You may notice a little difference on the blog today – the name! I have enjoyed being pretty little peach but would like to take the blog in new directions!
Make sure to bookmark the new site southerninthecityblog.wordpress.com to keep up with all the latest happenings!
For my latest kitchen endeavor, I decided it was time to unthaw okra left behind by the parents on their last visit. Dad has been flexing his green thumb lately and I get the pleasure of enjoying the fruits of his labor. Cream corn, okra, limas and a bounty of other veggies have made their way out of his South Georgia garden and into my freezer.
Living with a health conscious individual means the non existence of fried food in our diet. This isn’t to say I don’t indulge in the crispy side of life when at a restaurant from time to time but when cooking I have never officially fried. In addition to the never-have-I-ever‘s comes the embarrassing admittance that I, a self proclaimed southern lady, has never ate nor dealt with okra! After months of begging from The Boyfriend, I decided to tackle this southern fried staple and officially seal my southern status.
Of course I relied on Paula Deen to navigate me through this slimy new world with southern grace. Below is her recipe that was a hit in my house. Try it for yourself and tweet me your thoughts @theprettypeach!
XO
Ingredients
6 cups oil, for frying
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons Paula Deen’s House Seasoning****
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds sliced okra
1/2 cup buttermilk
On medium to high heat, warm oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet. Have enough oil in the pan to almost (but not fully) cover the sliced pieces of okra.
In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, sifted flour, House Seasoning, and cayenne pepper. Dip okra in buttermilk and then dredge in cornmeal-flour mixture to coat well.
Carefully add okra to the hot oil and cook until golden brown. (It may be necessary to fry the okra in batches.)
Remove from oil, drain on paper towels, and then serve immediately..
****Paula Deen’s House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder
Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months
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Southern ladies love color! We can wear bright hues or floral prints all year long and get away with it due to our sweet southern drawl. Southern’s are spring. We are happy, warm, colorful and always welcoming – no wonder we dress in vibrant colors and patterns. After shopping the J. Crew sale rack, I found this great fall outfit that any southern lady would love!
Get the Goods:
Minnie Pant|$49.99
A personal note tops any Hallmark card in my book! As a southern women we are bored and bread to be gracious and caring. With this engrained gratitude comes the art of writing a personal note. Whether to say ‘thanks’ or ‘thinking of you’ dropping a letter in the mail adds a touch of personalization and care that could never be felt through an email or tweet. In keeping with southern tradition here are some fab pieces stationary to keep the art alive!
C. Wonder combined my favorite things when creating this assortment – pattern, color and options! In the top right you can see all the fab colors this box of fun comes with! Of course it is all in the details, so C. Wonder took it even further by lining the included envelopes with matching chevron! What’s not to love?!
Kate Spade‘s line of stationery is yet another item you can add to the list of things I LOVE by her! This simple yet sophisticated design entails a gold embossed street mailbox with the line “signed, sealed, delivered” below. The preppy envelope reflects fun with it’s Tiffany blue outer lined with candy cane stripes. So cute!
I love this simple card and envelope set by Crane & Co. The engraved pussywillows remind me of days spent down by the pond and resonates a sense of calm upon being slid out of the envelope. With just enough sparkle, these feminine but understated cards speak before being opened. I love how light grey was used opposed to typical white. Beautiful!
With love,
The Pretty Peach
