Wild Firebrand

I LOVE SUCCOTASH – it’s so pretty with all the colors.

Health(ier) too, but I really love it for the colors. AND because it’s a nice dish to balance the meat-heavy menus during the holidays when starchy sides reign. This is a nice break from all that. And, did I mention the colors?

It does start with bacon. Both for the actual bacon, but also for the grease.

MMmmm – bacon.

Then, cut okra and fry it in the bacon grease.

(Yeah, I stole that photo from the gumbo post because I didn’t take an okra pic for the succotash post bc I knew I had one from the gumbo post and I got distracted — #adhdftw!)

Once the okra is half cooked, add the lima beans, corn, onions, and bell peppers — red, green, and yellow — all the colors!

Once that all cooks through, add a can of tomatoes — for this dish, I prefer the tomatoes with the ‘holy trinity’ of onions, celery, and green peppers, but you do you, boo!

Keep the juice of the tomatoes to help marry the flavors. (Sometimes I add red beans to up the protein and fiber count, but not always — depends on my mood and what’s in the pantry or who I am serving.) Add salt, pepper, paprika, and parsley to taste. I’m usually heavy handed with the parsley. Cut up the bacon or crumble it and add it back to the pan.

Anyway, mix all that together and let it blend. Serve piping hot and enjoy eating the rainbow!

(I forgot to take the final pic with the bacon, but you get the picture…) Anyway, it’s a great potluck dish for office parties, or neighborhood cookouts, or wherever you can plug in a crock pot.

Like everything else, it’s made with a mother’s love for her children and hope that it endures — just like her adoration for you!!!