Tutorial on Simple Cast Iron Care

Are you intimidated by the thought of using and cleaning a cast iron pan? Do you wonder what technique other people use? Is it really as hard as it seems? It doesn't have to be! I like to keep things simple, and that usually involves figuring out my own way of doing things. People first started using cast iron pots around 200AD, so rest assured that it does not have to be complicated. I'm here to share how I clean and quick season my cast iron pan that I have come to love.

Why do I call it "quick season"? Because the typical method of seasoning (heating the pan with a coating of fat so it forms a naturally non-stick layer and prevents rust) is to rub with oil/fat then roast on high heat in the oven for an extended period. I did this once when I first got my pan, but after that I have used my quick method and it's worked out well! I do it on my gas stove, and it takes less than 5 minutes.

As I've gotten older and cooked many types of meals, I've really come to loathe all of the "non stick" pans that are out there. Without fail, one by one, they have started to stick. Not to mention the nasty chemical coating chipping off--where does it got? In your food! Using a cast iron pan is all part of my goal to take things back to a simple and traditional method. A well seasoned pan can cook eggs, pancakes, and all sorts of things without sticking! Here's how I do mine....

If I had some little bits that stuck during cooking (this was zucchini fritters and some of the cheese burned on) then I soak it in a bit of water while I eat to help loosen up the burned on bits. *Don't soak longer than a couple of hours or you risk causing rust spots!*

When I'm ready to clean it, I just use my hand to rub them off and dump the dirty water out. If your pan is generally clean after that, you can skip this step! However if there's still a few bits you need to scrub then I take my salt and liberally sprinkle it into the pan. You can also use coarse salt for a bit more abrasion.

I wet my scrubber with hot water and wring most of the water out, then just start scrubbing the pan in a circular motion to use the salt as an abrasive cleaner.

Once all the bits are loose, I just rinse off the salt with hot water and use my scrubber once more all on the inside to make sure the surface is all cleaned off.

Now for the "quick season" part! Put the pan on your gas stove on high heat for 1-2min. You want ALL the water droplets to be gone.

Now the pan is clean and dry, but a bit dull from scrubbing off some of the natural seasoning. So get your vegetable oil ready and a paper towel and while the pan is very hot still you want to drizzle just a bit of oil in the middle. Maybe a teaspoon to half tablespoon.

Take your folded paper towel (protect your fingers from the hot metal!) and in a circular motion you want to spread the oil out all over the inside of the pan. Go up the sides and even over the handles. Flip over your paper towel to continue spreading the oil and coating it with a light layer. You don't want any pooling of the oil, just a light coating where you can see the shine all over.

And that's it! Let the pan cool completely before putting it away. It's all ready to start cooking at your next meal! Once you get this method down, it only takes a few minutes.

If you're ready to try out a cast iron pan for the first time, just keep in mind some tips:

• The handle gets very hot! Have a towel or pot holder ready before you grab it while cooking
• They are pretty heavy, be very careful if you need to lift or pour something while cooking
• The metal is thick and needs a few minutes to heat up before you add food to it
• No soap! It feels weird to not use it, but trust me--it's ok!
• A little rust is no big deal! You just need to scrub it off with steel wool, rinse, then reseason well

If you have a new cast iron pot, I do recommend a thorough seasoning before you begin to use it. If you take good care of it you shouldn't have to repeat this very often. I've had my pan for years and have only done it the once. If you are having issues with food sticking, feel free to season it again. Click HERE for an easy description on how to do it.

2021: Starting the New Year with a Glimmer of *Hope*

I haven't posted any blogs thus far about COVID....so here is my summary of how the year has been for this ICU nurse....

On March 26, 2020 the staff of my small ICU in Buffalo found out that administration had chosen our little suburban hospital to convert to COVID only. Just a couple of days later the transition began by moving out all other patients and clearing out the Emergency room to convert it to an overflow ICU. We were all very anxious but hopeful that things would wind down quickly. *Spoiler alert* they did not.

I still remember our very first + patient. Her test was pending and she was only 33. The doc presumed her to be + due to diagnostic imaging so we moved her to the ICU and intubated her in a very controlled and protected environment. She never left the hospital.

This would just be the beginning of a nightmare that lasted the summer. As the days went on, all the local affiliated hospitals would transfer any and every + patient that came in to my facility. We had patients coming in hourly, and travel nurses daily. My hospital was completely transformed for this process...temporary walls and doors put up, red zone/yellow zone/green zone. We now were changing into hospital scrubs and taking nothing with us to the units. The hospital so kindly provided food, snacks, and drinks for us throughout the summer.

Another amazing thing that they did for us was to offer a free hotel room for any nurse wanting to sleep/shower/rest after a shift. Since I have a long commute I took advantage of this for 3 months and stayed away from my family every single weekend while working. I would leave Saturday evening and not come home again until Monday morning.

The biggest thing that got me through the insanity was having special coworkers and best friends right there with me. The morning coffee, the Sonic dates, the failed Olive Garden on Mother's Day, arguing in the locker room, rehashing our shift, crying over the ones who didn't make it, coordinating break times so we could see a familiar face at least once in the night.

At the peak we had 4 ICUs open with a total of almost 50 critical patients in them. For comparison, pre-COVID our little ICU typically had 2-4 patients.

In July things started improving finally and in August our ED reopened and at times we actually had ZERO ICU patients! It seemed the worst was over. Unfortunately the public thought that as well, and as preventative measures were thrown by the wayside the numbers started climbing again. By November 1 the ED was closed once again and prepared for another overflow ICU.

Thankfully this time has been a bit different in that the affiliated hospitals are only "sharing" the + patients with us instead of sending them all. We continue to be a COVID only hospital and have been holding steady for about a month at maybe 65 med/surg patients and 15-20 ICU patients.

The community spread is still a major issue, especially following the holidays and now football parties. Many more fellow staff members have gotten the virus, as well as a few close family members. Thankfully I have not lost anyone close to me, however I will always remember the patients I've cared for that did not make it. The hands I've held as their heart stopped. The crying family members I've tried to comfort over the phone. The scared patient who is struggling to breath and knows they may not make it out.

I know not every case is fatal, not every case is severe, and we did have some success stories who made it out and got to go home. But for those not that lucky there has inevitably been a ripple effect of lives affected by their passing. Those not personally touched by tragedy in the last year should consider themselves lucky and blessed.

I've done my best in the last 11 months to shield my family from this virus, but sometimes leaving my germs at work is easier than leaving the emotions there. I would have to say the saddest aspect has been seeing the community's compassion and consideration decline drastically over the months. The very people who shun the recommendations and requests are the reason that this has dragged on for so long. So I continue to be a COVID ICU nurse as long as I'm needed to be.

But in 2021 there is HOPE. We have a vaccine and the science is looking optimistic!!!!! Healthcare workers are #1 in wanting this to be over--trust me. Hopefully enough of the public want it to be over as well, and people can do what is needed to be part of the SOLUTION and not part of the problem.

And in closing, a huge *thank you* to all of my friends and family who have kept my physical and mental well being in your thoughts and prayers. I've stayed strong and healthy so far and with His strength it will continue.

Celebrating 15 Years of Marriage

I just can't believe it has been 15 years since we snuck off to the courthouse that cold Friday in January. We had just gotten engaged on Christmas after dating for 6 months. We knew it was the real thing, and we were ready to start our new life together!!

Now here is a treat! These are a few candid pics of us in 2002 while we were still dating...

...and here are the pics from our ACTUAL wedding day in 2003 when we got married at the OKC courthouse downtown with our moms present! Most of my friends have not seen these because I don't have them in digital form. These are pictures of pictures! We were so innocent and young, but all we needed was love.

And here are the pretty "wedding" pictures on our 1yr anniversary. This was actually our vow renewal.

I would never have guessed that 15yrs later we would be living in NY, in our dream house, with 2 beautiful boys, financially secure, and more in love than ever!

It has been a bumpy road for sure, I mean we basically grew up with each other! If we had not been so committed to making it work, we could have easily grown apart instead of growing together. We are so happy to be in this wonderful place in our lives together, and we can't wait to see what else our future holds.

Now what should we start planning to celebrate our 20th????!!!!

Taking a Walk

I try to take a walk every day. Sometimes in the afternoon, sometimes in the evening. Usually with one child or both depending on who's home and who's napping. But every time I walk slowly.

I walk to inhale the scent of a nearby bakery churning out sweets. I walk to listen to the quietness of nature. I walk to observe all of the other people who have made this neighborhood their home. I walk to appreciate the beauty of the fruit trees, the lush green grass, the kept-up flower beds, the different characteristics of each house. I walk to teach Jacob new words as he points to the cars, grass, sticks, and squirrels. I walk to let him chew on the fallen sticks and drag them on the ground so he can feel it scratch the concrete. I walk to let Bradley ride his bike way ahead of me and learn his way home. I walk to wave hello to people in their yard or driveway.

I walk to ABSORB. Sometimes it hits me that I'm actually here--that we did it! We followed our dream, no matter how crazy or stupid most people thought it was. A whole new world is opened up to us, and it is crystal clear looking back at our last few years that were so very hard and trying were to get us ready for this. We see now that God had closed some doors only because he planned to open up a window.

Four months have passed since the move. Sometimes in the evening when the kids are in bed and the house is quiet, Nick will look at me and ask, "Do you think we did the right thing?" I just smile because he and I both know the answer. YES. Our dreams are within reach and we are so excited to make them a reality!

Of course we miss our families. We missing the dinners, birthday parties, get togethers, big holidays, coffee chats. It really hurts us that some of them have flat out said they will NEVER visit us. I know that some of them would like to visit but are unable to because of work and children. We are working on making peace with that because even though we hoped for support, we still anticipated that some would never give it.

It makes me sad because I want to share this new place with family. I want to show them that it's really not as different and crazy as the "New York" stereotypes make you think. I want to show them the beauty of the Great Lakes, the waterfalls, the countryside, the vineyards. I know these feelings will intensify when we get our Victorian house.

As I finish my walks and cross the street to my sidewalk, I always smile as I look around at how much in life has changed. Different car, house, job, city, state, friends, neighbors, stores, weather, furniture--everything. But I smile because I am reminded that thankfully not all change is bad. And it's the good changes that help get us through each day. When the not so good things happen we have the comfort of knowing we WILL get through it.

A Holiday Hiatus

The time has come! My 13 week travel assignment as an ICU night nurse at Buffalo General Hospital is finished and I am so very happy to say that I have budgeted well enough to take a few months off! My boys deserve to have their momma home with them for our first holiday season away from family and truly on our own. I have so many things that I want to get done during my time off, so this blog serves as a sort of plan to outline that.

 

I truly enjoyed my time at BGH. I met a lot of great people and learned some new techniques. The staff there was always so nice and helpful to me. I honestly feel bad that I had to leave them because they are still painfully short staffed, however I have other plans with life right now and my family comes first!

 

When people asked me what I was doing after my contract and I told them "Nothing!", they would then ask, "What are you taking off for?" And to that I would gleefully answer LIFE! Yes I wish I could answer that I was jetting off to an island for awhile to gather my thoughts, but alas that is not in the cards for me right now. It may not seem that great to "just" be taking off some time for nothing, but I am very proud of it and I can't wait to enjoy the holiday season with my boys without having to juggle a work schedule or squeeze everything that needs to be done into my few days off.

 

How many people are actually able to take some time off? To voluntarily choose to take a break and enjoy the things that really matter in life--our loved ones? To plan your work around your life, instead of trying to live around your work? Not many!

 

Most of you know that I've been the "breadwinner" for many years while Nick was a stay-at-home-dad. This was just how life worked out for us and we are happy that we had that opportunity to avoid day care for our children so far. Now the roles have reversed somewhat and Nick is working a full time job that he loves. Hopefully his pay will soon reflect his responsibility and value to the company, but until then I will most likely work part-time hours when I can. This is just one more positive change that we have had in our lives that was out of reach for so long before our move.

 

My current intentions are to go back to work part time starting in January or February, so until then these are some of the things I want to accomplish during my time off:

• declutter the few remaining piles of unpacked boxes/papers
• do a weekly dinner menu
• stock freezer with meals
• ease back into couponing
• finish our family photo album for 2016
• catch up on Brad's scrapbook
• catch up on Jacob's scrapbook
• crochet things!
• take the boys sledding when it snows
• go on picnics and walks by the lake while nice weather is here
• read lots of good books

It may not seem like much, but these are things that I enjoy doing yet have not had time to do with the craziness of our life recently. All of my hobbies have been put on the back burner for basically the last year so I'm craving some ME time to unwind and be creative!

Dirty 30

Today is the day I turn 30! I have looked forward to this age. I see it as a new chapter; one where I'm taken more seriously. One where my achievements can shine thru and I don't have to feel like I'm constantly proving myself to the naysayers. One where the rat race of life is calming down, and I can start enjoying a routine of family and work balance.

I was always one to wish I was older. I was never content with being an adolescent and I can remember wishing I could just start on MY life. Well I did just that at age 16 and I haven't looked back since! I have never once regretted "wishing away" my childhood. Parts of it were good, but for the most part I've tried to forget it. My life took a positive turn at 11 when I met Nick and young love bloomed. At 14 I knew he was my soulmate, and at 16 we vowed to become one.

I can confidently say that I'm very happy with where I am in life at this point. I have followed my dreams and ambitions to the fullest despite being surrounded by those who discourage me at every turn. It seems that those who fear change in their own life will be those who try to undermine the choices I make for mine.

I've learned a lot in these 30 years, and I know there's more to learn every day. But I can also say that I've taught and tried to help many with what I've learned and done. I have a strong urge to keep people from making certain mistakes that I know how to prevent, but I know some people refuse to learn and just have to make their own mistakes. I'm still learning when to observe and when to intervene, but I've gotten better!

What advice would I give to a younger person just starting the journey into adulthood?

• Find a job that you love and that can grow with you
• When you meet your soulmate, don't let them get away
• Failure is NOT an option. You don't fail until you quit trying
• Tell the special people in your life that you love them. We are never guaranteed tomorrow
• Keep connected to those that enrich your spirit. It's easier said than done
• Adult friends are much different than childhood friends, even if it's the same person. People change--some for better and some not. Don't hold on to a hope of the good ole days. Sometimes you have to let go.
• Start your retirement savings early! Check it annually and adjust if able. The more you can contribute, the better.
• Make your health a priority! Eat right and stay active--you have to help yourself before you help others
• TRAVEL. I mean to other countries. It gets harder as you get older with more obligations so do it while you are young. Collect memories, not things. Material things are not that important when you are drinking champagne on a gondola in Venice.

OK guys, that's all I have for now! I'm spending the day just relaxing at home and enjoying my family. 

Encouraging Good Behavior at Home

Some of you moms out there with small children are well aware that behavior at home can be an issue. In my house, we have high standards for our children's behavior and we insist on manners, politeness, and respecting adults. Our 6 year old boy is for the most part a well behaved kid but he gets on these kicks where he thinks it's funny to sass or repeatedly do something we have told him not to.

I decided it is time to make a behavior chart! His school uses a color chart, and each color has it's own reward or consequence. He seems to respond well to that so I emulated it for our personal use. First I made a chart--1 page per month--representing the days of the week. I will put a colored sticker on each day representing his behavior:

Then I made the color chart that says what offenses he may have done to get on that color, and what his consequences will be. I printed it in black and white, then colored the picture to the corresponding color.



If he gets green stickers for a whole week then he will get some sort of treat on Saturday--a movie, a trip to the library, stay up a little later, etc. I feel like this chart will be a good visual for him to see how his behavior has been, and he can see that if he disobeys then he will have discipline.

Dream Feeding

What is "dream feeding"? It was new to me also just a couple of weeks ago. It is where you feed your baby while they are still mostly asleep. Why would you want to do this? Well let me share why I tried it....

As a second-time mom I find myself unconsciously comparing my two boys and their development. The biggest one I was looking forward to was how at around 6 weeks old my first son started sleeping at least 6-10hr stretches at night. My new baby was very cranky and I kept holding on to that glimmer of hope that he too would start sleeping longer once he got closer to two months old.

The 6 week mark came and went and my little angel was still waking every 2-4hrs at night. He had a rare 6hr stretch once or twice that got my hopes up but I could tell his routine was going to be different. Thankfully around 7 weeks his fussiness got better so that made the days easier to get thru, and he started developing his own schedule of short naps during the day.

Here we are today at 10 weeks old now and he continues to wake every 3-4hrs at night. He typically goes to bed between 8-9pm, and I go to bed around 10:30pm. So that means just about the time I am finally drifting off is when he wakes up ready for a snack!

As a momma who hasn't had a good night sleep in 3 months, I started doing some research on baby sleep tips and such. Evidently with my first son I was just really lucky to have a great sleeper! One of the tips I happened up on was "dream feeding". At first I thought it was silly to WAKE up your sleeping baby just to see if they would eat! But a few nights ago I figured What the heck? and decided to try it. He would be waking up in an hour or two anyways and I was sick so I could really use a longer stretch of good sleep.

I put him to bed at 8:30pm. I came to bed just before 11pm but before I crawled under the covers, I gently picked him up and sat with him in the rocking chair with a dim light on in the background. I gave him a kiss on his furry head to stir him just enough to get him to nurse. And he did! He quietly nursed on both sides with his eyes still shut, and after about 15 minutes he was done and I GENTLY laid him back down in bed. He passed out as if I had never bothered him, and God bless America he slept until 3:30am! That means I got a strong 4 hour stretch before I had to get up with him again that night. I was sold!

I did it again the next night and had the same results. So I take back what I said about this being crazy and such because in my case it was just what I needed!

Obviously it depends on your situation if you should try this or not. Since my baby is still pretty young I know he will need to nurse at night for a while more. There are some nights where he goes to bed at 7:30pm, but then there are other nights where he will fight sleep until 10pm! Of course I wouldn't wake him up 30 minutes later when I'm going to bed. I just have to play it by ear and see how the evening goes.

Hopefully this helps any other new moms out there and gives you another option for getting some sleep at night with a little baby!

That's OK

As a parent I really saw how much of my controlling tendencies I had to overcome. Not that I'm super controlling, but I do like things to go a certain way in my house just to make life run smoother. Nick is the same way, and perhaps even more so than I am. But things are a bit different when it comes to kids, and that is something that we are both learning as we go. Sometimes things don't go exactly as you want them to, and sometimes that's ok.

 

Brad has holes in the knees of some of his jeans, but that's ok because that means he has been playing and being a kid.

Sometimes he goes to bed a few minutes late but that's ok because he was reading me his favorite story.

Sometimes he has a snack right before dinner, but that's ok because it was a banana and I will never NOT let him eat a piece of fresh fruit when he wants it.

Sometimes he comes home from school with paint on his shirt, but that's ok because that means he was participating and learning.

Sometimes he gets marker on his hands and face but that's ok because that means he was drawing and being creative.

Sometimes he wants me to brush his teeth for him, and that's ok because I know these days will be gone soon.

He insists on buckling his own buckle in the car (even though it takes forever) and that's ok because he is learning to be independent.

B.C. to A.D.

I sit here just 3 short months away from expecting my second child and I am amazed at how much can change in a few years. I'm not talking about the obvious "Gee now I have to plan my life around a human being" or things like that. I'm referring more to things I didn't expect to be so affected by becoming a mother, like friends, relationships, world views, and goals.

 

Let me start off by giving you my "story" in a nutshell: Before Children--My husband and I tried have a child for the first 5 years of our marriage. Although these were emotionally hard times, we also were able to find the positive in it and build our relationship as simply husband and wife. We grew up a little more, established goals, traveled, enjoyed friendships, bought a house (or two), and trusted in God that His plan was best. In 2008 we bit the bullet and took a chance on IVF. Thankfully it worked and in 2009 we welcomed our first son to the world. That brings us to After Delivery......

I think most people have heard that you lose friends when you have kids, but I bet most people think "this won't happen to me! My friends are great!" I was one of those people! I thought for sure my friends would understand and be flexible with my changing life. Although I don't feel like I personally changed much toward my friends, I definitely noticed a shift. Work buddies quit hanging out with me and inviting me to get-togethers. Other friends slowly reduced time and contact with me till it was nothing but the occasional email or text. Some of Nick's friends quit coming over or hanging out with him.

Going from a nonparent to a parent changes your perspective. You now have another person who is affected by almost every choice you make from here on. How you drive, where you live, vacations, schools, what you cook, where you work, how much you work, what holidays you celebrate....the list never ends! After about a year or two as a mom it really hit me that soon my son will have lasting memories of this time in his life. Let that sink in.....little things that I say or do with him could potentially be a moment that is etched FOREVER in his mind. Something I may not think is important could mean the world to him.

BC our lives were pretty mundane. We did fun stuff here and there but for the most part each evening was the same--cook dinner, chit chat, and watch TV until bedtime. Yeah it's a blast to be able to stay in your PJs all day but after awhile that can get old! We were ready for something MORE.

Another unexpected thing that came AD was all of the OPINIONS--from other moms, friends, strangers, family....anyone who thought you looked stressed/lost/scared did not hesitate to share with you what they thought about what you were doing and how you were doing it. I developed a thick skin to this after about 6 months and learned to ignore most of the unsolicited advice. Now that I'm expecting my second I don't worry about it at all because hey if I can successfully birth and raise a child once then I can do it again!

When Nick and I became parents we discovered a whole new level of choices to agree or disagree on. Thankfully we both see eye to eye with 95% of parenting issues so there hasn't been much arguing on that part. These are all things you don't think twice about BC. What kind of toys are you going to get your kids at each age---educational toys or Disney themed toys? How much TV will they watch? Whole day or half day PreK or Kindergarten? Will they drink water, juice, watered-down juice, pop, white milk, chocolate milk, etc. Are you going to be strict about what they eat or just be happy if they eat anything? Are you going to let them learn things independently or hover over and control as much as you can? Are you going to get them an iPad when they are 5 or let them play with regular toys? How will you react if they throw a tantrum, say a bad word, or hit? Will you spank or do time out? The two words that describe our parenting style best is OLD FASHIONED. We both feel very strongly that the next generation needs to rewind to the simpler times with good morals and strong parents.

When we see other parents out there who still party, drink, and continue to do irresponsible things we are saddened for the child who is missing out on having a great parent that puts them first and values their influence. If you are going to play house and have a child then you need to put your adult undies on and act like a parent--not like a frat boy.

As for us, our marriage and relationship has grown a million times stronger as we have bonded more over the last few years together with all that we have overcome. We now have the confidence and know that not only can we survive, but we can do a darn good job at this parenting thing. Our priorities have been adjusted, our friends have changed, and our rules are strict but that is what makes us who we are and we can't wait to see what else life has in store.