LeSueur Pea Salad

As we entered her apartment at Homestead Virginia (soon to be 102 at the time) sputtered, “We just had the worst macaroni and cheese — baked so long it was dry and served with frozen peas that were still frozen! Simply horrified by that meal, her mind conjured up an old-time favorite. “Do you remember LeSueur Pea Salad? Virginia recalls, “By the time we were finished making it, the counter was lined with cans.  It has peas, green beans, some kind of special corn, celery, a whole lot of things. We served it with just about anything and took it to potlucks, too.”

Besides being quite tasty, the salad will keep for several days stored in a covered container in the refrigerator

Shoepeg corn is a white and sweeter than other corn. It is characterized by small, narrow kernels and it's flavor is described as sweet and mild. 

LeSueur Pea Salad  (also know as Shoe Peg Corn Salad & Mainiated Salad)  

About 8 servings

Salad:

1 (15 ounce) can LaSure peas, drained

1 (15 ounce) can Shoepeg corn, drained

1 (15 ounce) can French cut green beans, drained

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/2  cup chopped onion

1 (2 ounce) jar pimentos

Vinaigrette:

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup white  vinegar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Assemble salad: Mix together peas, corn, green beans, celery, bell pepper, onion, and pimentos in a large bowl.
2. Make vinaigrette: Combine sugar, vinegar, oil, salt, and black pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
3. Pour boiling vinaigrette over salad; stir to coat. Refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.

Italian Sausage Pappardelle

Pappardelle are long, flat and broad ribbons of egg-based pasta that originated in Toscana (Tuscany); a delight for pasta lover’s like me!  It’s a classic pasta for bolognese and other meaty sauces such as this one . . . 

Italian Sausage Pappardelle    About 6 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup sweet yellow onion, chopped

1/2 large red pepper, chopped - optional

About 4 oz. button mushrooms - optional

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 lb. spicy Italian sausage

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 cup beef broth or white wine

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes (petite diced or crushed)

1 to 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

Salt & pepper to taste

About 1/2 cup pasta water

1/2 to 3/4 cup frozen peas - optional

About 1/4 to 1/2 cup sour cream

1 package pappardelle (8 ounces)

Grated Parmesan 

1. In a large pan add olive oil, heat to medium and toss in chopped onion, pepper and mushrooms. Cook until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add in garlic and sausage and continue to cook.
3. Once sausage is just browned, cover in flour and let cook for 1 minute.
4. Pour broth or wine into pan and let simmer to reduce most of the liquid.
   
5. Add tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.
6. Turn heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. 
7. With 10 minutes left for simmering, cook pasta
8. After pasta is cooked, add pasta water to the sauce and mix, add more or less depending on sauciness
9. Add peas and sour cream.
10. Toss noodles into sauce gently.
    
11. Garnish with Parmesan.  

Recipe without photos . . .

Italian Sausage Pappardelle    About 6 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup sweet yellow onion, chopped

1/2 large red pepper, chopped - optional

About 4 oz. button mushrooms - optional

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 lb. spicy Italian sausage

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 cup beef broth or white wine

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes (petite diced or crushed)

1 to 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

Salt & pepper to taste

About 1/2 cup pasta water

1/2 to 3/4 cup frozen peas - optional

About 1/4 to 1/2 cup sour cream

1 package pappardelle (8 ounces)

Grated Parmesan 

1. In a large pan add olive oil, heat to medium and toss in chopped onion, pepper and mushrooms.  Cook until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add in garlic and sausage and continue to cook.
3. Once sausage is just browned, cover in flour and let cook for 1 minute.
4. Pour broth or wine into pan and let simmer to reduce most of the liquid.
5. Add tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.
6. Turn heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. 
7. With 10 minutes left for simmering, cook pasta
8. After pasta is cooked, add pasta water to the sauce and mix, add more or less depending on sauciness
9. Add peas and sour cream.
10. Toss noodles into sauce gently.
11. Garnish with Parmesan. 

7-Layer Iceberg & Pea Salad

In need of a salad for a holiday luncheon, I ran across this one on Pinterest. Haven’t made this (what is now termed a classic) dish in years. It's always a hit . . . and has the colors of Christmas and looks so pretty, especially in a trifle dish.

7-Layer Iceberg & Pea Salad

1/2 to 1 head iceberg lettuce, no core

10 oz grape tomatoes, sliced

10 oz frozen green peas, defrosted (NOT cooked)

6 green onions, sliced

8 oz cheddar cheese, grated

6 slices cut bacon, rough chopped

Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons creole seasoning 

1. Get frozen peas out of freezer and allow to defrost while preparing bacon and salad dressing.

2. Cook bacon in a skillet stovetop or in the oven. Drain on a paper towel. Rough chop and set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together ingredients for salad dressing and set aside.

   
4. In a glass bowl or 9×13 dish, layer: lettuce, tomatoes, defrosted green peas, green onions & grated cheddar. Top layers with dressing. Spread to evenly cover top of the salad. Top with chopped bacon. Garnish with extra shredded cheese.
   

Recipe without photos . . .

7-Layer Iceberg & Pea Salad

1/2 to 1 head iceberg lettuce, no core

10 oz grape tomatoes, sliced

10 oz frozen green peas, defrosted (NOT cooked)

6 green onions, sliced

8 oz cheddar cheese, grated

6 slices cut bacon, rough chopped

Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons creole seasoning 

1. Get frozen peas out of freezer and allow to defrost while preparing bacon and salad dressing.

2. Cook bacon in a skillet stovetop or in the oven. Drain on a paper towel. Rough chop and set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together ingredients for salad dressing and set aside.

4. In a glass bowl or 9×13 dish, layer: lettuce, tomatoes, defrosted green peas, green onions & grated cheddar. Top layers with dressing. Spread to evenly cover top of the salad. Top with chopped bacon. Garnish with extra peas or shredded cheese if desired. 

Quick Chicken & Dumplings

This quick recipe relies of pre-cooked chicken and homemade baking mix. A great back-to-basic comfort food! 

Quick Chicken & Dumplings    4 servings

For the chicken:

2+ tablespoon olive oil

1/2 large yellow onion, diced in 1/8” pieces

1 medium stalks celery, diced in 1/8” pieces

2 medium carrots, diced in 1/4” pieces

1 medium to large turnip, diced in 1/4” pieces (optional)

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 to 4 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoons fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

2 medium potatoes, diced in 1/4” pieces

2 chicken breasts, cooked or poached, cut into chunks

1/3 cup frozen peas

About 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves

For the dumplings:

1 cup homemade Baking Mix (or use commercial such as Bisquick®)

1/4 cup milk

1. FOR THE CHICKEN & VEGGIE MIXTURE: Heat olive oil on medium. Add the onion, celery, carrots, turnip and garlic to the pot. Add salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. 
2. Add the butter and flour; stir to coat the veggies and cook for a minute or two to get rid of raw flour taste.  
3. Add the broth, stir and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil.
4. Add the thyme, bay leaf, Italian seasoning, potatoes and cooked & chunked chicken. Return the chicken to the pot and simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. 
   
5. Bring chicken mixture to a boil, add peas and prepared dumpling and follow directions below for cooking the dumplings. 
   
6. TO PREPARE THE DUMPLINGS: Add milk to the Baking Mix all at once, stirring about 30 strokes. (You can add a little more milk is mix seems dry.)
7. TO COOK THE DUMPLINGS: Drop by tablespoon on top of BOILING stew; add about half of the parsley. COVER and boil gently 12 minutes without removing cover. 
   
8. The dumplings are ready when they have about quadrupled in size and are no longer raw and doughy in the center. If not fully cooked, cover and cook 2 minutes more. 
   
9. Dish up chicken and dumplings and garnish with remaining chopped parsley.

Recipe without photos . . .

Quick Chicken & Dumplings    4 servings

For the chicken:

2+ tablespoon olive oil

1/2 large yellow onion, diced in 1/8” pieces

1 medium stalks celery, diced in 1/8” pieces

2 medium carrots, diced in 1/4” pieces

1 medium to large turnip, diced in 1/4” pieces (optional)

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 to 4 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoons fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

2 medium potatoes, diced in 1/4” pieces

2 chicken breasts, cooked or poached, cut into chunks

1/3 cup frozen peas

About 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves

For the dumplings:

1 cup homemade Baking Mix (or use commercial such as Bisquick®)

1/4 cup milk

1. FOR THE CHICKEN & VEGGIE MIXTURE: Heat olive oil on medium. Add the onion, celery, carrots, turnip and garlic to the pot. Add salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. 
2. Add the butter and flour; stir to coat the veggies and cook for a minute or two to get rid of raw flour taste.  
3. Add the broth, stir and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil.
4. Add the thyme, bay leaf, Italian seasoning, potatoes and cooked & chunked chicken. Return the chicken to the pot and simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. 
5. Bring chicken mixture to a boil, add peas and prepared dumpling and follow directions below for cooking the dumplings. 
6. TO PREPARE THE DUMPLINGS: Add milk to the Baking Mix all at once, stirring about 30 strokes. (You can add a little more milk is mix seems dry.)
7. TO COOK THE DUMPLINGS: Drop by tablespoon on top of BOILING stew; add about half of the parsley. COVER and boil gently 12 minutes without removing cover. 
8. The dumplings are ready when they have about quadrupled in size and are no longer raw and doughy in the center. If not fully cooked, cover and cook 2 minutes more. 
9. Dish up chicken and dumplings and garnish with remaining chopped parsley.

Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie

On a cold spring evening (that seemed more like winter) a comfort food menu of Chicken Pot Pie and a side of simple slaw (sliced cabbage & shredded carrots w/ Mom's Celery Seed Dressing) hit the spot!

We actually doubled the recipe and shared a pie with a friend just home from the hospital.

Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie     6 to 8 servings

4 tablespoons butter 

3 to 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

½ to 1 teaspoon salt 

½ teaspoon pepper 

1 cup chicken broth 

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules or concentrate

2 cups cooked cubed chicken 

About 1 cup frozen peas 

1 to 2 medium potato, cooked and cubed

1 to 2 cups other vegetables such as cooked carrots, roasted peppers, sautéed celery, onions, mushrooms, etc
1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese

Double unbaked pie crust  (to be posted soon)

Italian seasoning and paprika to sprinkle over crust 

1.    White Sauce: Melt butter in a 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth. Stir in broth, milk and bouillon; cook until thickened. 

2.    Add chicken and vegetables; cool. Stir in shredded cheese.

3.    Preheat oven to 425º. 

4.    Pour chicken mixture into pastry lined pie plate. 

5.    Top with second pie crust. Trim edges, seal and flute or crimp. Cut a few small slits in top crust to allow steam to escape. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and paprika.

6.    Bake 35 minutes, or until light golden brown. Allow pie to sit for 15 minutes before cutting.

Variations:  

·     Instead of cooking potatoes and veggies, roast them instead.

·     Add 3 tablespoons hulled and salted sunflower seeds and call this “Sunflower Pot Pie.”

·     Substitute cooked ground beef or sausage for the meat.

Recipe without photos . . .

Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie     6 to 8 servings

 tablespoons butter 

3 to 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

½ to 1 teaspoon salt 

½ teaspoon pepper 

1 cup chicken broth 

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules or concentrate

2 cups cooked cubed chicken 

About 1 cup frozen peas 

1 to 2 medium potato, cooked and cubed

1 to 2 cups other vegetables such as cooked carrots, roasted peppers, sautéed celery, onions, mushrooms, etc
1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Double unbaked pie crust 

Italian seasoning and paprika to sprinkle over crust 

1.    White Sauce: Melt butter in a 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth. Stir in broth, milk and bouillon; cook until thickened,  

2.    Add chicken and vegetables; cool. Stir in shredded cheese.

3.    Preheat oven to 425º. 

4.    Pour chicken mixture into pastry lined pie plate. 

5.    Top with second pie crust. Trim edges, seal and flute or crimp. Cut a few small slits in top crust to allow steam to escape. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and paprika.

6.    Bake 35 minutes, or until light golden brown. Allow pie to sit for 15 minutes before cutting.

Variations:  

·     Instead of cooking potatoes and veggies, roast them instead.

·     Add 3 tablespoons hulled and salted sunflower seeds and call this “Sunflower Pot Pie.”

·     Substitute cooked ground beef or sausage for the meat.

Springtime Asparagus and Pea Pasta

Quick and simple, this recipe offers a fresh taste of spring. So good, that Barry and I were both "oohing and ahhing"after our first taste!

It is a dish inspiredby Lidia Bastianich – my take of a recipe she prepared on Food Network. She used orecchiette, I used fusilli + I made a few other changes to streamline the recipe.  Spring peas would be wonderful but frozen are delicious, too.

Springtime Asparagus and Pea Pasta

1 lb. fusilli pasta

3 to 4 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil + more for drizzling

1 large bunch medium-thick asparagus (about 1 lb.), trimmed & cut into 1” pieces

1 (10 oz.) box frozen peas, thawed

Kosher salt & coarse black pepper to taste

1 bunch green onions (also called scallions or spring onions), white & green parts, chopped (about 1 cup) 

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Add pasta and cook until almost (but not completely) al dente. Drain but save pasta water.
2. Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the asparagus, and toss to coat it in the oil. Cook and toss until the asparagus just begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Cover with a lid.
   
3. Uncover the asparagus and add the peas; season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine, and cook about 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add the scallions and stir; add about a dipper (about ¼ cup+) of pasta water. Bring to a boil, and cook until most of pasta water is absorbed.
5. Add cooked fusilli to the vegetables and toss.
   
6. Drizzle with a little olive oil and toss to coat the pasta. Add a little pasta water is mixture seems dry.
7. Remove the skillet from the heat, sprinkle with the grated cheese, toss, and serve.
   

Recipe without photos . . .

Springtime Asparagus and Pea Pasta

1 lb. fusilli pasta

3 to 4 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil + more for drizzling

1 large bunch medium-thick asparagus (about 1 lb.), trimmed & cut into 1” pieces

1 (10 oz.) box frozen peas, thawed

Kosher salt & coarse black pepper to taste

1 bunch green onions (also called scallions or spring onions) , white & green parts, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Add pasta and cook until almost (but not completely) al dente. Drain but save pasta water.
2. Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the asparagus, and toss to coat it in the oil. Cook and toss until the asparagus just begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Cover with a lid.
3. Uncover the asparagus and add the peas; season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine, and cook about 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add the scallions and stir; add about a dipper (about ¼ cup+) of pasta water. Bring to a boil, and cook until most of pasta water is absorbed.
5. Add cooked fusilli to the vegetables and toss.
6. Drizzle with a little olive oil and toss to coat the pasta. Add a little pasta water is mixture seems dry.
7. Remove the skillet from the heat, sprinkle with the grated cheese, toss, and serve