Peas and Rice 6/26/14

Taste of Home Pistachio Ice Cream Dessert

You certainly do not need me to tell you that we have nearly used up the month of June. That means that the year of 2014 is half over. Anything that you promised to accomplish this year, you better get started on.  That is one good thing about your hair turning white and the approaching “golden years”,  you do not remember what you promised to do this year!

Last week was a slow one for me. The most exciting thing I did was a visit to my dentist for a root canal!  We both survived the ordeal. To not play favorites maybe I should mention a Friday visit to have blood drawn for a yearly physical check up.  I was afraid the technician was not going to leave me enough to manage my way home, but it was all my own lack of confidence.  I recently read somewhere that "worry is like rocking in your rocking chair.  It keeps you busy but you don’t get anywhere!"

Today kept me busy with a benefit brunch after liturgy for the young people at my church who are going on a weeklong “work camp”. I was home about an hour when they came after me to attend a bridal shower in Wauseon for my granddaughter. I was still groggy from overeating at the brunch, but you could not tell it by looking at the plate I filled from a very tasty and attractively served refreshment table. I was fairly comfortable until I noticed there was a dessert table with some very tempting cupcakes yelling at me. My rationalization of the situation told me that one little cupcake was not going to affect the sugar content of the blood that my doctor already had. Still on my things to do list was make a quick trip to Butler for calling hours for the death of a friend’s sister. After my do nothing week, I am tired.

I thought I was so smart and picked out this week’s recipes early in the week. Once again I heard my mother’s voice challenging me that “Pride goeth before a fall !”   Guess what. I still have not found the book the recipes are in. The only good thing about that is that I did find something that I had lost while I was looking for my book. If you followed me through all of that, I had better count my blessings and get to the newly chosen ones. Let me start with one so simple that I wondered why I never thought of doing that.  I am going to try it this week.

                        

PEAS AND RICE

1 ½ cups raw rice

1 can ( 16 oz.) peas , drained

1 can condensed cream of celery soup

Cook rice according to package directions, until just a small amount of water remains on tip. Stir in peas and undiluted soup.  Heat through. Even you men who do not like to cook can do this! 

For you more experienced cooks, here is one more challenging and no doubt more tasty. Besides the picture is almost taste worthy, taken from a six year old Taste of Home book.

                        

PISTACHIO ICE CREAM DESSERT

1 cup crushed butter flavored crackers

¼ cup butter, melted

¾ cup cold milk

1 package (3.4 oz.) instant pistachio pudding mix

1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened

1 carton (8 oz.) whipped topping

2 packages (2.5 oz. total) Heath Candy Bars, crushed

Combine cracker crumbs and butter. Press into a 9 inch square baking pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Meanwhile whisk milk and pudding mix for two minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft set. Stir in ice cream. Pour over cracker crust. Cover and freeze for 2 hours. Spread with whipped topping and sprinkle with crushed candy bars. Cover and freeze one hour. Hint: to soften ice cream, transfer from freezer to refrigerator 30 minute before using it. Or let it stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes.