Ever since that movie "Fried Green Tomatoes" with Jessica Tandy I've wondered about fried green tomatoes....

Fried Green Tomatoes

INGREDIENTS

• 3 medium, firm green tomatoes
• Salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 1/2 cup milk or buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup peanut oil or other vegetable oil

METHOD

1 Cut unpeeled tomatoes into 1/2 inch slices. Sprinkle slices with salt. Let tomato slices stand for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place in 3 separate shallow bowls: the flour and Cajun seasoning, buttermilk and egg, and bread crumbs and cornmeal.

2 Heat the peanut oil in a skillet on medium heat. Beat the egg and the buttermilk together. Dip tomato slices in the flour-seasoning mix, then buttermilk-egg mixture, then the cornmeal-bread crumb mix. In the skillet, fry half of the coated tomato slices at a time, for 3-5 minutes on each side or until brown. Set the cooked tomatoes on paper towels to drain. 

This is such a wonderful combination of sweet and savory...found this recipe last summer while attending a progressive dinner party and we were hooked making it over and over again...

• Strawberry and Spinach Salad
• 1 bunch fresh spinach, 
• 1 pint strawberries, ends trimmed and quartered
• 1 cup slivered almonds, toasted (or you could use Walnuts too)
• 1/4 large red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup raspberry vinaigrette

My Mom's Asparagus

Growing up, mom would make asparagus for just her and I...my Dad and brother did not like it, and I always felt special when she would make this just for us to share...

1 bunch asparagus, chopped into 1 inch pieces

1/4 c. milk

1 tea. butter

12 saltine crackers, crushed

salt and pepper to taste

Add chopped asparagus to a small saucepan with just enough water to steam the asparagus.  Cook until just tender, add milk and butter serve immediately over crushed saltines. 

Sweet Potatoes with Warm Black Bean Salad

• 4 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 
  

1. Prick sweet potatoes with a fork in several places. Microwave on High until tender all the way to the center, 12 to 15 minutes. (Alternatively, place in a baking dish and bake at 425 degrees F until tender all the way to the center, about 1 hour.)
2. Meanwhile, in a medium microwaveable bowl, combine beans, tomatoes, oil, cumin, coriander and salt; microwave on High until just heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. (Alternatively, heat in a small saucepan over medium heat.)
3. When just cool enough to handle, slash each sweet potato lengthwise, press open to make a well in the center and spoon the bean mixture into the well. Top each with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of cilantro.

Cara Cara Orange Salsa

Courtesy of customer: Beth Hair

2  Cara Cara oranges, zested and juiced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1  Cara Cara orange, peeled, segmented and diced

2 cups cherry tomatoes, diced

1 Tbsp. onion, finely diced

1 tsp. peppers diced

4 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped

1 tsp. lemon juice
Salt and freshly Ground Pepper to taste