In the kitchen, a cast iron skillet is durable, versatile, and even adds a dose of healthy iron to your diet. Cooking with a cast iron skillet is a little different than cooking with stainless steel or on a non-stick surface. If you follow certain cooking and maintenance tips, though, you'll find that your cast iron skillet is the pan you turn to over and over.

Season the Skillet
A brand new cast iron skillet needs to be seasoned before its first use. Now, don't grab the salt and pepper just yet. Seasoning a pan consists of coating it with oil and baking it. First, wash the skillet with hot water, a couple of drops of mild detergent and a soft cloth. Dry the pan thoroughly. Next, coat the entire skillet with vegetable oil and bake it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour.

Frying in Cast Iron
Frying is a good way to "break in" your new skillet. Heating oil in the newly seasoned pan will help to reinforce the seasoning. Also, because the heat is distributed so evenly in a cast iron skillet, you'll find that it is easier to achieve consistently golden brown results when frying.

Preheating the Skillet
If you are not using your skillet to fry, preheat it in the stove or on the oven before cooking with it. Because cast iron is so heavy, it takes it longer to heat up than skillets made from lighter materials. By preheating the pan, you will ensure that the heat is evenly distributed before adding the food.

Getting the Most Iron Out of Cast Iron
Whenever you cook with cast iron, a small amount of iron seeps out into the food. Yes, it sounds icky, but the extra dose of iron is actually good for you. In fact, doctors often recommend the use of cast iron to their patients with anemia. In order to get the most iron out of your pan, cook acidic foods such as marinara or spaghetti sauces, which break down even more of the iron.

Cleaning a Cast Iron Skillet
As archaic as it may seem, it is necessary to hand wash cast iron. Putting it into the dishwasher will wash away all of your seasoning efforts and may even cause the pan to rust. Instead, you should usually just clean it with hot water and a soft cloth. If the skillet is especially sticky or gunky, a mild detergent and plastic scrubber may be used. After washing the skillet, dry it thoroughly to prevent rust.

Words of Caution
Before you jump right in and whip up a batch of corn bread, there are a few more things you should know. Cast iron retains heat for a long time. Always use an oven mitt or pot holder when removing it from the stove. Keep in mind, also, that the skillet may leave black marks on the pot holder so you might assign one or two pot holders to use on the skillet every time. Finally, do not boil water in your cast iron skillet. This can cause the pan to rust.

Silk ties are stylish and attractive, but they are also difficult to adequately clean once they're stained with food, water or oil. Keeping the tie well out of the way when it might become stained--such as when eating--is the best way to keep a silk tie clean, but if the worst has happened, prompt attention to the stain is your best bet at retaining the look of the tie.

Step 1
Blot the stain immediately with a soft, dry cloth, a paper towel or tissue. Remove as much of the staining substance as possible.

Step 2
Pour approximately 4 oz. of rubbing alcohol into a bowl and moisten the corner of a small, clean cloth with the alcohol. Squeeze all excess alcohol out of the cloth. Use the moistened portion of the cloth to gently scrub at the stain. Dry the tie off immediately with a hairdryer.

Step 3
Repeat small applications of the rubbing alcohol. It may take several cycles of gentle scrubbing and drying to see any difference in the stain. If you do not have rubbing alcohol, you can use club soda instead.

Step 4
Apply a very small amount of stain remover to an inconspicuous area on the back of the tie to make certain that it will not change the tie's color. If it does not, put a small amount of stain remover directly on the stain, then blot the area dry with a clean paper towel.

Step 5
Sprinkle a thin layer of cornstarch, talcum powder, or Borax over oil or grease stains. Leave the tie undisturbed for several hours, then use a dry towel to wipe off the powder. Repeat these applications of powder for a minimum of three times.

Ingredients
Soft cloths
Paper towels
Tissue
Rubbing alcohol
Stain remover
Cornstarch, talcum powder, or Borax

Tips
Be careful about taking silk ties to professional dry cleaners for cleaning. Silk ties are too delicate for the dry cleaning process and can be easily ruined by the chemicals and process used.

Warning
Never try to remove a stain on a silk tie with water.

Your feet get a lot of abuse over the course of day, whether you engage in high-impact workouts or stand behind a counter, run after a toddler or stroll barefoot on the beach. Give your feet some loving care by using a pumice stone to help wear away corns and calluses and remove the dirt and dry skin that can build up, especially on your heels.

Step 1
Check your feet for troubled areas. Pumice works best on hard, dry or cracked skin and calluses. If you have cuts, sores or blisters, skip the pumice treatment for now, because the friction is too intense for areas with wounds.

Step 2
Soak your feet. Place them in a shallow pan or bucket with warm water, or soak your feet in the bathtub or shower for five to 10 minutes. Add a couple drops of an essential oil to give your feet a spa treatment. Try peppermint oil to invigorate or lavender oil to relax. Add a few drops of baby oil or other moisturizing agent to the water to soften your skin.

Step 3
Moisten the pumice stone. A dry pumice stone creates too much friction and can damage skin. Rub the wet pumice stone on the target areas of your feet, using a small circular motion. Be gentle. Your goal is not to remove huge amounts of dry skin, but to begin the long-term process of promoting better turnover of dead skin cells. If you have not used a pumice stone for a long time, you will need several sessions to remove built-up callouses and corns.

Step 4
Rinse your feet and the pumice stone with warm, soapy water. Place the pumice stone where it can air-dry until you want to use it again. Gently pat your feet dry with a towel.

Step 5
Moisturize your feet. Your pumice stone foot treatment exposes new skin, so protect this new layer of skin by moisturizing it. Add a dab of Vitamin E oil to your feet if you like. If you plan to walk barefoot or in open sandals, put some sunscreen on the back of your heels to keep the new layer of skin from getting burned.

ingredients
Towel
Water
Gentle soap
Moisturizing lotion

tips
Use a pumice stone shape and size that you can hold comfortably and that fits the contours of your feet and toes.
You can do a pumice stone treatment every few days.

warnings
If you have diabetes, consult with your doctor before using a pumice stone on your feet.