There are few items that are essential for every American home, and a set of cookware is one of them. Everyone from college students living on their own for the first time to 100-year-old great grandparents have some form of cookware in their home. Because cookware is such a staple in every household, you should put some thought into your purchasing decision.

Since you know that you are going to be using the pots and pans for years on a daily basis, be sure to opt for durable cookware. It is worth the extra money if you don’t have to be constantly replacing items out of the set. With so many sizes of sets available, think about your particular needs before you go buy a 24-piece deluxe set for just you and your spouse.

Now that colleges around the country are back in session, many students find themselves presented with plenty of food options. While it’s easy to fall into a trap of an unhealthy diet born out of convenience, it’s quite simple to create gourmet meals in a snap. In fact, you’ll still have plenty of time to study or party until the break of dawn. Just bust out some of the student cook’s secret weapons: grill pans. The following grilled fish sandwich recipe can be prepared to eat on the spot, or saved for lunch on the go.

Ingredients:
1 cup cooked cod
1/3 cup mayonnaise
¼ tsp. salt
butter
slices of bread
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce – or a dash of horseradish
2 Tsp. onion, chopped fine
1 tsp. lemon juice

Directions:
1. Flake the fish together with the mayonnaise, salt, Worcestershire sauce, onion and lemon juice.
2. Spread the mixture onto a slice of bread and spread butter on the outsides. Pan fry the sandwich on a grill pan until it achieves a golden brown color.
3. Any leftover spread can be saved in the refrigerator.

You’d know that smell anywhere. It’s the aroma of bacon as it sizzles over the stove. Even vegetarians are hard-pressed to resist the succulent delicacy that is smoky, crispy bacon. In recent years, the ever-popular meat has even become trendy in elite cuisine circles. High-end specialty restaurants are serving novel bacon-related condiments such as jam. There are at least two varieties of bacon-flavored vodka on the market.

But sometimes it’s nice to get back to basics. What could be more comforting than some crisp strips fresh out of the cast iron bacon press, served in tandem with scrambled eggs and washed down with some refreshing, fresh-squeezed orange juice? Although bacon isn’t strictly a breakfast food, it is perhaps best enjoyed early in the morning, when its undeniable fragrance awakens the senses.

There are several different kinds of cookware and appliances that are great for making simple and quick meals. With appliances, few can argue whether the personal griddle is here to stay. Griddles are great for all kinds of breakfast foods, and are ideal for making large quantities of food for multiple people. Griddles can be used for eggs, pancakes, hashbrowns, sausage, and much more. For those desiring ethnic foods, consider a cast iron Fajita set. The cast iron Fajita set is designed for making delicious fajitas without a lot of clean up or mess. For people who are fond of grilled sandwiches, a Panini press is a great item to have in the kitchen.

With all cast iron cookware and appliances, it’s important to season now and then to preserve the condition of the cast iron. Seasoning isn’t all that difficult, and takes about an hour with a significant amount of wait time while the object is in the oven. It’s a good idea to season at least twice pear year with most cookware, and also after extended usage in a short period of time.

In these tough economic times, people are looking to save money not just right now, but in the future. The truth is, a lot of companies that manufacture cookware make money because their product wears out over time, and the customer must then purchase a newer version. However, unlike other kinds of cookware, cast iron cookware almost never breaks down. In fact, a well tended cast iron pan can last for centuries, even through constant use. Cast iron cookware is a great investment for the future, and often it doesn’t cost much more than other kinds of cookware.

Cast iron cookware has been around for centuries, being one of the most enduring and reliable forms of cookware throughout the ages. In fact, cast iron cookware has been forgotten in attics over the decades, and reclaimed generations later in much the same condition. There are several reliable manufacturers of cast iron cookware, but as long as it’s 100% cast iron, it’s hard to get it wrong. Old Mountain cast iron cookware and Lodge cast iron cookware are two of the more renowned names.

An omelette or omelet is a combination of beaten egg cooked with butter or oil in a frying pan, usually folded around a filling such as cheese, vegetables, meat (often ham), or some combination of the above. Traditionally, omelettes are partially cooked on the top side and not flipped prior to folding. To obtain a fluffy texture, whole eggs or egg whites are usually beaten with a small amount of milk or cream, or even water. Below is my favorite omelette recipe.

 2 eggs
- 1 tbs milk or water
- The fillings of your choice (I like to use 50g mushrooms, thinly sliced; 1 rasher bacon or ham, finely chopped; 1/2 tomato, finely chopped and a small amount of red bell pepper and onion)
- Salt & freshly ground pepper
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 5g butter
- 1/4 cup grated cheddar

Step 1
Use a fork to whisk eggs and milk together. Season well with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Step 2
Heat oil in a small (16cm base) non-stick frying pan over medium high heat. Add onion, red pepper, mushrooms and bacon or ham. Cook for 3 mins or until mushrooms soften. Stir in tomato. Cook 1 min. Remove from pan and set aside. Wipe pan with paper towel.
Step 3
Melt butter in the frying pans over medium-high heat. Add eggs to the pan. Use a fork to quickly draw the cooked egg back from edge of pan to allow uncooked egg to run to the edge. Continue until egg is almost set. Cook for a further 30-45 seconds or until egg is just set.

Step 4
Spoon mushroom mixture over half the omelette. Sprinkle over cheese. Use a fork to lift one side of the omelette over to enclose filling. Carefully slide onto serving plate.

Each spring and summer families from around the United States enjoy camping. One of the best parts about camping is eating food around the fire. Just don’t forget your camping cookware! Here a recipe for corn on the cob made on the campfire:

Ingredients:
~ corn on the cob, with the husks
~ butter
~ salt and pepper

Preparation:
Pull the husks back on each cob and remove the silk. Close the husks back around the cob. Dunk into a bucket of water and allow the ear to draw water up. Pluck from the water and wrap each ear of the corn in aluminum foil. Bury in the coals, or place on grill.

Here’s a scintillating recipe for herb and cheese biscuits; great for dinners or breakfast, and sure to be loved by the whole family!  In addition to the ingredients, you’ll need a couple biscuit pans. 

Ingredients:

½ cup cheddar cheese
1 tsp. minced thyme
½ tsp. minced fresh parsley
½ tsp. minced fresh rosemary
2 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
5 tbsp. butter
½ cup milk

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 F, and grease your biscuit pants and set them aside.  Start by mixing the flour, baking powder, herbs, and cheese into a large mixing bowl.  Mix in the butter, and add the milk and stir until the dough holds together.  You can add more milk if needed, but don’t add too much!  Once you have your dough, spoon the mixture into your biscuit pans, and bake for about 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and flaky.

I recently visited CastIronDepot.com and found that they now carry a limited selection of the newly developed Olvida nickel impregnated (often referred to as nickel plated) cast iron cookware.  I personally own some of this cookware.  It is fantastic! The nickel impregnated cast iron combines all the best qualities of cast iron cookware with a hard non-porous, non-reactive surface that is similar to stainless steel.  It never needs seasoning and never imparts a “cast iron” taste to even the most acidic of foods.

The surface is NSF and FDA approved and is totally safe.  In fact, the Nickel Phosphate compound used in Olvida Cookware has been used in the food industry for many years.  Most people are unaware of nickel’s presence in spatulas, knives, forks, spoons, dental and surgical tools, cooking surfaces, etc.

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Cook cornbread just like grandma or mom used to make. Use cornbread skillets manufactured by Old Mountain. They are the industry leaders when it comes to cast iron skillets, versatile and colored enamelware, and cooking skillet products of all kinds. They make some of the finest cookware available.

The iron skillet from Old Mountain is a functional piece of kitchen equipment. It also doubles as a family heirloom. Make your own memories today by starting your own collection of iron skillets that will be appreciated by future generations in your family. You’ll never have to worry about your cast iron getting worn out because cast iron can last for 100 years or more.