Fresh Green Beans

[MidwesternGal]

Other than putting EVOO or butter on fresh green beans, what can I use them for? I bought a whole bag of them at the local grocery store--they didn't have a small sized one.

Any thoughts?

[tlew12778]

Balsamic vinegar, pesto, use them in a salad...

[laura]

Stir fry? Pasta dish?

[lil_geek]

a little EVOO and parmasean and garlic. Tastes like pasta without the carbs!

[MidwesternGal]

Ahh, pasta salad! I didn't even think of that!

Thanks!

[myshel]

I make them the regular way and then add in some fresh minced garlic. I'd serve them with a nice grilled steak.

[blondetwin22001]

Here is a Paula Deen recipe that uses canned green beans, but I would think fresh green beans would be yummy in it too!

Green Bean Bundles
Makes 10 to 12 servings

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons garlic powder
3 (14.5-ounce) cans whole green beans
1 pound sliced peppered bacon

In a small saucepan, combine first 4 ingredients over medium-high heat. When butter has melted, remove from heat and set aside. Bundle 6 to 7 beans together, wrapping with 1 strip of bacon. Secure bacon strip with a toothpick. Place on a baking sheet. Spoon butter mixture over each bundle. Cover baking sheet and allow to
marinate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Uncover green bean bundles and cook for 40 minutes.

[SingleWhiteFemale]

This is a homemade version of the cream of mushroom soup and French's fried onion casserole you see at Thanksgiving. But this version is really good and much better for you, and we rarely have leftovers (only 3 of us, and if there's a scoop left, we fight over it!). The recipe was from a recent issue of Cook's Illustrated.


BEANS
2 quarts water
1 tablespoon table salt
1 pound fresh green beans, ends snapped, snapped into bite-size pieces

Bring the water to boil in a large pot or Dutch oven. While it comes to a boil, prep the beans. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Add the salt and beans to the boiling water. Cover and cook for 6 minutes or until crisp-tender and still bright green. Drain beans in a colander, then plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain a bit in the colander again. Place a double layer of paper towels on a baking sheet, arrange beans in single layer to dry, top with a double layer of towels.

MUSHROOMS & SAUCE
8 ounces baby portabella mushrooms or white button mushrooms
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon garlic
Fresh pepper to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon dry sherry (optional)
3/4 cup heavy cream
Salt & pepper to taste

Clean the mushrooms; break off and discard the stems. Break the mushroom tops into pieces. Melt the butter in a skillet (to save a pan, use the pot used for cooking the beans) til shimmery. Add the mushrooms, garlic, salt and pepper; stirring often, cook til mushrooms begin to soften and exude their liquid, about 6 minutes. Stir in flour and cook a minute. Add the chicken stock, sherry and bring to a simmer. Add the heavy cream, simmer til sauce thickens, about 10 - 15 minutes. Taste and adjusting seasonings. Stir in beans.

TOPPING
1 slice whole grain bread (or any bread really)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 a 2.8 ounce can of French fried onions
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1/16 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In the food processor, process the bread, butter and seasonings in about 10 quick pulses. Stir in (don't process the onions). If making ahead, transfer to a storage container and refrigerate.

COOKING RIGHT AWAY Preheat oven to 425F. Transfer bean mixture to a greased quiche pan or baking dish. Top beans with topping and bake for 15 minutes.

COOKING LATER Transfer bean mixture to a greased quiche pan or baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Return to room temperature. Remove plastic wrap. Heat in 425F oven for about 10 minutes. Add topping and bake for another 15 minutes.

[Medako]

simmer with new potatoes and a little bacon. Good ol' southern green beans :)

[SweetRed]

Mix together (roughly) two parts olive oil, one part white vinegar, and one part honey mustard (although I like to go heavy on the mustard). Little salt and pepper. If I have them, add chopped chives.

That's the way I serve green beans whenever I need something with a touch tangy.

[ash313]

simmer with onions and bacon.

[Weddings by]

Stir fry with beef, coconut milk, sri racha, garlic, onion... Yum.

[MidwesternGal]

oooh thanks for the recipies!!

They all sound yummy!! The homemade casseroles and the potatoes and bacon--awesome.

Weddings by--What is sri racha?

[Weddings by]

Oops, I spelled it wrong. It's sriracha. It's a Thai chili sauce. Here (http://www.panix.com/~clay/cookbook/bin/show_ingredient.cgi?sriracha)'s a link to a picture of it. The one with the rooster on it is the sauce that we see everywhere and that our exchange student said that they use in Thailand.

Here's my actual recipe. I loved a dish from a local restaurant and figured out how to make a fairly good facsimile.

Thai Green Beans with Beef

Marinate:
3 c. thinly sliced beef
1 tsp. sriracha
2Tbsp. coconut milk
1/3 c. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. cilantro, finely chopped
7 cloves pressed garlic
1/4 tsp. pepper

Stir-fry 1 c. onion slices in olive oil. Add meat and cook it. Remove. Cook 3 c. green beans, add meat and liquid (that came from cooking the meat). Thicken and serve with rice.

[coleyndw]

One of my favorite quick and dirty crock pot meals is green beans, red potatoes and ham. Pretty self explanatory: cube meat (you can use a ham steak, it's cheaper and for a smaller crowd) and cube the washed potatoes (leave the skins on or off- on if you are in a hurry), prep beans by washing and chopping off the ends- cover in chicken broth or water with a few chicken bullion cubes. If you want to get fancy add some chopped onion and minced garlic. Of course, add spices (I suggest oregano, a touch of cinnamon (for the ham), pepper, a little bit of thyme or sage). Throw into crock pot on low while at work, come home and eat as you please. Quite possibly one of the easiest meals and the potatoes are so tender you'll love it as left overs too.

[Pink_Converse]

Just wanted to say green bean bundles are sooo good! My aunt makes them like the Paula Deen recipe.

[MidwesternGal]

Thanks everyone for the recipies. At my house growing up, we had them plain or in the typical French's Fried onion casserole. So I was clueless!!

Thanks!!