Tag: Vegetable

Peas in Cheese Sauce

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This year for Christmas I asked everyone what dish they would like me to cook for Christmas dinner.  My youngest said macaroni and cheese.  I figured it would be too many carbs for dinner since I was already making mashed potatoes and gravy.  So I changed his request up a little bit to get some green vegetables in the meal.

Peas in Cheese Sauce

4 1/2 teaspoons butter
4 1/2 teaspoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup cubed Velveeta
2 packages (10 oz. each) frozen peas, thawed

In a large pan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add cheese, stir until melted. Stir in peas, cook 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through.

Sweet Potato Rum Casserole

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This is a recipe that I have had for a long long time.  I don’t remember where I originally got the recipe but I always fix it for Thanksgiving.  I made the recipe below except I didn’t bake it. The casserole mixture was frozen.   The day before Thanksgiving I will thaw this in the refrigerator and then bake it on Thanksgiving.  Marshmallows are added the last 5-10 minutes of baking.

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled, cooked and mashed
¼ cup and 2 tablespoons of butter, melted
½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
½ cup flaked coconut
½ cup coarsely chopped pecans
¼ cup dark rum
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract (use the real stuff, not imitation)
Mini-marshmallows

Combine first 7 ingredients, mixing well.  Spoon into lightly greased 1 1/2 quart casserole.   Bake uncovered at 325 degrees F for 45 minutes.  Arrange marshmallows on top and continue baking until marshmallows are lightly brown.

Stewed Okra with Tomatoes and Onion

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil (or Bacon Grease, If You Have It!)
1 whole Vidalia Onion, Diced
1 pound Okra, Sliced Into Rounds
1 clove Garlic, Minced
4 whole Medium Tomatoes, Peeled & Chopped
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 teaspoon Pepper
3 dashes Tabasco Pepper Sauce

Heat oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then add onions, garlic and okra. Stir frequently until the vegetables are soft (about 5 minutes). Okra produces a nasty slime while it cooks, don’t be alarmed, it will go away as the dish cooks. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper and a few dashes of Tabasco and stir until most of the okra slime is gone. Reduce heat to low (simmer) and cook about 10-15 minutes until tomatoes are cooked down!

Fried Okra

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Here is a picture of the fried okra from last night.  It was wonderful and so easy to cook.  All I did was slice the okra, salt and pepper it and then toss it with some corn meal.  Pour some oil in a skillet and pour the okra in.  Cook the okra until it turn a little brown.  Make sure you don’t burn it.  Stir frequently until the okra is tender.  Okra is in season right now, and so delicious!!  I love summer!!

Summer in a Dish

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Can you tell that I am dreaming of summer?  This dish reminds me of all the wonderful vegetables available during the summer.  This dish is also a good dish to clean out the refrigerator of all those leftover veggies.  Either way, it is really good.  I will warn you though, the guys in the family did not like it much because it didn’t have meat in it.  Pioneer Woman calls it “chick food” and I am inclined to think that it is.  The recipe can be found HERE.