Super Easy Stew

So our lovely Arkansas Weather has decided to through us a curve ball and revert to winter in May. Since it's freezing outside I had to decide what warm meal to make for supper. I decided on stew. I used to hate making stew because it was so labor intensive. However, I have found a way to make stew that is virtually effortless.

Ingredients:
Stew meat
flour
14 oz. can of diced tomatoes (undrained)
2 c. water
4 medium sized red potatoes
1 lb. bag baby carrots
1 onion (optional)

Directions:
Wash and dice potatoes. Place in bottom of crock pot. Coat stew meat in flour. Place on top of potatoes. Cover in carrots. Add onions if desired. Pour tomatoes over all and add 2 c. water. Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours or until meat and potatoes are tender.

This is a fantastic meal for cold days. Enjoy :)

Fried Okra

It's still a bit early for home grown okra, but you this is a fantastic recipe to have :) I've included the traditional directions for pan frying and the directions for deep frying. I prefer deep frying b/c it's a little bit less labor intensive. It also frees me up to do something else while the okra is frying. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

• okra, sliced in 1/4 inch pieces
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 pint buttermilk
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• peanut oil

Directions

In a small bowl, soak okra in egg and buttermilk mixture for 5 to 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, salt, and pepper. Preheat oil to 350°F. Dredge okra in the cornmeal mixture, coating evenly. Carefully place okra in hot oil; stir continuously. Reduce heat to medium when okra first starts to brown, and cook until golden. Drain on paper towels.

Tip: An easier way to cook this is in a deep fryer. Heat oil to 350°F. Coat the okra in the cornmeal mixture. Put okra in fryer and cook for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.