T-fal Sapphire-Infused Triangle Pan

I can still remember the first time I saw T-fal cookware. I was just a little kid, and someone was doing a demo in a store. I never saw a live cooking demo before, and I was enthralled. Someone was actually cooking right there in the store!

Mom didn't buy the magical cookware that made eggs slide around in the pan, much to my disappointment.

T-fal cookware isn't the same as it was back then. There are new materials, and, as you can see from this pan, new shapes. The pan I tested was infused with sapphire on the nonstick surface and it had pretty blue glints in it when it was in the light. It was from the T-fal Heatmaster Collection, and there are several different pans with similar features.

But I guess the pretty blue speckles aren't all that important. What is important is that it's nonstick and not terribly expensive. I tested the 10-inch triangle shaped pan, and I managed to fit 12 large pierogi in the pan all at once. I've also used it for sauces, steak, and other basic cooking needs.

Do you need a triangle-shaped pan?

I don't know. One good thing about it is that the shape makes it easier to pour things out of the pan. However, you won't have a lid sitting around that will fit it. But the few times I've wanted to cover what I was cooking, I used a round silicone cover and it did what I needed it to do.

By the way, if you don't already have a round silicone cover, you should go buy one. Or a few. It's nice to have them in several sizes, to fit your largest pots and pans, to fit the small ones, and maybe some small ones to put on top of your drink to keep the flying things from diving in. They're great for us in the microwave, too, to keep stuff from splattering.

But, I digress.

Overall, the pan I tested did everything I needed it to. The surface seems pretty durable - it's even metal-utensil safe. It's oven-safe to 500 degrees, which is great if you want to start cooking something on the stove and finish it in the oven. The stainless steel on the bottom helps distribute heat and it also means it can be used on induction cooktops. So you get a lot for your dollars.

If you're looking for a nonstick pan, consider the T-fal line. As far as the triangle shape, that's going to be a personal preference. I can see reasons why it might be useful, but on the other hand, it's not going to nest as well as round pans, if you're short on storage space.

Like many other products reviewed here, I received this at no cost to me.

DiamoTech Skillet

So many skillets, not nearly enough eggs.

The nice folks at DiamoTech sent me one of their 9 1/2 inche skillets to test, and I've left it out on the stove since it arrived, so I remember to use it every time I cook something.

This is a nonstick skillet with an interesting finish. It's extremely smooth and it's very dark gray with tiny glitter-like spots that look blue and purple in the light of my kitchen. When I took it out of the package, I thought, oooh, that would be a cool look for fabric. Or jewelry. Or some kind of decorative vase.

Alas, it's just a skillet.

So, I lived with this glittery skillet for a while, cooking everything from eggs to meat to sauces. After a couple of nonstick pans that failed after a short time, I simply don't trust the first test. This one, however, is still nonstick, still not scratched, and still very glittery.

I've only washed it by hand, because that's the way I wash all my pots and pans, but this is supposed to be dishwasher safe. Good to know, if I ever actually have space in my dishwasher for cookware. It's also oven safe which is actually more important to me than dishwasher safe. If I'm cooking something on the stove and want to finish it in the oven, it's nice to be able to do it in the same pan.

On the other hand, nothing sticks to it, so hand washing it isn't all that much of a chore. These new nonstick cooking surfaces are kinda spooky, right?

It's fairly lightweight, so it's good for flipping vegetables, and it has good balance when holding it. It's also on the inexpensive end, when we're talking about cookware, so even if it only lasts a couple years because you backed over it with your car, it's still a good deal.

This stuff comes in single pieces, there are lids, and there are sets. Overall, it's a nice pan. I'm going to keep using it and see if it starts getting weird after many months. But for now it seems like it should last.

The one downside of this pan - and it's not a big one - is that you're supposed to season it before the first use. The instructions are on the label, and you just need to wipe a little oil on, and put it in the oven. To be honest. I'm not sure if that's actually necessary (skeptical that I am) since the oil didn't actually want to stick to the surface of the pan, so it kind of beaded up ... but I did it anyway. If it helped the pan, that's great. If not, I wasted a couple drops of oil. No big deal.

I got a sample pan from DiamoTech for testing, at no cost to me.

Field Company Lightweight Iron Skillet

I've been using cast iron skillets since I was a kid using my mom's cookware, and I'm a big fan. Properly seasoned and cared for, a cast iron skillet will be just as nonstick as your modern nonstick cookware, and it can last for generations.

Aside from extreme thermal shock, I can't imagine how you could seriously damage a cast iron pan. Even if you left it out in the snow all winter and it started to rust, you could sand off the rust and re-season the pan and it would be just fine.

Speaking of thermal shock, I'm not talking about the kind of shock that can break a glass casserole. More like heating it red hot, then pouring liquid nitrogen into it. And I'm not sure that would actually damage it. Not that I want to try. I like my cast iron.

So anyway, the folks at Field Company offered to send me one of their lighter weight cast iron skillets.

Let me be clear here. There's no voodoo involved. It's still real cast iron, just like your foremothers used. The metal is the same. But the skillet is just a little thinner, so it's lighter. It's also smoother, so you don't have a bumpy surface. I'm guessing that rather than just casting it and doing some rough finishing, these are machined to get that smooth surface and thinner metal. But, I'm just guessing. It could be voodoo.

Now, when I'm saying that this skillet is lighter, it's lighter than a standard cast iron skillet of the same size. It's not as light as aluminum. Because that would be actual voodoo.

I went through my usual seasoning process, using the skillet in between. Mostly searing steaks, because that's something that cast iron is excellent at.

As far as performance, there's a slight difference between this pan and my other cast iron pans. Cast iron is desirable for its ability to retain heat, and this did that very well. When I was first heating it, it heated a little unevenly, getting hotter faster right above the flame. However, once it was hot, it all evened out. Since I always preheat cast iron pans, I can't even say this was a drawback. Just something that I noticed. You know, with an infrared thermometer in my hands. Otherwise, I'm not even sure I would have noticed.

Overall, this is a nice pan and I can definitely feel the difference in weight, so I'll be keeping it handy for cooking. And baking. And roasting. And in the grill. And pretty much every way I use cast iron pans.

Like many of the things I review here, I got this pan at no cost to me.

Turbo Pot Cookware

Many years ago, I acquired a piece of cookware called the Turbo Cooker. Or something like that.
This is NOT that. At all.

This cookware - called Turbo Pot Cookware - has an aluminum ... er ... radiator-like-surface on the bottom that makes the pot heat faster and more efficiently on gas cooktops.

Or I guess it's more like a heat sink. But anyway, it doesn't look like the bottom of your normal pots. Take a look at the second photo for a better view.

This is NOT some kind of made-for-TV questionable infomercial thing. This is MAGIC.

Okay, it's not actually magic. It's science. The deep ridges on the bottom of the pot create a greater surface area and let me tell you, this pot heats up a LOT faster. You want boiling water? Don't walk too far away!

It also uses less energy to stay hot. Which means that you can maintain a lively simmer on a low setting. On your small burner. Or a candle.

Okay, not a candle. You might need more than one. But seriously (I keep saying that, don't I?) seriously, this is a thing that actually works the way they say it does. It heats up faster, uses less energy, and is kind of cool to look at.

They gave me my choice of cookware to try, and I opted for the 3.5 quart casserole because I already have too much cookware around here, and it looked small enough that I could find a place for it. But there are other pieces where this fast heating could be really handy.


Decisions, decisions.

The teakettle would be great for rapid heating of water for tea or whatever else you heat coffee for. Right? You wouldn't have to wait nearly as long!

And the frying pan would be awesome for heating to high temperatures to sear a steak, and then because it heats so fast, the pan would be right back up to temperature after the steak cooled it down.

And of course saucepans and stockpots and whatnot could all benefit from heating faster.

The one downside is that if you know how to set your stove for a low simmer using your regular cookware, you might have to readjust that thinking, since this will likely be simmering a lot faster - or even boiling - at that same setting.

Who's it for: People who cook!

Pros: Heats quickly and efficiently. Uses less energy.

Cons: You'll need to learn how low you should set the heat for slower, lower cooking. Also, this is designed for gas cooktops.

Wishes: More, please. I don't really need a kettle, but I desire one.


Source: I was sent a sample at no cost to me. And I've been using it regularly.

Uuni Cast Iron Casserole Dish and Sizzler Pan

I get a lot of offers to review things. But I don't accept them all. I always think about whether the item will be worth writing about.

First, I ask whether I've reviewed similar products before. It's fine if I've covered similar items, but I don't review products that are just knock-offs of existing items.

Next, I ask are whether the item could be better than other similar products. There are a bazillion whisks, for example, so if I get offered a whisk, I decline unless it has some new feature that will be interesting to write about, or that makes it better in some way.

Third, I'm always always always interested in things that are unique in the marketplace.

The cast iron casserole and sizzler dish combo from Uuni, is definitely the third. Yes, there have been cast iron pans for hundreds of years. What makes this one different is the design.

First, there's the casserole dish with two side handles. It's oval-shaped and deep, so it's great for slow braises on the stovetop, in the oven, or on the barbecue grill. Toss some mac and cheese in there, or a mess of greens. Or some cobbler.

The casserole has a lid, and the lid can be flipped over to use as a sizzle platter or for cooking or baking. The lid also has two side handles.

The third piece is a handle that hooks into the side handle of either the casserole or sizzle dish so you can move them around on the stove or in a hot oven or grill without needing pot holders.

The last piece is a wooden tray that either the casserole or sizzle pan can snuggle into, so you're not putting hot cast iron on delicate surfaces.

All together, this is a pretty unique collection of cooking tools, and well worth a look if you've already maxed out of cast iron frying pans or you're looking to add to your collection.

Since this is uncoated cast iron, it needs to be seasoned just like any other cast iron. So this is the kind of cookware that gets better and better with age.

Who's it for: People who like cooking in cast iron.

Pros: Unique shape.

Cons: Like any cast iron, it needs to be seasoned.

Wishes: I kind of wish the set included two sizzle pans and two wooden bases, for more options. But then again, they sell sizzler pans separately, so if that's what you're looking for, you can buy as many of those as you need.

Source: I received this from the manufacturer for the purpose of a review.

Hexclad Saute Pan

I don't usually review cookware, even though I get tons of offers. I like to review things that are new and different, and for the most part, cookware is ... not all that innovative.

When I got an email about a new type of cookware called Hexclad, I decided to give it a try. The surface had a hex-shaped pattern that intrigued me. And then it got here and I found out that the pattern was also a texture. Oooooh. Texture.

Whatever.

It is a little lighter in weight than my other cookware and it seemed thinner, but it's still a tri-ply construction, and the surface is nonstick, inside and out. It's oven-safe and can be washed in the dishwasher, which is a plus.

I cooked eggs, steak, potatoes, mushrooms, and French toast. Not all at once. But I used it every time I needed something cooked.

So far, it's a nice pan. It is nonstick, for the most part, but meat browned well in it. When I was making mushroom gravy, I got a bit of sticking, but it came up as soon as I added liquid, so that was perfectly fine. I got a little bit of sticking when I cooked potatoes, but I think I might have tried moving them before I should have. The bits did scrape up easily, and washing has been easy too.

I haven't put the pan in the dishwasher yet, but I probably will. Needless to say, I have no idea how long this pan will last, but I've had other nonstick pans that failed pretty spectacularly in this many uses.

Who's it for: Pretty much everyone needs cookware.

Pros: Nonstick. Oven safe to 500 degrees. Dishwasher safe. Metal-utensil safe.

Cons: This is a new brand, so I've got no idea what to expect from the quality.

Wishes: So far, there are only saute pans and a wok - no saucepans or other types of cookware. Some folks like to have a complete set.

Source: I received this from the manufacturer for the purpose of a review.

Swiss Diamond Grill Pan

When I replaced my electric stove - the one that came with this house - with a new stove with a gas cooktop, the second thing I did was buy a cast iron grill pan.

The first thing I did was char some red peppers. But that's besides the point. Having a big grill pan that would fit across two burners was one of the things I really really wanted.

But then the nice folks at Swiss Diamond sent me an 11x17 cast aluminum grill pan with a nonstick coating. It cooks just like the previous grill pan, and possibly better. Nice grill marks.

But the magic - the real magic - is when it comes to cleaning the pan. Trying to get the valleys in the old grill pan clean was no fun at all. Nope. It reminded me of when my mom asked me to dust and wax her intricately-carved furniture. Tedious.

But the Swiss Diamond pan releases the cooked-on stuff really easily. A sponge or scrubbie gets all the stuff out of those valleys. It practically rinses clean. Whoosh.

Who's it for: People who need a big grill pan and have a stove it will work on.

Pros: Soooo easy to clean. Large. Nonstick. Lighter than cast iron.

Cons: Spendy.

Wishes: Some other grill pans have a griddle on the other side. This one doesn't.

Source: I received this from the manufacturer for the purpose of a review.

How to make a Japanese Rolled Omelet

It's time for another how-to post here, and this time it's a Japanese-style omelet.

But of course, I gave it a twist. In this case a Mexican twist. If you want to find the ingredients for a traditional Japanese omelet, you'll find plenty of recipes online. If you want to have some fun with rolled omelets, this it's pretty easy. And fun.

I found that three large eggs was about the right size for my purposes and my pan, but you could make yours larger or smaller, depending on what you like. I added a tablespoon of a green salsa to my three beaten eggs, to add a little flavor.

Heat the omelet pan on medium or medium-low heat. If the pan is nonstick, you probably won't need any butter or oil.

Have the beaten eggs standing by. Having them in a measuring cup is handy, for pouring. I also had some grated cheese that I used for a filling.

Pour in a small amount of egg. Just enough to coat the bottom of the pan with a thin layer, like a crepe. Left the pan and move it to let the egg coat the entire bottom of the pan, then return it to the heat. I added just a little bit of cheese on top of the egg.

Cook on medium or medium low so the egg cooks but doesn't brown. If there's excess egg in the pan, you can lift the edges of the omelet and let the liquid egg pour underneath so it all gets cooked through. It's fine if it's a little soft and custardy, but you don't want we egg squishing out when you roll.

When the egg is set and the cheese is melting, start at the curved end of the pan and use a thin spatula to begin to roll the egg, like a jelly-roll sort of thing. Keep rolling until you reach the opposite end.

It's fine if the first roll or two are a little ragged looking. When you reach the opposite end, slide the roll back to the curved end of the pan. Add another thin layer of egg and lift the pan to coat the bottom as you did before. Lift the roll to make sure the egg gets under there as well.

As before, I added a little more cheese.

Roll as you did before. Slide the roll back to the rounded end of the pan.

Continue adding thin layers of egg and rolling until you have no more egg left. Remove the omelet from the pan and slice to serve.

When I've made these without cheese, the slices were more round, but the filled ones don't roll quite as tight, so they're a little more oval when they're sliced.

Once you've made a few of these, I'm sure you'll think of plenty of things to fill the omelet with, and lots of fun things to add to the egg. Yes, it's a Japanese omelet shape. But you can certainly make it your own with any flavors you like.

You can certainly use a regular saute pan to make rolled omelets, but they'll be fatter in the center and thin and floppy on the ends. So they won't be as pretty, but you can still do it. If you want a pretty, even roll, then a square or rectangular traditional Japanese Tamagoyaki pan is what you need.

The pan used in this post was supplied to me at no cost.

Rachael Ray 3/4 Quart Butter Warmer

When I was a kid, our telephone handset (back in the days when the phone had a cord attaching it to the rotary dialer part) had a bunch of divots on the back side. Why? Because my mother was prone to using it as a hammer.

Much of our flatware was dinged and bent and off-kilter, because mom often used knives, spoons, and fork to pry things open or to unscrew screws.

She was the queen of using everyday objects in ways they weren't supposed to be used. And from her, I learned how to open the front door of our apartment with a butter knife, because mom's relationship with her keys was on-again, off-again.

On the other hand, my dad's mantra was that you should always use exactly the right tool for the job. It wasn't good enough to use a screwdriver. You had to use the correct screwdriver.

It's amazing to me that those two people managed to like each other enough to get married and procreate. A constant wonder.

While I appreciated mom's resourcefulness when faced with an emergency, I also embraced my dad's quest for the right tool for tasks that were likely to be repeated. Eventually, dad bought mom her own set of tools, but we still occasionally needed to borrow a butter knife from a neighbor to get into the apartment.

It's my dad's influence that makes me love having this blog and reviewing so many different items. It's not really about which is the ultimate best, because I don't think that's possible. It's about having the best tool for the specific job. Swiss Army knives do a lot of different things are great for emergencies, but in the kitchen I prefer to have a paring knife and a chef's knife and a bread knife, each designed for specific purposes. In theory I could cut a slice from a bread loaf using a paring knife, but it wouldn't be pretty.

So this brings us to the Rachael Ray 3/4 quart butter warmer pot. For those who are doing the math, that's 3 cups. Yes, it's a small pot. You're not going to make stock in it.

But the pot is absolutely perfect for melting butter, as the name implies. Or for other small tasks where a larger vessel is just ridiculous, like heating that cup or two of milk for making hot chocolate.

I've even used it for making a very small amount of caramel. Very small. Caramel can boil over easily.

Or for heating a single serving of soup. Or warming some gravy or sauce. Or any other small cooking task. While I love my giant stock pots and even my normal-sized saucepans, they're simply not the right tool for the job when you're dealing with a small quantity.

The interior of the pot is nonstick, so it's easy to clean. As far as the exterior, this pot, as well as a whole set of Rachael Ray Cucina cookware, comes in a number of fun colors. I chose the new lavender color, because I thought it was fun.

Who's it for: Anyone who needs a small pot.

Pros: Nonstick interior, pouring spout, attractive.

Cons: No lid.

Wishes: None really. I don't even want a lid for this type of pot.

Source: I received this from the manufacturer for the purpose of a review.

Flare Saute Pan

One of the cool things about being a blogger is that I get a lot of fun cooking gear and foods to test and write about.


Most of the time, I know what sort of things are coming. Companies will email and ask if I'm interested in their products, or they'll ask if I'm interested in a sponsored post.

But sometimes things arrive as a surprise.

Not too long ago, a really cool Flare saute pan arrived. I hadn't heard about it before it arrived, so it was a nice surprise.

It went straight into the kitchen so I could start having fun with it. The Flare pans were designed by an actual rocket scientist, with fins that channel heat along the outside of the pan.

When you're cooking with a normal pan, heat is wasted as it billows out from under the pan and into your kitchen. The fins capture that heat, or at least some of it.

After using the Flare pan for a while, I have to say that it does seem to get hotter faster, and it seems to retain that heat pretty well.

I have a feeling that the difference would be even more dramatic with a saucepan, since the heat would travel up the high sides of the pan - it would be great for getting water to boil quickly, and keeping it boiling.

The interior of the pan is nonstick, with a textured, nubby sort of surface rather than a slick one that I've seen in other nonstick pans. So far, nothing has stuck to the pan, and it cleans very easily.

Who's it for: Most people need some sort of saute or frying pan.

Pros: Nonstick, heats quickly.

Cons: Since it's made from aluminum, I don't think it will work well on induction.

Wishes: None, so far. It seems to do its job.

Source: I received the Flare pan via Nordicware at no cost to me.

Le Creuset World Cuisine Balti Pot

I like cooking vessels that are built for utility. A stock pot is a wonderful thing. But there are other cooking vessels that I think are drop-dead gorgeous. Sure, they're made to be used, but the design makes them ... more.

That's how I feel about the Le Creuset Balti Pots. They're part of the World Cuisine line that includes tagines, woks, and other interesting pots. When I saw the Balti, I giggled a bit. I loved the shape. I could imagine it with soup or risotto in it.

I had no idea what a Balti dish was originally used for, but I wanted it. And then I got it. It's good to be a blogger. Isn't the color stunning?

The Le Creuset site explained that it was used for curry-like dishes in Pakistan, and foods were served right in the pot along with some naan.

Well, okay then. It sure as heck was pretty enough to use for a serving vessel. I used it for serving the Miracle Pasta recipe, here. And I'm sure you'll be seeing it on my blog a lot more in the future.

And I used it for cooking soup. Somehow I didn't get a photo of that.

I'm planning on cooking a balti dish in the pot, at least once ... Le Creuset has one here that looks good.

Next up, though is risotto.

The Balti comes in two different sizes, and six different colors - two different blues, along with red, orange, yellow, and green. Make sure you check it out - and all the other new World Cuisine items. There are a few others I've got my eye on, that's for sure!

Who's it for: People who like stylish yet useful cookware.

Pros: It's cast iron but doesn't need seasoning.

Cons: Cast iron is heavy; some people don't like that.

Wishes: I wish I had the whole darned set.

Source: I received this from the manufacturer at my request.

Lékué Popcorn Maker

I like popcorn. A lot.

And, given the range of other possible snack foods, it's relatively healthy, particularly if you pop your own and control the add-ins.

I usually make popcorn on the stove in a regular saucepan. I like the flavor better than packaged microwave popcorn, but the pot needs some babysitting and shaking to get as much corn popped as possible, with minimal burning.

I spent some time perfecting my stovetop popping technique, but it's still hit-and-miss. Most of the time it's good, but sometimes the corn isn't as fluffy, or there are a lot of dead kernels. And then I have a pot and a lid and a bowl to wash. And whatever I melted the butter in.

When I got the Lékué Popcorn Maker to test-drive, it wasn't long before it was in the microwave, popping away. It's darned simple. Add popcorn - you can use a measuring cup or use the lines in the bowl. Add optional oil or salt for flavor. Put the lid on and zap it. Easy peasy.

The lid doesn't fit tightly - it sort of floats, so it sits down in the bowl at the beginning of popping and raises up with the level of popcorn. The instruction said it would take 2-4 minutes to pop the popcorn, and mine was done in about 3 minutes.

The second time I made popcorn, I wondered if I could use a little butter along with the oil to add buttery flavor. I wasn't sure if it would work or if it would burn, so I added just a little. Maybe a teaspoon. And - the butter didn't burn. Even more interesting was that the little bit of butter added a mild buttery flavor to the popcorn, so although there wasn't a lot of fat added, it wasn't as dull as air-popped corn.

The little bit of salt I added also seemed to be well-distributed on the popcorn - no pockets of too much salt, and no flavorless corn. There were, of course, some unpopped kernels, but that happens no matter what method you use. But there weren't many, and the popped corn was nice and fluffy.

Although we're just talking about a bowl and a lid, it has some nice features. Because the lid floats, it vents steam, which is essential for good popcorn making. The bowl is perfect for serving, too, and it's dishwasher safe. And, it folds down, so it takes less space for storage.

Although it's designed for popping popcorn, I could see using it for other things, like heating other foods in the microwave, or for those times you want to serve something in an unbreakable bowl. So it's not a popcorn unitasker. It is, however, pretty flexible, so I wouldn't recommend filling it with something like soup.

Overall, a pretty big success.

Who's it for: People who want to pop their own corn in the microwave.

Pros: It works! It collapses for storage.

Cons: Not huge. Wait. Maybe that's a "pro."

Wishes: As always, it would be awesome if it came in a wide range of colors. I'm not picky, but I know some folks keep their kitchens color-coordinated.

Source: I received this from the manufacturer for the purpose of a review.

Microwave Pressure Cooker. Yes, it exists.

Everyone has their cooking nemesis. For some people, it's yeast bread. For some it's pastry. Or gravy. or biscuits.

I can make all those things, no problem. My nemesis is rice.

Yes, plain old white rice.

It didn't used to be that way. Long ago when I lived in an area roughly level with the sea, I could cook rice with nary a second thought. Perfect every time.

Then I moved about a mile vertically, and rice became angry with me. It refused to cooperate. I made crunchy rice and mushy rice and wet rice and burned rice. I scrubbed more blackened rice out of the bottom of saucepans than I ever want to admit.

So, I gave in and bought a rice cooker and never looked back.

But then this mystical plastic item, bright red, appeared on my doorstep. A microwave pressure cooker made by SilverStone. What sort of magic is this?

I skimmed through the instructions and pawed through the recipes. And then I saw it. Beans and rice. Really???

I'm pretty adept with a pressure cooker. I own stove-top models and an electric one, but I use them mostly for things that would otherwise have to cook for a really long time, like oxtails or corned beef. I never thought about making rice in my pressure cooker. But when I saw this recipe, it was an "aha" moment that I couldn't resist.

I figured that I could modify the beans-and-rice recipe to cook just the rice, so I used 1 1/2 cups of rice, 2 cups of liquid (chicken stock and water) and a tablespoon of butter. And some salt, since the stock wasn't salted.

I put the lid on it, chucked it in the microwave, and set it for 10 minutes on high. I heard the microwave beep (no explosions, but I did hear some hissing inside the microwave prior to that, as one would expect from a pressure cooker) and I gave it a couple more minutes to cool down.

The pressure valve was already down, so I opened the cooker, and ... RICE! Cooked rice in TEN MINUTES!!!

It MUST be voodoo, I tell you!

The rice was just a tad undercooked for my taste. Not al dente or crunchy, but just slightly firmer than I prefer.

I wouldn't have had a problem serving the rice exactly the way it came out, but it ended up being sort of perfect, because I decided I wanted to add some peas to the rice. So I added peas, a little extra water, and cooked for one more minute.

I wasn't terribly surprised that the rice wasn't totally perfect on the first try. When I cook rice in my rice cooker, I have to add water above the rice cooker's suggested amount. High altitude and all that.

So, next time I make rice in the magic voodoo time machine ... uh, I mean microwave pressure cooker ... I'll use 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water and maybe increase the cooking time by a minute. Because 11-minute rice is still like some kind of cooking miracle.

So, even if this critter only cooked rice, I'd be pretty giddy about it, because it's FAST rice. The rice cooker is simple, but I have to plan ahead.

A couple days later, I decided to cook come dry beans. Of course I didn't plan ahead - the beans weren't soaked. But lately I've read some articles that say that there's really no compelling reason to soak. Except of course that if you soak them, they cook faster when you get around to cooking.

I used 1 cup of beans with 3 cups of water and checked them after 10 minutes to see how they were doing. Nope. I added salt and cooked them for another 10 minutes and they were done. But!!! I think a better ratio would have been 1 cup of beans and 4 cups of water.

So far, I really like this pressure cooker. It's going to take a little bit of recipe expeimenting before I know exactly how long I need to cook different foods, but that's not a big deal.

I also think this would be great for people who are interested in having a pressure cooker but who are a little skittish about having one. Because, seriously, if something goes wrong and it spews stuff out the vent, it's going to be contained inside the microwave. That's still messy, but it's not as bad as scraping food off the kitchen ceiling.

Who's it for: People who want to try pressure cooking.

Pros: Works well, so far it's easy to clean. Doesn't require as much watching as a stovetop model, since the microwave controls the timing. Has a steamer rack (there are recipes that came with it that use this rack).

Cons: Not a lot of recipes written for this pressure cooker, so you'll need to adapt.

Wishes: It would be great to see these in different sizes, eventually.

Source: I received this from the manufacturer for the purpose of a review.

9 Ways to Use a Cast Iron Frying Pan (besides frying!)

Pizza baked on an upside-down cast iron frying pan.

Cast iron frying pans are versatile, durable, and - let's face it - cheap. While pans that have passed down for generations might have a whole lot of sentimental value, you can buy a brand new cast iron frying pan for not a whole lot of cash.

Besides frying your bacon, a cast iron frying pan can be used for baking or as a casserole dish for your potatoes au gratin. I've also used a cast iron pan for biscuits, cakes, sticky buns, upside-down cakes, and giant cookies.

If bake a sugary-sticky cake in a cast iron pan and you accidentally let it cool too much and the sugar hardens, you can put the pan on the stove and heat it just enough to soften the sugar and release the cake - you probably wouldn't want to do that with a standard cake pan.

When you're baking in a cast iron pan, you might need to adjust your cooking time or temperature to get the same results you'd get from a traditional baking pan, but cast iron also offers baking options you couldn't get from your standard cake pan - like preheating the pan in the oven before adding your batter, or cooking your caramel in the pan on the stove top before adding the dough on top of that gooey caramel.

Are those uses too obvious? How about these?

Personal Pizza Baking Stone

Preheat your cast iron frying pan upside-down in the oven and use the bottom surface to bake your personal-sized pizzas. Needless to say, a larger pan will give you more surface area to bake on, but even a normal-sized cast iron pan is large enough for personal pizzas.

Meat Mallet

When you need to flatten some chicken breasts or pound a round steak flat, a cast iron frying pan has the heft to do the job, and a nice flat bottom surface for even pounding.

While it seems logical that a larger pan would give you more weight for pounding, a smaller pan is easier to lift, and lets you flatten the meat with a little more precision rather that splatting it flat with one massive smack.

Steam Pan

Many bread recipes call for a steam pan in the oven. It's a simple thing, really. Just a pan to hold water to create the required steam.

A cast iron frying pan works well, with a caution. While cast iron pans are extremely sturdy, they can crack due to thermal shock - I had it happen once on the stove when I added oil to a hot pan, and it scared the heck out of me.

If you put the pan in the oven with water in it, you're fine. If you preheat the pan in the oven, and then add boiling water, you're probably okay, But if you preheat the pan, then throw ice cubes into it, there's a risk that it's going to crack. It might be fine, but you might want to use a cheap new pan rather than great-grandma's heirloom pan for that sort of abuse.

A well-seasoned pan will suffer no ill effects from occasionally using it for boiling water, but if your pan has a thin coating of seasoning, check it to make sure it's not losing so much seasoning that it's at risk of rusting.

Mortar and Pestle 

Who needs a mortar and pestle when you've got a cast iron frying pan - or even better, a pair of pans that nest together? Put the nuts or seeds in the bottom pan, place the smaller pan on top of the product you're smashing, and push and twist to break up those pesky nuts and seeds. By using two pans rather than just crushing seeds on your cutting board, you contain the seeds so they don't fly all over the kitchen. And, if you need toasted seeds, you can toast first, then crush.

For things like graham crackers, cookies, or corn flakes, you can place them in a plastic bag and use a single pan to crush them to crumbs.

Brick

Chicken under a brick sounds like a fun recipe - use a handy brick to weight down and flatten a half-chicken on the grill or in a pan. But ... who has a brick sitting around? If there's a construction site nearby, maybe you can borrow a brick. But even if you wrap it in foil, are you sure it hasn't been in contact with things you don't want near your food?

A cast iron frying pan can perform the same function, it offers a larger surface area than you'd get from a brick, and it's food safe.

Sandwich Press

Sure, an electric panini press is a fun gadget, but if you don't need it often, a pair of cast iron frying pans work really well. Heat both pans, place your sandwiches in the larger one, then put the smaller pan on top, using the bottom of the pan to press and toast the sandwiches. You won't get grill lines, but you'll get a nice toasty surface.

Weights

Sometimes tofu needs to be pressed, and a cast iron pan makes a fine weight. You can put the pan right on top of the wrapped tofu, or place a baking pan on top of the tofu and use the cast iron pan to add weight.

If you've ever made home-made cheese, the same method works just as well. If you need a precise weight for the type of cheese you're making, you can use several cast iron pans (weigh them first, then add up the weights to get to the ideal amount) or use the pan to hold canned goods, pie weights, or whatever else you need to get to the proper weight.

Tortilla Press

While you won't get the leverage that a tortilla press provides, the bottom of a cast iron pan gives you a flat surface and a bit of weight to flatten corn masa into a flat tortilla. If you regularly make tortillas, you might want to invest in a tortilla press. But for a few tortillas, a cast iron pan will do the trick.

Heat Diffuser

Pots and pans have heavy bottoms for a good reason - to spread the heat out evenly to avoid hot spots. But what if your ideal cooking vessel doesn't have a heavy bottom? What if you need super-gentle, super-even heat? Just use your cast iron pan as a heat diffuser. Put the cast iron pan on the stove, and put your cooking vessel in the pan.

How do you use your cast iron frying pans, besides frying?

10" Williams Sonoma Thermoclad Skillet #Giveaway

Ya wanna hear a funny story?

It's about this frying pan. Yes, humor happens in strange places in my house.

I got a pair of identical stainless steel frying pans a while back from Williams Sonoma when I was working on a promotion for them. I kept one and set the other one aside. I figured that I'd do a giveaway eventually.

I wasn't really doing a lot of giveaways on my recipe blog, so the pan got shuffled from one place to another. But when I started this blog, I thought, gee, I might as well put the nice frying pan up for grabs.

And when I looked for it, it was ... gone. Poof! Vanished.

I looked every sane place I could think of, and a couple of insane places. I knew what the box looked like. I knew how the box opened. It wasn't in the house and it wasn't in the garage. Where could it be?

Then I started thinking about the way we recycle boxes, which is usually my husband's job. And I thought, gee, I wonder if that box went out with the recycling? It was the only think I could think of, since it wasn't anywhere else. Not in the house, not in the garage. Not under the car. Not anywhere else at all.

Or, anywhere else visible ...

I asked him if he remembered seeing the box anywhere, and I told him my "out with the recycling" theory. He didn't think it was possible, but he didn't remember seeing it anywhere, either. It was just mysteriously gone.

Recently, I went looking though my "giveaway" boxes looking to see what sorts of gadgets I might combine into a few coherent giveaways. I had a box that had fall-related items, like a big roasting pan and some turkey tools. And then I noticed a box underneath.

"Mumble ... mumble ... dammit!" I might have said a few other things as well.

I hear a voice ... "You found that pan, didn't you? I knew this day would come." My husband was chuckling.

He was pretty sure he hadn't thrown the pan out, because he looks in the boxes-to-be-recycled, just to make sure I haven't left something behind that I might need. And he breaks down the boxes, so they're more compact. The chance of a frying pan getting recycled with the cardboard was pretty slim.

But still, when it was gone ... I thought ... where could it be???

Obviously, it could be at the bottom of another box, right under the roasting pan that I'll be giving away this fall. Right where I put it, apparently.

*sigh* This happens whenever I sort and re-arrange and organize. I could visualize that pan where it sat before it went into that box. But after ... nah, it couldn't have been me who moved it. Gremlins, I say. Gremlins.

So, lucky you. I have one really nice 10-inch stainless steel Thermoclad skillet ($130 value) to give away. This pretty pan currently sells for $130, and it's definitely well-made. I think you'll like it.

And don't forget to check my roundup of giveaways from some of my favorite food bloggers, HERE.

This giveaway is NOT sponsored by Williams Sonoma. They gave me the pan during a promotion; I was not required to write about it, mention it, or promote it in any way. This is just from me to you.

Anolon Cookware Set #Giveaway #FromScratch

It's your lucky day. I'm participating in the Anolon "Start From Scratch" campaign, where I created a barbecue recipe - sauce made completely from scratch - and, I have a giveaway for you.

I made a fantastic barbecue sauce and a pork roast that was used to make sandwiches. Go check out both recipes, hmmmm?

GIVEAWAY!!!

One lucky reader can get a set of Anolon Advanced cookware that you can find at Macy's right now for $299, if you're in a buying mood. The set includes: 1.5 Qt. Covered Saucepan, 3 Qt. Covered Saucepan, 8 Qt. Covered Stockpot, 8.5" Skillet, 12" Covered Deep Skillet, 3 Qt. Covered Saute. Bonus Items are: 10" Open Skillet, 3 Qt. Covered Sauteuse with swing lid.

I own several pieces of Anolon cookware from different product lines, and I have to say that the Advanced line is pretty sweet. It's nonstick, but it's also safe for use with metal utensils. But I have to say that with the advent of high-heat silicone spatulas, I seldom use metal utensils in any of my cookware. But it's good to know that if someone else decided to use a metal spoon to stir a sauce, my cookware would be safe.

I have a few different pieces from this particular line that I use ... maybe not daily, but really, really often, including a saucepan that almost ne ver leaves the stove zone. And, the color is classy, with the dark gray and silver. It just looks good on my stove, and it cleans up easily, both inside and out.

If you win this set, you're gonna love it! Or someone is gonna love you very much if you give it as a present. Christmas is coming.

For more about the recipe I made, go look at COOKISTRY. The complete recipe that goes with this post will be on Anolon.com. How cool is THAT???

Because you really do want this pork sandwich in your life.

Or maybe these nachos.

Yeah, that's what I'm talking about!

About this campaign: Anolon sponsored the Start from Scratch campaign to encourage home cooks to consider making a wider range of foods from scratch From August 13-31, Anolon's Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest social media sites will promote the campaign, with opportunities for you to win Anolon cookware prizes. There is also a special 20 percent off promotion on Anolon open stock items available at Macy’s. I am a paid participant in this campaign.

Enter below. If the widget doesn't load, give it a few seconds. If that doesn't work, try reloading this page. The giveaway is also available on my Facebook page.

How to season a clay tagine or stew pot - and a #GIVEAWAY

These instructions are based on the instructions that came with a Le Souk Ceramique clay tagine that I received from the very generous folks at StyleVisa, but these instructions might also be useful for similar glazed clay cookware. Of course, if you received instructions with your cookware that's different, use those instructions.

First, soak the base and lid in cold water for 12 to 24 hours. I found it easiest to leave it in my kitchen sink overnight.

Remove the pot from the water and let it air dry for a few hours.

Rub the inside of the base and the inside of the lid with olive oil.

Place the base and lid in a cold oven, heat to 300 degrees, and let the pieces bake for 2 hours, then allow it to cool, either in the oven, or on a folded towel or on a wooden surface rather than on a cold surface - particularly not on something like a stone countertop. The thermal shock of the hot pot on the cold surface could cause the pot to crack.

Once the pot has cooled, it's ready for use. Your shouldn't need to re-season the pot if you use it regularly, but if you let it sit for more than 2 months without using it, you should re-season.

The color of the pot might change with use - that's a normal part of the natural seasoning that occurs over time.

The pot should be hand-washed. Always allow it to cool completely before washing - NEVER put a hot pot into water, or you could crack it.

And that's it, really. These tagines seem delicate, but they're actually pretty sturdy as long as you don't shock or drop them. Treated well, a tagine should last a long, long time.

Cooking in a Clay Tagine:

It seems odd that you can use clay cookware on a stovetop, right? But you can - if the cookware is made for stovetop use, AND if you treat it the right way. The Le Souk clay cookware can be used on the stovetop over very low heat, or in the oven.

If you're using it on the stovetop, it's a good idea to use a heat diffuser. No diffuser? I used my cast iron pizza pan to even out the heat from my gas stove.

For a recipe using this tagine, check out this post on COOKISTRY.

Quick Review:

Who's it for: People who like pretty, unique cookware and servingware and who want to try authentic tagine cooking.

Pros: Easy to care for and decorative. Even if you never cook in it, the tagine makes a great serving piece, and the lid will help keep your food warm. Prices are very reasonable, considering these are hand-made.

Cons: Breakable. If you're a klutz, be very careful.

Source: I received the tagine for my use from StyleVisa, and they are also providing one for a giveaway.

Note: Since these are hand-made, colors and designs might vary a bit from what you see online. The one I have appeared to be a mustardy color online, but in reality, it was more of a brick color. The good news is that I like the color I got better than the color I saw online.

Check out Cookistry for a tagine recipe using the pot I received.

THE GIVEAWAY IS OVER.

How to season a cast iron pan

These instructions are for seasoning a cast iron grill pan, which is slightly more challenging because of the grooves. But, really, it's the same method for seasoning pretty much any piece of raw cast iron cookware.

Some cast iron comes pre-seasoned, and some has an oil coating that keeps it from rusting while it's waiting to be purchased.

No matter what kind of cast iron you have (except enameled or coated, which doesn't need seasoning) I suggest that you start your process by washing the pan first with hot, soapy water, drying it quickly, and coating it immediately with your choice of seasoning oil

I've tried a number of different oils for seasonings, and most of them are fine. I don't suggest extra virgin olive oil because it has a low smoke point. I don't like canola oil, because it tends to get gummy. Vegetable oil, peanut oil, grapeseed oil, or a solid fat like vegetable shortening works fine.

Use any oil you like. Really. It's not a deal-breaker. For this pan, I used Crisco.

Start by melting some Crisco in the pan (or pouring in a little of your liquid oil, if that's what you're using) and brushing it all over the inside. You want a very thin coating, not puddles. Let it heat until it's smoky hot, then put it into an oven set at 450 degrees. Brush oil on the outside of the pan as well. You can leave the pan right-side up, but I recommend baking it upside-down. The advantage of baking upside-down is that you won't have puddles of oil accumulating in the pan, and it will season more evenly. Bake for an hour at 450 degrees.

Note: it's a good idea to have something under the pan to catch any drippy oil, or you're going to hate me. A sheet of aluminum foil on the rack below the rack the pan is on will be just fine. I have an oven liner that sits on the bottom rack of my oven, so I just put the pan in the oven and let it rip.

Yes, it gets smoky, but it's not terrible if you don't open the oven to peek. Turn your stove hood on or have a window open. After an hour or so - it's not an exact thing, a little longer isn't going to hurt anything - turn off the oven and let the pan cool. You can leave it until the next day, if you don't need the oven for anything else.

Keep in mind that cast iron retains heat. An hour after you turn the oven off, you'll still need mitts to handle it. You don't need to leave it in the oven until it's completely cool - you can remove it from the oven and let it cool anywhere that's convenient.

DON'T be tempted to speed the cooling by dousing the hot pan in cold water. A cast iron pan is nearly indestructible, but there can be imperfections in the metal because of the way the molten metal is poured - like you see veins and layers in rock. Thermal shock can cause a cast iron pan to crack along one of those lines. And it will make a loud noise that will scare the the heck out of you. Don't ask how I know this, mkay?

When the pan is cool, scrub it with hot water and kosher salt to remove any oil residue. Don't use soap.

The grill pan you see above, when I first got it, was a silvery-black color and if you ran your finger across the ridges, you could feel sandpaper-y sharp(ish) bumps. This is completely normal. It's what happens when a pan is cast rather than spun, molded, pressed, or stamped. Can you tell I used to work in a metal-related industry?

The great thing about cast iron pans is that they're relatively inexpensive, nearly indestructible, and once they're well-seasoned, they're pretty much non-stick. I have another grill pan that's got an enamel coating, , but it's not nearly as non-stick as this one is, and I've only seasoned this one a few times - it will get even better with age and use.

You can use your pan after the first seasoning, if you like, but I usually season two or three times before I use the pan for cooking, unless I'm planning on cooking super-fatty foods in it right away. Like bacon. Or shallow-frying some chicken. Which I wouldn't be doing in a grill pan. So I seasoned it again.

After the first seasoning of this grill pan, it was a brownish black rather than silver-black. If you looked at it by itself, you might say it was black. But next to a well-seasoned pan, it was definitely a little brown. The surface was a little slicker and smoother than before.

I seasoned it one more time, brushing on a thin coating of vegetable oil. Like I said, it really doesn't matter what oil you use, as long as it's edible.

Again, it went into the oven upside-down for an hour at 450 degrees. I let it sit in the oven until it cooled, and scrubbed it with a little kosher salt again - I find this is the best way to clean any kind of cast iron pan.

The pan was slightly darker, and if you brushed your finger on the ridges, it was smoother. At this point, the pan felt like it had an enamel coating on it. There were still bumps, but the sharp-feeling sandpapery points were gone. The pan didn't feel greasy or sticky - just smooth. And drops of water beaded up on the surface. That's what we're looking for.

At this point, I deemed it ready for cooking, so I grilled some burgers. Nothing stuck to the pan, even when one of the burgers had a slight cheese-oozing problem. Mission accomplished.

But just for the heck of it, I gave it one more oil-and-bake in a 450 degree oven. And NOW the pan is just about as black as my other cast iron pans.

Maintenance

Once your pan is well-seasoned, you don't need to do much to it, particularly if you're using oil to cook your food, or if the food itself is fatty (like bacon). Just wash with hot water and scrub with a brush or sponge with bit of kosher salt.

If the pan is new and the seasoning is a bit thin, you can brush it with a little oil after washing and heat it on the stove until it's hot. Then let it cool and wipe the oil residue out with a paper towel.

When the seasoning is well established, just wash the pan with hot water and scrub with salt if it needs it, and make sure it's completely dry before you store it. But even with my well-seasoned pans, I sometimes give them a little oil-and-heat before storing, just to make sure I'm not losing any seasoning.

If the seasoning on your cast iron pan ever gets damaged (although I'm not sure how you'd do that) you can remove the coating by putting the pan into your oven while it's self cleaning. Or in your grill, maybe, if it gets hot enough. I've heard of doing that, but haven't tried it. This will burn off all the seasoning, and you'll need to start from scratch again, working quickly because once the coating is completely gone, the pan will want to rust. So at least get a coat of oil on it.

The only reason I can think of where I'd remove good-looking seasoning from a pan is if I bought one from a flea market or garage sale and I was concerned about what might have been cooked in the pan or what it was seasoned with. Burning off the seasoning in the pan would remove all traces of the old owner, which could be a good thing.

If you inherit a nicely seasoned cast iron pan from grandma, and she's not prone to cooking with motor oil, then there's probably no reason to ruin decades of hard-earned seasoning.

Le Creuset 9-Quart Stainless Steel Stockpot #giveaway

Right out of the box! So pretty!

First, I have to say that Le Creuset's new stainless line is gloriously pretty. Shiny. Mirror-like.

It's going to be very durable.

And ... it's still going to be really pretty even after it's seen some use and it's got some age on it. There's something about well-used cooking equipment that makes it appealing, because you know someone spent time with it.

When I first got the 9-quart stockpot (with the steamer insert ... squeeee!) I was almost afraid to use it because it was sooooo pretty, but then ... I had to. That's what it's FOR. So, I started getting it dirty.

The funny thing is that the first time I lifted the pot, I almost threw it to the ceiling. Not that it's a lightweight pot, but I see that LeCreuset design on the lid and my brain thinks "cast iron" and my muscles gear up to lift something super heavy and ... wheeee!

The pot made from tri-clad stainless, and the bottom is definitely thicker and heavier, but overall, it's liftable. Or it is when it's empty. Fill that sucker with water and you've got some water weight to contend with.

Because of the heavy bottom, it cooks evenly, which is a big deal. Cheap cookware tends to have hot spots where food tends to stick and burn. When I first started cooking on my own, I didn't think pots made that much difference and I used some pretty cheap stuff. When I got my first good piece of cookware, I was amazed at how different it was. I didn't have to hang around and stir as much. And I didn't burn as much food.

I absolutely love the lid on this pot. First, there's the look. It's got that distinctive Le Creuset design, which I think looks pretty awesome in shiny stainless. But it's not just the look. It's designed so that drips go back into the pot, and it holds steam in really well, too.

Between the heavy bottom and the ability to hold in steam, you can put this on simmer and it can cook for a long time with little attention.

Another really, really cool thing about this pot is that the inside is etched with measurements up to 7 quarts, which is probably where you want to stop filling it, if you're a sane person. It will hold 9 quarts, but if you're going to be cooking and stirring, you need some empty space. It's nice to see how much stuff you've got in the pot, whether you're filling it with water, or you're checking how much something has reduced.

The steamer is pretty sweet, and if you're going to spend the money for a pot like this, consider the steamer, since it will make the pot even more versatile. I have a few pots that came with steamer inserts, and some are better than others. Some go nearly to the bottom of the pot, so they're more like pasta inserts. Not great for steaming, since anything at the bottom of the pot will be sitting in water. Or you can only add an inch or two of water. And that's not what you want.

I have other pots where the steamer insert is really shallow, so you can't put a whole lot of food in it. These sit at the top of the pot, so I guess you could be cooking a stock in the bottom and steaming some corn on top - but who does that? It's just silly.

The steamer for the Le Creuset pot is far enough from the bottom of the pot so you can put a decent amount of water in there before it reaching the level of the food in the steamer. And the steamer itself is deep enough so you can steam a reasonable quantity of food, and not just a couple hot dogs.

After using this pot for a while, there's really nothing bad I can say about it, except that it's expensive. But you get what you pay for. This should last a lifetime ... and get handed down.

Who's it for: People who like quality cookware from reliable and well-known brands.

Pros: This is going to be the sort of pot that you'll pass down to your children. It's well made. Unless you run it over with a truck, I can't imagine how you could fatally damage it.

Cons: Price. This isn't cheap cookware. It's an investment.

Source: I received the 9-quart stockpot and the steamer from Le Creuset. They accidentally shipped an extra stockpot and when I informed them, they said, "don't bother sending it back." I could have kept it for myself, sold it, or given it to a friend, but I decided that a giveaway here would be so much more fun.

To see a recipe where I used this stockpot, look here.

GIVEAWAY is OVER