Auntie Dianne's Pea Salad

As summer winds down and the kids head back to school, I can't help but feel a little sad that the long hot days of summer are a thing of the past. Another summer is in the books, so to speak. Our fun memories were made and forever imprinted in our minds. So why do I feel sad? I should feel great, because the kids are back in school and they love it so far! I should feel great because we're right on the cusp of my favorite season, FALL! 
Maybe sad isn't the right word, but more like regretful because it's an ending. When summer comes to an end, I always feel a little regretful because I think, maybe I didn't do enough with my kids this summer. Maybe I didn't enjoy it as much as I should have. Maybe I was too preoccupied with other things to really live in the moment...to feel grateful and at peace. I certainly didn't do all that I had planned to do this summer, but as I'm turning 47 next week, I know all too well that, time waits for no one. Anyway, I need to let go of all this regretful thinking and realize I did all I could this summer and that is enough and that is okay.
I decided to end my summer recipes with my Auntie Dianne's Pea Salad. It is simple and super delicious and can be made a day ahead for your Labor Day weekend BBQ. My aunt usually serves this in a large glass salad bowl, but I thought it would be fun to layer them and serve in individual mason jars. Mix well before serving and enjoy! 
 

Auntie Dianne's Pea Salad

Serves 4
 
2 cups frozen baby peas,
3 stalks celery, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
salt/pepper (to taste)
1/4 t celery seeds
4 cups of iceberg lettuce (I used Romaine)
4 T lite mayonnaise, divided
1 cup cheddar or cheddar/jack cheese, shredded
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled 

In a medium bowl, combine peas, celery, green onions, salt and pepper and mix together. 
Layer in mason jars or in a glass salad bowl.

1. Add about 1/2 cup of the pea mixture to the bottom of a mason jar. Sprinkle some celery seeds over top. 

2. Layer about 1 cup Romaine lettuce on top of pea mixture.
3. Spoon about 1 T of mayonnaise on top of lettuce layer.
4. Using the back of a small spoon, carefully spread mayonnaise on top of lettuce as if icing a cake.
5. Sprinkle and cover mayonnaise with 1/4 cup cheddar or cheddar/jack cheese.
6. Sprinkle top with crumbled bacon.
 
Place lids on Mason Jars and chill until ready to eat. Toss when ready to eat. 

Other Salads to try:
        

Summer Fruit Salad with Ginger and Lime

Zucchini Ribbon Summer Salad

Roasted Roaches

You are probably looking at this picture, squirming thinking how gross are roasted roaches. Well, thankfully they are not roaches but these scrumptious cheese stuffed, bacon wrapped dates that literally taste like candy! My girlfriend, Suzette who is an amazing cook, brought these yummy morsels to one of our dinner clubs and they were the HIT of the night. They are the perfect balance of salty from the bacon, sweetness from the dates a smooth tang from the cheeses. 

They might look a little intimidating because of all of the "brown" happening. It's likely similar to the reaction my kids get when they see green on their dinner plates, but don't let looks stop you from trying this delicious appetizer. If you are feeding a crowd make sure you double and triple the recipe below, they will go in a flash! Happy Halloween!

Roasted Roaches (Cheese Stuffed, Bacon Wrapped Dates)

Makes 12-16 
(slightly adapted recipe from Suzette Pedrin)

12-16 pitted dates
1/4 cup chevre cheese*
1/4 cup crumbled bleu cheese
6 slices of thin bacon, sliced lengthwise and halved

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the cheeses making sure to break up the bleu cheese crumbles so that they will easily pass through a piping tip. Transfer cheeses to a pastry bag and pipe cheese into pitted dates.

*I added goat cheese here so it would be easy to pipe into the dates but you can always substitute with cream cheese or just use all bleu cheese by itself, which is true to Suzette's original recipe.
 



Wrap cheese stuffed dates in bacon, securing with a toothpick. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, rotate and bake an additional 10 minutes. Remove toothpicks and rotate to ensure even browning and bake an additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven, cool and enjoy!
 

More Halloween inspired recipes to try, click here.