Peas

Peas pop up in the garden almost before anything else Fresh peas are great for snacking on straight from the garden. They also taste great sprinkled in a salad. If you cannot find fresh, frozen peas will work as well. So if you think you do not like peas then you need to try some of these delicious recipes. You will soon change your mind.

Easy Cheesy Peas & Carrots

1/8 (one-eighth) cup milk
1/2 (one-half) cup cottage cheese
1/3 (one-third)cup cream cheese
1/8 (one-eighth) cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese
1/4 (one-fourth)cup soft cooked peas
1/8 (one-eighth)cup diced cooked carrots
Parmesan Cheese
Shredded mozzarella cheese

What you do:
Blend milk and cheeses together until smooth, then stir in peas and carrots.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese. Enjoy with a friend.

Green Pea Picnic Salad
1 pound frozen green peas
1 medium cucumber (three-fourth cup chopped)

2 cloves fresh garlic
1/4 (one-fourth) cup fresh basil leaves (optional)
1 medium red bell pepper (0or 1 cup chopped)
1 small onion (for 1/2 (one-half cup chopped)
2/3(two-thirds) cup light sour cream
1/3 (one-third)cup light mayonnaise
Juice from 1/2 (one-half) a lemon (2 tablespoons)
1/2 (one-half) teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/4 (one-fourth) teaspoon pepper, or more to taste
Place peas in colander and run cool water over them to thaw. Set aside to
drain well.
Cut cucumber in half and, using spoon, scrape out seeds. Chop cucumber and
place it in 2-quart or larger bowl.
Peel and finely mince garlic, adding it to bowl. If using basil, chop leaves
and add them to bowl. Remove the seeds from the pepper and chop pepper, adding it to bowl as you chop. Peel and chop onion, adding it to bowl as you chop.
Add sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon, salt and pepper to bowl. Stir well to mix
with vegetables. Add green peas and toss to coat and mix well. Serve at once, or cover and chill up to 24 hours. Makes 5 cups.

Fresh Spring Salad

1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas, thawed
2 celery sticks, thinly sliced
1 cup  cauliflower pieces
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 (one-half) cup ranch salad dressing
1/4 (one-fourth) cup sour cream
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1/4 (one-fourth) cup sunflower seeds
In a large bowl, combine peas, celery, cauliflower and onions. Combine dressing and sour cream; pour over salad and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Just before serving, stir in bacon and sunflower seeds. Yield: 6-8 servings

Tuna & Peas Noodle Casserole

2 3/4 cups dry noodles
1 tsp. salt
1/2 (one-half) cup chopped onion
1 large can tuna
1 can peas (not drained)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 (one-half) soup can of water
Place in slow cooker in the order given. Place on HIGH for 2 hours or LOW for 6 hours stirring halfway through cooking time.