Cast Iron Pans

I use two Lodge Cast Iron Frying Pans, consistently.  I’ve gotten rid of all of my non-stick pans.  A few years ago, they started talking about the damage those do to your lungs.  Gross!  I have a gas stove, for the first time in my life, so it makes even more sense.  Top Ten Reasons that I love my cast iron pans:

1. Easy clean up.  I just wipe the cooled pan down with a paper towel.  You can then put it in a really hot oven, if you’re a clean freak.  You can also hand wash and hand dry, but really???  I leave mine out on the stovetop.  I put them in the oven if I don’t want to look at them.  Mine are really well seasoned.
2. Fast cooking.  You always heat the pan up before cooking.  This is not a good idea with non-stick pans.  You can cook at much higher temps., too.  You can roast meat or veggies in the cast iron pan, too.  I bake bread in mine, as you may already know.
3. Beautiful browning.  I especially like this for veggies.  Again, they cook up fast.  You can just put the pans with a layer of veggies (2) in the oven and go and do something else. 
4. Even heat.  Since the pan is heavy, the heat is even.  This is forgiving.  Who doesn’t need a little bit of this, every now and again?
5. Inexpensive.  This is one of my favorite things.  I don’t think I’ve ever spent $100 on any pan in my life.  They still got trashed.  I have two cast iron frying pans.  I spent less than $50 on the two of them.  I did splurge on glass lids for both of them and a panini press that looks like an antique iron.  Cute!
6. Available at big box stores.  Because they are inexpensive, you can get them at Target, Walmart, or Fleet Farm!  
7. Health benefits.  Some of the “granola heads” say that food cooked in an uncoated/untreated cast iron pan provide essential minerals/metals that we don’t often get in our cooking.
8. Versatile.  These pans go from stovetop to oven and from the grill to the camp fire!  
9. Cooks at high temps. without killing the canary!  Do I really need to say any more?
10. Self defense weapon.  I’m just sayin’.  If an intruder got in to your house, you could just clock him with one of these.  Careful.  Make sure he falls/collapses IN the house, not outside.  Otherwise, the other nine reasons would likely be offset by our criminal justice system! :-)  I’m just kidding about this one, of course.