Someone came a knocking

I don't open my door to just anyone.So glad I did this morning.My neighbor went to the Farmers mart ( with her baby daddy lol)

she bought way to much & offered me to take anything I wanted. Gosh I like her

OMG....is that what you would refer to as mana from heaven?

What are you going to make for her to thank her (and hope she does it again)?

don't know yet. but I took the eggplants. some squash.well lots of squash lol.

Those stuffed zucchini were even good reheated.  We really liked the filling of spicy breakfast sausage.  And as long as you don't pre cook the sausage it should hold any sauted vegetables together without any binder as it cooks.  For me, the best part was the homemade marinara I poured over 3/4 of the way through cooking and the smooth fresh mozzarella thick slices that I melted over the top.

Did you take any okra? I'm not a big fan, not something I grew up eating. But I've read it can be tasty if you slice in half lengthwise and fry hot and fast. Never tried it so I'm wondering if its something you cook.

Fried okra is one of my favorite vegetables.

How do you cook it, Norm? I know I'll be able to find fresh when I get back to the villa....might give it a try. I'm just not a big fan of deep fry...too much mess. But, then again, I'm thinking of expanding my outdoor cooking area so I might try again once in a while.

no. I passed on the okra. I only like it fried.Last time I made some,ghezz what a grease mess.

Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of. But the place I saw it cooked they sliced it in half lengthwise and cooked it in just a bit of oil in a CI pan. I don't remember where I saw it, but I'm sure a search would turn up lots of ideas.... Just figure I might like it if I give it a try.

Sometimes I just slice it crosswise about 1/2" wide, toss it with flour and salt and saute in hot oil until crispy.

Here is a more involved recipe where the okra is coated with egg then corn meal. You can leave out some of the hot stuff if you don't like it too spicy.

1 pound fresh okra
2 eggs, beaten
4 to 6 dashes hot pepper sauce
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
oil for deep frying
Preparation:
Wash okra and drain well; cut off ends and discard. Cut okra crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. In a bowl, combine beaten eggs and hot sauce; add okra and stir to coat all pieces well. In a shallow dish, combine cornmeal, salt and cayenne. Dip okra pieces into cornmeal mixture to coat well. Heat oil in the deep fryer to 375°. Fry okra in batches until browned, about 4 to 6 minutes for each batch. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.
Serves 4.

Norm, when its deep fried or flash-fried, is that when it doesn't get that "slimy" texture?

The first time I ever had okra was in a gumbo, and I have read that purists insist it isn't gumbo WITHOUT okra, even that the name gumbo is the word in North Africa for the plant....

But, anyway, when I hit that slime, well, it just turned me off entirely. But I'd like to give it a try again sometime and see if I like it any better now or if the change in cooking methods changes my opinion of the vegetable....Or is it considered a fruit?

I'm waiting for a knock on my door  

I don't think it is slimy at all when it is sauteed or fried, but I like gumbo too. I have never been turned off by it in any state.

God, those veggies look DIVINE, Barbara!  How nice of her, huh?

The first time I ever had okra was in a gumbo, and I have read that purists insist it isn't gumbo WITHOUT okra, even that the name gumbo is the word in North Africa for the plant....

Lots of people make gumbo down here without okra.  Most of the time, we use file in our gumbo so we don't put okra in it.

I don't cook okra but I love pickled okra.  Was thinking lately of buying some to try pickling it myself since we're so into canning lately.

I'll bet Pea could help you out if you had questions. She still does lots of canning.

Me, I gave all my canning stuff to my DD in Indiana. But she carries on the tradition.

I would think okra canned with hot peppers would be really good, ohhhh, as a garnish in a Bloody Mary! I use to make some spicy dilly green beans that were excellent for stuff like that.

I have File`.. While reading this book they talk about it a lot. I have strong feeling I will be making Gumbo soon.. 

File is ground sassafras leaves, isn't it?

I've always wanted to identify a sassafras tree to get leaves to brew for sassafras tea. I've always read about it, like it was the first "soft drink of the South", but I am unfamiliar with the plant and taste.

yes it is. Seems to me I was reading somewhere that it is poison.. I don't think so lol I know when I lived in Ohio we had tea from that. I have used File`for years.

I need to google that..

Barbara101 wrote:I have File`.. While reading this book they talk about it a lot. I have strong feeling I will be making Gumbo soon.. 

It's really best used at the end, B, when you're ready to eat.  You take out about a cup of the gumbo, mix some file into it, and then add it back to the pot.  And then you're not supposed to let the gumbo boil (who does, anyway?) so the file doesn't get slimy.  I see now where some recipes call for adding it at the table but that would've been heresy in our house!  Plus, the file helps to thicken the gumbo as well.

As most of you know, Brian doesn't eat seafood.  Though I make a killer seafood gumbo, I usually make smoked turkey, andouille (also smoked) and oyster gumbo. Brian likes the flavor of oysters (also likes them fried or char-broiled) so I just pick the oysters out of his bowl when serving him.  When I was growing up, I was always told that you need three "meats" (same for seafood) to call it gumbo.  Not only do the oysters add a lot of flavor but so does the oyster liquor they come in from the fish monger.  Yumm!  

You could make some from that turkey you plan to do on the grill, Barbara.  But you'd need to keep the dark meat and carcass rather than give it to your daughters!