Interesting article about fat...

[Tuckervill]

Lodge sells pre-seasoned cast iron these days. However, it's not difficult to season cast iron. Grease it up and put it in a low oven. I cook outdoors with cast iron Dutch ovens and I seasoned those in the fire. The best way to season them is to use them. Don't use soap to clean them (gets in the seasoning and "flavors" your food). Dry thoroughly before putting away. I do it the old fashioned way by putting it on the stove and turning on the heat until hot, then let it sit there until cool.

I spray Pam on my Dutch ovens before I put them away in their cases until next time. I never oil the pans I use daily, because they live on the stove top and don't have time to rust.

I lusted after the Le Creuset, but settled for a cheaper alternative.

Karen

[Eden]

Crisco is pure hydrogenated oil.... I wouldn't even use it to grease a pan....

My brownie recipe has applesauce in it ... no oil or butter needed. The only added fat is from the egg yolks and you'd never know. I've recently discovered that in some baking recipes applesauce is a great substitute. It will not work in recipes that use fat to create flakiness - so no biscuits, pies etc, but it does work really well in brownies and quickbreads.

[Jolt]

Crisco is pure hydrogenated oil.... I wouldn't even use it to grease a pan....

I agree--YUCK! When I'm home, I always give my mother a hard time if I see her use it.

[emily_in_nc]

I use Le Creuset enameled cookware and love it. It's pricey even at the outlet near us, but lasts a LONG time. Also have a Calphalon stainless steel wok. We dumped all our non-stick after reading articles online about its toxicity. Ours was even flaking. Scary!

I love real butter (organic, preferably) and extra virgin olive oil. No margarine or Crisco in our home, ever.

Yes, I'm a bit of a food snob....

Emily

[Tuckervill]

It's so much easier to enjoy your food and eat sensibly if you use the quality ingredients. I feel like a food snob sometimes, when I get very critical over a menu at a restaurant, looking for the healthiest thing. I had lunch with my mother on Friday, and I could sense she was thinking I was being snobby. Why not just order a hamburger, is what she's thinking, you know? I'm just trying to ensure and protect my health. I deserve that.

Karen

[smilingcat]

Hi Eden,

Can you post your brownie with applesauce recipe? Ingredients and quantity is plenty good for me. I'm just curious.

I'm not 100% satisfied with my brownie recipe even though I use Belgian dark chocolate.

Thank you,
smilingcat