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Fried Okra and Business Plans

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Today I am grateful for my youth and to have known both of my grandmothers and one of my great grandmothers.

I have been reading this book given to me by Carol Kurtz, volunteer extraordinaire to ACCA. This woman's book is kind of like what my blog has become. Some stories about life and random recipes that relate. I really have enjoyed reading about it and thinking about recipes to which I have strong memories connected. It's made me realize how luck I have been to have known both of my grandmothers. Below I will go into a recipe that Grandma Boozer was a huge fan of (and so was my dad). Mama Liz has really helped connect many dots about Snitzer women and has been a great asset to have around in life. She has her own blog, too, which I have begun to follow.



I'm having a hard time organizing my thoughts for today's post because I have so many things on my mind. All good things, which I am also grateful for. No bad things.

Well, first I'll share Grandma Boozer and my dad's favorite dish. I cooked this tonight from fresh okra handpicked by yours truly:
Fried Okra ala Ellen Boozer
Now, Grandmama Boozer spent a lot of time with us after mom died. So we got this meal a lot. I really am amazed (and grateful) to not have leftover eating habits from this stage. But, Dad didn't like it when it was all mushy and gooey (like okra is, I remembered today) but instead he liked it burned like charcoal. Hence the brown and black okra above. To this day it's the only way I can eat it. Now, I'm sure Grandmama put all sorts of really terrible for you things in hers, but this recipe was quite simple:
1:1 ratio of flour and corn meal, wet okra, and salt. Done! (or...Finished!) I didn't want to use eggs because, to be honest, eggs have been making my stomach turn flips at the thought lately.



I also got really ambitious today and made some homemade pesto from basil in the garden too. Basil, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, salt and a little bit of cheese (yes, of course, Michelle). Dinner!

And. Yes. I drink my wine from coffee mugs. 







Oh, business plans. I have this fantastic idea about a store I will open up when I retire (or just not any time soon do I plan on doing this). All I can say is that it's going to be called Needles(s) to Say. So, remember that when you see the grand opening and come on in to check it out. I told my dad and Noel about the idea. Noel liked it and Dad was so excited that he told me to write up a business plan. His exact words were, "Claire, write up a business plan. I can help you. You know I do that, right?" Hahaha. I sent him a photo of my fried okra. He was very sweet in response. I can't wait to see him and Cheryl on October 30.

I am grateful for my youth because I finally came to terms with the fact that I am young and I need to enjoy that. So, this weekend I quit the hospital. It was a long time coming, but I ultimately will miss the place dearly. I like the people there and I like interacting and helping in a small way. But, I had to realize that I have my whole life ahead of my (luckily) and I can be busy when I have to be. Right now I don't have to be. So I won't be. There.

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