pan left to soak in the sink :eek:( Let us know how yours work out.

I got a new 3 cookbooks (pot luck recipes, Southern cooking, and Healthy Eating), a new laptop(!), a 2-qt Le Creuset casserole (stoneware, red!) - a house gift, a new pepper grinder, and lots of small things, and some gift cards. Also a cute gingerbread pan with gingerbread mix.

 
I got fat. Cooked too much. Ate too much. Drank too much. That 14" skillet will be a godsend...

I have a 12" and even it is not quite big enough when I want to fry up lots of eggplant slices for Parmesan, or sear several steaks or chicken breasts, or duck confit, or fry up potatoes in duck fat in a single layer, or cook lots of bacon at one time, or scramble several dozen eggs for a crowd..........

I'll leave the fried chicken to you there in Nashville. If you heat the pan slowly it should carry even heat even over a conventional burner. If that fails use a diffuser, available at the same factory your DH found the pan.

Use it as a dumbbell to build upper body strength, slowly at first: you will soon be wielding it as a weapon.

I also have started collecting all colors of Le Crueset--I started with the green and it's boring by itself.

This was a lean year and we agreed not to buy gifts, but the time spent with family and friends seemed all the more precious because of it.

 
Dawn, you may need to season the pan before using (just rub with oil and preheat) or perhaps

your batter needs a little more fat in it. I love cast iron!

 
HA! I read your first 3 words and immediately thought 'duck fat? lard? and how did they wrap it..."

 
Traca, send me your address.

I won't get to it until after the 1st, but I assume if I freeze it and then send it priority, it's gotta work. It's not even all that perishable at room temp.

 
My boss gave me a pile of goodies for paella, plus preserved lemons from Tunisia, what to do

with them? I am excited to make paella at home. A local butcher near my parents makes killer chorizo and I scored one for a future paella and I brought home 5 pounds of sausage for myself - yum. They also make Hawaiian, Dakota, apple, maple and some great bacon. This filled my suitcase along with Christmas chocolates. A dear friend gifted me with a ton of intriguing and delicious condiments from Philadephia, it's going to be fun cooking and playing with them! Oh, and soft pretzel mix. I think I know what I will be doing New Year's Day!

My mum surprised me with 2 knitting books, both I had been secretly coveting. The best gift was having my family all together. Despite my touch of bronchitis we are all in good shape and it was special to be together. I'm worried about the frailty of my parents and my Mom's increasing forgetfulness of words. So truly every year is the greatest gift.


I would love any ideas for the lemons though, and paella recipes too.

 
This Israeli Couscous with Butternut Squash and Preserved Lemon is wonderful.

The preserved lemon is a wonderful addition in it.

ISRAELI COUSCOUS WITH ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND PRESERVED LEMON

A U-shaped peeler with a horizontal blade (available at most supermarkets) makes peeling the squash easier.

Active time: 45 min. Start to finish: 1 hr.

1 preserved lemon
1 1/2 lb. butternut squash, peeled and seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 3/4 cups Israeli couscous or acini di pepe (tiny peppercorn-shaped pasta), about 1 lb.
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon


Preheat oven to 475°F.

Halve lemons and scoop out flesh, keeping both flesh and peel. Cut enough peel into 1/4-inch dice to measure 1/4 cup. Put lemon flesh in a sieve set over a bowl and press with back of a spoon to extract juice.

Toss squash with 1 tablespoon oil and salt to taste in a large shallow baking pan and spread in 1 layer. Roast in upper third of oven 15 minutes, or until squash is just tender, and transfer to a large bowl.

Cook onion in 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to turn golden. Add to squash.

Cook couscous with cinnamon stick in a large pot of boiling salted water 10 minutes, or until just tender, and drain in a colander (do not rinse). Add couscous to vegetables and toss with 2 tablespoon oil to coat.

Add lemon peel and juice, parsley, nuts, raisins, ground cinnamon, and salt to taste. Toss to mix well.
Makes 6 servings.

Gourmet
Gourmet Entertains
September 1999

http://eat.at/swap/forum/index.php?action=display&forumid=1&msgid=12933

 
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