bought myself a present today

[fizzgig]

i had to check the cookware section at the grocery store today and came across a 12-inch lodge cast iron skillet for 18 bucks. i have a ten inch that i inherited from my mom 13 years ago and it's always served me well, but sometimes you need something bigger. and, at that price, how could i pass it up?

i have some big bone-in pork chops that i think i'll cook for the maiden expedition.

[Kali]

1. I was in the bigest Ace Hardware store on the planet (I think) the other day

(they have a seperate hobby store, a seperate "outdoor power" shop and a HUGE main store. Anyway they had a whole display shelf of Lodge cast iron stuff I didn't have time to look much but what caught my eye was one of those crispy corn bread flat pans - you know, the ones that usually look like 6 lengthwise halves of corn on the cobs? Well, this one had saguaros.

Found it!

[fizzgig]

2. nice!

i don't go to ace often but, when i do, i always scope out what can be used as a weapon.

......................

i really don't know what that says about me. i promise i'm not a violent person.

edit: yeah, i made a c&b thread lounge weird.

[Kali]

4. I love Ace stores.

I actually like those little tiny ones best - they have so much stuff crammed into a small space. I always find something I just have to have to start a new project. (which of course never does get done)

This one had baby chicks, model rockets, yard doo-dads, real sea sponges, tools up the ying yang. I want to go back when I have more time!

good luck with your pork chops! I think we are having pork tacos ourselves. One the husband's specialties. he cuts the meat in small pieces and fries it in our monster 14 inch cast iron pan. (no idea what the brand is)

some chopped onion and cabbage, steamed (microwaved) corn tortillas and a vinegar hot sauce...

[fizzgig]

7. there's one of those little ones near my dad's

stopped there to get a key cut some time back and they even had a store dog. loved it.

your dinner sounds damned tasty the husband is a fine cook, but he worked in kitchens so long that he still hates to cook at home. it's a treat when he doesn.

[Galileo126]

5. My 12" Lodge IS my home defense weapon!

[fizzgig]

8. i might be able to swing mine with both hands

i could swing my ten inch much better and still do some damage

[Warpy]

3. That 12 inch will allow you to do 4 decent sized pancakes at a time

and that's always a good deal. It also fits more pieces of chicken or fish. You wouldn't think an extra 2 inches makes that big a difference, but it does.

Try a sear on the pork chops, then drown them in chicken stock and allow the stock to reduce to nothing. That was my ex's favorite when he'd insist on pork chops (and I ate bread and cheese that night). It makes them very moist and intensely flavorful, plus killing anything living in pork of dubious provenance.

[fizzgig]

10. i don't like how crowded the ten inch gets

one of my regular methods for boneless chops is to sear them, layer with potatoes, onions and parm, douse it in chicken stock and let it go. the husband loves it.

[catnhatnh]

6. i have some big bone-in pork chops that i think i'll cook for the maiden expedition.

Oh Fizz! I'm not about to comment or make innuendos. But BOY it's killing me not to....

[fizzgig]

11. go for it!

we've already talked about hitting people with skillets and finding weapons at the hardware store

[Major Nikon]

9. I use the 12" far more than the 10"

Even if you are not using up the extra space, the 12" just retains more heat.

[fizzgig]

12. i have a feeling i'll be using it a lot

the cornbread will always go in the ten inch, though.

[Major Nikon]

13. That's mainly what I use my 10" for