My nonstick frying pan got all scratched up, and I wasn't completely comfortable with the idea of welcoming Teflon particles into my body, not that I have any data to suggest they're entirely bad for me.  So I alternated between a cast iron pan and a stainless steel pan for a while, hoping I would get used to one or the other.  I read that cast iron needs to be seasoned and can't be scrubbed clean, but no matter what ridiculous and unclean things I tried, I couldn't get anything to work without burning everything to the bottom of the pan.  Stainless steel is supposedly good with high heat -- or maybe it's low heat; I tried both -- but again, I couldn't get anything to work without setting off my smoke alarm.  After one final fateful experience of scraping burnt meatballs off one of the pans, I came to a realization:  My mental health is more important than my perceived physical health.  I will gladly welcome all kinds of potentially harmful products into my body, provided I can enjoy the benefits of cooking food without burning things and creating a mess.  So I went to the store and bought some nonstick cookware, and the quality of my life has improved measurably.  It turns out cookware is something I can control. #products