Cast-iron cooking

Steven bought me a cast-iron skillet for Christmas, complete with the little handle mitt. Lest anyone think he gives lousy gifts, this is what I asked for! Cast iron always seemed like something difficult to take care of, but now that they pre-season them, they're really quite simple. Scrub in hot water without any soap, then apply oil while hot. Easy peasy!

Because Mardi Gras snuck up on me this year, and I didn't get a chance to make a King Cake (and the store-bought ones are nasty), I decided to celebrate it on Tuesday by making an oven pancake for dinner. You know, Shrove Tuesday, whatever that means. (We don't go to a liturgical church.)

Here is the recipe, which is fabulous, in my opinion!

Baked Apple Oven Pancake

6 T. unsalted butter
4 medium tart apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Juice of 1 lemon
6 large eggs
1-1/2 cups milk
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat and saute the apple slices about 2 minutes, just until tender, but still firm. Sprinkle with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Place a 12-inch round or 9x13-inch rectangular baking dish in the oven to heat for 2 minutes. Remove the baking dish and scrape the sauted fruit into it. If the skillet is ovenproof, the fruit may be evenly distributed over the bottom.

In a large bowl using a whisk, combine the eggs, milk, flour, vanilla, and salt. Beat until well blended and smooth. Pour the batter over the hot fruit. Place the pancake immediately in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until puffed and brown. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting into wedges. Serve immediately.