What’s for dinner: a Southern classic - fried okra and chicken tenders!

If you live in the northern part of the USA, let me introduce you to a Southern summer classic!  Fried okra!  I know, I know, I used to think “yuck” too!  (And I have had fried okra before out at restaurants that was mushy and “yuck”)  I did not grow up eating grits, fried green tomatoes, or fried okra but I have grown to love these foods having lived in the south all of my life (all except for the grits…I love my cream of wheat instead.)  So once a summer we have to have fried squash, fried green tomatoes, and fried okra (by my husband’s request! :)  We have already eaten fried squash so next on the list was fried okra.  :)

I picked up my okra and tomatoes at a local farm stand. 

This is how I prepare my chicken tenders, okra, squash, anything that I bread and fry.  I dip them in egg, and then in a mixture of Bisquick, salt, pepper, and a little garlic pepper.  I find that the Bisquick makes a puffy, crispy breading with a lot of flavor.

Then I fry them in about an inch of canola oil in a frying pan on the stove.  (In other words, they are not deep fried, more like pan fried.)

Add some mixed veggies (free with coupons!) and fresh tomatoes and you have a perfect Southern summer meal. :)

Mmmm….good! :)

(Just a disclaimer: we do not eat fried food very often.  Like I said we usually have fried squash, okra, and green tomatoes ONCE during the summer.  And we have fried chicken tenders 3-4 times a year.  I am sure my homemade fried food is better than eating deep fried food out, but still not something that will be on our menu every week.)

What are you having for dinner tonight?