Fried green tomatoes dipped in milk, then dredged in a combination of flour, cornmeal and crumbled saltine crackers, then pan fried.

Fried Green Tomatoes II

I was looking for a sturdier coating for my fried green tomatoes to use with another recipe that I was working on, so I played around with the way I've been making them for years, and finally settled on this new combination. These green tomatoes turned out fantastic topped with the shrimp with fresh tomato and basil cream sauce I made.

The original coating is a basic blend of cornmeal and all purpose flour, that frankly the perfectionist in me has vacillated between adding to, subtracting from, and changing around anyway over the years. There is only a small window of time to experiment with fried green tomatoes and a gal can only consume so many, after all!

 

Preserves, made from fresh, ripe blackberries, sugar and lemon.

Blackberry Preserves

Pick your own blackberries have pretty much played out down here in South Mississippi, though you may have a little more luck if you live in the northern part of our state. Of course, you'll still find California berries in the markets everywhere on through early fall, and probably even some from Central or South America too. Local, or as local as you can get, are always going to be the best.

Butter stewed potatoes, are whole new potatoes or small, cut up red potatoes, steam cooked in butter and often sprinkled with herbs, such as parsley.

Butter Steamed New Potatoes

No secret here that I love potatoes I suppose. Seriously, set a pot of stewed potatoes in front of me and I'm perfectly happy to enjoy them as my meal.

Drip-less homemade popsicles, made using flavored Jello gelatin, unsweetened Kool-Aid and sugar.

Homemade Popsicles

I have a confession. With this hot summer we've had this year, I have had way more of these homemade popsicles than any adult woman of a certain age should ever lay claim to. We've had a little bit of a respite from the heat for these past couple of days thanks to plenty of rain, but, hey... since kids love them too, if you want an excuse to have one (or six) to help keep you cool, make some for your kids or grandkids.

Gimme Some Sugar Darlin'

"Filled with tongue-in-cheek Southern humor, here's a cookbook worth reading... and it's got good recipes too." ~Tripleheart Press

"Southern cuisine is the ultimate comfort food... created by people who had to use whatever limited resources were available during tough times, and we've had more tough times than not in the South." ~Laurance Triplette

I had the pleasure of corresponding with Laurance Daltroff Triplette for the first time a few months back, when she wrote me the sweetest email about my website, and after a few exchanges, kindly offered to send me a copy of her new cookbook, Gimme Some Sugar Darlin', to review. After corresponding with her several times since, I believe that Laurie, as she is known to her friends, and I, are indeed kindred souls of the Banana Pudding Republic.

I loved Laurie's cookbook from the moment I opened it and found myself quickly wrapped up in what was more like looking through a well worn, loved one's recipe box, served up with a side scrapbook of memories. I felt instantly connected to Laurie and if I know the readers here, and I think I do, you will want to order a copy of this cookbook yesterday.

Chunky fig jam, made with fresh figs, lemon and sugar, a southern favorite.

Chunky Fig Jam

While I know that some of you are just getting to those figs, my fig tree, like most here in The Deep South, has given up all she had. I don't know much about all the different varieties of fig trees, but mine is a Celeste, very popular in this region. Generally speaking, they are supposed to peak in July, but depending on where you live, ripening can occur anywhere from mid-June through August.

I planted her in the spring following Katrina in 2006 in honor of my mama who used to have one in our backyard. Having lost my job thanks to that hurricane, and following the economic crisis that topped a natural disaster, I wasn't having much success finding another job, so I threw myself into gardening, something I never had time for much before. Like all good southerners do, I planted mine on the south side of my house, against the brick wall, and she has really thrived in that spot.

Easy, old fashioned icebox bread and butter pickles, can either be made to store in the refrigerator, or processed in a hot water bath for pantry storage.

Icebox Bread and Butter Pickles

Most of you know that I am pretty new to the world of canning, so I have to caveat the posts I decide to be brave enough to share, to say use at your own risk, consult a professional canning source for more detailed information on the canning process, standard disclaimers, disclosures, warnings, yada yada yada.

A versatile and super easy pasta sauce made from garden fresh tomatoes, pictured here with a three cheese tortellini and garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.

Fresh Tomato Pasta Sauce

We're already heading halfway into the month of July, so I guess we're getting pretty close to that final lap of summer, for which many of us will be grateful! I don't know about y'all, but I'm sure praying for a cooler fall and winter this year than last because it's been hotter than the hinges of Hades pretty much everywhere this summer.

Unfortunately though, that also means that we'll be not long before saying goodbye to our favorite summer produce too, so get 'em in while ya can! {Southern Sidebar: Don't you just love how some of us southerners can butcher up the English language with a sentence like that? The grammar police must really love those of us who write on sites like this. Relax. We just like to write how we talk is all.}

Bundles of fresh green beans, marinated in a seasoned olive oil vinaigrette, wrapped in bacon and broiled, baked or grilled.

Green Bean Bundles

Just before Thanksgiving last year, Linda, one of our Facebook family members, shared her green bean bundles recipe, using canned, whole green beans. It's a family favorite at her house and during the holidays she often makes somewhere between 9 and 12 cans of beans! I love the bacon wrapped asparagus bundles made with a sweet and spicy brown sugar sauce, so I just knew that I would love her more savory variety too and I've made them multiple times since.