Cast Iron And Blackberres - A Great Combination!

    We had a nice note from Myrtle Quinn this week. She has an easy do-it-yourself pickle tip to share. She takes 1 qt. of store-bought Dill Pickles and pours off all the juice into a pot. She then slices the pickles back into the jar in smaller bites. She then adds 1/2 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tsp. of mustard seeds to the juice. Bring it to a low boil and then pour it back over the pickles in the jar. Let them refrigerate for 2 or 3 days and you will have a fine homemade tasting pickle with more pizzazz. Myrtle has been enjoying her pickles this way for years. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with other cooks!
    We wanted to share a little information on cast iron cookware this week, too. This type of cookware has been used for centuries; pots with handles and or legs could be used directly in the home’s fireplace. Later, flat bottom cast iron skillets and pans were made to be used on indoor wood stoves. Today, cast iron is still an excellent tool in the kitchen, although some are afraid to use it because it requires some specific care.
    A well-seasoned cast-iron skillet is truly non-stick and can be used to sear, fry, stew, or bake. Our favorite cast iron pan is a griddle that we have had our whole life. It was handed down, down, down and has the best black-coated surface one could want. We use it for making delicate buttermilk pancakes and French toast, grilled cheese or even baking biscuits.
    The stovetop is usually the place for our 10" iron skillet. It is in every day use in our kitchen. The special care is where folks differ in opinions. You have to be a little careful when cast iron is very hot. Don't plunge a super hot iron pan down into the cold water of the sink or it might fracture. We just set a hot pan on a wooden cutting board to cool down, or let it cool down slowly inside the stove, if it is not on.
    As far as washing iron, a quick rinse in hot soapy water is fine (we use a metal scrub pad if needed) and then dry it off well. Usually, a hot pan will dry itself completely because cast iron holds heat for a long time. If your pan is cool when you wash it, just turn a stove burner on to warm for a minute and then shut it off. The skillets will dry just fine on a warm burner in no time. Once the pan or skillet is good and dry we give it a tiny wipe down with oil or rendered bacon fat. A tiny bit of fat on a paper towel does wonders to keep a good finish in shape.
    The best thing about cast iron pans is they are oven-safe, hold a good even heat, can be used for variety of foods and never wear out. If you buy one, you'll use it forever.
    We used ours to bake a nice blackberry buckle Sunday night for dessert. Enjoy the recipe, and if you don't have a cast-iron pan yet, get one and try it. You can find all sorts of instructional videos on care and usage on Youtube.

    Blackberry Buckle
Serves 6
2 pints fresh blackberries
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 stick butter
    Melt a stick of butter in a 10" iron skillet (or casserole dish). Mix together the flour, 1 cup sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and ground cinnamon. Pour the milk and most of the melted butter into the mix. Leave a good puddle of melted butter in the pan bottom to coat it for cooking. Pour the liquid or soft batter into the pan. Stir the blackberries together with 1/2 cup brown sugar. Mash berries a little to coat good with sugar. Pour berries on top of batter in the pan, sprinkle with another pinch of sugar and bake at 325 degrees in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until golden brown and bubbly. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top or some fresh whipped cream.
    Thanks for sharing your love of cooking with us. Food feeds our families and gives us something good to gather around and share. Please keep checking in and please share your recipes with me on Facebook, or email to: hollynewby1@aol.com or mail to P.O. Box 1099, Umatilla, FL 32784. Share what’s cooking…photos too!