Fried Green Tomatoes

Not a Southerner that is living in the South? Need to impress someone with your ability to cook Southern Food? Try this recipe, its easy, tasty and will impress the locals and transplants alike!


First thing is first, the tomatoes must be green! This means they will be small because green tomatoes are not yet ripe therefore not grown up to their fullest size. You'll need to figure no more than 3 - 4 slices out of each tomato, so gauge your purchase accordingly.

Notice the flaws in my tomatoes?

Yup, I like the ones that DON'T look perfect. The fruits and vegetables that look too perfect have little flavor in my opinion. I purchased these at the local Farmer's Market this morning. Don't get any that have any signs of ripening (yellow, orange or reddish skin), they just wont taste as good.

Heat oil in a skillet (I always use cast iron to fry in) about 1" deep. The egg wash I use is 2 eggs, about 1 Tbsp. of milk and salt (I always salt my egg out of superstition). The batter I use is White Lily White Flour, King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour (sometimes I'll use Jiffy Mix Cornbread mix instead of corn meal, but I skipped this all together tonight and it didn't seem to make a difference) and some seasonings - I used a basic chicken seasoning tonight. So set your assembly line up like this...

I'm working from Right to left as that's the space allowance in my kitchen. The skillet is on the far left just out of the picture. So Tomato, egg wash, flour, skillet. Repeat until the skillet is full, but do not let them touch if you can help it.

Last bit of info, if you'll put a cake cooling rack on your plate between the plate and paper towel (that you'll have to drain the oil off of the tomatoes) you will drain better and have less oil and grease in your meal. This works for bacon and anything else that you might drain on a paper towel and keeps things ever so slightly on the healthier side.


And here is the finished product. About 21 - 26
Fried Green Tomatoes

And I don't know if this is Southern or just the way we got the kiddo to eat these, but they aren't too bad with katsup either...! ENJOY

Feature

This feature is an absolute pleasure for me to do. Deb of LilacAve is one of my favorite vendors on etsy and over the past few years I've come to rely on her to keep my home smelling good. But I first met her when she was making some beautiful custom cards like this one. From the card shop she moved on to open LilacAve. She has a knack for recycling all sorts or containers (including shipping boxes) and I have more than one of her recycled candle tins. My personal favorite is her melting tarts though. She makes some wonderful soy tarts that I don't think I could live without. Most recently she has moved on to add some bath and body items which I can't wait to start trying. So without further ado, here is the interview with Deb - of Lilac Ave!

What is your favorite item you've ever made?

That's hard... I have a bit of a wandering eye when it comes to my items. I think I am totally in love with one on one day, and then become infatuated with another the following day. I DO have a favorite scent...Ginger Peach all the way. But then there is also Blueberry Cobbler, Gardenia, Monkey Farts, Pumpkin Cheesecake...oh my ;)


What keeps you going when your creativity wanes?

I think when creativity wanes, it's a sign you need to take a break or do something new. I usually take a day or two to concentrate on family, and taking care of myself.

How do you balance family duties and your shop?

Normally during the school year it is quite a bit easier. I have found this to be much more of a challenge during the summer. I WANT to get the kids out and explore, but I also need to work. I'm lucky though that they are older (7 and 8) so they don't really WANT my attention all the time, but I have to admit my hours have been cut back quite a bit.

If you could do anything what would it be?

Career-wise- I'd LOVE to open a craft consignment shop. The type of place where Crafters rent out spaces, and have a "mini-store" to sell their items.
Life-wise- I'd love to take a European trip with my husband and kids. I am dying to go to France.

Who gave you the best advice and what was it?

Wow, I've gotten great bits of advice from so many people. I think all of it builds you as a person. I have to say, this quote is what keeps me motivated to never give up on my business:
"Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go." ~William Feather
I think it is quite the statement in persistence and hard work.

If you could have super powers, what would you have?

Endless energy!
So please take some time to visit LilacAve and see all the wonderful things she has to sell. You can check her items out on facebook, 1000Markets, etsy or her blog. Great gifts for your family and friends and even for yourself ... and tell her I sent ya!

Feature Coming Soon

I will start doing a weekly feature which will include a short interview and hopefully some fun and funny stuff to read. Until then, please enjoy a few pictures of some of the most beautiful places in East Tennessee...

Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park



A creek in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Light & Easy

Boiled Artichokes and Bruschetta (my way)

This meal is one that has no meat, but once in a while its nice to have a meal that doesn't revolve around meat and potatoes. Surprisingly the artichokes are very filling, however for the first time you might want to add one other appetizer with it to be on the safe side. This meal is enough to easily fill us. I have lots of pictures so I'm going to try to be as thorough as I can.
For the Artichokes You'll need:
Whole artichokes (1 per person) garlic, olive oil, fresh herbs of choice
First thing is first, get your water started boiling. You'll need a pot large enough to allow your artichokes freedom of movement while boiling, so get that water started before anything else.

Cut the thorns off the artichokes! This is an important step and one you'll only forget once! They aren't called "chokes" by accident. Use scissors to cut the tip of each leaf off and then use a sharp knife to slice off all of the top portion at once.

Next cut off the bottoms so that they sit even as pictured below.


Once the water gets boiling, add olive oil, about 2 turns = 2 Tbsp. should do it add minced garlic, I've shown in pictures the best way to get the skin off the garlic, chop, then mince it. So here ya go:

Put the clove under the knife blade facing away from you and SMASH it.

Take the skin off and discard it as I've never found a use for the skin... yet.

Now that its smashed its much easier to chop, then take your blade and rock back and forth the opposite direction in which you chopped. Scrape it back into a pile and do this a few more times until the garlic is minced to your liking.

Put the minced garlic clove, minced herbs of choice (I used what I have growing - Rosemary, Thyme, Greek Oregano, and Sweet Marjoram)

a pinch of salt and the artichokes into the boiling water (chokes should be bottom side down). Put the lid on and let them boil for 30 minutes - then flip them over to boil bottom side up for another 15 minutes. Once they're done (45 minutes total boiling time) take them out to a colander to strain the water out.

While they're boiling make the Bruschetta and dipping sauces for the chokes.

Bruschetta, you'll need
Italian or French loaf bread (sliced to about 1" thick), garlic clove, olive oil, diced tomatoes (I use canned sometimes when they're not in season locally since I didn't can any myself last year), fresh basil (since I didn't grow Basil this year I chose the same minced herbs I used in the boiling water with the artichokes), and Parmesan cheese.

Toast Bread then rub with 1/2 clove of garlic (toasting it first is important for this step to work). Brush with Olive Oil, put diced tomatoes fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese on and broil for about 2 minutes.


For the dipping sauces I don't have pictures, but the directions are simple.

1st one, get about 2 Tbsp. of Mayo (or that Miracle Salad Dressing it doesn't really matter) and add about 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil and herbs as you prefer, mix it all together.
2nd one, melt butter and add garlic, Parmesan cheese to taste.
Both are used to dip the artichoke leaves in, to eat the leaves you scrape the meaty underside against your bottom teeth and discard the fibrous top part of the leaf. The "heart" is really the soft bottom that once you peel all the leaves off will be fabulous to eat but DO NOT eat the "choke" which you should be able to tell what it is as it would undoubtedly choke you!

Bon Appetite!

A Few of My Favorite Things!

Go to my shop and click on favorites to purchase any of these.

Green Tip of the Week

Tips for Greener Travel

Reducing your speed to 55 mph from 70 mph could increase your fuel efficiency by 23 percent.

Superhero Tips from "The Green Girls" - Saving the Planet One Lightbulb at a Time!

There are a number of ways to save water, and they all start with you!

• When washing dishes by hand, don't let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.
• Some refrigerators, air conditioners and ice-makers are cooled with wasted flows of water. Consider upgrading with air-cooled appliances for significant water savings.
• Adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street.
• Run your clothes washer and dishwasher only when they are full. You can save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
• Choose shrubs and ground covers instead of turf for hard-to-water areas such as steep slopes and isolated strips.
• Install covers on pools and spas and check for leaks around your pumps.
• Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Compost vegetable food waste instead and save gallons every time.
• Plant in the fall when conditions are cooler and rainfall is more plentiful.
• Monitor your water bill for unusually high use. Your bill and water meter are tools that can help you discover leaks.
• Water your lawn and garden in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler to minimize evaporation.

For more tips on how to save water please check out this web site.

Hope you enjoyed my Green Girls Tips for this Thursday and remember We have only one Earth, let’s treat it with respect so our children can learn from our example and have a great place to raise their children.

Superhero Tips from "The Green Girls" - Saving the Planet One Lightbulb at a Time!

Shopping: The Simple Steps as taken from the green book (hey, its a great resource!)

Try to buy products with minimal to no packaging. If just one out of ten products you bought had little or no packaging, it would eliminate more than fifty pounds of waste per household per year. This small reduction could also save you at least $30 annually, as $1 of every $11 that you spend at the supermarket pays for the packaging of the products you buy. If every household did this, 5.5 billion fewer pounds of waste would enter landfills. This is enough garbage to cover all of New York City's Central Park to a depth of twenty-seven feet.

I pulled the packaging picture above from the site mentioned and was pleased to find a link to green packaging.

Hope you enjoyed my Green Girls Tips for this Thursday and remember We have only one Earth, let’s treat it with respect so our children can learn from our example and have a great place to raise their children.

Superhero Tips from "The Green Girls" - Saving the Planet One Lightbulb at a Time!

The Many Uses of
Baking Soda

OK, I grew up thinking Baking Soda had one use only. To sit open in the fridge for undetermined amounts of time with no apparent reason. (Sorry Mom, its true) So as a teenager I discovered that it could be used to whiten the teeth if I could only stand the taste... and the fact that it had absorbed months of fridge odors probably enhanced the taste.

As a mom and a somewhat environmentally friendly one I've discovered that Baking Soda has many uses and sometimes when nothing else works thats when Baking Soda comes to the rescue once again. So, in honor of one of the "old fashioned" house cleaning remedies here is a list of household uses straight off the Arm & Hammer Box!

Uses in the Kitchen (for scratchless cleaning)
- Sinks, Counters, Ovens, Refrigerators, Coffee Pots, Microwaves, Pots & Pans, Stainless Steel, China

Uses in the Bathroom (will safely remove stains, and lift off dirt and soap scum)
- Sinks, Counters, Tubs, Showers, Toilets, Tile, Grout & More

For Household Deodorizing (absorbs & eliminates odors on contact)
- Garbage Pail, Carpets, Disposals & Drains, Litter Boxes, Dishwasher (between uses)

For Pure & Natural Personal Care
- Relaxing Bath (add 1/2 cup into your tub for a refreshing bath or foot soak)
- Fuller, More Manageable Hair (add 1 tsp to your shampoo once a week)
- Invigorating Yet Gentle Facial Exfoliant (after washing face, apply a paste of 3 parts Baking Soda, to 1 part of water in a circular motion. Rinse for a fresh, clean face).

Visit armhammer.com for more baking soda tips and spacial offers!!!!!

Hope you enjoyed my Green Girls Tips for this Thursday and remember We have only one Earth, let’s treat it with respect so our children can learn from our example and have a great place to raise their children.

Easter Toile Dress

I am just so very proud of this one that I wanted to blog about it. It has been rolling around in my head since early January, and its SO nice when it turns out just like I envisioned it. Thanks for looking and for checking out my blog. Recipe will be up Saturday in the afternoon in case anyone was needing idea's of what to make for Valentine's Day dinner.