Creamed Peas and Potatoes

I've always called this dish "Creamed Peas and Potatoes", but really, it has peas, potatoes and carrots. Both sides of my parents families had this dish growing up so it's something that was passed down. It's really yummy and I usually prepare this dish in the fall when potatoes and carrots are at their prime. But in the spring when peas are fresh it's also a fun treat.

Really it's a comfort food.

When I was a young girl I would spend hours in the garden picking and eating fresh peas. Something I still love. I've always loved peas, fresh sweet ones. Not canned peas, those are nasty!

To make this simple dish you need to start with a rue. To make a rue you melt butter and mix it with an equal amount of flour.

Brown the flour a little until it looses the raw taste.

Add salt, pepper, a pinch of white pepper, and a little bit of Chicken base. If using bouillon cubes, use only one. If using a concentrate, such as the Swanson Chicken Base concentrate packets, use about a teaspoon.

Wisk in milk and cream.

Wisk until sauce begins to thicken. It should cover the back of a metal spoon. Adding more milk if necessary.

Mix white sauce with boiled red potatoes, boiled carrot slices and rinsed frozen baby peas. Mix until peas are warm. Don't over cook the peas, they go hard and or mushy.

Serve

CREAMED PEAS AND POTATOES

4 Tbs. Butter - melted
4 Tbs. Flour - mixed with butter in sauce pan
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
pinch of white pepper
1/2 tsp. Chicken base/flavoring
1 C. Milk
1/2 C. Cream

Mix with boiled red potatoes (I used about 6 very small red potatoes - quartered), carrots (I used 3 carrots, sliced) and frozen sweet peas (about 1 cup frozen peas - rinsed).

Yeild: This amount serves 4-5