Tag Archives: green beans

Happy Memorial Day!

Summer BBQ season is here. I usually leave the meat grilling to my husband, and focus on side dishes. This baby bok choy salad would be a great side with almost any main course.

Baby Bok Choy Salad

Baby Bok Choy Salad
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6 servings
 
Ingredients
  • 4 small heads of baby bok choy, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 cup cut green beans
  • 4 green onions, sliced into 3 inch pieces and then thinly lengthwise
  • ¼ cup almond slices, toasted
  • ½ cup chow mein noodles
  • Asian salad dressing
Instructions
  1. Combine bok choy, carrots, beans, and onions in a large bowl.
  2. Toss with dressing.
  3. Top with almonds and chow mein noodles. Serve immediately.

On this Memorial Day, remember those who died in service to the USA.

Pleasant Surprise

I was not expecting green beans in our CSA box this week. (We were supposed to get cucumbers.) It was a pleasant surprise. I would have ordered them instead if that had been an option! Fresh green beans always remind me of helping my Mom and Grandma in the garden when I was growing up in Wisconsin.

Roasted Beans and Mushrooms

I’ve done a similar recipe on the grill in the past, but there is something earthy about roasting vegetables that just can’t be accomplished any other way.

Roasted Green Beans and Mushrooms
Recipe type: Side
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 1 pound green beans, trimmed
  • ½ pound cremini mushrooms, halved
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. Place green beans in a medium bowl. Add olive oil and toss to coat. Spread the beans on a cookie sheet. Roast for 10 minutes.
  3. Add mushrooms and rosemary to pan, toss to combine. Roast an additional 15 minutes.

 

Sauteed Green Beans and Mushrooms

Sauteed Green Beans and MushroomsThanksgiving was a whole week ago, and I am finally sharing the recipe for green beans I used. Green beans are a traditional Thanksgiving dish, but often are drenched in canned soup and onions. You lose the flavor of the beans! Last year, I made a similar recipe on the grill, but, since I scaled down the number of dishes I made this year, cooking the beans on the stove top was possible.

Sauteed Green Beans and Mushrooms
Recipe type: Side
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in 1 inch pieces
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoons dried rosemary
  • 4 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, cut in ¼ inch slices
  • ¼ cup chopped onion
Instructions
  1. Steam green beans until tender crisp, about 5 minutes.
  2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add rosemary, then mushrooms and onion. Saute until onion is translucent, about 7 minutes. Add steamed beans, cook a few minutes longer, stirring frequently.

This was so much healthier (and tastier) than the “traditional” green bean casserole. All the prep work can be done ahead, so it would be a quick, last minute dish.

Happy eating!

Ruth

Thanksgiving Leftovers Casserole

Thanksgiving Leftovers CasseroleMy husband and I had a very quiet Thanksgiving. I cooked a 17 pound turkey, so we have lots of leftovers. (I already have the dark meat cubed and frozen, since neither of us eats it except in casseroles.) I really limited the side dishes this year-just dressing, cranberry sauce and a green bean dish using the beans from our box. (I’ll post that recipe next week.) Last night, I used the leftovers to make a casserole. Casseroles are a great way to use up bits and pieces! The advantage of making a casserole was that the leftovers stayed really moist. I used my leftover green beans for this casserole, but you could probably use other vegetables instead.

Thanksgiving Leftovers Casserole
Recipe type: Main
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 2 cups dressing
  • 2 cups cooked turkey or chicken, cubed
  • 2 cups cooked vegetables
  • 1 cup turkey or chicken gravy
  • ½ cup whole berry cranberry sauce
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 11 X 7 casserole with non stick cooking spray.
  2. Spread dressing in bottom of pan. Combine meat and vegetables, spread over dressing.
  3. Combine gravy and cranberry sauce. Pour over all.
  4. Bake for 45 minutes, until heated through.

It is so hard to believe Christmas is right around the corner. I have so much left to do!

Happy eating!

Ruth

Chile Spiced Green Beans

Chile Spiced Green BeansI love fresh green beans. I remember my Mom growing green beans in our garden when I was young. (I also have less fond memories of weeding those beans!) I was planning to serve the beans from our latest box with some Oriental spiced grilled pork chops, so I decided to make them spicy. I found this recipe for Sweet and Spicy Green Beans from allrecipes.com. I decided to use some of the green chile from our box instead of the garlic chili sauce. The results were spicy good! If you are not a big spicy food eater, you might want to cut back on the chile.

Chile Spiced Green Beans
Recipe type: Side
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon chopped green chile
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ tablespoon honey
Instructions
  1. Steam beans for 5 minutes.
  2. Heat oil in large skillet. Saute steamed beans for 5 minutes.
  3. While beans are cooking, combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Add to skillet and continue to saute, stirring constantly, until liquid is absorbed. Serve immediately.

I’m thinking about running a survey of my readers next week, and I hope everyone will participate.

Happy eating!

Ruth