Fried Okra

Baked pork chops and fried okra was our supper last night...the okra came from our garden last year. I froze some of it cut up so when we want it fried all I have to do is take out however much I want, run some cold water over it, and put it in cornmeal seasoned with seasoning salt, black and cayenne pepper. Shake off some of the excess cornmeal and put it in a little hot oil seasoned with bacon drippings. Wow! The pork chops were about $4.00 - I lined a cookie sheet with foil, laid the chops on and seasoned them with garlic, salt and pepper. Bake at about 325 degrees until they are browned and falling apart. If they get done before you are ready to eat all you have to do is wrap them in foil to keep warm.

I did freeze some of the okra whole and am planning to pickle it before our new comes in. Speaking of....today is planting day. We did go ahead and plant the 50 strawberry plants because they were bare root, so they've been in a couple of days. They must like it here because they are already putting on new leaves. We got 16 tomato plants, buy 1 get 1 free at Lowe's. They were very nice and a good size. This year we only got canners, Romas and large slicers. I hope to make more salsa...the recipe I have is wonderful and not too hard to make. I still have 2 quarts left from last year's crop. I did plant 2 cherry tomato plants in a large pot on the front steps. They are supposed to be good container plants and shouldn't get too big.

Hubby prepared the garden beds with manure and Miracle Grow. We also rotated our beds to keep from planting the same thing in each bed. All my herbs are out in the front flower bed. He planted potatoes (plain old pieces of potato that had sprouted) down the side of our driveway. They are already about a foot tall and make a beautiful vine that blooms. We don't count on any produce from them, they are mostly just for looks and we don't have to throw the sprouting potatoes away.

I hope you that grow a garden enjoy the bounty from your hard work. It is a miracle to get so much for such little effort.