Thursday, March 18, 2010

Simple Southern Sides--Company Peas

RileyAdamsFoodBlogPostpic_thumb_thumb I hope everyone had a festive St. Patrick’s Day yesterday. We were a little bit low-key this year—last year I had fun making a completely green plate of food for my kids to eat for supper—it was all peas and broccoli and green grapes, celery, and kiwi…it was really a green assault! They loved it, though.

This year, I toned it down a little. You just can’t repeat the same thing two years in a row with children (well, with mine, anyway.) I did still want to have a bunch of green on their plate, so I cooked an old Southern standby, Company Peas. Yes, those are peas that are suitable for company! :)

And they’re seriously easy.

Company Peas

024

1/2 C chopped onion 017
2 T butter (or margarine)
10 oz. frozen peas, cooked and drained
1 package mushrooms, sliced
1 t sugar
thyme (dash)
salt and pepper to taste

020 Cook the onions and mushrooms in melted butter until they’re tender. Drain.

Stir in the remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook until warm (over low heat.)024

What makes this a Southern recipe? I’m thinking the inclusion of butter and sugar. :) It’s hard to find a Deep South recipe that doesn’t include sugar in the vegetables. We like them sweet!

I used red onions because I think they’re pretty (and they turned my head at the store yesterday), but using Georgia Vidalia sweet onions would make this dish even more Southern.

Riley/Elizabeth
Delicious and Suspicious (July 6 2010) Riley Adams
Pretty is as Pretty Dies –Elizabeth Spann Craig

http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com

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CONTEST
Don't forget about our contest! We’re celebrating cupcakes now that Jenn McKinlay’s SPRINKLE WITH MURDER is out in bookstores near you! If you’d like to win cupcakes from Crumbs Bake Shop, send us an e-mail at MysteryLoversKitchen@gmail.com or leave a comment with your idea of the wackiest cupcake ingredients you can think of. Tofu, anyone?

ANOTHER CONTEST!
To celebrate the April release of CUT TO THE CORPSE, Jenn is giving away an autographed copy of the book. All you have to do is visit the contest section on her web page (http://www.jennmckinlay.com/) and cast your vote for Team Nate or Team Dom. For those of you who read the first book in the series STUCK ON MURDER, you know that
her heroine Brenna is going to have to make a choice! Help her out and cast your vote today!

10 comments:

  1. I just love your southern recipes, Elizabeth. And I can't wait for Delicious and Suspicious to come out this July! Thanks for this one. We don't eat enough peas in this house, but this recipe may change that...
    Julie

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  2. We enjoy peas, but I've never added onions and mushrooms. A nice touch. I'll have to try that. Thanks.

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  3. "Company Peas" -- good enough for company. Love it. I also really love peas. My husband does, too, and you've inspired me to bring them back to our dinner table.

    Also smiling over your St. Patrick's Day "green assault" for your kids. Green was most definitely the color of the day here in NYC yesterday, with one exception...

    Completely true overheard conversation: One Irishman says to the other, "Hey, there, where's your green?" The other Irishman, whose outfit consists of a blue-and-white striped rugby shirt and brown khaki pants says: "When you're a real Irishman, you don't need to wear green on St. Paddy's day." A third pipes up. "That's right! The only green that matters is the green in your pocket!"

    (...unless you're making St. Patrick's Day food at Riley Adams' house!)

    ~ Cleo

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  4. This recipe has everything I love. I must try
    it -- no company required. Thanks for sharing!

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  5. Julie--Thanks so much! I'm excited. And we should probably eat more peas here, too. This is a hit whenever I make it. :)

    Juju--They DO. :) They're good for us, too..I think!

    Mason--Just perks it up a little!

    Cleo--They're just kind of a basic veggie, but we can doll them up. :) I LOVE your story...he was right, too. That's the BEST kind of green!

    Jenn--And if your boys don't like mushroom, you can easily separate them. :)

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  6. I've always put just a pinch of sugar in frozen peas and frozen corn to bring out the flavor. I thought everyone did! I think I'll try this next week.

    ~ Krista

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  7. Late post, but I love pea! With mushrooms, fabulous. Thanks for sharing!! BTW, I add both to my quick soup. Quick because it's already cooked chicken, already cooked rice, peas, mushrooms, and a can of gluten-free chicken broth. Heat in microwave. Yum!

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  8. Love peas prepared like this. Oooh...looking forward to those first fresh peas...

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