Whole Wheat Pancakes

Posted on by Cast Iron Diva

Ahhh pancakes!  Makes me think of weekend breakfast when I was growing up.  My mama would make up a big batch of pancakes and she had sausage or bacon to go with it.  Although pancakes come in all sorts of flavors, as do the syrups, I’ve always been partial of simple buttermilk pancakes and maple syrup.  

Pancakes go by a variety of names in America; griddlecakes, flapjacks, hotcakes and their counterparts in other countries such as crepes, blintzes and Dutch baby.  They come in all shapes and sizes, some are stacked, filled, rolled and are found throughout the world.  Some are sweet while others savory and can be served for any type of meal. Continue reading “Whole Wheat Pancakes” →

Steak ~ Three Ways

Posted on by Cast Iron Diva

I know that cutting back on red meat is healthy for you, I try to keep it for once a week and when I choose steaks I choose a leaner cut of meat and a thin cut.  These are thin cut New York strip steaks trimmed of fat, each one is 3 to 4 ounces.

Normally when I pan sear steaks I do it with a combination of stove top followed by the oven but since these are so thin, they are easy to do just on the stove top.

First thing I do is rub olive oil on both sides of the steak followed with generous amount of sea salt and ground black pepper.

I heat my grill pan over medium-high heat and once it is hot put the steaks on.  They should sizzle as soon as you put them on the grill.  I cook each one about 1-1/2 to 2 minutes per side then remove the pan from the heat and they continue to cook, especially in cast iron.  

In my family, no one likes the same toppings on their steaks, we all have different preferences.   Continue reading “Steak ~ Three Ways” →

Whole Wheat Waffles

Posted on by Cast Iron Diva

Waffles date back to Medieval times but instead of the grid waffle pattern we are accustom to now they depicted religious symbols.  Nowadays waffles come in all shapes and sizes and nearly every country has their own version of a waffle.  You can find them already made in the freezer section ready to pop in the toaster.  Nearly any restaurant that serves breakfast has waffles on the menu.  Many hotel chains that offer free breakfast have a waffle iron for you to make your own.  Recently there has been a big trend in utilizing the waffle iron to do cornbread, eggs, hash browns and a lot of other delicious foods. 

I wanted to create a healthier waffle with whole wheat goodness and lower the fat by cutting the buttermilk and oil without compromising the taste. I used whole wheat flour, sea salt and baking powder that is then in turn mixed with a little agave nectar, egg, warm buttermilk and unsweetened applesauce.  If you wanted to make it dairy free you can certainly substitute the buttermilk with soy or almond milk and add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Continue reading “Whole Wheat Waffles” →

Baked Potatoes ~ Two Ways

Posted on by Cast Iron Diva

I should call this “waste not, want not” which simply means, wise use of one’s resources will keep one from poverty.  Although that may be a little overkill, who wants to waste food?  Remember what our parents told us of the starving children in other countries?  Sadly nowadays it happens in our own country.  That cast aside, these two recipes share ingredients so nothing goes to waste, your mama would be proud.

First off is a pub and bar favorite, potato skins. Potato skins are like a small version of a fully loaded baked potato; cheese, green onions and uncured bacon with plain Greek yogurt to dip.  Yes, Greek yogurt, while you could use sour cream why do it when Greek yogurt is better for you and has probiotics that as Dr. Travis Stork (The Doctors) will tell you, is good for you little buddies, the microbes in your gut and it tastes the same if not better.  My 20 year old son didn’t even know it was yogurt, make it your little secret.  It doesn’t just have to be an appetizer or snack, it makes for a good for a lunch or dinner too, maybe served with a side salad.  Continue reading “Baked Potatoes ~ Two Ways” →

Lemon & Thyme Roasted Asparagus

Posted on by Cast Iron Diva

Growing up I was never forced to eat vegetables, in fact, for the most part they were never cooked.  My mama on occasion would cook herself green beans, cauliflower and cabbage.  Always when my papa was not around, either on a business trip or at work.  I wouldn’t try it, papa said they were nasty and the smell was nasty too. It turns out that my papa’s mama would force him to sit at the table and eat a pile of vegetables he hated which with his stubbornness usually ended in a stand off that lasted hours.  The only vegetables he would eat was succotash, green peas, corn, potatoes and green salad.  It wasn’t until I was around 30 did I try broccoli, cauliflower and asparagus.  Cooked the right way, I loved them all.

Asparagus, by far, is my favorite vegetable.  I love when spring hits and the grocery stores are full of fresh asparagus, the small pencil like size.  Although I have bought the larger ones and surprisingly, some turned out tender as the narrower ones.  When in season, asparagus is really cheap, grocery stores and farmer’s markets run some really good deals on them. Continue reading “Lemon & Thyme Roasted Asparagus” →

Pulled Pork

Posted on by Cast Iron Diva

Pulled pork is a staple dish in the South, mostly in the Carolinas.  Pork is widely used in the South because it is inexpensive.  The typical cut of pork used for this recipe is pork shoulder which is also known as pork butt, picnic shoulder or Boston shoulder.  If you would like a leaner pork for this recipe, I’ve made it with pork loin and it works well too.

While some pulled pork is prepared by smoking the meat, others are cooked and braised in the oven and that is how I prepare mine. I start with a large Dutch oven but you can use any type of roasting pan with a lid even a Römertopf works really well for this dish.

Many pulled pork recipes are nothing more than barbecue sauce poured over the meat and baked slowly, I don’t use store bought barbecue sauce because of the unhealthy ingredients.  I lightly spray my Dutch oven with olive oil spray to prevent the roast from sticking.  I then add paprika, minced garlic, dry mustard, cayenne pepper, black pepper, dried thyme, sea salt, pure maple syrup, water and apple cider vinegar.  I don’t rub the roast, I just dump it all in, place the lid on it and place it in the preheated oven and allow it to cook for about 6 hours. Continue reading “Pulled Pork” →

Banana Nut Bread

Posted on by Cast Iron Diva

What smells better than the fragrance of banana nut bread baking in the oven?  That sweet delicious aroma penetrates every room of the house.  Banana bread was created in the United States and gained popularity in the 1930s with the increasing use of baking soda and baking powder.

Banana bread is great for breakfast, brunch, dessert or just as a snack.  It is a very versatile recipe that you can add other ingredients to. I add walnuts to make banana nut bread but you could add any nut of your choosing.  You can add other ingredients such as oats, raisins, peanut butter, chocolate, etc., the possibilities are endless. Continue reading “Banana Nut Bread” →

Pizza Margherita

Posted on by Cast Iron Diva

How would you like a big slice of Italian royalty? Pizza Margherita was named after Queen Margherita of Savoy, wife of King Umberto I.  The pizza resembling the Italian flag was created for her by a chef in Naples when she visited in 1889.  Although there is some debate, saying the same pizza was created 20 plus years earlier, it was the later version that made the pizza famous.

Ironically, pizza was considered peasant food but has since evolved into a universal dish with unlimited possibilities, I guess I would have been a happy peasant because it is one of my weaknesses and I know I am not alone.

I’ve tried to make the dough all whole wheat but it was very dense and extremely hard to work with so I’ve had to cut it with bread flour to get the perfect crust.  I use a bread machine to make my dough but you can certainly do this the old fashion way and I will provide instructions for doing both further on in the recipe.   Continue reading “Pizza Margherita” →

Turkey Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Posted on by Cast Iron Diva

Poblano peppers are a mild chili pepper which originated in the state of Puebla, Mexico. While they are considered mild, some of these peppers possess a little bit of heat, usually near the stem area. Many associate these peppers with the popular Mexican dish, chili rellenos.

When you hear the words stuffed peppers, most will instantly think of bell peppers stuffed with ground meat with a mixture of spices, breadcrumbs or rice.  It is basically a meatloaf shoved into a bell pepper that leaches an intense pepper flavor into the meat when cooked.

While I like stuffed bell peppers, I wanted to try something a little different.

It starts off with a homemade salsa in the bottom of the casserole dish, you can certainly substitute a large bottle of store bought salsa to save time. The filling consists of ground turkey rather than ground beef, you can use whichever you prefer even ground pork or ground chicken.  Aromatics and cooked rice, corn and beans are added to the ground meat and then pressed into the halves of the peppers then baked and then garnished with some shredded cheese. Continue reading “Turkey Stuffed Poblano Peppers” →