You know what’s blacker than Black Friday? Beautiful, glistening, well seasoned cast iron cookware.
Oh, yeah, baby. Screw waiting in line for some discount plastic crap or overpumped electronica that’ll be in a landfill in 6 months anyway. If you must shop, shop for something hewn from the living, molten rock of Earth. Something hefty enough to stop a bullet. Something that holds heat so well a steak will tremble and bow down before it. Something you can pass down to your grandbabies. Something strong and heavy and black enough to rival Black Friday itself.
Shop for cast iron. Something like this Lodge Five Piece Cast Iron Cookware Set. Or better yet, don’t shop at all. Enter to win this set without even having to even put on your pants. Hey, I have a three-year-old. I am well aware of how overblown pants are as a “thing” in our society.
Thankful, Joyful, Turkeyful, etc.
You may remember this set from the recent post on Skillet Brussels Sprouts. I couldn’t get it out of my head, but I couldn’t justify buying it for myself, given that I really do have quite enough cast iron, thank you very much.
Solution: Giveaway!
You see, as I type this post it’s Thanksgiving evening and I’ve had a few glasses of my husband’s excellent homebrew, so I’m feeling all “I love you, man!” towards my readers (except for the douche-waffles, but we are ignoring them). It is a screaming blessing to be the girl behind the keyboard of this blog, to be able to connect with, and inspire, and be inspired by other gardeners and productive homemakers. It is an honor to learn from you and to share what I’ve learned, and to help connect questions to answers.
So, this Thanksgiving I thought I’d give thanks for my readers by giving cast iron, which is – as we all know – the heaviest way to give thanks.
Enter To Win
Update: This contest is now over. Congratulations to winner Benita, who is “thankful that my 28 yr old niece was able to come home for Thanksgiving. She recently finished up radiation from her 3rd major diagnose of cancer since she was 23.”
To win this five piece set of Lodge cast iron, simply leave a comment on this post telling me what you are thankful for this holiday season.
This set includes a 10-inch griddle (excellent for pancakes, crepes, etc.), an 8-inch and 10-inch skillet (excellent for, well, everything) and a 5-Quart Dutch oven with lid (necessary for No Knead Bread). It’s a pretty awesome starter set of cast iron. There is very, very little you couldn’t cook on these pieces, and I say this as someone who cooks on cast iron about three times a day.
And look, I know I don’t have to convince you guys – you already know this – but nonstick is bullshit, ok? It’s not good for you or the people you feed (kids? grandma?). It turns out inferior food, and it scratches if you glare at it strongly enough. And according to the Environmental Working Group, “Toxic fumes from the Teflon chemical released from pots and pans at high temperatures may kill pet birds and cause people to develop flu-like symptoms (called “Teflon Flu” or, as scientists describe it, “Polymer fume fever”).”
Cast iron when well seasoned is also pretty dang nonstick but it doesn’t give you flu-like symptons. It just slightly boosts the iron content of your food which is, unless you are very atypical and drink liver smoothies for breakfast, a very good thing. It also goes from stove to oven to table without missing a beat and will help you cook like you really mean it.
So leave a comment and enter to win. I want to buy someone these cast iron pans.
Fine Print Stuff
This giveaway is for the cookware set described here. Contest entirely self-sponsored by Northwest Edible Life (that’s me!). Contest open until Thursday, December 5th 8 PM PST. Winner will be contacted by email. Contest open to residents of the US only, due to shipping costs. Sorry international readers. I still love you, but cast iron is really, really heavy. Fulfillment of prize via Amazon.com. One entry per person. Multiple entries will be disqualified. Void where prohibited by law, blah blah blah. Best of luck everyone!
Happy Thanksgiving, all y’all. Thanks for being the best readers a blogger could hope for.
1
I am especially thankful for my Grandmothers, who both continue to inspire me daily.
I am thankful for so much this year: my supportive husband who works hard so I can go to grad school and squeezes my hand whenever I feel overwhelmed; I am grateful for my cohort who are all amazing and beautiful humans who will be amazing teachers; I am so thankful for my family, both the folks to whom I have a biological and legal connection and those who I was lucky enough to choose as family. Finally, I am thankful for my health, both physical and mental!
i am so very thankful that i have a mind that remembers all things wonderful, that can forget things not so wonderful but learn from, and can imagine things beautiful. i am also thankful for my family far and near, friends that are indispensible(?), and friends i haven’t met yet. i am truly thankful for my pots, boxes and small garden that brings such pleasure to me yearly, with the ability to preserve all the bounty.
I am thankful for my partially psychotic family, Just psychotic in a good way….. As well as the opportunity to be a friend to my dog.
I am thankful for my husband, who loves me no matter what, and for my two beautiful daughters, who light up my days.
I am thankful for introspection. The ability to take a good long look at the ‘Man in the Mirror’ and decide it’s not quite who I want to be. Then the ability to ‘make a change’ that will alter how I live out my life and how my family lives out theirs.
I am grateful to be alive. I am chronically ill and every day I can give, receive, share and learn is a wonderful day.
I am also grateful for my Service Dog for without him, I could not participate in life as much as I do.
I am grateful for the courage I see in the most vulnerable of our communities (which I work with). Those with the least tend to give the most and I see this every day. I am grateful that the human spirit can and does sore in the most challenging of circumstances. I am grateful there really are more compassionate people than not.
I would also be immensely grateful for a cast iron set, as they are WAY out of my affordability rage. Thank you for offering these opportunities for folks to access tools such as these!!!
I am thankful for Thanksgiving, it is my favorite Holiday! Not because of all the yummy foods but because a great time to reflect on all the things you are thankful for.
I like to spend the whole month of November and to think about all the things the God has blessed me with in life! In our busy day and age we don’t always take the time to say Thanks!
I am thankful for my home, friends and to just be alive, Thanks
I am thankful that today, as every day in the past, I can get outside and go for a walk. This simple act of walking outside means so much to me and benefits me more than I have words for.
I am thankful that I was born to two hardworking, courageous parents. I am grateful that I have access to clean water and fresh produce daily.
This year, I am thankful to be leading a simpler life. I am thankful for the things I have, and letting things we don’t need be re-homed. I am thankful to have had a big garden that is still feeding us this winter. I am thankful for each one of my chickens that give us fresh eggs every day. And I am especially thankful to be surrounded by great people- family, neighbors, friends and all the kids in my class.
This year I am thankful for not burning the turkey even though I ran out of aluminum foil!
I am thankful for my boisterous family, all of whom managed to gather, sleep under one roof, and enjoy each other despite disparate lives, dietary restrictions, and many large dogs. Also, potato pancakes the morning after thanksgiving and the empty, sunlit sand dunes with enough space for everyone (dogs, siblings and my mom) to romp on.
I am thankful for my wonderful husband, who has stood by me thru the last 8 yrs of my chronic illness & for helping me to find new healing avenues to travel down. Your give away would help add to my healthy cooking & healthy living lifestyle. We live on a small budget, but need to stay away from all chemical toxins and processed foods.
I am also very Thankful for your website in helping me on my healthier living quest.
I’m thankful for all the normal things.. but this year I have to say I’m thankful for my husband’s strength of heart, mind, character and body. We are a blended family. In our early 30’s and only married 4 years. I’ve been sick all 4 but slowly getting sicker and no answers.. until last week. This year has been bad for me and even though he’s a trucker he did my garden work, was my strength when I canned and takes care of me and the 3 kids..even with all of this.. He has an amazing strength of mind and heart that most 32 year old guys I know don’t have.. our marrige hasn’t crumbled but grown stronger and for that I am ever so greatful!
I am thankful for my fiance and my son. It had been a tough 4 years helping my other half get through college. We couldn’t pay some bills some months. But now he’s found a job in his industry, my online shop is doing well, we moved into a better place.
So much to be thankful for. Thankful every day.
This Thanksgiving I am simply grateful to be spending time with my Mom. She was diagnosed with breast cancer at the beginning of the month. Two surgeries, and the beginning of radiation treatment later, we find ourselves at Thanksgiving where she has been told she is cancer free!!! Its been a crazy roller coaster of a month, and I’m not sure that any of us have fully processed it all yet. But I am just so thankful to have her.
The things I am thankful for this year is drastically different from last year or even the years before. I am thankful that I choose a different lifestyle. My new lifestyle, one of less stress and more self reliance, has brought me closer to my family, I have learned a lot of neat, new stuff and this new self reliance makes me truly thankful for what’s important – not what I thought was important years’ past.
I have been following your posts on fb every since I found your web page while searching for gardening tips, about a year ago. I have learned so much and appreciate your taking the time to share what you do. You are awesome!! Keep up the great work.
Greatful for my family that tolerates my obssesion for gardening and overprotectiveness over my plants.
I am grateful for a warm house when so many sleep in the cold. I am grateful for a full pantry when so many have so little to eat. I am grateful for the man who shares my life when so many are lonely. I am grateful for my family and their strong support during our hard days. I am grateful for my great, good health that makes it possible for me to help others when help is needed. I am grateful for my friends and their fierce loyalty, my beasts for their ability to make me laugh and their great snuggles. And I am grae to live in a country where we are free and where women have the power to shape their own lives.
I’m thankful of new opportunities and coming adventure. Thank you for the giveaway!
I have cooked some with cast iron and I really like it. I have been convicted more and more to get away from processed food and toxic cookware and just do it the way the settlers used to do it. It would be nice to win it, but whoever wins it will be blessed. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
This holiday season I am thankful for my children, husband, extended family and friends. I’m also thankful that we have clothes to wear, food to eat, and a roof over our heads.
Thankful for my kids and my amazing 6 1/2 Grandkids that I’m so lucky to be Grammie to….life doesn’t get any sweeter than getting a hug and a kiss (usually snotty) from one of them!!
As I ponder this wonderful day the blessings that have come my way are amazing!!! I am not saying that there haven’t been challenges… But the blessings out way all of the challenges… At the top of my list of gratitude this day is the blessing of knowing of and who my Heavenly Father is… That through the atonement of Jesus Christ that I can overcome any challenge that is put before me as I have the opportunity to repent daily because of this sacrifice that was made for all of us… This is such a blessing… I am grateful for my family that even though we may not always agree on everything that we are still a family working out all the kinks that come before us. So that we can return someday to our Heavenly Father… I am thankful for the Lord blessing me with the opportunity of having & raising two beautiful daughters to love to the moon & back…It is such a blessing that they have chosen to follow the Lord…I am so thankful for my adorable grandchildren that are our future and that they are being raised knowing who God & Jesus are…I am grateful for my friends that always find a way to brighten my day… That keeps me in check… Who know me sometimes better than I know myself… I am grateful for ancestors that came to this wonderful country seeking freedom from oppression… I am thankful for all of those that have served and continue to serve in our military to protect our freedoms that have not come without cost… Please Lord watch over all of them and their families… I am thankful for a Mom that took me to church to learn of God & Jesus that gave me the foundation to grow from to know where I came from & why I am here & where I am going… What a comfort that is… I am thankful for my brother & his wonderful wife…
I am thankful for the time to spend with my loved ones. Thankful for the time to watch the clouds stream across the sky and to listen to the calling of crows and wild geese on the crisp fall air. Thankful for our friends and the way we come to one another’s aid in times of need and the laughter and music we share in the happy times.
I’ve lost several relatives in the last few months, and while it’s both morbid and cliched, it’s true that there’s nothing like death to remind a person what’s what. I’m thankful for my husband who is an awesome dad. I’m grateful for our toddler son, even when he refuses to sleep and gets cranky when we tell him it’s bath time. I am also so thankful for the scrimping we did to buy our house, which is tiny but cozily full of happy promises. And so very thankful for our garden–to have one has been a dream come true. Thank you for your blog! I’ve learned so much from you.
I am thankful for my three beautiful children, and that we got to spend Thanksgiving all together this year. And, even though my husband is deployed to Afghanistan, and not able to be with us… I am thankful that he is safe, and will be back home to us soon!
I’m thankful for leftovers – Thanksgiving sandwiches on Black Friday (aka: don’t shop day).
I am thankful that my husband only broke his knee into a gazillions pieces and not his spine or his head! Also that it happened at his work and all the bills are being payed by the company he works for. Super thankful at he learned his lesson and won’t ever play charity football anymore ; )
I’m thankful that this year’s Thanksgiving dinner went off without a hitch and everything was scrumptious! Last year? Undercooked turkey that took forever to finish and people staring at you while trying to politely wait. This year? One turkey in the oven and one in the roaster and both turned out juicy and perfect. Also thankful and hubby and I decided to prep three of the sides the night before and all we had to do was top one off and bake the other two. Zero stress this year…yay!!!
I am thankful for the twists and turns that life brings…because with those twists comes wisdom and perspective. So, I am grateful for my 18 year old daughter who raged against me earlier this year and who is now in college on full scholarship and in the honors program…I am grateful for my newborn daughter who we tried for for 2 full years to bring into this world before she finally decided to join us with her perfect little self…I am grateful for the knowledge that in exactly 5 months, I will lose the job I’ve devoted myself to for the past decade because I trust that this truth will bring about an abundance of opportunities I would not have sought or seen without this little kick in that ass.
So, I am grateful for the “dark” spots in life, because they allow me to see the light from a pure perspective.
I am grateful that I was raised by two courageous, loving adults. I am grateful that I have access to clean hot water and fresh produce daily!
I am thankful all year long for all the people in my life.
I am thankful for my husband and our three sons, we are so blessed to be together during the Holidays!
I am thankful that I have a job . Food to cook and all the times my mom and great grandmother taught me how to can and cook . i am thankful for my adopted daughter and my son that i can pass all those memories and knowledge to….
I am most thankful for time with my mom. My grandma died when my mom was only 19, and my mom entered adulthood without the love and guidance she craved. My mom has had a few legitimate health scares over the years but she’s still here. She got to see me get married and, with any luck, she will get to be a grandma. Now that I’m out of my bratty teenage years and self-righteous twenties, we have developed a true friendship built on love and cooking. I’m ever so grateful for my time with her.
Thank you for a fantastic blog. I learn so much: the other night, I dreamed I was cooking Brussels sprouts with apple cider and bacon. Sounds familiar? 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving to you!
I’m thankful to have had my family home for holiday meal; daughter home from college, husband home just before another deployment and of course my darling boy. Who will be stuck with me on his own, once deployment begins. 🙂 I would love to win this set, as I own one single cast iron pan…boy does it get use!
Such a lovely cook set!
Must… win!!!
I am thankful that I am able to be a stay at home mom!
I’m thankful that I am capable of being a decent parent to my children, to be the kind of parent that I never had. Able to teach them, guide them and be there for them.
I am thankful for my amazing, supportive partner, and for cornbread cooked in a cast iron skillet!
So very greatful for my 4 year old. He is really helping me to live a better life.
Thankful for my family and friends, and for our health
I am thankful for your excellent writing and terrific blog. Thank you for rising above the douche waffles!
I am full of gratitude and am so thankful for my housemates who so openly and generously took me in from the Midwest and are helping me get on my feet in the Northwest. They are my family!
I’m thankful for the people in my life. The past year has been one of major upheaval and letting go, yet the people in my world have hung with me, following along via technology, lending love and support that I never could have expected. Now, after a long haul, I’ve been offered a job! Already I am blown away by the people I’ll be working with. Life on planet Earth is good because of the people here. I, for one, am so grateful to have place in it all.