(check out the new button my daughter made…should I switch?)
For the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome—though we love to try new dishes, your post doesn’t have to be a recipe. We’re pretty relaxed over here, and stories and photos are as welcome as menus and recipes. When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the button to paste at the top of your post. It ties us together visually. Then fill in the boxes of this linky tool to join the fun!
Food on Fridays with Ann
[This is plucked straight from Wednesday’s post.]As I mentioned on Monday, we’re spending Spring Break at home.That same day, I decided to try to recreate right here in our Northern state some of the Southern eats I enjoy when we road trip to Florida.Fried okra. Shrimp. Sweet tea. Cole slaw. Hush puppies.I found a bag of fried okra in the frozen food section of Wal-mart along with a box of coconut shrimp not unlike some I’ve had as an appetizer at Scampy’s in Panama City several years ago. I picked up some sweet tea from a fast food restaurant, since I can never seem to brew it right myself.Then I faced the challenge of hush puppies.No frozen hush puppies at Wal-mart.My husband phoned from Kroger. No frozen hush puppies there, either.“It’s because we’re Northerners!” I wailed.Then I thought maybe I was wrong. Maybe I wouldn’t find frozen hush puppies at a Southern grocery store, either, because no self-respecting Southern cook would reheat prefab frozen hush puppies. No way. In the South, I’ll bet all hush puppies are always from scratch.But I’m not Southern. And I’ve never deep fried food in my life. I was counting on finding them frozen so I could stick everything in the oven and just minutes later be eating beach diner food for lunch. But the hush puppies. I had to have hush puppies.So I grabbed a bottle of Crisco oil and a bag of Martha White hush puppy mix and headed home.Because we’re in vacation mode, I had all the time in the world. I mixed up hush puppies according to package instructions and heated the oil. I dropped blobs of batter by the teaspoonful into the pot.It took a while, plunking them in, watching them sizzle, plucking them out, draining them. But I persisted.Finally.I ate shrimp and coleslaw with fried okra and hush puppies for lunch.
Oh, and sweet tea. Mustn’t forget the sweet tea.
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Photo by Sophie Marie. Used with permission. “Pin” these images in a way that links back to this particular page, giving proper credit.
I bet those Hush Puppies tasted wonderful! I haven’t had hush puppies in years, and I’ve never made them myself, but your lunch looks so good I’m thinking I might want to try… Thank you for hosting. Wishing you and your family a Blessed Easter!
Oh, and I forgot to say, I love the new button and I used it to link back to you this week. Your daughter is very talented 🙂
Yes, my vote is for the new button. It’s very classy.
Fried okra always makes me think of my mom. It was the only fried food she ever ate.
Love the button. She’s quite talented! I wonder what it would look like if the lettering color matched either the apples or the bowl for greater continuity? Just a thought. Apples might have broader appeal than broccoli. Just sayin. 🙂
Praying resurrection power for you and your entire family this weekend. Love you!
Love the button and used both today! I am sentimental and like the broccoli button. So many great beachy foods, I’ve joined in with a family favorite from the beach house. The fried okra looks mouth-watering. Temptations abound in this meal. Ahhh sweet tea.
Our family will love this whole meal. Thank you Ann!
We love fried okra, but next time I must add the hush puppies. Your photo looks tempting. Today Robert made sheperds pie and corn bread muffins, and our dogs got the left over corn bread! The entire family enjoyed lunch.
Oh yes, I vote for the new button! It is more appealing to the general hungry person!
Happy Resurection Day to Everyone!
I forgot to mention we are crazy for the Martha White mixes! We substitute Fage yogurt for the milk and the muffins are perfect!
You know this makes us from the south very happy, right? First, I cannot believe that you found sweet tea in the hoosier state. I reckon I should send Amber your way, though, and teach you the trick of it.
As for hush puppies… pretty jealous right now. Making me think I should take my family to the ‘ol Catfish Hole tonight. Thanks for the inspiration.
Happy Easter weekend, Ann!