The arrival of Spring makes me want to eat freshly picked green things! It’s a seasonal thing and I am ready to eat right out of the garden. Peas are what come to mind. I’m a fan of sugar snap peas and I prefer to eat them raw. I get that from my mom. She used to eat raw green peas as a kid.

My mother grew up in a house along the Susquehanna River in Tunkhannock, PA. She was one of 7 kids. They had a large garden where they grew corn, potatoes, string beans, peas and carrots. One of my mom’s chores was to gather the ripe vegetables. When the peas were ready, she’d shell them & eat them right off the vine. I imagine it would have taken her quite a while to pick enough peas for the family to have with dinner when there were 9 of them to feed & the peas were being eaten as they were being picked! I’m looking forward to picking some from the garden for dinner in the coming months. Some of them might even make it to the dinner table.

My mother’s family in 1941. Brothers John, Bob, Chuck and Bill. My mom is the infant being held by my grandfather.

This recipe would satisfy both my mother and me. The 2 kinds of peas are crisp and flavorful.

Parmesan Peas (adapted from goodhousekeeping.com)

Yields: 4-6 servings  Total Time: 25 min

Ingredients:

• 1 pound sugar snap peas, strings removed
• 8 ounces frozen green peas
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/3 cup (1 ounce) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Fill a large saucepot with water, add a dash of salt, cover the pot and bring the water to boiling over high heat. Add the sugar snap peas and green peas, cooking for 1 minute, or until the frozen peas are thawed. Drain the peas well.

The 2 kinds of peas get a quick dunking in the boiling water.

In the same pot, melt the butter on medium-high. Cook the butter for 3 to 4 minutes or until it is browned and fragrant, swirling occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the peas, salt, and pepper, tossing to coat.

That’s what I call Spring Green!

Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the Parmesan. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.

Simply delicious!

This is a great side dish for Spring!  ~Linda

Parmesan Peas (adapted from goodhousekeeping.com)

Yields: 4-6 servings  Total Time: 25 min

Ingredients:

• 1 pound sugar snap peas, strings removed
• 8 ounces frozen green peas
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/3 cup (1 ounce) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Fill a large saucepot with water, add a dash of salt, cover the pot and bring the water to boiling over high heat. Add the sugar snap peas and green peas, cooking for 1 minute, or until the frozen peas are thawed. Drain the peas well.

In the same pot, melt the butter on medium-high. Cook the butter for 3 to 4 minutes or until it is browned and fragrant, swirling occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the peas, salt, and pepper, tossing to coat. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.