Pan Roasted

The stove-top cast iron skilled is amazing. You don't need to heat up the whole oven, and you get an even cook. No worries about things sticking or ruining your non-stick version of a skillet. You simply scrape the bottom and mix the bits into the dish, or turn the bits into a sauce after the meal is taken out of the pan.

Quick Paella

Mussels are super easy. I just get a box of them from the freezer at Aldi. 2.99. Garlic and butter version. First I put the mussels in the skillet. Only takes a few minutes to defrost. Then added a box of quick cooking couscous, the required amount of water for the couscous mixed with the seasoning packet it came with, and chopped or whole small veggies. Let the whole thing simmer and you have a quick paella. I can't eat rice anymore, I just don't digest it well. Couscous is great for me.

Baked tilapia with red onion, lemon and north woods seasoning and a parm crisp

I place a piece of tilapia with chopped red onions, north woods seasoning, a dab of butter, and a slice of lemon on a piece of aluminum foil and fold closed like a pocket or a gift. I put that into the cast iron skilled on the stove top, medium heat, and let fish cook through for 5-7 minutes. Everything steams to deliciousness. Once that is out of the pan, I grate some parmesan directly into the pan. It melts into a gooey then cripsy mess you can scrape up in one piece. Adds great texture to the soft, steamed fish and veggies.

Pan cooked pork with spicy pineapple salsa and roasted asparagus and peppers

Thinly sliced, lean boneless pork coated with a homemade salsa. Peppers and asparagus tossed with salt, pepper, and olive oil. All cooked in the skillet at same time, low and slow.

Pork tenderloin rubbed with rosemary and garam masala

This meal was high maintenance, but worth it. First I rinsed a pork tenderloin, patted it dry, and rubbed it with garam masala and sprinked it with dried rosemary. Melted a pat of butter in a cast iron skillet and added the whole tenderloin to the skillet, cooking medium heat for 5-7 minutes on each side. Meanwhile, chopped sweet potatoes into cubes and boiled in a pan, skin on. Drained, mashed, added butter, cream, maple syrup, salt and pepper. In another pot I boiled water and cooked fresh green beans. When tenderloin was cooked, I took whole thing out to rest and made a port cranberry sauce out of the drippings left in the pan. Add a bit of port and fresh chopped cranberries, cook on low and scrape and stir. Whisk in a bit of flour to thicken. Tend carefully.