Homecomings & Fried Green Tomatoes~*

The Things 2&3 are coming back home today!  My mom & I are heading out to the airport in a few hours {the hubby is teaching a summer class & can't come with}

I can't wait 'til they get back-- the house has been too quiet without them here.  

While I'm travelling to collect my babies,  I have a treat for y'all today too-- a super easy southern summer favorite in an easy pictorial recipe~*

Ingredients:  Fresh green tomatoes, corn meal, salt & pepper to taste, whisked eggs & milk {buttermilk is the best}, oil for frying {we used canola}

Put the cornmeal & seasonings on two separate plates, then whisk together the eggs & buttermilk in a bowl

Slice up the tomatoes.  Green tomatoes have a wonderful sweet-tartness to them & that combined with their natural firm texture make them great for frying.

The ideal heat for frying is 350 degrees.  A few degrees +/- has a real effect on the quality of the fry, so investing in a  thermometer is a really good idea.
The rest is easy!

Fry them til they are golden brown.  You'll need to flip them over in the oil to insure an even brown.  When they are done, set them aside on a paper towel to drain off the extra oil.

They taste great "straight," but there are several sauces you can whip up if you are so inclined.  The one we made was a riff on the Outback Bloomin' Onion sauce with a few adustments for the more delicate taste of the tomato.
Start with some mayo {we use Hellman's made with olive oil, which is delicious}.  Add a dash of ketchup, a pinch of paprika, cayenne pepper  & a smidge of horseradish.  Mix it up well & serve as a dipping sauce.

To say these are scrumptious is an understatement.  I had never had fried green tomatoes {which is why my hubby wanted to make some up}, & I am not quite sure how I've survived this long without them.  Trust me on this one.  Super, super yummy nom nom goodness. I am fairly certain I will have dreams about them...sigh.
Sooooo not great for the diet...but wait, they are tomatoes right?  and tomatoes are very good for you, right? Lets just focus on that shall we?