Easter Croquettes

Easter comes around again and I think of little girls dressed in bonnets, Mary Janes, and white gloves. I also think about my mom's pea-cheese salad, which is a mayo-based combo of cold peas, chunks of cheddar, and a few green onions. Sure it sounds weird but it has become the centerpiece of our holiday meal. (Oh OK, honestly I think she uses Miracle Whip which is one of the reasons my tuna sandwiches and my peas-cheese salad will never taste as good as Mom's.)

Croquettes are making the rounds again. I've been seeing them on happy hour menus and across the blogosphere. What better way to use up your Easter ham and egg leftovers than to mix them with a roux then batter and fry? Inspired by my mom's salad, I threw in some peas and cheddar and came out with a pretty decent crunchy cake. I wrote about the croquettes and my my family's Easter rituals at this week's Called to the Table column.