
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 22, 1993                   TAG: 9309220083
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Almena Hughes
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

THERE ARE SOME TASTY MEALS STILL ON THE VINES IN THE GARDEN

As garden season winds down, a few lingering crops present some special problems, but they also carry the makings of some wonderful meals.

For example, plump green tomatoes sit leisurely ripening on vines while gardeners fret over the possible onset of frost. Don't wait. Pick them green and use them in a delicious pie or a slimmed-down version of that old favorite: fried.

Zucchini, so prized at planting time for their fast and prolific growth, are now so plentiful you can hardly give them away. Take advantage of its versatility to whip up a spicy Mexican-style pork stew or a luscious batch of lemon bars.

For most people, okra is a love or hate affair. Usually, the latter reaction stems from the vegetable's characteristic sliminess.

But done right, okra - rich in carotene and a fair source of vitamin C - is something you might learn to love. At its most tender in pods about two or three inches long, slender and bright green, it makes an enticing side when marinated, and it stews up beautifully in the microwave as a side dish or main course.

To cook okra, rinse the pods and dry well, being careful to trim only a portion of the cap. It's cutting into the pod area that releases the infamous/famous slime.

\ please see microfilm for the following recipes: Green Tomato Pie, No-Fat Fried Green Tomatoes, Zucchini and Pork Mexicali and Microwave Stewed Okra

by CNB