LOCAL FLAVOR: Bacon and Pea Salad from Debbie Reed

Introductory Note: The Pawhuska Journal-Capital is ringing in 2022 with a little LOCAL FLAVOR! Unrivaled Osage County cooks will soon find their way into this captivating cooking column, and into the hearts and recipe boxes of loyal Journal-Capital readers.

A tried and true recipe has, at the very least, a 30-year (and still counting) family FAVORITE history, plus makes the MENU list EVERY SINGLE HOLIDAY; it practically comes with a guarantee for the RECIPE RECORD BOOKS!!!

Debbie Reed shared she originally got this BACON and PEA SALAD from her beloved sister-in-law Diane Reed, who had gotten the recipe from her mother, Lorraine Borgen, affectionately known as, Grandma Red!

Debbie giggled as she confided that eating this salad was nearly a ri of passage into the family! "If you can't EAT THE PEAS.... you're OUT!"

                                              BACON AND PEA SALAD

*Lettuce/ LEAF .... Debbie stated whatever lettuce your family likes will work but she highly recommended LEAF LETTUCE above all others

*Bacon .....1 pound fried crisp and crumbled 

*Green onions .... Every bit of it (the green and the white part) to taste

* Peas .... 1 bag frozen then thawed... Debbie stressed that the peas HAVE to be dry so she said thawing, rinsing, and allowing your peas to DRY COMPLETELY should be step number one!!!! 

*HELLMANS MAYONNAISE (absolutely NO EXCEPTIONS) Enough to cover the top

* Grated Parmesan Cheese... Debbie buys hers already grated, like KRAFT cheese in a bag. She declared, "Definitely NOT the powdered stuff in the green can!"

The amount of lettuce depends on the size of bowl you are using. Her absolute favorite is a round, deep, high-sided bowl. Place the ingredients in the bowl in the order listed, making VERY CERTAIN THE HELLMANS covers the entire top of the peas to create a "seal." Once the cheese has been applied, cover with plastic wrap and chill. Just before serving, THOROUGHLY TOSS THE SALAD INGREDIENTS together. Do not dip out from the layer!

Debbie commented that one beauty of this salad is the fact it may be prepared two to three days ahead of time!

Now, how's that for a little LOCAL FLAVOR ???!!!