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CHICKEN-FRIED STEAK

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 (2 pound) top round steak, cut 3/4 to 1-inch thick
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup whipping cream or half-and-half
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup saltine cracker crumbs, rolled fine
1 cup chicken stock

Combine the 1/2 cup flour, salt and pepper. Dust steak with seasoned flour and pound well into both sides of meat with edge of heavy plate. Cut meat into serving-size pieces.

Beat eggs with the 2 tablespoons cream.

Heat lard or oil in heavy cast iron skillet over moderately high heat. Dip floured steaks in egg mixture, then in cracker crumbs. Brown steaks well on both sides. Reduce heat to medium, cover skillet and cook 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until steaks are cooked through and tender. (Chicken fried steak should be well done, but not dry.)

Remove steaks from pan and drain on paper towels. Keep warm.

To make gravy, pour off all but 3 tablespoons fat in skillet and stir in remaining 3 tablespoons flour. Stir to remove any brown bits in bottom of pan and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup cream to form thick paste, then add chicken stock slowly, stirring to make smooth gravy.



SAUSAGE GRAVY

1 pound bulk sausage
3 tablespoons flour
1 pint milk (as required)
1 dollop sour cream (optional)

Using cast iron skillet, break up and brown Bob Evans sausage. Add flour to sausage; brown it up for a while. This gives it a good color. Add milk required to give thick gravy; simmer to merge flavor. Add a dollop of sour cream just before serving, after removing from heat.

Serving suggestions:
Serve on top of toast, biscuits, hash browns or home fries.

Variations:
Use half hamburger and half sausage; use half hot and half mild sausage.



CHILI-DUSTED PORK CHOPS

4 boneless center cut pork chops (thick cut)? 
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Seasoning Mix:
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper? 
1 teaspoon ground ginger? 
1 tablespoon paprika? 
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin? 
1/4 teaspoon white pepper? 
1/4 teaspoon black pepper? 
1/2 teaspoon salt? 
1/4 teaspoon whole thyme leaves (dry)? 
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Combine Seasoning Mix ingredients; mix well. Dust both sides of pork chops with the Seasoning Mix and reserve.

Heat a large cast iron pan over a medium flame and add the vegetable oil. When the pan is hot, add the pork chops. Cook the pork chops for 10 to 14 minutes or until they have reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.

NOTE: Chili dusted pork chops are also excellent grilled.

Serves 4.



SKILLET COBBLER

2 cans pie filling
1 white or yellow cake mix
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup 7-Up?®

Pour the pie filling into a cast iron skillet. Sprinkle the cake mix over the pie filling. Slice butter over the top, then pour the 7-Up?® over everything. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 35 to 45 minutes. If you have a large skillet, reduce baking time accordingly.

Serve with ice cream or whipped topping.



FARM HOUSE BREAKFAST

1 (1 pound) package hash brown potatoes
1/4 pound bacon
1 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped chives
6 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Fry bacon in a large cast iron skillet. Add potatoes, onions and chives. Cook 4 minutes. Stir in eggs, beaten with salt and pepper. Cover and cook for additional 5 minutes. Loosen gently with spatula; cut into wedges and serve.



PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

INGREDIENTS

1 cup brown sugar? 
1/2 cup cold butter? 
1 large can (about 6 slices) pineapple rings? 
Maraschino cherries

Cake:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour? 
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder? 
1/2 teaspoon salt? 
1/2 cup melted butter? 
1 cup granulated sugar? 
2 whole eggs? 
1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract? 
3/4 cup pineapple juice (add milk as needed to make 3/4 cup total liquid)? 

METHOD

Topping: Lightly rub the bottom of a 12 inch cast iron skillet with a little oil. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over bottom of skillet then top with chunks of cold butter distributed evenly.? 

On top of brown sugar-butter layer, evenly place pineapple rings. Put a Maraschino Cherry in the center of each ring. Set aside while you make batter.

Preheat oven to 350?°F.? 

Batter: Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.? 

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Continue creaming with a mixer, adding eggs, one at a time, and stirring until mixture is lemon colored. Add vanilla and mix well. With mixer running, alternately add flour mixture and milk-liquid mixture. Beat with mixer on medium speed for three minutes, or three strokes if mixing by hand.? 

Finish: Pour prepared cake mixture carefully over brown-sugar-pineapple topping in bottom of skillet. Spread to an even depth all over, and carefully place in pre-heated 350?°F oven on a middle rack. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until a clean toothpick or butter knife inserted in middle of cake comes out clean.? 

Remove from oven (Careful! The handle is hot!). Let cake sit on top of stove for 5 minutes then run a knife quickly around edge of cake to loosen. Invert carefully on a plate large enough to hold entire cake. Let it stand for a minute before carefully lifting skillet off.



CHEESY CAST IRON SKILLET SCRAMBLED EGGS

Source: Bobby Flay

While this recipe was designed for on-the-grill preparation, it can easily be done on the stove top.

Difficulty: Easy? 
Prep Time: 5 minutes? 
Cook Time: 12 minutes? 
Yield: 8 to 10 servings

4 tablespoons unsalted butter? 
1 red onion, finely diced? 
1 jalapeno, coarsely chopped? 
2 dozen large eggs, lightly beaten? 
Salt and freshly ground pepper? 
8 ounces crumbled goat cheese? 
1 bunch finely chopped chives? 
Salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a large cast iron skillet that has been placed on the grates of the grill. Add the onion and jalapeno and cook until soft. Stir in the eggs and season with salt and pepper. Continue stirring the eggs until soft curds form. Remove from the heat and stir in the goat cheese and chives.



OYSTERS, TASSO, BACON AND GRITS

Source: Emeril Lagasse, Brunch in a Cast Iron Skillet

Difficulty: Medium? 
Yield: 4 servings

1/4 pound bacon, chopped? 
1/4 pound tasso, chopped? 
1 cup chopped yellow onions? 
1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers? 
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic? 
1 cup sliced mushrooms? 
1 teaspoon salt? 
1/4 teaspoon cayenne? 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves? 
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves? 
1 pint oysters, drained, 1/2 cup liquor reserved, and cut in 1/2 if large? 
4 cups milk? 
1 cup regular grits (not instant)? 
1/4 cup heavy cream? 
1/2 cup grated white cheddar cheese, garnish? 
Chopped chives, garnish

In a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the tasso and cook until the bacon is brown and the fat is rendered. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Drain off all the fat but 2 tablespoons. Add the onions and bell peppers to the fat in the pan and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, salt, cayenne, and herbs, cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes.

Add the 1/2 cup of the reserved oyster liquor and the milk, and bring to a boil. Slowly add the grits, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the grits have absorbed the liquid and are plump, 20 to 30 minutes. Add the cream, oysters, and reserved bacon and tasso, and stir well. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the edges of the oysters curl and the additional liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.? 

Spoon onto plates or into a large casserole dish to serve tableside. Sprinkle with the cheddar cheese, garnish with chopped chives, and serve.



CHILI SKILLET

3 cups of your favorite chili
3/4 cup chopped roasted green chiles, New Mexican or Poblano
1/2 cup sour cream
1 recipe cornbread batter (Jiffy or Martha White works great)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet and place it in the oven to heat while you prepare the other ingredients.

In a medium saucepan, heat together the chili, green chiles and sour cream until the sour cream melts. Reserve the mixture. Remove the skillet from the oven, and pour the cornbread batter into it. Top the cornbread batter with the chili mixture. Return the skillet to the oven, and bake about 30 minutes, until the cornbread has risen up through the chili and browned on top.

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For Two...

HAM AND RED EYE GRAVY

2 tablespoons margarine
1 slice of ham, about 1/4-inch thick
2 tablespoons strong, black coffee
1/4 cup water

Melt margarine in skillet and fry ham until done. Remove ham to a platter and keep warm. Add coffee and water to the fat; bring to a boil. Serve gravy with the ham and grits.

For a large slice of ham or two slices, double amount of liquid.

Serves 2 to 4.