Book Review: Cast Iron Cooking With Sisters on the Fly by Irene Rawlings

I recieved this book from netgalley in exchange for my honest review. Due to my abscense from blogging I am just now getting around to catching up on posting my netgalley reviews.

I was excited when I saw this cookbook. I love cooking with my cast iron pan. So I was rather disappointed when I saw just how many recipes there were that had nothing to do with cast iron cooking. I did like the layout of the book and pictures that accompanied the recipes.

The book has does a good job with giving the throw together food and cook it over a fire feel  that reminds me of the very few times I have been out camping.  It has some interesting recipes, though there were a number I honestly do not ever see me making. I enjoyed browsing through it and spent some extra time in the cocktail section (though I don't drink much in the way of alcohol). I'm still scratching my head on what cocktails have to do with cast iron.

Over all it was a decent book and was fun to flip through. I don't see it being a permanent fixture on my shelf but I can see how people who enjoy country recipes would want to read and try so many of the recipes. It wasn't a bad book but I don't think it was personally a book for a Jersey Girl like me.

I give the book 3 stars.

E is for Espresso

So I debated today about what I wanted post food wise. There are the obvious choices of eggs and eggplant or the lesser thought of endive and escarole. But today I decided to appease my coffee loving friends. I would like to note that I personally do not like espresso/coffee nor do I like the smell of it. However I do understand why so many love it.


Espresso is low in calories and high in caffeine. So it can make for a great wake me up perk but in some it can cause irritability, stomach problems, head aches, and restlessness.



For today's recipe I decided to harken back to my college days. I had a roommate who adored coffee. Morning noon and night you would find her drinking it down like it was the last cup of coffee in the world. I remember one summer her making herself some popsicles with a leftover pot of coffee. Of course being college students she added some Kahlua to it. So here's to Amber where ever she may be.Warning the following recipe is for adults only as it contains alcohol.

Icy Espresso Kahlua Pops
3 cups cooled espresso
1/2 cup milk (may omit or adjust to your favorite level of lightness)
1/3 cup chocolate syrup
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons Kahlua (may omit or change level to preference)
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons light brown sugar (may adjust to favorite level of sweetness)

Mix together all ingredients and pour into either molds or dixie cups. If you use dixie cups just gently place aluminum foil over top then poke Popsicle stick through the center. The foil will keep it in place so that it freezes in the middle of he pop. Freeze overnight until solid.