You gotta ask yourself, ARE YOU FEELIN' LUCKY?

Here in the South it's just not the New Year without eating Black Eyed Peas, usually with some collard greens and some cornbread. Rumor is when Sherman burned down Georgia, the surviving edible crop was Black Eyed Peas which helped the Confederates survive! In addition, since they swell when they cook, they symbolize prosperity. Momma used to put a penny in the pot for good luck when they finished cooking; however, to protect us chicks, she took the penny out before we ate them and choked! We also always have greens with them for health and wealth and the cornbread is said to symbolize gold! We just think it's yummy, especially with some hot pepper sauce! What are your family's New Year's traditions?

Merry Christmas Y'all!

Sorry it has been so long in blogging everyone! We have been so busy and have decided to take five minutes out of the day and blog again because we missed y'all! I hope everyone had a great Christmas! We took our Fritter Chick In Training to see the Christmas Lights and she loved them! She is dying to see snow but the only time it has ever snowed in South Georgia was twenty (20) years ago this week! Christmas of 1989!! Can you believe it?? We got four inches that year and had a blast! We had no snow equipment but our daddy took the garbage can lid, hooked it up to the back of his old Dodge and we went cruising through the neighborhood! It was magical. I hope it does it again one day while she is still young! I would like for her to experience December without the gnats and the 80 degree temps! Merry Christmas to y'all and let us know if you had a white Christmas!

Drinking Rum and Coca-Cola

Any of you heard the Andrews Sisters song: Drinking Rum and Coca-Cola? We heard it from our parents growing up. Imagine our surprise when we saw an old recipe for an adult version of a "Coke Float". That would be a Rum and Coca-Cola Float! It's delicious and great in the summer! Even more so if you play their song while you sip it with a big straw!

Place 2 scoops of the rum flavored ice cream in a frosted/cold glass. (You can use vanilla ice cream or cherry ice cream if you can't find the rum flavored).

SLOWLY pour the Coca Cola over the ice cream. You can use Diet Coke too! It will fizz and foam and may overflow from the glass. That's where you come in! Slurp it ladies before it runs down the glass!

Now add a splash of Rum and insert your straw!

Don't You Want Me Baby

Fritter Chicks love fried squash! We don't like to get hot in the kitchen in the summer but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do! These are great with hot sauce or ranch dressing too!

Southern Fried Summertime Squash

2-3 medium to large yellow squash, rinsed and patted dry
1 ½ cups plain yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup milk
1/4 – 1/2 cup Canola oil

Directions: Slice the squash 1/8” to 1/4” in diameter , set aside . Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed cast iron skillet, until very hot but not smoking. While oil is heating, in a large bowl mix cornmeal with flour, salt and pepper and set aside. Pour milk into a separate large bowl. When oil is ready for frying, place a handful of squash in the milk to coat it. Once the squash has been coated, transfer it to the cornmeal/flour mixture and flip it to coat. Just coat it lightly, not too heavy. Place your squash in the hot oil in small batches and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Place the fried squash on a plate lined with paper towels to soak up the excess oil. Serve immediately.

Boiled Peanuts!

Now is the time for boiled peanuts! Even if you wanted to avoid them, you couldn't because every block or so there is a sign "Get Your Boiled Peanuts Here"! Fritter Chicks love our Georgia peanuts! We found this recipe in our Taste of Home and give credit as follows!

Georgia Peanut Salsa

Former President Jimmy Carter gave First Place to this zippy salsa at the Plains Peanut Festival in his Georgia hometown. Mother-daughter team Lane and Elizabeth McCloud came up with the recipe just days before the competition. “Although we weren’t allowed in the judging room, we later saw a tape of President Carter tasting our salsa and saying, ‘Mmmmmm… that’s good,‘“ says Lane, who lives in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. “Elizabeth was only 9 at the time, but it’s a day she’ll never forget.“

SERVINGS 23
PREP 25 min.
TOTAL 25 min.

INGREDIENTS
• 3 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 jar (8 ounces) picante sauce
• 1 can (11 ounces) white or shoepeg corn, drained
• 1/3 cup Italian salad dressing
• 1 medium green pepper, chopped
• 1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2-1/2 cups salted roasted peanuts or boiled peanuts
• Hot pepper sauce, optional
• Tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine the first nine ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

Just before serving, stir in peanuts and pepper sauce if desired. Serve with tortilla chips. Yield: about 6-1/2 cups. Editor’s Note: This recipe was tested with salted peanuts, but the original recipe used boiled peanuts, which are often available in the South.

From tasteofhome.com
Copyright Reiman Media Group, Inc © 2009

Sundae School

Happy Belated National Strawberry Sundae Day. It was yesterday, July 7. We saw this delicious looking recipe on www.hungrygirl.com and had to share it with you! It looks devine and for any of you that are on Weight Watchers, it is only 4 points!

HG's Choco-Berry Waffle Sundae Surprise


"Berry Queen
Trust us, DQ is doing this one all wrong. Here's proof... - Hungry Girl"

Ingredients:
1 standard-sized Keebler Waffle Bowl (or another store-bought waffle bowl with about 50 calories)
1/2 cup fat-free vanilla ice cream
3 frozen unsweetened strawberries
1 1/2 tbsp. Hershey's Lite chocolate syrup, divided
1/2 tbsp. sugar-free strawberry preserves
2 tbsp. Fat Free Reddi-wip

Directions:
Pour 1 tbsp. chocolate syrup into the waffle bowl, tilting the bowl from side to side so the syrup coats as much of the inside as possible (sides too!). Freeze for 30 minutes, or until syrup has solidified.

Place berries in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave until thawed, about 25 seconds. Do not drain excess liquid. Add preserves and mash with a fork, until you have a chunky strawberry sauce. Set aside.

Remove waffle bowl from the freezer and place in a dish. Scoop ice cream into the waffle bowl. Top with strawberry sauce and 1/2 tbsp. chocolate syrup, and then finish it all off with Reddi-wip. Eat the WHOLE thing, waffle bowl and all! (FYI: It's fun to break up the waffle bowl and eat it along with the ice cream, which is why you need another dish to contain it all!)

MAKES 1 SERVING

Serving Size: entire sundae
Calories: 198
Fat: 1.25g
Sodium: 110mg
Carbs: 45.5g
Fiber: 2.5g
Sugars: 23.5g
Protein: 3.5g

POINTS® value 4*

Here's Your Sign

Fellow Fritter Chicks, we stumbled across this Southern Astrology. We aren't sure who created it or we would definetely give them credit! This is too cute! We are a Butter Bean and a Possum. What is your sign?

OKRA (DEC 22 - JAN 20)
Although you appear crude, you are actually very slick on the
inside. Okra have tremendous influence. An older Okra can
look back over his life and see the seeds of his influence
everywhere. Stay away from Moon Pies.
CHITLIN (JAN 21 - Feb 19)
Chitlins often come from humble backgrounds. Many times they
are uncomfortable talking about just where they came from. A
chitlin, however, can make something of himself if he's
motivated and has plenty of seasoning. When it comes to
dealing with Chitlins, be very careful. Chitlins are best
with Catfish and Okra. Remember that when marriage time rolls
around.
BOLL WEEVIL (Feb 20 - Mar 20)
You have an overwhelming curiosity. You're unsatisfied with
the surface of things, and you feel the need to bore deep
into the interior of everything. Needless to say, you are
very intense and driven as if you had some inner hunger.
Nobody in their right mind is going to marry you, so don't
worry about it.
MOON PIE (Mar 21 - Apr 20) You're the type that spends a lot of time on the front porch.
It's a cinch to recognize the physical appearance of Moon Pies.
"Big" and "round" are the key words here. You should marry
anybody who you can get remotely interested in the idea. It's
not going to be easy. This might be the year to think about
aerobics. Maybe not.
POSSUM (Apr 21 - MAY 21)
When confronted with life's difficulties, possums have a
marked tendency to withdraw and develop a "don't -- bother --
me -- about -- it" attitude. Sometimes you become so with-
drawn, people actually think you're dead. This strategy is
probably not psychologically healthy, but seems to work for
you. One day, however, it won't work, and you may find your
problems actually running you over.
CRAWFISH (MAY 22 - Jun 21)
Crawfish is a water sign. If you work in an office, you're
always hanging around the water cooler. Crawfish prefer the
beach to the mountains, the pool to the golf course, the
bathtub to the living room. You tend not to be particularly
attractive physically.
COLLARDS (Jun 22 - JUL 23)
Collards have a genius for communication. They love to get
in the "melting pot" of life and share their essence with
the essences of those around them. Collards make good social
workers, psychologists, and baseball managers. As far as
your personal life goes, if you are Collards stay away from
Moon Pies. It just won't work. Save yourself a lot of
heartache.
CATFISH (Jul 24 - Aug 23)
Catfish are traditionalists in matters of the heart, with
one exception: Whiskers may cause problems for loved ones.
You catfish are never easy people to understand. You
prefer the muddy bottoms to the clear surface of life.
Above all else, Catfish should stay away from Moon Pies.
GRITS (Aug 24 - Sep 23)
Your highest aim is to be with others like yourself. You
like to huddle together with a big crowd of other Grits.
You love to travel, though, so maybe you should think about
joining a club. Where do you like to go? Anywhere they
have cheese or gravy or bacon or butter or eggs. If you
can go somewhere where they have all these things, that
serves you well.
BOILED PEANUTS (Sep 24 - Oct 23)
You have a passionate desire to help your fellow man.
Unfortunately, those who know you best -- your friends and
loved ones -- may find that your personality is much too
salty, and their criticism will probably affect you deeply
because you are really much softer than you appear. You
should go right ahead and marry anybody you want to because
in a certain way, yours is a charmed life. On the road of
life, you can be sure that people will always pull over and
stop for you.
BUTTER BEAN (Oct 24 - Nov 22)
Always invite a Butter Bean because Butter Beans get along
well with everybody. You, as a Butter Bean, should be proud.
You've grown on the vine of life and you feel at home no
matter what the setting. You can sit next to anybody. However,
you, too, shouldn't have anything to do with Moon Pies.
ARMADILLO (Nov 23 - DEC 21)
You have a tendency to develop a tough exterior, but you are
actually quite gentle. A good evening for you? Old friends,
a fire, some roots, fruit, worms and insects. You are a
throwback. You're not concerned with today's fashions and
trends. You're not concerned with anything about today. You
are really almost prehistoric in your interests and behavior
patterns. You probably want to marry another Armadillo, but
Possum is another mating possibility.

We've Got Mail

On behalf of the Sweet Tea Diaries lovely Summer Swap idea, we were fortunate enough to get partnered with Lola Cupcake a/k/a Polka Dots and Cupcakes (http://polkadotsandcupcakes.blogspot.com). This morning we had mail! It was our Summer Swap package! It was wrapped in cute red and white polka dot wrapping paper and it was so pretty that we didn't want to open it. It took us a good thirty minutes after we opened it to get to the computer with a thank you reply because of all the goodies! We got Lollia Flowering Willow & Lotus Shea Butter Handcreme (which smells so good you just want to keep your hands up by your nose).



We got smoked salt caramels covered with chocolate (do I hear a YUM)?



We got Lilly Pulitzer drink umbrellas, mouse pad, and memo notes. Hello? I said Lilly Pulitzer!





I hear the cheers now! What more could southern girls ask for for summer? Lola Cupcake you totally rock! We hope you like your summer package as well. What can't y'all live without in the summer? Tell us!

Anybody want a good canoe?

So I'm looking at Disney's Family Fun Craft website today and I see this how to craft for making a toy floatable canoe as a great summer project. As a little background, our daddy passed away in 2007 and he is where we Fritter Chicks got our sense of humor from. In his last hours, unable to hardly talk as his breathing was labored, he took off his oxygen mask and whispered "Anybody want a good canoe?" Well, our Uncle George told him to worry about breathing and not about a camouflage canoe but daddy was trying to get his affairs in order and give us something to laugh about. Uncle George finally said he would take it but to this day it is still sitting in the yard waiting on him to pick it up. Every time I go over to the house and see it I have to smile! The other day I knew daddy was smiling down on me because as momma and I were coming home from church there was a man on a bicycle who was pulling the biggest canoe you have ever seen. It would have qualified for an episode of You Might Be A Redneck. We laughed so hard and I heard daddy say, "See. People want good canoes." So, enjoy your life and create a memory while making this with your kids because everybody needs a good canoe!




Like the birch bark canoes built centuries ago by the Indian tribes in New England, this lightweight toy craft cuts quickly and smoothly through water.


CRAFT MATERIALS:
Cardboard
Scissors
Darning needle
String
Acrylic paints and brushes
Box of paraffin wax
Tall tin can
Metal tongs

Time needed: Afternoon or Evening
1. Fold a 6- by 12-inch piece of cardboard in half so that the long ends match up. Draw a side view of a canoe on one side of the cardboard, using the fold for the bottom of the boat.

2. With scissors, cut through both layers along the sides and top of the canoe, but not the bottom. Then, use the needle and string to sew together the curved ends.

3. For seats, cut two 3 1/2- by 1 1/2-inch strips out of cardboard scraps. Fold in the sides of each strip 1 inch from the short edges and wedge the seats inside the boat. Next, paint the canoe and let it dry thoroughly.

4. To waterproof the canoe, put the wax in the can and set the can in a saucepan filled with a couple inches of water. Heat slowly until the wax melts (parents only). Now, use a pot holder to set the can on newspaper.

5. With tongs, dip the boat, an end at a time, into the wax. (You may have to tilt the can.) When the wax hardens, place a few pebbles in the hull to prevent tipping, and the boat is ready to float in a backyard stream or bathtub.

Stop me before I volunteer again!

Here in the South, it's our last day of school. Celebrate being a Mom without having to volunteer.

LIME IN THE COCONUT JELLO SHOTS
1 package lemon Jello
2 packages lime Jello
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 can coconut milk or juice
2 cups coconut rum
2 1/4 cups water

Bring water to the boil and remove from heat. Slowly stir in the 3 Jello packages, then add the water, the coconut milk or juice, and the lime juice. You put the lime in the coconut and mix it all together.
Wait 3-4 minutes and stir in the rum. Pour into individual serving sized or plastic shot glasses and chill.

Printed from Cooks.com

Granddaddy Shrimp

Daddy and I used to go shrimping a lot during the summer when I was a young girl. He worked shift work and whenever he was working 3 to 11, he would take me shrimping all morning. He taught me how to throw the cast net. It took practice but I managed to throw it and make a perfect circle. I practiced so much that I got better than all the neighborhood boys and, whew, were they jealous! Girl power rules! When we would catch those big, jumbo shrimp, daddy would always call them “Granddaddy Shrimp”. He said they managed to grow so big, get old and not get caught… until now! Fritter Chicks, are you up for the challenge? Do you have some girl power? Start peelin’ and broil these big ones up so you can get to eatin’!

Granddaddy Shrimp

1 1/2 pounds “Granddaddy” peeled, raw shrimp
2 tablespoons sliced hot peppers
4 garlic cloves crushed
1 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon salt
8 teaspoons butter cut into 1/2 inch pieces
½ cup of fresh lime juice

Combine peppers, garlic, oil, and salt in a food processor and mix on high speed. Pour into a bowl, add the “Granddaddy” shrimp and stir until coated. Place in refrigerator to let them soak for about four hours. If you let them soak overnight, that is even better. In a cast iron skillet, melt butter, stir in lime juice. Add shrimp until shrimp turn pink. Enjoy!

The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia

Don't know if any of y'all ever watched Designing Women years ago but it is out on DVD now and we just love it! It makes us feel like we are home. Go out and get your copy today. Here is one of our favorite quotes from one of the episodes. . . what's your favorite?



Julia: Excuse me, aren't you Marjorie Leigh Winnick, the current Miss Georgia World?
Marjorie: Why, yes I am.
Julia: I'm Julia Sugarbaker, Suzanne Sugarbaker's sister. I couldn't help over hearing part of your conversation.
Marjorie: Well, I'm sorry. I didn't know anyone was here.
Julia: Yes, and I gather from your comments there are a couple of other things you don't know, Marjorie. For example, you probably didn't know that Suzanne was the only contestant in Georgia pageant history to sweep every category except congeniality, and that is not something the women in my family aspire to anyway. Or that when she walked down the runway in her swimsuit, five contestants quit on the spot. Or that when she emerged from the isolation booth to answer the question, "What would you do to prevent war?" she spoke so eloquently of patriotism, battlefields and diamond tiaras, grown men wept. And you probably didn't know, Marjorie, that Suzanne was not just any Miss Georgia, she was the Miss Georgia. She didn't twirl just a baton, that baton was on fire. And when she threw that baton into the air, it flew higher, further, faster than any baton has ever flown before, hitting a transformer and showering the darkened arena with sparks! And when it finally did come down, Marjorie, my sister caught that baton, and 12,000 people jumped to their feet for sixteen and one-half minutes of uninterrupted thunderous ovation, as flames illuminated her tear-stained face! And that, Marjorie - just so you will know - and your children will someday know - is the night the lights went out in Georgia!

No Tan Lines

Happy Monday y'all! Today marks the first day of National Sun Safety Week so remember to wear your sunscreen. We Fritter Chicks have had so much sun over the years, we are starting to get "barnacles". That is what our momma calls them. Those brown "old age" sunspots that tend to look like something that belongs on The Black Pearl! But, we just can't help it. Fritters look better with a healthy glow! Plus, we are going to be honest here: Our secret desire is to lay on the beach naked and have no tan lines. The warmth of the sun, the breezy feel on your skin, however, our fellow beachgoers may not appreciate that. There is not a nude beach close to us for miles. Although there is a nudist camp in the woods nearby. I just can't picture us Fritters being exposed to all those mosquito bites. Our advice is this: when you want to get naked, stay home and have some "No Tan Lines" in your own kitchen!

No Tan Lines

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
2 teaspoon capers, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 pound cooked shrimp, peeled

Mix mayonnaise, parsley, capers and oregano in medium bowl. Add shrimp; stir gently until well blended. Cover. Refrigerate until chilled and ready to serve.

Girls Night Out

Happy Friday y'all! We thought everyone should have this recipe for "Girls Night Out"! Y'all get together and try this one and don’t bother on trying to decide on a restaurant! Enjoy this recipe before you have a night on the town! It will fill you up and rev your engine! That means more time for dancing and gettin' loud! What are y'all doing tonight?

Girls Night Out

2 tablespoons butter
½ medium green bell pepper, diced
½ habanera pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup fresh corn
¼ cup heavy cream
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 pound medium raw shrimp, peeled
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley

In a cast iron skillet, heat butter on medium heat. Sauté green pepper until tender. Stir in habanera and corn.

Reduce heat to medium; add cream and garlic. Cook and stir long enough for mixture to bubble. Add shrimp and salt; stir well. Cook at medium heat until the shrimp turn pink.

Add chopped parsley and serve warm.

Gussied Up

In the South, you know you are not supposed to leave your house without being "gussied up". In fact, it is a crime in the South to leave your house without makeup and you have to wear clean underdrawers because you never know when you could be in an accident. This Fritter Chick In Training obeys the rule. We feel the same way about these kabobs. Why have plain when you can have gussied up! What did your momma tell you before you went out the door?



Gussied Up Kabobs

1 envelope dry Italian salad dressing mix
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup tequila
1/4 cup lime juice
1 pound raw shrimp in shells
2 cups assorted fresh cut-up vegetables (bell peppers, onions, zucchini and mushrooms)
4 wooden skewers

Mix salad dressing mix, oil, tequila and lime juice until well blended. Pour over shrimp and vegetables in shallow dish; cover. Refrigerate two hours to marinate or overnight if you have the time. Remove shrimp and vegetables from marinade; discard marinade.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Arrange shrimp and vegetables on skewers. Grill kabobs 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, turning after 4 min.

We won!

Thank y'all Sweet Tea Diaries and Lauren Nicole Gifts! The Fritter Chicks are winners of the beautiful Lauren Nicole GiftsFleur-de-lis Necklace! Please check them out - every product they have is so cute!

Stick shift or automatic? We want to know!

The St. Simons Island Causeway Bridge was formerly a tollbooth/drawbridge back in the day. At that time, it cost twenty-five cents to get onto the island. The eldest of us Fritter Chicks drove a stick shift Pinto as her first car, which was a gift from daddy. She was scared to death of stalling at the tollbooth so she just rolled the window down and threw in her quarter, and never stopped the car. This chowder is just like that. Throw it all in and go!

Causeway Chowder

2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tubes frozen cream corn
2 cans Original RoTel, undrained
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
One dollop of hot pepper sauce
3 cups peeled shrimp, raw

Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Carefully add flour; cook and stir until golden brown. Reduce heat to low. Add onion, green pepper, green onions and garlic until veggies are tender. Add corn, tomatoes, white and cayenne peppers and hot pepper sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in shrimp until shrimp turn pink.

Stand Out In A Crowd!

It finally quit raining here in the South - at least for a little while, which got us thinking: When you Fritter Chicks are trying to get back into that bikini and look amazing on the beach, you may want to cut back on your frying time! These coconut shrimp are oven baked. They are laid back, soaking up that 425 degree rays and will make you ready to explore the shore!

Ship Shape Shrimp

1 ½ pounds peeled raw shrimp
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt
Generous dash of cayenne pepper
1/4 cup honey (or cane syrup to add a twist!)

Heat oven to 425 F. Put some aluminum foil on your cookie sheet and then spread some oil on the foil, sister! In a food processor or blender, mix the coconut, bread crumbs, salt and cayenne pepper just a little bit. Remove your mix from the food processor and place into a mixing bowl.

Place your shrimp in a separate bowl.
Heat honey (or cane syrup) in small sauce pan over low heat just until it gets melted and smooth. Now, pour your honey/syrup mixture over your shrimp; toss it to coat. This will make those shrimp good and sticky.

Roll shrimp in coconut mixture to coat; place in single layer on your greased foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake at 425 F. for 9 to 12 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and coconut begins to tan brown.

Get ready to strut your stuff!

26 again . . .

Happy Birthday to Aunt B who is 26 again today! When our Fritter Chick In Training asked Aunt B how old she was going to be, Aunt B replied that she was going to be 26 again. Age is nothing but a number and southern women age to perfection and Aunt B still looks hot! You go girl! Sis, may you always have sand on your feet, seafood to eat, surfer dudes that say hi and always a slice of this key lime pie! Please help celebrate with us!

Beginner Approved Lime Pie

1 6 ounce can frozen Limeade
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 8 ounce carton cool whip
1 graham cracker crust

Mix Limeade and milk. Fold into cool whip. Pour into graham cracker crust. Chill until firm.

The Nor'easter

Fritter Flash: If y'all aren't in the South today, you are probably warmer than us! A Nor'easter blew in yesterday and the temperature only reached 55! Usually in May it is a scorcher, in the 90s, everybody is beach ready and the only scent you smell is Hawaiian Tropic! We woke up freezing this morning! The weatherman said that we are in for for hurricane weather two weeks early this year! It was very unexpected and reminds us of our daddy. Our daddy had a boat and he named it the Nor’easter because every time he took it out fishing, a Nor’easter blew in and it was a front from out of nowhere! When you taste this one, your taste forecast will change and your tongue won’t know what hit it!

The Nor’easter Dinner

1-1/2 teaspoon butter
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1/4 cup limeade juice
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pound large, raw shrimp, peeled
1/4 cup Slivered Almonds, toasted
3 cups hot cooked rice
1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper

Melt butter in large skillet on medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir until garlic is slightly softened. Stir in limeade, green onions and ginger. Increase heat to medium-high; cook and stir until liquid is reduced by about half. Add shrimp and cook until shrimp turn pink, stirring frequently.

Stir in almonds and rice; cook until heated through, stirring occasionally. Season with the salt and pepper.

*Photo from Femail Creations. Don't you just love this picture/sign of "Whatever floats your boat"? Head on over to check it out at www.femailcreations.com!

Fellow Fritter Chicks, bless your hearts! We have been given two blog awards. The first coming from http://socialclimbers123.blogspot.com/ (if you haven't been to Beth's site yet you have to go there now as we just love it!). The second coming from http://sweetteatalkin.blogspot.com/ and you have to go there now too as we love it just as much! Everyone of our followers are so supportive! We really love y'all! We now get to play like Reba at the awards show and tell you are nominees and winners of these two blog awards. Here are the rules:
1) Accept the award, post it to your blog with the name of the person who gave you the award and list his or her blog link.
2) Pass the award on to 15 other bloggers who you think rock. *Remember to contact the bloggers and let them know they have been chosen for this award.
Congratulations to y'all!

He Keeps Me Singing
The Pink Chick
Sweet Tea Diaries
Prissy Southern Prep
Fabulous Florida Mommy
Chronicles of a Country Girl
Petunia in Paradise
Diary of a Southern Belle
Capturing real life
All Things Southern & Preppy
The Pink Tutu
Life's A Beach 4 Us!
A Southern Accent
A Boston Belle
A Belle and her Beau

Cane Pole Dance: Haha!

Hope y'all had a great weekend! We took our Fritter Chick in Training to the beach with her grandma on St. Simons this weekend. That was an adventure in itself. You know you are getting old when, after you buckle in your child, you have to buckle in your mother as well. Time goes by fast so dance while you can and do not wait for tomorrow to do what you wanted to today! Fritter Chicks, once you try this recipe it will make you want to jump up on the pole and do a dance. Let us rephrase that, grab your fishing/cane pole and do a dance!

Cane Pole Shrimp

8 fresh rosemary sprigs, about 6 inches long
1/2 cup apricot marmalade
1/2 cup flaked coconut, chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1-1/2 pounds large raw shrimp, peeled

Soak rosemary sprigs in water for 30 minutes. In a small bowl, combine the marmalade, coconut, pepper flakes and minced rosemary; set aside 1/4 cup for serving.

Spray your grill rack with cooking spray before starting the grill. Thread shrimp onto rosemary sprigs. Grill for 4 minutes. Turn and coat with some of the remaining marmalade mixture. Grill 3-4 minutes longer or until shrimp turn pink and then coat them again. Serve with remaining marmalade mixture.

Sweet Tea is better than ___________.

Happy Friday! To kick off the weekend, we are going to let you in on our little secret. A good glass of Southern Sweet Tea is, at most times, better than ______________. We’ll let you fill in your own blank.

Sweet Tea

6 tea bags regular size (we like Black Tea)
4 Cups of cold water
2 Cup of sugar

Place the 4 cups water in a pot and bring to a boil. Then add your tea bags. Remove from heat and let steep for about fifteen minutes.
Remove from heat and pour tea into empty gallon tea pitcher. Add your sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved.
Fill the pitcher up to the top with more water and ice until the tea reaches the top.

Taste the tea while it is still warm. If not sweet enough for your tastes, add some more sugar before the tea gets too cold so that sugar will dissolve!

National Dance Like a Chicken Day!

Why did the Fritter Chicks cross the road? Because we smelled southern fried chicken on the other side! Fritter Chicks, today is National Dance Like a Chicken Day! That's right! You get an excuse to shake your tail feathers! Why only do the chicken dance at weddings when you can boogie all day long? In honor of today, we would like you to fry um...try this recipe! How do you like your chicken?



Southern Fried Chicken

1 (3 pound) Chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 tablespoon Salt
1 tablespoon Fresh Ground Pepper
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup Evaporated Milk
2 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Paprika
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 quart Vegetable Oil

Preparation:

Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, mix the eggs and milk with 1/2 cup water. Add the chicken and set aside.

In a heavy paper bag combine flour, paprika, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Close tightly and shake to blend. Remove the chicken pieces from the egg mixture and immediately drop them into the bag one piece at a time. Shake to coat.

Heat oil in a large frying pan over moderate heat. We like to use Cast Iron Skillets but that is your call.

Remove the chicken pieces from the bag, shake off the excess flour and drop them in to the hot oil. Cook the chicken pieces until golden brown and done, 5 minutes on each side for breasts and wings; 8 to 10 minutes on each side for thighs and legs.

Drain on paper bags. Serves 6.

*After you eat this meal, do the chicken dance to burn off the calories!

Anchor Management

Drop your anchor and stay awhile with these tasty bites! This is how Fritter Chicks deal with our stress! We saw the name "Anchor Management" on a boat near St. Simons and we thought it was too cute! What are some cute boat names you have seen? We want to know!

Anchor Management

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 to 2 teaspoons minced Vidalia onion
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon lime juice
2 packages (2.1 ounces each) frozen miniature phyllo tart shells
1/2 cup cocktail sauce
1 pound cooked shrimp, peeled

In a small mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Spoon into tart shells. Top with cocktail sauce and shrimp. Refrigerate until serving.

Bring It On Catfish!

You might be a Fritter Chick if you think Catfish is THE OTHER WHITE MEAT! Our Fritter Chick In Training was about four years old when she was speaking with her Aunt Bilinda, whom she calls her Aunt B. (Is she southern or what?) Aunt B said she was coming to visit her and she responded to her Aunt B with, “Well, Bring It On Catfish!”. So, bring it on catfish and try this recipe!

Bring It On Catfish with Fritter Chicks Salsa

CATFISH:

2 tablespoons fajita seasoning
4 catfish fillets
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

SALSA:

1 medium green pepper, diced
3/4 cup diced Vidalia onion
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1-1/2 cups fresh corn
3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 pound peeled, raw shrimp
1/2 teaspoon fajita seasoning
Generous dash of hot sauce

In a small bowl, combine the fajita seasoning and rub over catfish fillets. In cast iron skillet, fry fillets in oil over medium-high heat on each side for 4-5 minutes. Remove.

In the same skillet, sauté the green pepper, onion, jalapeno and garlic in butter until tender. Add the corn, and tomatoes; cook and stir for 4-5 minutes or until corn is tender. Add shrimp until shrimp turn pink. Stir in fajita seasoning and hot sauce. Serve with catfish.

Momma's Potato Salad

Hope y'all had a great Mother's Day! St. Simons Island and Brunswick, Georgia, is where we grew up. It’s about as south as you can get in Georgia and right on the beach and rivers. When our daddy caught enough seafood in the river from his fishing trip, we chicks knew we were going to get something we really, really needed. . . an L.C.B.! (And, no ladies, L.C.B. does not stand for Low Cut Bra!) We’re talking about a LOW COUNTRY BOIL! Ya’ll know what that is? Those corn cobs, potatoes, onions, Blue Crab and shrimp just waiting to have all the juice sucked out of ‘em with some southern rolls! We’d invite all our friends over to Bryan’s Landing. Our momma would make her famous potato salad (which we have included for all our Fritter Chicks), and daddy, well . . . he was in charge of the entertainment. Our daddy always knew from experience when everything he was cooking would be done, depending on the meal. He would start cooking and have one of us girls fix him one glass of what he called “Daddy’s Drink”, which was usually Old Granddad mixed with water and ice, but, not too much ice. Daddy would say that too much ice would mess up your sugar levels! Two drinks and the L.C.B. was almost done and he was ready to add the shrimp. Three drinks and “Ya’ll tell your momma to quit messin’ around and bring the potato salad. The L.C.B. is ready!” We lost our daddy in 2007 but the memories live on and, included in those memories, is the taste of that potato salad and the image of it always being served in a big yellow bowl. It just didn't seem like Mother's Day this year as there was not a gathering. Our daddy has passed, and momma never celebrates anymore. But, we Fritter Chicks were raised to be tough and we know that we must pass down the tradition and the recipe. So, have a party while you still can and dance like nobody's watching! Live for the moment, have a bite of this potato salad and make your own memories!

Linda Kay’s (a/k/a Momma’s) Potato Salad

5 pounds of brown potatoes
4 raw eggs in shell
¼ cup Apple Cider vinegar
½ Vidalia onion, chopped
1 stick chopped celery
½ green pepper, chopped
½ cup chopped pickles (Momma prefers dill)
2 cups mayonnaise
¼ cup yellow mustard
½ cup sour cream
Dash of salt
Dash of pepper
Dash of Paprika

Peel and dice the potatoes. Boil the potatoes in salted water with four hard eggs. When you can stick a fork in the potatoes, they’re ready. Drain and cool.

Meanwhile, in a separate large bowl, mix the vinegar with the onion and the celery. Add the green pepper and pickles. Then add the mustard, sour cream, and salt and pepper to taste.

Peel and chop eggs and add to mixture. Add potatoes and mix well. Sprinkle with Paprika for color. If too dry, add more mayonnaise.

Serve chilled – unless you just can’t wait!

Momma's on Cloud 9

It takes a special women to be the momma of a Fritter Chick! This is a true story about our momma. She has really put up with a lot and we love her!

Throughout our childhood, our dad worked shift work at the local pulp and paper mill. As sisters, we are sixteen years apart. I, being the youngest, as a little girl, dreaded the “graveyard” shift as that left my mom and I alone and I needed my dad around as our “protector” from the boogie man! My family and I lived in a nice neighborhood but there had been some robberies lately. Every time something horrible happened around our home, my dad was working night shift. A helicopter swarming the river behind our house looking for a notorious jewelry store thief, a gang that was on the State’s wanted list, and our mailbox, which had a beautiful painting on it of Mallard Ducks, was stolen. All of these events happened on night shift! To add to my panic, I dreamed every night. Most of my dreams were nightmares. The problem with my dreams is that sometimes when I woke up, the dreams were so real, I felt like they actually occurred. Little did I know, my dreams were going to end a beautiful friendship between myself and the neighbors' child. I mentioned we lived in a nice neighborhood, however, about three miles down the road stood a bar named The Cloud Nine. It was a blue, cement building with white clouds which were spray painted on the exterior. This building was smaller than a gas station. I was only in elementary school and I really did not know what The Cloud Nine could possibly be. I actually thought it was where you could buy chalk and crayons because the clouds on the outside of that building reminded me of craft time at school. I finally inquired as to what The Cloud Nine was to my parents. The answer I was given: “It is a place where adults go and children have to stay home”. The explanation sounded simple enough to me. However, one night shift evening, my dreams got the best of me. I dreamed that my mother had left me alone in the house to go to The Cloud Nine. Of course, this would never happen in real life. My mother is a saint and my parents had a wonderful marriage. She would never be at the Cloud Nine. In fact, she was always in bed by nine! However, I still woke up crying. When nobody came to my room to comfort me, I called out for my mother. No answer. I walked into her room and felt around on her bed and still nothing. I panicked. It was one o’clock in the morning and I was alone at only six years of age. I reached up on my tip toes and grabbed the telephone off the wall and called . . . the neighbors! Keep in mind that these neighbors are great pillars of the community, are both pharmacists, and their daughter and I played together every day. The phone rang. They answered. I screamed into the phone in a panic, “My daddy’s working graveyard shift and my momma left me at home and went to the Cloud Nine.” I sobbed. The neighbors spoke to me in a calm voice and one of them said they would stay on the line with me until the other could come and pick me up. It was right at that time that my mother emerged from the bathroom in her fuzzy robe and said “Who are you talking to at this time of night and why are you not in bed?” I was so happy that the nightmare was not real that I yelled out in delight, “There’s my momma!” Of course to the neighbors, this sounded like my mother emerged from the front door instead of the hall and had just arrived back home after the bar closed because it was that time! We tried to explain everything to the neighbors the next day and let them know about my nightmares. However, since that evening, no more invitations to come over and play with their daughter were extended. I do not think they ever believed us. To this day, no matter how ill I feel, when I go to the pharmacy to pick up my prescription and see our old neighbors, I cannot help but remember that night, laugh, and feel like I am on cloud nine!

Mother's Day and Southern Baby Names

Fritter Chicks, it is almost Mother's Day. In the South, we honor our mommas like nobody's business. Whether you make her something from the heart or get her a nice certificate to get her hair fixed, you have done good! We came across this list of Southern Girl Baby Names. To be a Fritter Chick, it doesn't really matter what your name is, but you definitely get crowned Miss Fancy Fritter Chick if one of these names is yours! We have relatives with the majority of these names because that is how we do it in Dixie. If you have a Southern name that is not on this list, send it to us as we want to know!

Aretha, Arnette, Aletta, Alexandria, Annabelle, Arlene, Alma, Azalia, Alice, Alma, Augusta, Beverly, Beulah, Belle, Bertha, Bernadette, Belva, Birdie, Billie, Bessie, Carolina, Charlotte, Charlese, Clora, Cordelia, Charlene, Coral, Cora, Claudell, Darlene, Daisy, Della, Dollie, Dixie, Delta, Delilah, Ella, Etta, Eunice, Effie, Eustice, Eula, Fancy, Flora, Florine, Fannie, Fossie, Faylene, Geraldine, Gladys, Georgia, Glenda, Garnet, Henrietta, Irma, Ida, Idell, Iola, Ivanell, Jolene, Jasmine, Jearlene, June, Lily, Lolamae, Loretta, Lula, Luella, Lulu, Lorraine, Laverne, Louella, Lucille, Larue, Leanne, Magnolia, Maybelle, Marietta, May, Mae, Myrtle, Mazie, Mozelle, Nola, Opal, Odessa, Ora, Pansy, Patsy, Pearl, Ruby, Reba, Ruth, Raylene, Savannah, Shelby, Scarlett, Tammy, Thelma, Tillie, Twyla, Talullah, Velma, Virginia, Viola, Verna, Vidalia.

Dance In The Rain

Fritter Chicks Text Talk

In the South, our LOL is HAHA. IDK is still "I don't know" but it seems we Fritter Chicks remain in IDK mode longer than others! When you get to meet us, if we have that deer in the headlight look and mumble a little sound that translates into IDK, then we are definitely in IDK mode. Kids, husbands, ex's, and jobs tend to do that do us! Where is the pool boy when we need him? You guessed it, he is having a Slushy Margarita and some Green Bean Fritters!

Party Ice and Slushy Margaritas!

Growing up, we always knew if our parents were going to throw a party because our momma and daddy bought bagged ice! So, in the Fritter Chicks household, bagged ice became known as “Party Ice”! It’s the best, especially with these margaritas!

Slushy Margaritas

2 tablespoons sea salt
1 lime wedge
3 ounces white tequila
1 ounce triple sec
2 ounces lime juice
1 cup party ice a/k/a bagged ice

Please salt in saucer or any flat surface. Rub rim of cocktail glass or 2-go cup with lime wedge and dip your glass into the salt to coat rim. Keep the lime! Pour tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and crushed ice into blender. Blend well at high speed.

Going Green - Green Bean Fritters

Fritter Chicks are Going Green! We wanted to share our recipe with y'all. Our cookbook is in the works but, in an effort to "go green", we had these for lunch and wanted to spread the love! In the South, we know how to pass the plate! Try it and let us know what you think. Also, if you have any recipes you would like to have featured in our upcoming cookbook, please send them to us!

GREEN BEAN FRITTERS

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh green beans, cut to one-half inch pieces and cooked until tender.
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
2 cloves, pressed fresh garlic
Canola oil for deep frying

Preparation:

Heat oil in deep-fryer to 370°. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt and garlic. In a separate bowl, whisk egg with milk; stir in beans. Add bean mixture to your dry ingredients, stir until moistened. Drop your batter by tablespoonfuls into your hot oil. Deep-fry in batches until golden brown. Remove and drain on brown paper bags.

Servings: 15 fritters, maybe a few more if you didn't sneak any before you served them!

The Fritter Chicks were fried over easy today as the South reached 88 degrees! No rain in sight! All the more reason we should go to the beach! If you are a true Fritter Chick, there is a place in your car that holds a beach towel, a bathing suit, and tanning oil - just for emergencies such as this. Why, you never know when the boss is going to let you leave early or you might take advantage of your lunch hour and never go back. Maybe a friend invites you over to their pool at the last minute - either way, being a Fritter Chick, you are prepared to hatch in any warm climate! We're off to enjoy the sun and trying not to get any tan lines!

You've got to continue to grow, or you're just like last night's cornbread--stale and dry.
----Loretta Lynn