Where do I begin to share about my last week? We just returned from a 1400 mile trip touring Southeast Minnesota, (St. Charles & Winona area) Wisconsin and Iowa. We experienced great bakeries, dairies and beautiful countryside’s as we traveled. We enjoyed some of the best ice cream in Wisconsin, not to mention the phenomenal cheeses. I’ve decided we have to go back when it’s nice and green, because I didn’t have time to fish, visit the wineries or take part in a Minnesota fish dinner.
We spent time with friends and learned what a ‘Kwik Trip’ is up north. It is not like the ‘Quik Trips’ in Missouri, it’s even better! A ‘wayside’ is comparable to a Missouri rest area. As you can imagine my favorite spots were associated with the bakeries, one in Winona was 100 years old. You want to sample everything, but there’s just no way!
We departed from Northeast Missouri after a brief visit with my dad, Jerry, in Lewistown. And concluded our holiday in Cameron, at my sis’s home. We also stopped at a large Mennonite store in Windsor, Missouri, where I picked up many specialty items. The travels were most enjoyable, but I did spend most of Sunday just chilling.
Frequently I have the urge to make a batch of this simple and delicious pea salad. Most of the time I make it and take it somewhere, because I love the salad, but don’t want to eat it ‘every’ day. For me it’s refreshing on the palate and a terrific travel dish. You don’t want to overdo, remember peas are a bit on the starchy side. Added to the holiday dinner table it will add a bright kick of color. It can also be made the night before, perhaps refreshing with a small amount of extra dressing at serving time, if necessary. Make a good ham sandwich and the salad as your side.
This year I haven’t put any thought whatsoever into my Easter dinner plans. This week I’ll probably get a good grip on the dishes to be served, and start watching my sale ads too. I know one thing, there will be scalloped pineapple, this is a necessity at our home, and I’m doing deviled eggs this year, even if I’m the only one to eat them! Remember you can always chop large amounts of deviled eggs up and make a yummy egg salad. Then you can stuff peppers/tomatoes or make an egg salad on rye, yummy! Slice a little avocado under a scoop of the salad for a nice presentation, or fill two avocado halves, as they sit on a bed of greens. You’re getting it……..Have an enjoyable week, get the house in order, company’s coming! Tomorrow I return to work and start planning the next little get away! Simply yours, The Covered Dish.
Pea Salad
4 slices cooked, drained & crumbled bacon
1 (16 ounce) package drained & thawed frozen peas
8-12 small green onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4, hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 cup ranch dressing
Thaw and drain peas, mix all ingredients adding the bacon and boiled eggs last. Stir in the ranch dressing. Refrigerate at least one hour before serving. Use additional ranch or mayonnaise if the salad is not to your desired consistency.
Serves 4-5 persons.
Use a high quality of frozen peas, there is a palatable difference.
This salad is not seen too frequently. Usually we don’t make ‘large’ batches of this salad because it is such a huge concentration of peas.
