Creamed peas and potatoes...

I am sure I have told you this before, but you get to hear again.......Years ago I belonged to a 'gang'..... The Thunder Mountain Gang....we had rules for the gang...you had to be 45 years old....We traveled together to Idaho to attend the cowboy poets gathering every year...or so we told people...what we really did was travel to Idaho to play, fish and ride horses...and to eat....We took as much time to get to Salmon Idaho as we spent there...we turned a 12 hour drive into 3 days....We always took a different route and stopped at every little town with a fishing hole or quilt store...

On one trip to the cabin in Idaho we convinced my Aunt Mary to make her wonderful creamed peas and potatoes...I don't remember what we ate with them but I do remember we used the huge pan, the one you use for cooking pasta.  She made that pan full of of our side dish...(really our main dish)...I often think of that memorable meal at that magical place...

this recipe would feed 4 as a side dish....

Creamed peas and potatoes

1 pound of new red potatoes or white...unpeeled cut into bite size pieces
1 cup of fresh peas or frozen baby peas
2 tablespoon of butter
2 tablespoon of flour
1 cup of milk or half and half
salt and pepper to taste...
cut the potatoes in bite size pieces, boil in salted water, just until done, drain...blanch the peas if using fresh...
melt butter in a sauce pan add flour and stir for about 5 minutes over medium heat cooking the flour, slowly add the milk, whisking at you go. just until it coumes to a boil.(basic white sauce) then add the peas. Pour the sauce over the drained potatoes, stir and season...that's it!

you can also add green onions or leeks....

boil potatoes, red or white....

2 tablespoons of butter melted....

whisk in flour....if using gluten free it won't be as thick as you remember regular flour...DON'T add more flour....then you will have to add up to 1 more cup of milk....experience here..

add milk and bring to boil...season with salt and pepper....

add peas to the white sauce....

when potatoes are finished, drain and add to the creamy mixture....

you are ready to serve!!!!!

SO, so good!!! don't wait until the peas in the garden have come up to make this, you can make it all year long...it is great with pork chops, ham, baked chicken and my favorite salmon....

Cheers to Happy  !!