Without further ado, here they are:

GRAND PRIZE WINNER:
Sweet Cornbread Shrimp Cakes with Mango Salsa
Serves 6
Melanie McCoy, Knoxville, Tenn.

Cornbread
1 (7 oz.) package Martha White® Sweet Yellow Cornbread and Muffin Mix
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, beaten

Mango Salsa
3 cups peeled and chopped mango (about 2 to 3)
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
Juice of 1 large lime
Pinch salt
1 jalapeño or Serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Shrimp Cakes
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined and coarsely chopped
3 teaspoons seafood seasoning
2 large eggs, beaten
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Butter for cooking shrimp cakes
Lemon wedges and parsley for garnish

1. BAKE cornbread mix according to package directions, using milk and 1 egg. Cool and crumble.

2. STIR together salsa ingredients. Allow to sit for 30 minutes. Serve or refrigerate until serving time.

3. HEAT butter over medium heat in 12-inch Lodge® cast iron skillet. Cook celery and 1/2 cup chopped red onion until tender, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer celery and onion to large bowl. Stir in shrimp, seafood seasoning, 2 eggs, mayonnaise, cilantro, salt and pepper. Stir in crumbled cornbread until well blended. Using about 1/3 cup, form mixture into 12 crab cakes about 2 1/2-inches in diameter. Place on a parchment or wax paper-lined baking sheet.

4. HEAT 1 to 2 tablespoons butter in skillet over medium heat. Cook crab cakes until lightly browned and shrimp turn pink, about 4 minutes on each side. Cook remaining crab cakes, adding additional butter as needed. Place cakes on a serving platter. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley. Serve with mango salsa.

SECOND PLACE:
Sweet Yellow Cornbread Sausage Tomato Pie with Garlic Cream Drizzle
Serves 8
Lisa Keys, Middlebury, Conn.

Cornbread
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
6 tablespoons Crisco® Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
1 pint (2 cups) grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, divided
2 (7 oz.) packages Martha White® Sweet Yellow Cornbread and Muffin Mix
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Garlic Cream Drizzle
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon Martha White Self-Rising or Plain Enriched Corn Meal
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Fresh basil, cut into thin strips and shaved Parmesan cheese for garnish

1. HEAT oven 375°F. Brown sausage over medium heat in 10-inch Lodge® cast iron skillet, breaking up meat with wooden spoon. Drain on paper towels. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to pan along with tomatoes, onions, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Cook, stirring occasionally until tomatoes and onions begin to caramelize, about 8 minutes. Spread tomato-onion mixture evenly over bottom of pan. Spoon sausage evenly over top.

2. STIR together cornbread mix, grated parmesan, remaining 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, milk, sour cream, eggs and remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil until smooth. Pour over hot mixture in skillet. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before inverting onto serving plate. (If any tomatoes or onions stick to bottom of pan, simply replace on cornbread.)

3. STIR together 1/4 cup heavy cream, corn meal, garlic and basil leaves in 1 cup microwave safe measuring cup or bowl. Heat on HIGH in microwave for 45 to 60 seconds or until mixture boils. Discard garlic and basil. Whisk sour cream, grated Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in small bowl. Add to cream mixture. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons cream if needed to make drizzling consistent. Sprinkle with parm & basil.

THIRD PLACE:
Marvelous Mediterranean Chicken Sausage Cornbread Dinner
Serves 6
Jeanette Nelson, Crab Orchard, W.V.

Filling
2 teaspoons Crisco® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped shallots
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (12 oz.) package fully cooked sundried tomato chicken sausage, diced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Crisco Original No-Stick Cooking Spray

Crust
1 (6.5 oz.) package Martha White® Yellow Cornbread and Muffin Mix
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup shredded Romano cheese
1/2 cup basil pesto
1 teaspoon Mediterranean herb seasoning

Toppings
1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
1 cup roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1/2 cup sliced pitted Kalamata olives
1/2 cup seeded and chopped Roma tomatoes
1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1. HEAT oven to 425°F. Heat oil in 10-inch Lodge® cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Cook shallots and garlic until shallots are beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add sausage and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add crushed red pepper. Remove sausage mixture from skillet. Wipe skillet with paper towel. Spray with no-stick cooking spray. Place in oven to heat.

2. STIR together cornbread mix, egg, milk, Romano cheese, pesto and herb seasoning in medium bowl. Pour into hot skillet; top with sausage mixture, artichoke hearts, red peppers, olives and tomatoes.

3. BAKE 15 to 18 minutes. Sprinkle with feta cheese and fresh parsley. Bake 5 minutes or until cheese is soft.

Glorious Greek Shrimp with Crispy Cornbread Cubes
Serves 6
Janice Elder, Charlotte, N.C.

Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray

Crispy Cornbread Cubes
1 (6 oz.) package Martha White® Cotton Country™ Cornbread Mix or Buttermilk Cornbread and Muffin Mix
3 green onions, thinly sliced (including green tops)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
Juice and grated rind of 1 lemon
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon Crisco Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Glorious Greek Shrimp
1 pint (2 cups) grape tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons Crisco Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 pounds large uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 (4 oz.) package crumbled feta cheese
Juice and grated rind of 1 lemon
Fresh parsley and lemon slices for garnish, optional

1. HEAT oven to 400°F. Coat 10-inch Lodge® cast iron skillet with no-stick cooking spray. Place in oven for about 5 minutes. Stir together cornbread mix, green onions, oregano, yogurt, l juice and zest of 1 lemon, egg, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt in medium bowl until well blended. Spread mixture into hot skillet. Bake 18 to 22 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from skillet and cool. Cut into 1-inch cubes. Place cubes on a rimmed baking sheet. Return to oven 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisped and edges are lightly browned, stirring once.

2. INCREASE oven temperature to 450°F. Toss together whole tomatoes, garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Place on rimmed baking sheet and place in oven for 15 minutes. Add shrimp and roasted peppers. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or just until shrimp turn pink (do not overcook shrimp). Toss with cornbread cubes, olives, pine nuts, parsley, feta cheese and juice and zest of 1 lemon. Serve immediately. Garnish with parsley and lemon slices, if desired.

Seafood and Okra Stew with Corn Meal Dumplings
Serves 4
Rene Pare, Wilmington, N.C.

Stew
2 tablespoons Crisco® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium leek, sliced thin crossways
1/2 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1/2 red or green pepper
1/2 pound andouille sausage or other spicy sausage, cut into small bite size pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound okra, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1/2 pound cod or other white fish fillets, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup clam juice or fish stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Dumplings
1 (6 oz.) package Martha White® Buttermilk Cornbread and Muffin Mix
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary, optional
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk

1. HEAT oil in 5-quart Lodge® cast iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook leek, fennel, pepper and sausage until vegetables are softened and sausage is brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add okra, thyme and tomatoes and cook about 10 minutes or until okra softens slightly. Add cod, shrimp and clam juice and cook for 5 minutes. Lower heat to simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste.

2. STIR together cornbread mix and rosemary in medium bowl. Add buttermilk and mix with fork until dough is a soft ball. Drop dough by spoonfuls into simmering stew making 8 dumplings. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.

3. LADLE stew into four bowls. Top each serving with two dumplings.

Italian Sausage Stuffed Bell Pepper Rings
Serves 8
Tim Gladdish, Oliver Springs, Tenn.

4 tablespoons Crisco® Pure Vegetable Oil
4 large green bell peppers
1 (7 oz.) package Martha White® Sweet Yellow Cornbread and Muffin Mix
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 pound ground sweet Italian sausage, browned and drained
1 medium onion, diced
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced
1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chilies
1/2 cup shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheese blend
8 slices or 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. HEAT oven to 400°F. Put vegetable oil into 15-inch Lodge® cast iron skillet. Place in oven to heat for 7 to 8 minutes or until hot.

2. CUT tops and bottoms off each bell pepper. Remove ribs and seeds. Cut each pepper shell into two rings.

3. STIR together cornbread mix, buttermilk and egg in large bowl just until blended. Add sausage, onion, jalapeños, tomatoes and green chilies and shredded cheese blend. Stir until combined.

4. PLACE pepper rings in bottom of hot skillet. Spoon sausage stuffing mixture into each pepper ring until well rounded. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until stuffing is set and golden brown. Top each pepper with a slice of mozzarella or sprinkle shredded mozzarella on top. Bake 5 to 7 minutes until cheese is melted. Remove pepper rings from skillet with spatula. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Ragin’ Cajun Cornbread topped with Etouffee
Serves 6
Dee Guelcher, Acworth, Ga.

10 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Martha White® All-Purpose Flour
1 cup chopped green onions, divided
1 cup chopped red bell pepper, divided
1/2 cup chopped celery, divided
3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, divided
2 cups clam juice
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes with jalapenos
Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
1/2 pound andouille sausage, sliced
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 (6.5 oz.) package Martha White Yellow Cornbread and Muffin Mix
2 pounds uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

1. MELT 8 tablespoons butter in Lodge® cast iron Dutch oven. Stir in flour until well blended. Cook over medium heat 15 to 20 minutes, stirring constantly, until roux becomes a caramel color. Add in 1/2 cup green onions, 1/2 cup bell pepper, 1/4 cup celery and 1 1/2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning. Cook 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in clam juice and tomatoes until well blended. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add shrimp and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until no longer opaque.

2. HEAT oven to 375ºF. Spray 10-inch Lodge cast iron skillet with no-stick cooking spray. In another 10-inch Lodge cast iron skillet, cook sausage over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes or until cooked thoroughly. Remove and set aside. Reduce heat to low. Add 2 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup green onions, 1/2 cup bell pepper and 1/4 cup celery. Sauté 3 to 4 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat.

3. WHISK egg and milk in a large mixing bowl. Stir in cornbread mix and 1 1/2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning until well blended. Fold in sausage and vegetables. Pour into skillet. Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.

To serve, cut cornbread into wedges and top with etouffee.

Peaches and Cream Cornbread with Maple Sausage
Cristy King, Scott Depot, W.V.

1 (8 oz.) container cream cheese spread
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon Crisco® Pure Vegetable Oil
1 pound maple pork sausage
Crisco Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
2/3 cup milk
1 large egg
1 (6 oz.) package Martha White® Buttermilk Cornbread and Muffin Mix
2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
1 (15 oz.) can sliced or diced peaches, drained

1. HEAT oven to 400°F. Stir together cream cheese and sugar in small bowl.

2. HEAT oil in 10-inch Lodge® cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until no longer pink. Drain. Wipe out skillet with paper towel. Spray skillet with no-stick cooking spray.

3. WHISK together milk and egg in large bowl. Stir in cornbread mix and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in peaches and cooked sausage. Pour into prepared skillet

4. DROP small spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture evenly over cornbread mixture. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes.

Skillet Chicken Cornbread Pudding Mexicana
Serves 6-8
Ronna Farley, Rockville, Md.

Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray

Cornbread Pudding
4 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 (6 oz.) package Martha White® Cotton Country™ Cornbread Mix or Buttermilk Cornbread and Muffin Mix
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Chicken Mixture
2 cups diced, cooked chicken breasts
1 (1 oz.) package taco seasoning mix
1 (11 oz.) can whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, undrained
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar-Jack with jalapeño peppers cheese blend

1. HEAT oven to 375°F. Spray 10-inch Lodge® cast iron skillet with no-stick cooking spray. Whisk together 1 egg, milk and melted butter in medium bowl. Stir in cornbread mix. Pour into prepared skillet. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool. Cut into 1-inch cubes. Place in large bowl.

2. WHISK together heavy cream and 3 eggs in medium bowl. Pour over cornbread cubes. Stir to coat.

3. STIR together diced chicken, taco seasoning mix and corn in skillet. Cook over medium high heat until hot and bubbly, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with 1 cup cheese. Spoon cornbread mixture over chicken mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Jerk Shrimp and Caribana Corn Cakes
Serves 6
Richard Swanson, Waterford, Conn.

Corn Cakes
2 (7 oz.) packages Martha White® Sweet Yellow Cornbread and Muffin Mix
2 teaspoons mild Jamaican curry powder
1 (15 oz.) can unsweetened coconut milk, divided
2 eggs, beaten
1 green onion top, finely chopped
Crisco® Pure Vegetable Oil for cooking

Jerk Shrimp
1 1/2 pounds uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 tablespoons Jerk seasoning (mild or hot)
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons Crisco Pure Vegetable Oil
1 cup thin onion wedges
1 1/2 cups sliced red and/or yellow peppers
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (8 oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained
3 teaspoons cornstarch
Lime wedges for garnish

1. STIR together cornbread mix and curry powder in medium bowl. Blend in 1 cup coconut milk, eggs and green onion with a fork.

2. HEAT about 2 teaspoons oil in a 12-inch Lodge® cast iron skillet over medium to medium low heat. Pour about 1/4 cup batter into the skillet to make four-inch corn cakes. Slowly cook until golden brown on both sides, turning once. (Do not turn up heat. Corn cakes brown quickly.) Wrap corn cakes in foil to keep warm. Cook remaining corn cakes adding more oil, as needed.

3. PLACE shrimp in medium bowl. Add jerk seasoning and stir to coat shrimp. Stir in orange juice, soy sauce and brown sugar to coat. Marinate 10 minutes.

4. WIPE out skillet. Heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium high heat. When oil is hot, add onions, peppers and garlic, stirring frequently. Cook 2 minutes. Add pineapple and cook 1 minute. Stir cornstarch into the remaining coconut milk. Add to shrimp mixture. Stir until sauce thickens slightly. Add shrimp and marinade. Cook, stirring, until sauce thickens and shrimp turns pink, 2 to 3 minutes. To serve, place two corn cakes on each plate. Top with jerk shrimp. Garnish with lime.

All recipes courtesy of contestants, Martha White®, Lodge® Cast Iron, and the National Cornbread Festival. Used with permission.

After four hours of competitive cooking, plating, and judging, the judges panel had finally determined the winners! No doubt in my mind, this was no easy feat. Each carefully plated entry looked and smelled fantastic! While I greatly envy the judges’ privilege of tasting each cornbread creation, I was thankful not to have to rank the dishes and determine a winner.

Speaking of winners, I’ve been saving the best part about FiveStar’s involvement in the Cook-Off! We got to present the first prize winner with a brand new 30″ FiveStar Range, valued at over $3,400!

After the judging was complete, all ten contestants lined up for the presentation of first, second, and third prizes.

The third prize winner was Jeanette N. with her “Marvelous Mediterranean Chicken Sausage Cornbread Dinner”…

Second place went to Lisa K., creator of the “Sweet Yellow Cornbread, Sausage & Tomato Pie with a Garlic Cream Drizzle”…

And the winner of the 16th Annual Cornbread Cook-Off waaaaaas…

…

Drumroll…

…

…

…

Melanie M. with her “Sweet Cornbread Shrimp Cakes with Mango Salsa!”

Here’s a photo with all three winners and sponsors:

From left to right: Cindy Sexton, WCRB-TV; Jenny Rumble (me), FiveStar Range; Bob Kellerman, Lodge Manufacturing; Lisa K., Second Place Winner; Melanie M., First Place Winner; Jeannette N., Third Place Winner; and Linda Carman, Martha White

 I’ve saved the best post for last… RECIPES!

*Last two photos were taken by Mark Kelly of Lodge Manufacturing. Used with permission.

This year’s competitors were as fierce as ever, boasting some ultra-tasty cornbread recipes the likes of which have seldom been seen (well, since last year anyway)… The ten finalists were chosen from over 1,000 unique entries. This was the cream of the cornbread crop, y’all!

The competition took place all day Saturday at the festival. Each of the two “heats” consisted of five contestants and an hour and a half to complete the creation of his/her recipe from start to finish. The guidelines were that each recipe include Martha White® cornbread mix, that it be prepared using Lodge® Cast Iron cookware, and that it be cooked in a FiveStar Range.

Here is the list of ten finalists and their respective cornbread dishes, in no particular order:

Dee G. from Acworth, Georgia:
Ragin’ Cajun Cornbread topped with Etouffee

Lisa K. from Middlebury, Connecticut:
Sweet Yellow Cornbread, Sausage & Tomato Pie with a Garlic Cream Drizzle

Rene P. from Wilmington, North Carolina:
Seafood and Okra Stew with Cornmeal Dumplings

Richard S. from Waterford, Connecticut:
Jerk Shrimp & Caribana Corn Cakes

Janice E. from Charlotte, North Carolina:
Glorious Greek Shrimp with Crispy Cornbread Cubes

Jeanette N. from Crab Orchard, West Virginia:
Marvelous Mediterranean Chicken Sausage Cornbread Dinner

Cristy K. from Scott Depot, West Virginia:
Peaches and Cream Cornbread with Maple Sausage

Melanie M. from Knoxville, Tennessee:
Sweet Cornbread Shrimp Cakes with Mango Salsa

Ronna F. from Rockville, Maryland:
Skillet Chicken Cornbread Pudding Mexicana

Tim G. from Oliver Springs, Tennessee:
Italian Sausage Stuffed Bell Pepper Rings

Y’all shoulda smelled that place. Mmmmmmm mmmmmm! As each dish was plated and judged, attendees couldn’t help but be swept up in the sweet smells of cornbread. It was magical.

Later this week, I’ll reveal the winners… and the very best part: the recipes!

From all of us here at FiveStar, we wish you a happy Easter holiday!

]]> http://fivestarrange.com/blog/2012/04/05/happy-easter/feed/ 0 http://fivestarrange.com/blog/2012/03/22/cleaning-cast-iron-a-love-story/ http://fivestarrange.com/blog/2012/03/22/cleaning-cast-iron-a-love-story/#comments Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:57:51 +0000 FiveStar http://fivestarrange.com/blog/?p=231 Hi there, folks! I hope Spring has sprung in your neck of the woods. We’ve nearly sprung on summer down here in the South. 80+ temps in March! Yow!

Speaking of heat, the other night I was cooking up a storm on my FiveStar using my favorite cast iron cookware, and it dawned on me that I owe it to my loyal blog readers to share a quick and easy way to clean up a dirty (read: loved) cast iron cooking utensil. Whether it’s your grandma’s well-worn cast iron skillet or a brand new cast iron Reversible Griddle/Grill, it all deserves to be nice and clean. And boy have I got a secret weapon to make that chore simple!

Started with a dirty (loved) skillet:

Add the secret weapon:

Coarse salt! Pour in just enough to cover the surface of the cookware.

Then heat the skillet with the salt over medium heat for just a couple minutes until warm.

Turn the heat down to simmer but keep the burner on. Then using a clean dry paper towel or cloth, rub the salt gently around the surface of the cast iron in a circular motion.

The salt absorbs the grease without interfering with the material’s season (sometimes called its “cure”).

Your paper towel might look something like this:

Nasty.

Once clean, turn off the burner completely, and discard the dirty salt and paper towel. Let the griddle cool completely and rinse with warm water to remove any traces of salt. Dry completely with a clean rag or paper towel. Apply a thin coat of oil (or fat of your choice), and it’s ready to use (love) all over again.

So there you go. A quick way to clean up a well-loved member of your meal preparation arsenal. You may never look at your cast iron cookware the same way again.

Do you have any quick and dirty tips for cleaning cookware or your range? Please share! After all, sharing is caring!

After some research I learned the answer to all these questions is: It depends.

I know… what an annoying answer, right? I thought so, too.

First, several variables can affect the final baked product – for example, the temperature in the kitchen, the number of times you open the oven door during the cooking cycle, and the position of your oven racks are just some of the factors that can affect your results.

That being said, FiveStar’s TurboFlow convection feature has been found to promote more even baking, reduce the oven’s baking time by up to 30%, and remain within the same cooking time while reducing baking temperature. But the question remains… what does that all translate to for the chef? Well, it means a number of things, really. With all variables remaining the same, the convection fan can reduce baking time of cookies when set to the normal temperature (meaning that if you usually baked them for 15 minutes, they may be done in 12 or 13 minutes at 350 if the convection fan is on the whole time). However, there is some flexibility to play around with your baking temperature and rack position(s) to achieve the results you seek. For best results, be sure to center the cookie sheet so that the air may flow evenly around it, and always stagger baking utensils if baking multiple dishes at the same time. For the most part, the baking times and temperatures will be similar to that of the recipe instructions. But, to be safe, always keep that oven light on and keep an eye on the dish, especially when first trying out the feature.

Additionally, some owners simply flip the convection switch on during the last couple minutes of baking to achieve a nice evenly browned surface. This method works for cookies, casseroles, pizzas, and so on. Again… be sure to keep an eye on your dish and make adjustments as needed.

Bottom line: Experiment, experiment, experiment. And use the above suggestions to guide you.

Today’s Feature Friday post is all about FiveStar’s TurboFlow Convection. Convection doesn’t sound very exciting, does it? Well, I hope that by the end of this post, you’ll have gained some enthusiasm for the feature. First, check out this video from our YouTube Channel:

Is your mouth watering yet? I know. Mine, too.

As you can see at the beginning of the video, the convection is controlled independently from the oven dial by an external switch on the control panel. This means that you can operate the convection setting only when you choose – giving you ultimate control.

As Rick discusses, convection fans work to promote the flow of air evenly around dishes, eliminating those pesky hot spots all ovens tend to have, while also speeding up cooking and/or baking times for your favorite dishes, resulting in quicker, more even dishes. One of my favorites ways to use the convection is to flip the switch during the last few minutes of the baking cycle, adding a quick and even brown to cookies or pies. It’s also very useful when I’m starrrrving and can cut a casserole bake time or chicken roasting time by a few minutes, with the same great results.

I’m curious. Do you use convection? What’s your favorite dish to make with the convection feature? Is it your grandmother’s famous cherry pie or a homemade deep dish pizza or crispy-on-the-outside-tender-on-the-inside roast chicken?

Of course you would. What a silly question.

Come on over and check out our Facebook page, Twitter feed, and YouTube channel to stay in the loop.

This ain’t your grandma’s griddle, y’all. Each built-in griddle/grill unit is crafted especially for us by our friends (and fellow Tennesseans) over at Lodge Manufacturing. Like us, Lodge is a family owned and operated manufacturer here in Tennessee, and we’re proud to collaborate with them to provide our customers with such an excellent feature.

As its name suggests, the griddle/grill can be both a griddle and a grill. One side of the plate is flat, allowing you to griddle pancakes, hash browns, and a host of other items (like the made-from-scratch tortillas Rick shows in the video). The opposite side has raised fingers for grilling meats, poultry, seafood, peppers, and anything else your heart desires. Rick actually helped us with the design of the grill side to ensure the distance between the highest and lowest points of the grate fingers ensures optimal smoke output for that special smokey flavor grill masters crave!

In addition, each model with a griddle/grill assembly includes a stainless steel griddle cover. This cover protects the griddle/grill when not in use and also creates an additional working surface for the home chef.

Do you have an older FiveStar with the steel griddle and want to upgrade to the new style? Contact us about our new retro-fit kit.

What is your favorite dish to prepare on a grill? How about on a griddle? Are you drooling over Rick Bayless’s grilled chicken and tortillas like I am? Yum!