SERVES 8

Ingredients

• 1 (2 lb) bag frozen southern style hash brown potatoes
• 1 medium onion, chopped fine
• Season-All salt
• 1/2 cup melted margarine
• 1 1/2-2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of chicken soup

Directions

1. Spray a 13″ X 9″ X 2″ baking pan with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.
2. In a bowl, combine soup, cheese, butter, onion, season salt, and pepper. (I mixed everything in my Kitchen-Aid Mixer… this made it super simple)
3. Gently fold the potatoes into the mixture and pour into prepared pan.
4. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes, until heated through and top is browned.

I love purple hull peas. To say they are a childhood memory would not be giving it enough credit. Shelling purple hull peas will always be a memory of time spent with my Dad. He was the king huller. A country Dad will always instill his instincts in his big city country girl. Good times and an amazing recipe.

I found this recipe on the purple hull festival website (Who knew?) This recipe was the first place winner by Christine Snider at the 2007 Purple Hull Pea Festival & World Championship. If anyone out there in cyber space knows Christine please pass on my information to her. I would love to tell her myself how much I love her recipe.

Ingredients:

• 5-6 cups shelled purple hull peas
• 6 oz. centercut smokey bacon (use a good brand)
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Cut bacon into inch size pieces and lightly brown in a dutch oven or deep saucepan. Do not drain bacon grease.
2. Add washed peas and enough water to cover plus one inch. Add 2 teaspoons salt.
3. Boil over medium heat until tender (about 45 minutes).
4. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Serve with hot, buttered cornbread.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 3/4 cup chicken broth (You could use clam juice)
• 3/4 cup white wine (if you don’t have wine you can double the chicken broth)
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 2-4 teaspoons (to taste) Louisiana pepper sauce (Tabasco)
• 1/2 cup scallions, chopped (including green parts)
• 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled (deveined)
• 3-4 cups cooked white rice

Directions:

1. Make roux: Heat margarine in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Gradually stir in flour. Cook, stirring constantly until brown (slightly darker than peanut butter).
2. Add celery, onion, garlic, and bell pepper, simmer 10 minutes.
3. Stir in tomatoes, chicken broth, wine, basil, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender.
4. Thin with chicken broth if roux is too thick. Add hot sauce to taste, scallions, and shrimp.
5. Simmer 5 minutes, or until shrimp are no longer pink.
6. Remove bay leaf.
7. Serve over rice.

Ingredients:

• 15 New potatoes (1-1/2 lb.)
• 2 tbs Sour Creams 
• 3 tbs margarine
• Dash of garlic powder
• Dash of salt
• Dash of pepper
• Bacon Bits

Directions:

1. Boil potatoes in a large saucepan 15 min. or until tender. 
2. While the potatoes are cooking, add sour cream, margarine, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to a small zip bag. Zip up the bag and knead all the ingredients together. Set aside.
3. One the potatoes are cooked cut them in half 
4. The bottoms may need to be sliced off so the potatoes can sit flat 
5. Allow the potatoes to come to room temperature. 
6. Cut the end off your zip bag and pipe the mixture onto the top of the potatoes. Top with bacon 
7. Serve at room temperature.

I was  not sold on this recipe. I loved how easy it was  to put together and it cooked quickly. You really have to watch it even on low to make sure it doesn’t burn. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the sauce. It was very bland to me.  The only thing I could taste was the tomato sauce. To me that overwhelmed the recipe. Also I don’t think the recipe requires enough cottage cheese. Normally I make my own spaghetti sauce, which is loaded with flavor, but I decided to follow the recipe this time. Maybe it was just me. I am not giving up on the lasagna recipe because it’s so simple and doesn’t heat up the house, but I think it could use a little tweaking next time. Here is the original recipe>>

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef  
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 (28 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 12 ounces cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese or asiago cheese 
• 12 ounces lasagna noodles, uncooked
• 16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup of wine (red or white)

Directions

1. Brown ground beef, onion and garlic in frypan.
2. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt and oregano.
3. Cook long enough to get it warm.
4. Spoon a layer of meat sauce onto the bottom of the slow cooker.
5. Add a double layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (break to fit) and top with cheeses.
6. Repeat with sauce, noodles and cheeses until all are used up.
7. With your wine go around the edges of your crock-pot and lightly pour your wine around the lasagna.
8. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. *Mine was done in 3 hours really watch the time because 5 hours could mean buring dinner. *