Before you use your brand new cast iron skillet, you'll want to season it.  Seasoning a cast iron skillet doesn't involve salt and pepper!  This is an easy process that forms a thick, non-stick layer on your cast iron to prolong the life of the metal.  There are three easy steps on how to season cast iron.

1. Coat the inside of your cast iron skillet with cooking oil.  Vegetable or corn oil works best.

2. Place your cast iron skillet in a hot oven, and "cook" it for about an hour.

3. Carefully remove the cast iron skillet from the oven (it will be very hot!), and let it cool.  When your skillet is cool enough to handle, don't rinse it! Simply wipe off the excess oil and "dry" it with a paper towel.

How to Clean Cast Iron

After you've used your cast iron skillet to make some of your favorite recipes, you'll need to know how to properly clean it. Cleaning a cast iron skillet isn't difficult, but there are a few things you'll want to keep in mind.

1. Immediately after use, rinse your cast iron skillet with hot water. Do not use soap! It may sound strange, but using soap on cast iron will ruin the seasoning.

2. Use a salt scrub or a non-metal brush to gently remove stuck-on foods. Never soak your cast iron skillet.  The excess water may cause the metal to rust.

Now that you know how to season a cast iron skillet, as well as the proper ways of cleaning a cast iron skillet, why not try your hand at making some of these easy skillet recipes?