Deep Green Southern Roots

I am going to give away the one part of me that is definitely, without a doubt, and unashamedly southern to the core! I LOVE southern cooking - sweet tea, cornbread, fried chicken! I think I am packing on the calories just thinking about it. One of the first things that I was loving when we first got to TX last May (yep our one year anniversary on the 29th - but that is another post!) was the abundance of fresh produce available at the local farmer's market - as well as in the gardens of all of Travis' family - everytime you visited somebody you were taking home an armful of something - even if you had never seen it before and didn't know how to cook it! One of my favorites things to make was Fried Green Tomatoes! They are sooo soo good! (I have also always loved the movie by the same name!)
Anyhoo - I thought I would share my favorite recipe for them which is from the Fanny Flagg's Whistle Stop Cafe Cookbook. Be careful though - if you get too addicted, you may never let any tomatoes get red - and they are so good too!

¾ c self-rising flour

¼ c cornmeal

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

¾ c milk

3 – 4 green tomatoes, cut into ¼ inch slices

Vegetable oil

Combine first 5 ingredients; mix until smooth. Add additional milk to thin if necessary (I say - don’t do this! Keep the batter thick!) Batter should resemble pancake batter. Working in batches, dip tomato slices into batter, allowing excess batter to drip back into bowl. Fry in 2 inches hot oil. (375⁰F) in a large, heavy skillet until browned, turning once carefully with tongs. Transfer to a colander to drain.

I used a fork, and I laid mine on a paper towel as with most fried foods. They are tangy – and not everybody likes them. If you try them and enjoy them let me know! Oh yeah, and they are super dipped in Ranch dressing!