Peas Are Like Sisters

Ever been a bit overwhelmed when shopping for peas, wondering the difference between the many varieties and which one tastes best?

Think about it this way. Peas are like sisters. They come from the same family. Even though they may look somewhat alike, they are different. Each one has her own personality, her own style, her own sense of humor. Likewise, each variety of pea has its own special flavor. Just like you would need to spend time with each sister to determine which one you liked more, you would need to try each variety of pea to decide which one you preferred.

Dixie Lee peas are a lot like the peas and snaps Grandma used to cook, and they are my personal favorite. Pink eyes are similar to black eyes, only smaller. Crowders are those yummy peas that cook up a red gravy. Six weeks tend to stay more green as they cook, but are equally tasty.

Peas can be cooked in chicken or vegetable broth, or water. Flavor them with a little salt. Bring them to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Let them simmer for about 30-40 minutes. The longer they slow cook the better, but be careful to not let them run out of water. Try a taste test. Leave comments. Which pea is your favorite?

Schools Going Local

Congratulations to Aversboro Elementary and Knightdale Elementary for going local!

These two schools have applied for and received a federal grant to fund a program that allows the school to purchase snacks for all the students, every day from September through May. Now get this, the snacks are fruits and vegetables purchased from local businesses approved by Child Nutrition Services for the Wake County schools. How cool is that! Maybe this will set a precedent for other schools and for our school lunch programs as well.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Here's the sweet potato casserole I made last night. It was, by far, the best sweet potato casserole I've ever made. I don't know if it was because this year's sweet potatoes are really delicious, or if it was the recipe, or if I've been cooking so long that it can't go wrong (ha). Whatever, it was really sweet, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. I dare you to try it!

You will need: 3-4 medium-sized sweet potatoes
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 stick melted butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Wash sweet potatoes and wrap in aluminum foil. Bake in oven at 350 for 60-75 minutes until done. Cool, peel, mash, and measure 4 cups in mixing bowl. Add sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla, butter, and cinnamon. Stir until smooth. Pour into casserole dish.

For Topping you will need: 1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 stick melted butter
1 cup chopped pecans

Mix sugar, flour, and butter. Then, add pecans.
Cover casserole with topping and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Two Kinds of People

There are two kinds of people over age 35. I'll get to the under-35 set in just a minute. First, if you're over 35 you either like to shell peas and butterbeans, or you hate it. Me? I'm in the "like it" group. Yes, it was hard on the thumb, tiring, and seemingly endless. But the alternative for me was to be in the field picking the peas. Now, if you know me at all, you will know that I am an indoor cat. So, shelling was my ONLY option. It really wasn't all that bad. I was able to sit outside under the great big pecan tree with the others left behind to shell. We would race to see who could finish shelling their panful of peas first. The winner was justly rewarded with yet another pan of peas and another race ahead. All in all, though, it was kind of therapeutic. Working with your hands, making progress, and having those yummy Dixie Lee peas for supper was the ultimate reward!

Now, back to the under-35 age group. For you, there are two kinds of people - those who have shelled peas and butterbeans, and those who have not!

Somewhere along the course of time someone came up with the bright idea to create and build a pea-shelling machine. It's like magic! Simply dump the baskets of peas in the tray on one side, turn on the switch, and voila! Out rolls freshly shelled peas on the screened tray on the other side! Amazing!

If you go to the market don't forget to visit Wise Farms and get your peas. Ours are already shelled...by that fancy machine, of course.

Subtle Change 8

Simplify! There's truth to the saying, "Less is more." This week's challenge is to simplify your surroundings. Remove clutter. Don't be afraid to throw things out. Your trash may be someone else's treasure.
Donate old magazines to the library. Somewhere there is a child who needs that magazine for pictures for a school project.
Donate those "already read, enjoyed, but don't know-what-to-do-with" inspirational books to the Hospice center at your local hospital. Someone there is grieving and needs an encouraging word.
Donate outgrown children's clothes to the school. Children have accidents and might need a change of clothes.
Just a few thoughts...anyone out there want to share other ways to simplify? Leave comments.

Winter Squash

As the summer ends, the fall harvest begins bringing a variety of winter squash to the market. Here's a picture taken in the early summer of a butternut squash growing at Wise Farms. No doubt this squash has since matured, harvested, and been served with someone's dinner.

Butternut squash, along with other winter squash, are tasty when baked in the oven and seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg, or brown sugar and a little butter. After cutting the squash in half lengthwise, scoop away the inner seeds (much like scooping away the innermost part of a cantaloupe). Then place in shallow roasting pan, and rub a little olive oil over top of squash. Add enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes until tender and lightly browned.

Vege Mix

Three good reasons to try this recipe:

1. Tomatoes, corn, and okra are still plentiful at the market;
2. Their flavors complement one another; and
3. This recipe is from my Southern Living cookbook (can't go wrong with Southern Living).

3 cups sliced okra
2 cups fresh cut corn
4-5 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Thoroughtly rinse and drain okra. Combine first six ingredients in a large skillet; cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with bacon and serve. It just doesn't get any easier than this!