We really enjoyed our supper from tonight's meal plan! The kids especially enjoyed the Corn Bread Muffins. It could have been partly because I substituted a stick of melted butter for the 1/2 cup of oil called for in the muffins. (I'm doing my part for the dairy farmers, Donna!) We did have an addition to our meal plan - crowder peas! What a treat!!
We stopped by Judy's for a while yesterday, and she was "puttin' up peas." She gave us a lovely bag of her crowders that she had ready for the freezer. If you've never picked peas, shelled them, looked them, wash them, blanched them, cooled them, and put them into a freezer bag, you probably don't understand the generosity of her gift!
So many memories flooded me when Judy talked of having her peas "spread-out" in her music room. When your peas are "startin' to come in," there's not just a few of them. If your pea vines are loaded, it's next to impossible to get them all picked, shelled and prepared for the freezer in the same day. Most people have a place where they spread them out during this whole process.
When I was growing up, we had one of those living rooms that you only used on special occasions, like when true company came over. Friends and relations came to the back door and plopped down in the den. Well, our seldom-used living room was the perfect place for Momma to spread out our peas until we could get them shelled.
We all helped with the shelling. One of the most delightful days of my childhood was the day Daddy came home with a commercial-grade electric pea sheller. It was the doin's! After the arrival of the much revered pea sheller, we kids got off with just keeping the pea hull basket emptied for Momma.
While we all were required to help with the shelling process, Momma did the "lookin'" herself. She could spot a single blemished pea among a dishpanful, have it plucked out and discarded before you could bat an eye. She was a stickler about removing every single bad pea. If I ever at a worm-bitten pea in my childhood, it was at a friend's or relative's house!
Many thanks for the peas, Judy, and for bringing long ago memories to mind!
Here are the recipes from tonight's meal plan. I hope reposting them under the review will be helpful. I've also added the directions for cooking fresh peas.
Many Blessing and Happy Cookin' ~ Connie
Wednesday - Chicken-N-Skillet, Corn Salad, and Corn Bread Muffins
Recipes inspired by BMH- Relay for Life Cookbook, Temptations Tried and True. My understanding is that this cookbook is sold-out. Be sure to register for the one we’re giving away!!
Chicken-N-Skillet
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
6 - 8 medium potatoes
1 medium onion
1 ½ soup cans of water
Lightly brown chicken in a large skillet. Remove chicken.
Mix together soup and water. Pour into skillet. Add potatoes and onions. Top with chicken. Cook, covered, over medium heat, until potatoes are done, 1 - 1 ½ hours. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
Corn Salad
2 cans whole kernel corn, drained
1 tomato, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
Mayonnaise, to moisten
Celery seeds, optional
Mix all ingredients with enough mayonnaise to moisten all ingredients. Do not make it soupy. Sprinkle in celery seeds, if using.
Fresh Crowder Peas
Shell peas.
Put a piece of streak-o-lean or a couple of slices of bacon into a pot - preferably a cast iron Dutch oven. Once the fat has begun to release from the meat, add peas and water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender.
Corn Bread Muffins
2 cups self-rising corn meal
½ cup oil (I used 1 stick of melted butter.)
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream-style corn
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix together all the ingredients, and spoon into muffin pan. Bake until golden brown, about 10 - 15 minutes.
Connie,
ReplyDeleteThis looks so good! I grew up putting up peas with my mom and now my girls and I do it every Summer. I am looking forward to trying these recipes!