Southern Summer

Late July and Early August are really hot around here and also very humid. It has been said that the humidity is what gives Southern girls their wonderful complexions! It may also be responsible for some really bad hair days. I don’t even try to fight the curls in the summer. Just not worth it. My summer do is definitely of the naturally curly variety.

This is also a great time to harvest all that wonderful goodness from the garden or at least the farmer’s market. I’ve been putting up okra.

Okra
Gather it from the garden (get 3 or more pods)

Some people use a buttermilk batter when they fry their okra. That is not the way I grew up eating it. The way my mother made it is by just cutting it in to  slices and tossing it in a mixture of cornmeal with a little flour and salt and pepper (I also add garlic powder to mine). It is easy to prepare to freeze that way as well. Just process it and put it in freezer bags and in to the freezer and it is ready whenever you are.

okra to freeze

When you are ready, just heat up some oil with a bit of bacon grease to around 350 and gently drop the okra in the pan and fry until golden. YUMMY!

This is also the time of year when there is a good harvest of tomatoes. In my case, this year I have cherry tomatoes in pots with basil.

cherry tomatoes
Looks like a bird dropped a sunflower seed from the bird feeder in this pot.

We have been making frequent trips to Jonesboro, Arkansas this summer for our business. One of the fun/scary sights of summer, we see on our trip over. It is KUDZU! Yes, the kudzu that is eating it’s way across the South!

kudzu
photo courtesy of dmott9 via Flickr

The kudzu transforms trees and power poles into giraffe like figures and an ordinary bush looks like a green leafy monster. Lots of fun!

This time of year is also when the morning glory really comes in to it’s own.

morning glory

Yes, it is really hot and really beautiful and quite tasty as well!

Today’s Lagniappe: Bananas Foster Cheesecake
Saw this recipe and thought is sounded fabulous!

Crust:

  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Filling:

  • 2 8-ounce packages creme cheese, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 cups puréed bananas (from about 4 bananas)
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt

Topping:

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 17-ounce jar caramel sauce
  • 2 tablespoons dark rum
  • 2 bananas, peeled, sliced

For crust:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap outside of 9-inch diameter springform pan with 3-inch -high sides with heavy-duty foil. Combine flour, pecans, butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl. Mix well. Press mixture onto bottom of prepared pan.

For filling:
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar. Beat in cornstarch. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until just blended after each addition. Add puréed banana, sour cream, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Beat just until combined.

Transfer filling to crust-lined pan. Place pan in large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to come 1 inch up sides of springform pan. Bake until center of cake is just set, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove cake from oven. Maintain oven temperature.

Meanwhile, prepare topping:
Mix together sour cream, sugar and vanilla in small bowl until well blended. Spread topping over cheesecake. Bake until topping is set, about 10 minutes. Turn off oven. Let cake stand in oven until cooled to room temperature, about 2 hours. Refrigerate cake until well chilled. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Cut around cake to loosen; remove pan sides. Transfer cake to platter. Warm caramel sauce in small saucepan over low heat, stirring often. Mix in rum. Drizzle some sauce decoratively over cake. Arrange bananas top cake.

bluemondaymet-monday

Visit Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday and Smiling Sally for Blue Mondays. You will find wonderful and talented bloggers with fantastic posts!

Also check out:
tastytuesday175pixtmtt3threeormoretuesdaylogo3

Balancing Beauty and Bedlam’s Tasty Tuesday

Blessed with Grace’s Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

The Gypsy’s Corner’s Three or More


Posted

in

, ,

by

Comments

17 responses to “Southern Summer”

  1. coloradolady Avatar

    Wonderful recipe..sounds great! My favorite flowers are morning glories! Happy Blue Monday,.

  2. Lisa@BlessedwithGrace Avatar

    That recipe does sound wonderful. Also, it is rather warm and humid here, as well. I find my hair has more curl than when I was younger and I really see it with all the humidity. 🙂

  3. April Harris Avatar

    What a lovely post! I like the Bananas Foster recipe too 🙂

  4. JamericanSpice Avatar

    Oh Okra. I loved okra in certain dishes! Your recipe sounds like a must try.

    And yummy cheesecake.

    I’ve always wondered about those bushes…

    I have wanted to grow tomatoes and pumpkin but don’t have the space.

    Aloha
    Que Sera Sera

  5. Ivory Spring Avatar

    I absolutely LOVE okra!

  6. Brenda Avatar

    That fresh okra looks delicious!

  7. Ann - Making Family Memories with Childrens Toy Tea Sets Avatar

    SOOOO sorry. Thought it didn’t post so I reposted duplicate. Then realized it went up to the top. Sooo sorry.

  8. Ann - Making Family Memories with Childrens Toy Tea Sets Avatar

    Hi, I popped over to visit for Blue Monday and I had to chuckle at the Kudzu pix. When we lived on the East Coast, I read that Kudzu was a fast growing climber. I asked my neighbor what she thought and thought she would have a heart attack! Apparently, they grow a WEE bit TOO fast in heat and humidity! So no kudzu for us! Thanks for a fun visit.

  9. Ann - Making Family Memories with Childrens Toy Tea Sets Avatar

    Hi, I popped over to visit for Blue Monday. I had to chuckle at the Kudzu pix. When we lived on the East Coast, I read that Kudzu was a fast growing climber. I asked my neighbor what she thought and thought she would have a heart attack! Apparently, they grow a WEE bit TOO fast in heat and humidity! So no kudzu for us! Thanks for a fun visit!

  10. Ann - Making Family Memories with Childrens Toy Tea Sets Avatar

    Hi, I popped over to visit for Blue Monday. I had to chuckle at the Kudzu pix. When we lived on the East Coast, I read that Kudzu was a fast growing climber. I asked my neighbor what she thought and thought she would have a heart attack! Apparently, they grow a WEE bit TOO fast in heat and humidity! So no kudzu for us! Thanks for a fun visit.

  11. Manang Kim Avatar

    Steam or fry I love okra. I planted okra this year but seems like it doesn’t turn out good. Happy Tuesday!

    Barnyard Express

  12. Sally Avatar

    I do hate that kudzo, but then, it’s not blue!

    Happy Blue Monday.

  13. Laura Avatar

    What a great post-
    That is exactly the way I grew up eating fried okra.
    I enjoyed visiting-
    I am linking to the same party-

    Laura
    White Spray Paint

  14. Joyful Avatar

    Beautiful blue Morning Glory.

  15. Lori E Avatar

    I have an invasive plant coming through the fence from a greenbelt next door. It is all over my yard and even pulling it out year after year doesn’t seem to work. Disastrous.
    This cheesecake sounds so good. I have never seen banana cheesecake anywhere.

  16. Allison Avatar

    You know, I don’t notice Kudzu like I used to! My family has always made fried okra your way. I have to admit, I do not like it. Something about the texture.

    Dropping by from Met Monday.
    Allison
    Atticmag

  17. LaurieS Avatar

    Every year I’ve noticed more and more kudzo around Arkansas. There’s also another vine I’ve noticed that’s taking over like kudzo but the leaves are not as big. I have no clue what it is.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *