Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Creamed Peas and Southern Style Green Beans

As you already know I made Southern themed dinner for my group The Dinner Diva's on Saturday. I wanted to go traditional with the sides without it being too heavy and hopefully I achieved that. I really liked the peas more than the green beans. The peas are basically cooked in a bechamel sauce which is very tasty. Thank you to my friend Carolyn from bakespace for helping out with this recipe! My issue with the beans are that they are sweet and sour. I like sweet and sour meatballs but not my veggies. I should have remembered that I made spinach this way once before. It just didn't appeal to me but the girls liked it...well, at least they said they did!


Southern Style Green Beans

Courtesy of Rachael Ray

4 servings

Ingredients:

1 1/4 pounds green beans, trimmed and chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 slices bacon, chopped
1 small onion, minced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar

Directions:

Cook green beans in 1-inch simmering water, covered, for 6 minutes. Drain and set aside. Return skillet to stove and set burner to medium high. Add bacon and brown. When fat begins to render, add chopped onions to the pan and cook until tender with the bacon. Add cooked green beans to the pan and turn to coat in bacon drippings and onions. When the beans are hot and bacon crisp at edges and onions translucent add vinegar to the pan and season with beans with sugar. Allow the vinegar to evaporate and the sugar to combine with pan drippings, 1 to 2 minutes, then serve.


Creamed Peas

Courtesy of Carolyn - posted on bakespace.com

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk*
about 2 cups fresh or frozen peas

DIRECTIONS:

Melt butter in saucepan. Add flour and salt, stir well until combined add milk and bring to a boil. Stir until slightly thickened. Stir in cooked peas. Serve over mashed potatoes if you wish.


*Michele's Note - If the roux becomes too thick when you add in the peas just add a little more milk and it will thicken up again.



7 comments:

Danielle said...

Ive never had creamed peas before. It looks really good. When I've had / or made southern green beans (I make them the way my grandmother in Alamaba makes them) I don't put vinegar or sugar in them, just the bacon, onion and then salt & pepper.
You did a great job! So lets hear your southern drawl, girl! LOL

Patti T. said...

I love green beans like that, sometimes I use brown sugar instead of regular. Hmmmmm now I am hungry for them.

Lynda said...

I haven't had creamed peas in a long time...yours look so good!
I've made the green beans like this for years, but without the vinegar and sugar. I use fresh green beans, onion,salt and pepper and bacon or ham hocks.
Sounds like a fun meal!

Bob said...

Creamed peas, huh? Well, I'll eat almost anything in a bechemel! :) Seriously though, they both sound good, I love sweet and sour.

Elenka said...

That looks good. I made the grilled pizza you talked about before. It was great!

lili11 said...

My beans are always cooked just slightly, never overcooked! The children love it that way ...
Yours look delicious.

Blossom

Spryte said...

I think the green beans sound amazing!!