Mixed bag for dinner tonight:
Chicken fried “steak” (breaded cubed beef) w/white gravy*
Stewed okra (okra, tomatoes, onion, green pepper)**
Julienned potatoes in cheddar cheese sauce***
A different combo, but one I can eat with gusto. “Down home” comfort foods in a slightly off-standard menu combo. I may have to zap some frozen peas for the others who’ll be here, though, since stewed okra’s an acquired taste that Son&Heir and my Wonder Woman have, urm, avoided acquiring. I think it’s the slimey texture more than anything else, since I can feed ’em fried okra just fine. 🙂 But as for me? Yum!
(I’m told that savages “up North” somewhere don’t eat okra at all but feed it as forage to their livestock. *shudder* What utter barbarians! 🙂 )
*white gravy: make a roue with a little of whatever oil or grease you fred the CFS in and some white flour. Slowly add a lil milk at a time and heat to a nice bubble, then back off to a very, very slow simmer. Too big a flour-to-milk ratio will equal a too thick gravy, obviously, so it’s a learning process. What? Amounts? You gotta be kidding! Or, just follow Alton Brown’s recipe at the link. I think it’s both too much trouble and not quite “right” but tastes differ.
**a coupla cups of okra, washed and cut into pieces no larger than 2″; one half to one coarsely chopped yellow onion; one coarsely chopped bell pepper; a large can of whole tomatoes; salt & pepper to taste. Sautee the onions and bell pepper until the onions are clarified but not browned, then add everything else, bring to a boil and back off to s simmer. about 30 minutes oughta do it.
Julienned cheesy potatoes: do this but leave out the ham. It’s not quite what I do, but it’ll taste close and be good.
Well, my Wonder Woman tried some of the stewed okra after all and pronounced it “good”. 🙂