Fried Okra from VERY local garden...across the street!

OK...so I ate fried okra as a kid but had forgotten how DELICIOUS it is!  So tonight while I was waiting on my dear old friend Chad Phllips to arrive for dinner, Tatum and I had walked across the street to wish our neighbor, Glenn Shearin a Happy Birthday (...and Joe!!  they are my wonderful neighbors that basically have fed my children this summer with fresh vegetables) 

While sittting on their front porch rocking chair they offered us some okra.  We walked back to their garden and then I saw Chad arrive.  I yelled for him to come on over.  So Chad arrived and helped chase Tate as he walked around the garden,  Tatum was polite enough to walk "around their pumpkin patch".  They generously gave us some fresh okra and corn.  The plan was to make the kids some fried okra... but early bedtimes and "NEVER having made it  before" prevented that!  So we put the babies to bed and began our new adventure of fried okra!!!  I googled a recipe from Paula Dean but tweaked it a bit!  "It was a work in progress but we got it right!" -Chap Phillips

Ok...here it is

Cut about a pound okra ( we had not idea how much we had!) about 1/2 inch
mix together a cup of flour and 1/2 cup corn meal
mix together Paula Dean's House seasonings 1 cup salt, 1/4 cup black pepper, 1/4 cup garlic powder  (you will only use some of this OBVIOUSLY!) 
add in 2 tablespoons of house seasoning (NOT teaspoons)
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
mix all seasonings w/ flour

Dip okra in some buttermilk ( I made my own w/ vinegar and Tatum's organic whole milk...which broke my heart to use that expensive milk for this!!!)
Then toss in the flour mixture. 
Place in hot veg. oil... I use a deep frying pan a little less that half full of oil.  Fry until golden brown.  Isaac was all about helping fry!! Unfortunately we overcooked the first batch!!

Sprinkle with some more of the house seasoning and cayenne pepper if needed!