Veggies...from a Southern cookbook

I remember growing up in the South...and eating every vegetable known to man. I have picked three of the most "typical" Southern veggies to share!

The first being... FRIED GREEN TOMATOES.

You will need to cut 4 green tomatoes into 1/2-inch slices. You will need the following ingredients: 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, salt & pepper to your tasting (a.k.a. a "good amount" in the South), 1/2 cup cornmeal, 1 egg (You must beat "real good".), 1/2 cup milk, and some Canola oil. Mix together your cornmeal, flour, salt & pepper. Add the milk to your beaten egg, and soak the sliced green tomatoes in this mixture. Then, coat the tomatoes with the cornmeal/flour mixture. You will need to heat the Canola oil in the frying pan--about an inch deep is good. You will drop the tomatoes in and cook until golden brown.

My second choice is...COLLARD GREENS.

Wash and remove the stems of about 5 pounds of collard greens, or collards, or, simply, greens. Place about 1 pound of ham hock(s) in 3 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Reduce your heat, and cover. Allow the meat to cook until meat is tender, which normally takes about an hour. Then, cut your greens in half and place into your boiler. Add a whole chopped onion, roughly 2 tablespoons of sugar, and salt & pepper to your liking. Unfortunately, for us non-pork eaters, my mother has yet to find a tasty-SOUTHERN vegetarian option to this. But, for now, you can just leave out the ham, and replace the water with vegetable stock. (You'll want to add more salt & pepper, and possibly a clove of garlic.)

My last choice is my favorite...FRIED OKRA.

Go out to the garden, or you local farm, or your CSA basket, and pick some okra. Clean, de-steam, and slice. Beat 2 cups of milk with 2 eggs, "real good" now. Place the okra in this mixture, and let sit for about 15 minutes. Following this, you will drain the okra, small portions at a time. DO NOT DRAIN ALL AT ONCE. Then, in a large freezer bag, or mixing bowl, mix 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup yellow corn meal, and salt & pepper (somewhere between a 1/2-1 teaspoon ). Add the drained okra and shake until the okra is well coated. Heat 2 cups Canola oil in a skillet, cast iron is best...especially when it has years of fried okra seasoning inside! Place okra into the hot oil. Again, do this in small portions. Only turn once with spatula, cook until golden brown. Drain on paper towels in order to soak excess oil out. Repeat until all okra is fried. While fried okra takes some time, it's totally worth the time...and calories.

Hope you all enjoy a taste of the South. Beware: Contains CALORIES...and lots of them. But don't all things that taste sinfully delicious?