Monday, March 16, 2015

Peas with Garlic & Tomatoes

A quick and delicious side dish!

Simmering for a few minutes in the pan.
Peas! You either love 'em or hate 'em. I happen to love them...in salads, casseroles, soups, etc. When I was a little girl, my dad would bring home bushels from the veggie farms and we would help open the pods and get out those fresh peas. Truthfully, it took awhile to get enough for dinner, but that might be because I eating them raw. Yeah, I was kind of a "backward helper". 

I guess everyone has a favorite little restaurant...you know the place.  When you walk in, they know your name, ask about the family, guide you right to your special little table in the corner.  Such a great feeling!

Anyway, my husband and I had that place when we lived in New Jersey. It was a little Italian restaurant called "Two Brothers"...and yes, there were two brothers, Tony and Phil.  They treat us so wonderfully, and had the best pizza, pasta, calzones, cannoli...well, you get the picture!

One of my all-time favorite side dishes they made was peas with bits of garlic, and tomato sauce.  Totally yummy!  One day, while preparing it, I ran out of tomato sauce (yikes).  But, I did have a fresh tomato, so I used that.  We all really liked the way it lightened up the flavor, yet still kept the integrity of the original.  I still use both, but since I just made it again with the fresh tomato...here's that recipe.

Ingredients:
1 (10.8 oz.) pkg. of Birdseye Steamfresh Sweet Peas
1 tomato, skin peeled off (or a small amount of tomato sauce)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper to taste
pinch of basil and oregano to taste

Microwave peas according to package directions, but no more than 4 minutes. 

Peel skin from tomato with a sharp knife; discard skin.  Chop remaining tomato into very small pieces.

Mince garlic; set aside.

Pour 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a skillet, add the tomatoes and cook until just starting to soften.  Add minced garlic and cook together with tomatoes a few minutes.   Don't let the garlic turn brown or it will be bitter.

Add the peas and let simmer for a couple of minutes to blend flavors.  Now, you're ready to serve. 

Easy-peasy!

Be encouraged! 
"He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy." - Colossians 1:18

No comments:

Post a Comment