Green Bean Salad

Brrr…it’s a bit chilly out this morning.  It does certainly feel like a fall morning.  I know Labor Day happened and all but I’m not quite ready to let go of summer yet.  Plus, my calendar says Autumn doesn’t begin until later this month.  If you feel the same way, this recipe is for you! I know there are still fresh green beans and cherry tomatoes out there!!

 

 

Green Bean Salad
from The Food Network

Ingredients
Kosher salt
1 pound slender green beans, ends trimmed
1 cup feta cheese crumbles
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
1/2 cup slivered almonds
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 large clove garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper

What To Do
Boil a large pot of salted water. Add the green beans and cook until tender crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Use a spider to remove to a bowl of ice water. Drain well, pat dry and place the beans in a large bowl. Combine with the feta cheese, tomatoes and red onions.

Toast the almonds in a small skillet, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a plate.

Whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, basil, garlic and some salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the green beans and sprinkle with the toasted almonds. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.

My Comments
Well, so…Matt and I really really like this salad but we altered it just a bit…first, we cooked our green beans (in unsalted water) all the way because neither of us like crunchy green beans.  So that means, no ice bath needed.

Clearly, from the picture, you can see we did not slice our cherry tomatoes in half and really, at this stage of the garden game, mine are smaller now anyway – there’s really no point in halving them.

We skipped the almonds.

And we used dried basil instead of fresh because my basil never really took off this year.  It reached maybe 5 inches tall with a few leaves and that’s it.

And…the first time we did not let it marinate for an hour because we didn’t have time.  The second time we did.  Either way, it tastes great!

 

Did you ever see the movie, UP? They say “adventure is out there!” and I feel like saying “summer is out there!” because really, it is and we can still eat delicious fresh green beans and cherry tomatoes in wonderful salad form…even if we need to wear a sweater while doing so.

Enjoy your day!

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Green Beans with Balsamic Butter

“Soon” is a relative term.  Way back (or not so way back) in April, when I posted the Flourless Honey-Almond Cake I made for family, I said I would post these green beans “soon.”  Well, so sorry for the delay but better late than never, right? I like to think this is just in time for Thanksgiving.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the traditional green bean casserole but sometimes I want something different!

Green Beans with Balsamic Butter
from Our Best Bites
serves about 8

Ingredients
2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup salted butter
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 green onions, chopped (the entire thing)
2 cloves garlic, minced

What To Do
Combine the onions, garlic, and vinegar in a small saucepan. Cook on medium, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes or until most of the vinegar is reduced into a thick syrup and has been absorbed by the green onions. Remove from heat and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While the water is coming to a boil, combine the vinegar/onion mixture and the butter. Set aside.

When the water begins to boil, add the green beans. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until the beans float to the top and are bright green. Drain. Toss in the balsamic butter and serve immediately.

My Comments
This does make a lot of green beans, so I normally make half the recipe.

When you are cooking the vinegar mixture, be careful breathing!! Whew! It can be quite strong.  I usually do this on one of the back burners so it’s not right under my nose.

I do not use salted butter.  I only buy unsalted butter and it works just fine.  You can sprinkle in some salt if you want but I never have.

I always try a green bean around the 4-minute mark to see if it’s done or not.  Mine seem to always be floating so I have to try one to know if it’s cooked.

My picture is with the balsamic butter just drizzled over…it’s not as photogenic after it has been tossed…but it is delicious!

I love green beans fixed this way.  The flavor is great and it’s fairly quick to throw together.  This makes a great side dish and I hope you love it too, whether you try it soon…or not so soon.  🙂

Lemony Green Beans

So yes, I made the title of this dish up.  I have no idea where I got the recipe from – it’s been in my recipe box for a long time (with just the title of “green beans”), on a piece of scrap paper from my Loaded Questions game.  It’s interesting to read the answers from the game written on the back and I’m 95% sure I know whose handwriting it is…

Anyway, I got some wonderful green beans from the farmer’s market and decided to fix this quick dish to go with some Baked Tilapia.  The beans cooked up while the fish was in the oven.  Ah…efficiency at its finest…

 

 

Lemony Green Beans

Ingredients
1 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 lb green beans, trimmed
salt and pepper to taste
1 T lemon juice

What To Do
Heat oil and butter over medium heat on the stove.  Add green beans.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cover and cook, tossing occasionally until crisp tender, 5 – 8 minutes.  Stir in lemon juice and serve immediately.

 

Simple.  Easy.  A great way to showcase fresh green beans from the farm or your garden.  YUM.