I grew up eating Sunday dinner after church at my grandmother’s house. My grandmother was known for her cooking and I along with my siblings and parents were fortune to be direct benefactors of her skillset in this area. At times, other church members and on occasion the pastor would even stop by for a plate of my Granny’s dinner on Sundays. Yeah, she was that lady. Kinda like Big Mama in the movie Soul Food. It was well known that she was a great cook. Sunday dinner usually consisted of two types of meat (roast and fried chicken for example) greens, hot water corn bread, sweet potatoes and usually something sweet. I’m getting hungry just writing about it.
When my grandmother passed away, my mother continued the Sunday dinner tradition. We gathered at my mom’s house for dinner on Sundays after church until COVID – 19 hit and we were forced to limit our visiting with one another. Now that the pandemic is over, we really haven’t gotten back to Sunday dinner like we used to.
My mother cooks dinner on Sundays still mostly for she and my dad, but all are of course welcome. A Sunday dinner for her may consist of: roast, greens, macaroni and cheese, corn, cornbread, and usually something sweet for dessert. She asks me every Sunday what I cook for dinner and usually gasps and is appalled anytime I say something quick and easy like a ready meal, or a meal I pick up from Costco. She says, “On a Sunday?!” If I say anything less than the full spread I’ve noted that she may have cooked. She knows I’m a busy mom doing the best I can so she doesn’t give me to hard of a time, but she will not let me get away without her saying something!
There is one quick and easy recipe I can think of that I believe is mama and grandmother approved and that is okra and tomatoes.
This really is a dump meal and only requires one pan.
I start with olive oil and chopped onion in a pan. I buy the frozen onions already chopped because I do not like chopping onions. I can’t stand how they make my eyes water and also really, I don’t have time for all that chopping. My mama caps on me for buying pre chopped onions and I know my grandmother is side eying me from heaven, but I’m busy and rarely get a moment for myself as it is. The mode is to get the dinner done and move on!
Once the onions begin to simmer, I add the frozen okra and season it with onion powder, garlic powder, and sea salt. I let the okra cook until it’s tender and add the canned stewed tomatoes and season again with the onion powder, garlic powder, and a little salt. I also add a bay leaf or two at this point. While the okra and tomatoes simmer covered on low, I cut sausage into pieces, put it into a large glass bowl filled with water and boil it in the microwave until it’s tender (5-8 minutes). Once it’s done I add it to the okra and tomatoes.
If adding shrimp, I buy the “EZ Peel” shrimp from H-E-B. They are sold at the seafood counter and come already split and mostly clean. I just rinse them and do a quick clean of anything left behind before peeling the skin off. At this point, the dish itself is pretty much done so I add the shrimp. It cooks fast so it’s always added last.
Once the shrimp is pink, the dish is done.
I cook some rice and viola, dinner is complete!
My grandmother and mama both cook this dish but it’s usually a side dish. As a side, we don’t always add shrimp and sausage. It may just be one or the other or no meat or seafood at all just okra and tomatoes over rice.
If I’m in a hurry, I don’t do shrimp just sausage, but I try to do shrimp because my husband likes it with both shrimp and sausage. Duke likes it to, so this dish even approved by a picky 3-year-old which is saying something.
It’s always a good meal and while my mama and grandmother didn’t really make it as a single dish for dinner on a Sunday, doing this is my way of adapting a Sunday side, into a Sunday meal that wouldn’t require either of them to revoke my Sunday dinner card (hopefully).
I talk to my grandmother and think of her most when I’m cooking on Sundays. She always had a meal ready for us after church and I try to keep that legacy going in my own way. It’s not always a full spread and doesn’t always look like my mother and grandmother’s meals, but there is almost always a meal prepared for my family with love most days but especially on Sundays and that’s what matters.
If you are a busy mom like me or just looking for a quick, easy dinner idea, try this one if it’s not already in your dinner rotation. Customize it and make it your own. If you don’t like the slime of okra add a little vinegar which reduces the slime a bit. I don’t measure so apologies for not providing exact measurements, girl just season to taste 😊.
In the spirit of community, let me know your favorite quick easy dinner ideas. I need all the help I can get!
Bon appetite!!
XOXO,
Mrs. O
