Fried Okra Salad

Ingredients

One-half cup Hiland buttermilk

One egg

One (1-pound) package frozen or fresh, sliced okra

One (6-ounce) package Shawnee Mills corn muffin mix

Vegetable oil, for frying

One tablespoon Granny's Good Ol' Fashion Bacon Drippings

One teaspoon coarse salt

Salad greens (Bibb lettuce or butter lettuce are both good choices)

One tomato, chopped

One green bell pepper, chopped

Five slices Bar-S Fully Cooked Bacon, warmed and crumbled

One-third cup olive oil or canola oil

Three tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Two tablespoons sugar

Instructions

Mix the buttermilk and egg in a shallow dish. Dip okra in buttermilk, then coat in cornbread mix. Heat one tablespoon of Granny's Good Ol' Fashion Drippings in a deep skillet. Add vegetable oil until it reaches about two inches up the side of the pan. On medium-high heat, fry okra in small batches, about a minute or two on each side. (Turn once while cooking.)

Let cool on paper towels. Sprinkle with coarse salt while still hot. Combine lettuce with tomato and bell pepper. Top with Bar-S bacon. To make salad dressing, whisk olive oil, apple cider vinegar and sugar together. Pour dressing over salad. Top with okra and serve immediately.