Archives for July 2007

I Feel That The Internet Needs To Know This

10 July 2007 by

Right now – right this very second – I am listening to Toby Mac on my iPod. For the first time.

Oh yes I am.

And here’s what’s even more surprising to me:

I AM ENJOYING IT.

Do y’all think that I might be, you know, street like that?

There is this one song called “Boomin’,” and it makes me want to get in my car and play it really loud and ride around a Sonic parking lot.

Which is TOTALLY acceptable behavior for a 30-something mama.

So.

Y’all wanna come with me?

I’ll buy us some tater tots with cheese.

And WE WILL ROCK IT, YO.

Filed Under: Rambling

Because I Love Me A Giveaway

9 July 2007 by

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Some of you book lovers might be interested in this bloggy book exchange over at Overwhelmed With Joy.

Also, Barb is giving away a set of Debbie Macomber’s books over at her place.

And while we’re on the subject of free stuff…I’ll have my own little giveaway to announce in the next day or two. And yes, you can rest assured that it has something to do with Monk & Neagle. Because I am nothing if not predictably obsessive.

Filed Under: Bloggity Fun

At Long Last, I Give You The Fried Green Tomatoes

9 July 2007 by

But first, I give you a picture of my sister-in-law Janie frying some sausage.

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No real reason for that. Other than the fact that so much pork product in one skillet made me a little giddy.

And yes. It’s true. I have no life at all.

None whatsoever.

So to make the fried green tomatoes like Janie does, you’ll need five ingredients:

5 green tomatoes, sliced about 1/4″ thick (unripened red tomatoes will work just fine if you don’t have the green variety in your neck of the woods)
1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
1 cup flour
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup olive oil (you may have to add a little more on your 2nd or 3rd batch)

By the way – you could certainly use bacon fat instead of olive oil. Of course, your heart might explode, but considering that I’m a person who JUST POSTED A PICTURE OF SOMEONE FRYING SAUSAGE, I really don’t think I’m in a position to be offering Helpful Hints for Coronary Health.

I’m just sayin’.

And now, a fried green tomatoes play-by-play.

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As you can see, Sister is providing critical culinary support as Janie slices the tomatoes. Certainly you will want to have a second person in the kitchen as you begin to slice the tomatoes, as it never hurts to have someone looking over your shoulder when sharp kitchen utensils are in use.

Unless the second person likes to scream at random intervals. In which case he or she is really no help at all to the person doing the cutting.

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Line up your flour, eggs and breadcrumbs near your stovetop.

IN A ROW, PEOPLE! IN A ROW!

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Then pour your olive oil into a large, hot skillet.

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While the oil is heating through, ask your sister to showcase all the lovely qualities of the skillet / cooking area.

This is also a nice time for the talent portion of the evening. I mean, if you’re into that. Or you can just move right on to evening gown. Totally up to you.

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And then, we dredge.

Make sure to put the tomato in the flour first, then egg, then breadcrumbs.

You also have the option of doing a second post-egg / pre-breadcrumb flour dredge, but Janie went with the one-flour-dredge option. And you can’t argue with perfection, people.

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This picture is what Paula Deen dreams of for every single one of us: a hot pan filled with a battered and fried vegetable. She’s built her entire career on this very premise, and I think she would be mighty proud of Janie’s work.

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After about five minutes, you’ll want to flip the tomatoes, and when see their progress, you’ll have no choice but to say, “OH YES MA’AM.”

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And here’s the first finished batch. Janie drizzles them with a little Vidalia onion blossom sauce, then tops the sauce with crumbled goat cheese.

I didn’t get a picture of the garnished tomatoes because I was too busy eating one right after another. Rapidly.

It’s some bonafide Southern goodness, y’all.

Filed Under: Cooking

In Which I Try To Remember How To Do This Thing They Call Blogging

8 July 2007 by

So I write things here?

Yes?

Is that how it goes?

Okay.

So.

We’ve been in Memphis for the last several days. We went to see my brother and his family, and because we’re a fun and kicky bunch, the weekend turned into sort of a mini-family reunion. Mama, Daddy and Sister were there (unfortunately, Sister’s hubby had to finish up a work project this weekend and oh, we did miss him), along with D., Alex, Brother, Janie, my two nephews and me.

We ate way too much, stayed up way too late, slept way too little and had a whole bunch of fun.

We had Extra Special Guests, too: Janie’s parents came over Friday night for burgers and the fried green tomatoes and sweet potato fries I mentioned in the previous post. Last night my aunt and uncle from Arkansas and my dear friend Bubba joined us, and my brother cooked approximately 364 pounds of ribs on the grill.

Surprisingly, it was more than plenty for the, you know, THIRTEEN OF US.

This morning D., Alex and I made a little detour on our way home so that we could go to church with some of our favorite people in the whole wide world, and I will even go so far as to specify that Emma Kate was one of those people, because it brings her great joy to see her name ON THE INTERNET. IN LIGHTS. RIGHT WHERE IT BELONGS.

I’ll be back in a little bit with some pictures. If I can manage to stay up past 8:30.

At this point I just can’t tell.

Filed Under: Rambling

I Took Some Lovely Pictures, But Unfortunately You Cannot See Them

6 July 2007 by

Oh, I photographed the fried green tomato extravaganza like nobody’s business.

Sister even got into the act and gave it her best Vanna – ever-so-elegantly directing your attention to the tomatoes, the olive oil, the whathaveyou.

She did not, however, wear a bugle-beaded cocktail dress. Though that certainly would have added a certain festive air to the proceedings.

And Janie, God love her, donned her cutest apron and put all the ingredients in adorable color-coordinated bowls and fried those tomatoes to a lovely golden brown – even garnished them with a tasty sauce and a little goat cheese.

But alas, I cannot show you.

Because I can’t figure out how to crop my pictures on Janie’s computer.

However, I can give you this little tip.

Take 6 sweet potatoes, peel them, slice them like French fries, put them in a Ziploc bag, and then cover them with a mixture of 4 Tbs. canola oil, 4 Tbs. taco seasoning, and 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper.

Shake the Ziploc bag really good – then spread the potatoes on a couple of cookie sheets.

Bake at 425 for an hour – flipping the potatoes midway through.

DEEEEEE-licious.

And I’m off to bed now. With happy sweet potato / fried green tomato memories.

See y’all tomorrow.

Filed Under: Rambling

Did I Mention That I’m Enjoying Monk & Neagle?

6 July 2007 by

And I’ll be back in just a little bit with actual original content – because my sister-in-law Janie is making FRIED GREEN TOMATOES tonight, and I plan to capture every delicious moment via some truly mediocre photography.

I’m shooting for the bloggy stars, y’all.

Filed Under: Rambling
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