Ranch Fried Okra

I've fried okra for years the wrong way!  I guess you have to mature a little to learn how to correctly fry this little veggie.  Or...finally get the patience to let something sit and soak up milk as I did today.  I have no patience....so finally, finally I have perfected okra after 25 years.

Okra can be fixed numerous ways.  You can fry it as in my recipe for Ranch Fried Okra, boil it or steam it.  Each delivers a different texture. I've found after much debate with my friends and family that most enjoy the fried version over okra being boiled.

Boiling your okra gives it a 'slimy' texture that my husband actually loves.  I can eat it, but would really prefer not too.  I only like okra cooked in hot liquid in a good Cajun or Seafood Gumbo recipe!

You can also steam okra on top of you stove seasoning with a little salt (sea salt or regular) and pepper.  Simply steam the okra until it is tender and you can 'fork' through it easily.

For my recipe today I took an already prepared seasoned 'meal' as we call it in the south of Zatarains Fish Fri and added a little more Tony Chachere's to spice it up a bit. 

Make sure you allow your prepared okra that you have cut in 1/2 inch rounds to soak up milk for at least ten minutes.  Mine probably stayed in the milk for 20 minutes as I got distracted with the rest of my meal I was cooking.

Drain okra and add to prepared meal, tapping off excess 'meal' mixture while bringing oil to a medium to high heat and then carefully drop in your okra. Continue to fry for 3 - 5 minutes or until fried okra is browned to a golden brown.

Once cooked, drain on paper towels to remove excess oil and enjoy! 

 

 

 

 

Serve okra with ketchup.  However I have seen it eaten with Ranch Dressing as a sauce on the side.  We especially love it with along side fried catfish or chicken fried deer 'venison' steak.

 

Enjoy!

Alise - The Ranch Kitchen1

The Lost Art of Cooking Meatloaf!

Yes.  I think making meatloaf is considered one of those recipes that is dying out on American tables.  Too few people consider this an easy meal to make and with the misconceptions about beef and all the great lean cuts that are out there, meatloaf is a great protein packed meal to prepare!   Honestly it's suffered and it couldn't be anything but easy to make. Leftovers are even better and if you've never had a meatloaf sandwich then well, you're missing out!

So, last night, I prepared on of my husbands favorite, which is really my mom's rendition of her homemaking teacher's Mrs. Bonnie Rob's meatloaf back from 1960's. To me nothing says Sunday night at home than meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and purple hull peas we shelled from the summer before. 

You'll find the recipe below has most everything that you'll find in your refrigerator or pantry.  I get creative sometimes with my seasoning and God knows I love my Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning, but I've discovered a new pepper seasoning called Jane's Kazu Original Mixed-Up Pepper Marinade and Seasoning.  It's so, so good!  You have to try it! Great on steaks and especially in this meatloaf!

I like to bake my meatloaf until well - well done.  So you'll see a slight burnt crust to mine from the combination of the extra cooking time and ketchup on top because sometimes it's how momma likes it that hits the table! 


Mom's Homemaking Class Meatloaf

4 lbs. ground hamburger meat, not totally lean
1  - 2 onions, chopped (we love onions so I use 2)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 eggs, beaten
2 tsp. steak seasoning or salt and pepper to taste
1 cup ketchup for inside meatloaf
1/2 cup for the top of meatloaf
1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
10 sliced of day old bread, crumbled up by hand or shredded by hand.

In a large bowl place hamburger meat, chopped onion, bell pepper, three beaten eggs, ketchup and Worcestershire Sauce. Blend well by hand (take off your rings or they'll get messy).  Once your meat mixture is together well, add the crumbled bread and seasonings continuing to blend together by hand.  You do not want to work with the meat too much as it can make it tough after it's cooked.  Blend until the meat and bread are together well. 

Place the meat loaf mixture in a 9 x 13 inch Pyrex dish that has non-stick foil or has been sprayed with cooking oil like Pam Cooking Spray.  You'll want to do this as the cleanup can be a complete mess if you don't! 

Bake at 375 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until meatloaf has no remaining pink. You can use a meat thermometer and the recommended degrees for this is 145 - 164 degrees when it is stuck in the center.  Remember that the thicker your meatloaf is, the longer it will take to cook.  That is why I like to cook mine in a 9 x 13 inch Pyrex dish.

And one last note!  Certified Hereford Beef or CHB as we call it is the best beef to use with this recipe!  After a day at a cattle sale I thought it appropriate to make sure this recipe got on my site!  Enjoy!

Alise @ The Ranch Kitchen!