A Little of This and That...

Apparently, I was mistaken. I did take a picture at the lake this weekend...that would be 1 whole picture and here it is:

Camping at the Lake

Brent erected the tent in the middle of the den and the kids LOVED camping! Friday night, we had 5 children sleeping soundly in the tent. Good times! Now I don't know about you, but this is my idea of camping. Sleeping on an air mattress in a bug-free, a/c environment! I Like It! And just to give the camping experience a little more of an authentic feel, we set up a battery-powered lantern to simulate a full moon. We are nothing if not resourceful, and are willing to go that extra mile for our children.


At the risk of this becoming a week of recipes, I have to share a delicious recipe that I tried last night for dinner. I love fried okra! My Grandmother C can make a gooood fried okra. I have never made it before because it just seems like so much trouble to go through, and have I mentioned that I am no Martha Stewart?!?! Well, in this month's Southern Living there is a recipe for Parmesan Okra, an easy, delicious, 'cheating' version of fried okra. I loved it...Jack and Will were a bit skeptical, but this was their first real encounter with okra (although they've had okra hidden in gumbo and chicken & okra stew before). If you have a August 2009 Southern Living, the recipe is on page 130. If you subscribe to SL, here is the recipe:

Parmesan Okra

• 1 lb fresh okra, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices (I used a 16 oz bag of frozen sliced okra)
  
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
• 2 tsp Greek seasoning
• 1/4 cup freshly shaved Parmesan cheese

Sauté okra in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 to 6 minutes or until crisp-tender. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and seasoning, and cook, stirring often, 3 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Yummmm, all the taste of fried okra without all of the hassle!