Part 2 - Cast Iron Cookware.  Click here to go back to Part 1

Famous Dave's Corn Bread with Honey Jalapeño Glaze

1 C yellow cornmeal
1 C stone ground cornmeal
1 (9 oz.) package yellow cake mix
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne
1/2 C milk
1/2 C buttermilk
1/4 C vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten
2 T light brown sugar
2 T honey
1 T mayonnaise

Jalapeño Honey Glaze

1/2 C butter
1 large jalapeño pepper, seeded, finely diced
3 T red bell pepper, finely diced
1/4 C honey
1/8 tsp. cayenne

Serves 9

Combine cornmeals, cake mix, baking powder, salt and cayenne in a bowl,
set aside.

Combine milk, buttermilk, oil, eggs, brown sugar and honey in a bowl and
mix well. Add to the cornmeal mixture and mix gently - there should be no lumps, but do not overmix. Fold in the mayonnaise. Let rest, covered, in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 400° F. Spoon the cold batter into a greased muffin tin or a cast iron skillet. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean and the top is golden brown.

In the meantime, make the glaze by heating butter in a saucepan until melted. Stir in jalapeño and bell pepper. Bring to a simmer. Stir in honey and cayenne. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Drizzle over Famous Dave's Corn Bread.

Note: You can make the glaze ahead of time and store it, covered, in the refrigerator. Re-heat before serving.


Famous Dave's Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

2/3 C packed light brown sugar
1/3 + 1/4 C butter, softened, divided
2 tsp. vanilla extract, divided
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
9 canned pineapple slices
9 maraschino cherry halves
2 egg yolks
2 egg whites, stiffly beaten
1/2 C sugar
1 1/2 C flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 C shortening
1/4 C pineapple juice
1/4 C half and half
1/4 C buttermilk

Serves 6-9

Preheat oven to 350° F. Mix brown sugar and 1/3 cup butter in a bowl.  Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla and cinnamon. Spread evenly over the bottom of an ungreased  9" cast iron skillet or a 9" x 9" baking pan. Heat until the brown sugar melts.

Arrange pineapple slices over the brown sugar mixture. Place a cherry half in the middle of each slice. Beat egg yolks in a mixer bowl until thickened. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating constantly until blended.

Mix flour, baking powder and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Add shortening, 1/4 cup butter, pineapple juice, half and half, buttermilk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until blended, scraping the bowl occasionally. Mix in egg yolk mixture. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.

Spoon the batter into the prepared skillet. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Invert the skillet onto a serving platter, allowing the skillet to rest on the cake for several minutes before removing.

Caring For Your Cookware

The conventional method, and most often recommended, is to wash your cast iron pots in boiling water, no soap, and to use a high quality scrub brush. Some cooks say there is nothing wrong with using soap when cleaning your cookware, you can even use synthetic scouring pads, just use extra care when scrubbing. Regardless of the method you choose to wash your cookware, be sure to dry it thoroughly with a lint free towel directly after washing, as cast iron is prone to rust. Seasoning your cookware after each use is also a must to retain the quality and life of the pan.

Advantages

Durable and improves with age
Claims have been made repeatedly that food is more flavorful
Good heat conductor, heats evenly and quickly
Can place pots and pans directly on glowing coals (camping)
Inexpensive
Last a lifetime with minimal or no damage

Disadvantages

Weight - cast iron is quite heavy
Having to maintain the seasoning
Not dishwasher safe

Recommendation - Extremely high. For the value that cast iron provides,
the delicious meals that it develops, and the durability that it
maintains, the time it takes to care for this cookware is well worth it.

Special thanks goes to Fabulous Foods for allowing the reprint of the
fabulous cast iron recipes used in this article.

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