Frying Pans: Who Knew, Right?

If Flynn Ryder ever tries to break into my tower he's a dead man. Seriously, look at this beast! It's 15 inches of cast iron glory; a birthday present from my mama. It weighs more than Lincoln. I don't even want to know what it cost Amazon to ship it to me. Probably more than my Prime membership. Mua-ha-ha-ha! Say hello to deep dish pizzas, perfectly seared steaks, real southern corn bread, and oh so much more. And it will hold enough to feed the Swan Family Militia (also known as my children).

I broker 'er in easy last night, with a quick Brown Butter and Coconut Dutch Baby recipe. It was very tasty, but in the future I'll double the recipe. The pan is so big the batter had to spread really thin, and didn't puff as much as it normally would. I liked the toasted coconut, pineapple, bananas, and real maple syrup on top though. Sooooo good.

Brown Butter Coconut Dutch Baby with Bananas and Pineapple

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter (if doubling the recipe, don't double this amount, it will still grease the pan just fine)
31/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
6 large eggs
3/4 cup half-and-half
6 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
A pinch of salt
1 cup chopped fresh pineapple
1 banana, cut into pieces

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a small skillet over medium heat, add the shredded coconut.  Toast the coconut, stirring frequently, until light brown.

Put the butter in an 8 or 9-inch cast-iron skillet (you can also use a similarly-sized cake pan or pie plate), and place in the preheated oven.  Let the butter cook and sizzle, swirling occasionally, until the butter is melted and there are brown solids.  Remove from the oven and tilt around, completely covering the sides and bottom with brown butter.

Meanwhile, in a blender, or with a bowl and whisk, mix together the eggs, half-and-half, and sugar.  Add the flour, ginger, salt, and 6 tablespoons of the shredded coconut and blend until smooth.  Pour into the warm skillet, and slide into the oven.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the center looks set and the edges have risen and are golden brown.  It will rise and puff around the pan while in the oven, but will deflate as it cools.

Remove from the oven.  Top with the chopped pineapple, banana slices, and the remaining toasted coconut.  Serve immediately with maple syrup, if desired.