Begin by hard-boiling the eggs. Place them in a saucepan and cover with cold water, then bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, remove the pan from heat, cover, and let the eggs sit for 10 minutes. After the time is up, cool the eggs in cold water, peel them, and dice into 1/2-inch pieces to add to your Creamy Southern Pea Salad.

In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the 7 slices of bacon until they are crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Keep an eye on them to ensure they don’t burn. When done, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to cool. Once cool, crumble it into small pieces.

Run 18 oz of frozen petite peas under cold water in a colander for about 2-3 minutes. Make sure they are thawed thoroughly and drained well.

Finely dice 1/2 cup of onion and chop 1/2 cup of celery into small pieces, approximately 1/4-inch thick.

In a small bowl, combine 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, a dash of cayenne, and a pinch of smoked paprika. Whisk these together until well blended.

In a large mixing bowl, gently combine the thawed peas, diced eggs, crumbled bacon, diced onion, chopped celery, and 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese. Toss everything together lightly.

In a separate bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise and 1/2 cup sour cream until smooth and creamy.

Pour the creamy dressing over the salad mixture. Gently fold the dressing into the salad using a spatula or wooden spoon.

Finally, refrigerate your Creamy Southern Pea Salad for at least 2 hours before serving.