Puttin' a little SIZZLE in the New Year!

Happy 2010, y'all! May it be your best year yet! I want to show you something!

I got a package a while back...


It was from here...and I have to say, they have pretty much everything. If you need a mailbox or a dart board or a living room, well, they have all that, and about a zillion other things.

Specifically, this little darlin' came from cookware.com


I got to pick it out myself. I liked the look of it, the size, and two of my favorite words were part of the description - FREE SHIPPING! I love love love free shipping. I really do.

I picked it out when there was only one left in stock. And...someone beat me to that one, so I had to wait a little while for it. I had every opportunity to change my order - I could choose something else or even cancel, but I was already in love and willing to wait. CSN stores did a great job keeping me posted with order status, estimated ship date, all that.

And then, it was here!


Wooty-woot!


Isn't it pretty?

It's Emerilware - I bet if I dropped it, it'd say 'BAM!!', hee hee.

And it really is heavy - a good heavy - even for a pan that size. I don't think I could warp it if I tried. The grill ridges are really deep too - love that!

It is my first-ever 'pre-seasoned' pan. I'll be honest with you - I didn't put a lot of stock in pre-seasoning. I have cast iron that's older than me (yike!) and it was all seasoned the old-fashioned way. Technology was not involved. However, now that I've completely carbonized enough marinade from teriyaki to make my own diamonds (oops), and it all came off - I'm sold on pre-seasoned cast iron!

I am definitely still learning to use it. For example, I've turned my lowly grilled cheeses into paninis...


I've striped burgers...


And here is the first of the teriyaki - several pan-fuls later, it was pretty blackened in there!


I've even grilled pineapple.

Have you ever had grilled pineapple? It's fantastic. This is canned, which is good, but if you want great, get some fresh pineapple, cut it into spears, grill it, then give it a very light dusting of cinnamon. It's a wonder, I tell you!

Oh yeah - the part about how I'm still learning. I have been letting my grill pan get hot, but I think I have to get it even hotter, so the grill marks will be more defined, so it will sear the food better, all that. I am happy to report that I haven't had any problems with sticking. I've cooked some other things in it too, but I have to give the family a break once in a while, and serve something non-grillable, like soup, or pie.

Still, there's plenty more you can grill with one of these - like steaks, chops, fish, ham, chicken, halved vegetables like zucchini or eggplant, garlic bread, onion slices...why, I've even seen grilled slices of pound cake in cookbooks, topped with fruit and whipped cream. There are many, many possibilities.

So, wanna hear the really neat part? Remember these guys? You know, the ones with all the different stores, with all the different stuff?


Not only were they kind enough to send me this grill pan to try, they are going the extra mile to put a little sizzle in someone else's kitchen too! CSN Stores and Cookware.com are sponsoring a Grill Pan Giveaway right here at Ten Things Farm!

If you would like to enter to win a pan just like mine, here's the deal. First of all, one entry per person. I know - you want to win, and it's really cool, but please be fair and just enter once, OK? I will close comments on Thursday night, January 7, 2010 and announce the winner Friday, January 8, 2010. The winner will be chosen using an online randomizer. If you leave an email in the proper part of the comment form (not in the actual comment, lest you get spammed), I can contact you that way too.

This giveaway is open to US residents only. Just so you know.

OK, now just leave a comment on this post, and answer one of the following questions:
Either: What is your favorite kitchen pot, pan or gadget, and why?
Or: If you could get anything over at cookware.com, what would you choose?

I moderate the comments, so please don't freak out if your comment does not appear right away. It will, just as soon as I get done with whatever I'm doing while you're posting. Good luck, and Happy New Year!!