Around the Spinney

Cast Iron Recipes

  • Moroccan Chicken Pastilla

    Moroccan Chicken Pastilla

    Growing up, I remember having a great desire to visit Morocco. I loved staring at pictures of beautiful rustic walls and open courtyards, and as soon as I had the chance to taste a Moroccan dish, I fell in love. I haven’t made it there yet, but the desire still lies within my heart. Is…

  • Algerian Doubara and Mesfouf

    Next on our journey through Amazing Africa, we are stopping in Algeria. Algeria is the largest country in Africa with a culture influenced largely by bordering the Mediterranean Sea and being close to Europe and the Middle East. I would love to walk through an Algerian spice souk. It is a delight to all of…

  • Libyan Shakshouka and Ftat Misrati

    Libyan Shakshouka and Ftat Misrati

    Over the course of the last few years, Shakshouka has been a feature on many menus in the home and in restaurants that serve breakfast. Chances are that you have tried one like I have and they are pretty good. Have you ever tried to make it for yourself? This week for our Amazing Africa…

  • Egyptian Koshari and Oom Ali

    Egyptian Koshari and Oom Ali

    We have been studying our way through Africa with Heritage Mom’s Amazing Africa heritage pack and the other day I had an idea… why not spend some time traveling through Africa and trying some of the national food in Cast Iron while we study these amazing and diverse countries. So, we started with the first…

  • Short Ribs Potjie

    Last week, I gave some good guidelines to start with when building your own Potjie, called Potjiekos from the Heart. Some things are better than a recipe and I love using some tried and true techniques in order to build new flavors and savor the well-loved flavors of my family. This is one combination that…

  • Potjiekos from the Heart

    Potjiekos from the Heart

    Potjiekos is Afrikaans for small pot food. It’s cooked outdoors in a Potjie, a descendent of the Dutch Oven. I shared a little about the small pot last year in a Potjie Spirit Week post. For our Cast Iron Journey this year, I wanted to find a good Potjiekos recipe to share, but I have…

  • A Giant Blueberry Muffin

    A Giant Blueberry Muffin

    My husband and I were watching the series “The Ultimate Braai Master” on Netflix and we were inspired to try this recipe earlier in the week. Over the fire or in the oven, it’s simply a good idea. It’s a gigantic blueberry muffin with the same great taste, nostalgia, and a different kind of portability……

  • Potbrood

    Potbrood

    When my husband and I got married, one of the first things that I received as a gift was the South African staple cookbook “Kook en geniet” by S. J. A. de Villiers. Originally written in Afrikaans, many have grown up and used this book for staple cultural recipes. This is where I first met…

  • Loaded Veggie Skillet, USA

    Loaded Veggie Skillet, USA

    The traditional USA breakfast skillet is immortalized in diners across the country. I have had some delicious versions here in Illinois: a Mexican skillet, Cowboy skillet, and Mediterranean skillet. This recipe was submitted by one of our Cast Iron Journey members, Sarah, and is loaded with so many good and nutritious vegetables. It’s great for…

  • Rum Raisin Bread Pudding

    Rum Raisin Bread Pudding

    Last week I spent some time testing recipes for our first leg of the Cast Iron Journey this year. This one was definitely a winner. With soft bread, first buttered with a mixture of cinnamon-sugar butter, layered into the pot, covered with a coconut milk custard and drizzled with rum soaked raisins. This is definitely…