Peas and Thank You

Once, a king went hunting with his wise counselor. After a long time, they stopped to feed the horses some peas.

Suddenly a young monkey ran down a tree and scooped a huge handful of peas out of the feeding trough.

Halfway back up the tree one pea fell from the monkey's furry hands and, in a desperate attempt to catch it, the monkey dropped all the peas he was carrying.

Peas scattered on the ground and the horses ate them. The monkey was disappointed and went up the tree and sat on a branch with a sad face.

The king and his wise counselor watched this with amusement. The counselor chuckled, "Great King, when far too greedy you be, remember that monkey and the pea."

“The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty” (Proverbs 21:5)

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As a warning to those who eat peas . . . or any other seed . . . be careful how you eat them.  Do you remember how your mom told you to cut your food into small pieces and chew it thoroughly?  Well, there’s a reason why you should listen to your mother . . . because mother knows best.  Case in point:  a man from Massachusetts was rushed to the hospital with a collapsed lung.  Why?  Because he had a pea sprouting in his lung.   The man had been suffering for months with chest pain, shortness of breath and other symptoms.  He was tested for cancer with negative results because x-rays indicated a dark spot in his lung.  The tumor turned out to be a pea sprout about half of an inch in length.

His doctors think he must have eaten a pea that went down the wrong way and ended up in his lungs. . . how often has something similar happened to you?  Now, if he had listened to his mother and cut his food into tiny pieces . . . my mom actually cuts her peas in half . . . seriously, I always thought it was ridiculous but maybe not so much anymore.  Relieved that he doesn’t have cancer, the man still enjoys eating peas. 

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Pasta and peas is a simple one-pot dish that is easy to prepare and that your family will love.  It’s a meal I have been making for years and something that my kid who doesn’t eat anything devours.   It's also one of those things I like to make when I don't feel like cooking because it's so easy to prepare.

I don’t know the origin of the recipe, but it was introduced to me by my Slovak grandmother.  It’s a comfort food . . . tasty and satisfying.

Pasta with Green Peas

• 1 Pound Pasta (your choice)
• 1 Can Baby Peas
• 1 Cup Ricotta or Cottage Cheese
• 2/3 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 Cup Butter or Margarine

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, place peas in a colander. Drain spaghetti over peas.

Return hot spaghetti and peas to pot. Mix in the cheese and butter.  Toss until well combined. 

Serve immediately.

Use whatever type of pasta you like; I generally use whatever I have handy. 

I don’t use canned peas for anything  . . . except this recipe.  Maybe it’s because it’s the way I learned to make it, but they seem to have the right flavor and texture to compliment this dish.

I’ve used both Ricotta and Cottage cheese in this recipe. It tastes yummy with either; they each lend touch of delicate flavor and creamy texture.  I’ve also thrown in a spoonful of cream cheese in addition and it adds a little extra something.

You could also add some crispy bacon or pancetta to dress it up a bit.