Snipping Green Beans

A comforting activity.  Wash your beans and let them drain in a collendar or dry them with a towel.

Take the end off, then the stem, with a little pinch and twist.  Green beans should be crisp and give a little snap as they break.  Then break each bean in two.  Leave them whole if you want.  This is how I do it.

Continue with each bean until you are done.  Have a little chat with someone while you do it.  Or have them help you.  If there is no one there to enjoy this with you, have a little chat with yourself.  This is the time of day when I reflect and get some perspective.  After a busy day with so many demands and activity, these simple tasks can give time to reconnect and feel good. 

Remember to do something that feels good.

Italian Sauted Green Beans

Pick beans when they are small.  Big green beans aren't tender or tasty.  If you are buying them from the store or farm stand, take the time to pick out the smaller ones.  In fact, you should never feel embarrassed to pick through produce and get exactly what you want. 


Green beans are very good for you, easy to grow, and frugal.  Only the cost of a package of seeds.  More importantly, they provide a life long memory for the kids.  Talk about it: growing, picking and eating "our own" produce.  We find things under the bushes we want to look at.  Bugs, other plants, interesting things in the dirt.  It is fun and good for them.


Italian Sauted Green Beans
2 cups fresh green beans, snipped and cleaned.
2 big garlic cloves or 3 small garlic cloves, minced
1 T. olive oil
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. fresh ground pepper
1/2 t. dry oregano leaves (or 1T. fresh finely minced)
1 T. white wine, water, or broth
1 small tomato, diced.

Snip smallish green beans and break in half.  Wash thoroughly in a colandar.  Let drain.  In a large skillet, heat oil until a drop of water gives a medium sizzle.  Add beans and move them around with a spoon to coat.  Add salt, pepper, and oregano.  Increase heat to medium high and continue stirring for 5 minutes.  Add garlic and wine and tomato.  Stir to combine well.  Reduce temperature to medium, add a lid and steam for an additional 5 minutes.  

Just a few hints from someone with just a little experience. 

• The beans should be well drained before they hit the hot oil.  Just saying.  If you are in a hurry, dry them with a paper towel.  Thank me later.
• Get your hand wet under the sink then splatter a drop at the skillet to determine how hot the skillet and oil without danger to you. 
• Keep a lid close by.  If it sizzles too much, put the lid on. 
• With more experience, you'll get a medium sizzle without drama.  
• Burned garlic doesn't taste good.  Many recipes add the garlic early in the saute.  I think add it late. 
• The purpose of the wine is to give liquid to steam the vegetables softer and flavor.  If you don't like or don't want the wine, use water or broth. 
• A drop of my favorite hot sauce isn't a bad idea if you like that sort of thing. You could leave the fresh ground pepper out and add more hot sauce.

Remember to make real food.  

Bush Beans in Raised Bed 2

Gardening was not really successful for me this year.  June in Washington was wet and cool.  My summer was taken up by the forced remodel.  A few things were awesome - blueberries, rhubarb, raspberries, blackberries, the herbs.   All now packed carefully in my freezer.  Others just didn't do much - peppers, strawberries, tomatoes.  I've got tomatoes now, but considering that there are 6 bushes, not much.

The beans are just now ready, in mid September.  Really late.  I planted these guys from seed one warm afternoon when I was on my own. 

Now, I have help. She's six and my favorite helper.  Her mom will marry Step Son in about a week.  She will be my step, step grand daughter.  I can't wait.  She calls me Meemaw.

I show her what size I want her to pick and turn her loose.  Look at her go!  She wants to cook with me every time I see her.  After the wedding, I hope to get a day with her to cook what she wants. 

Until then, we pick beans with our other favorite helper.  I remember similar activities with my own grandmother, now more than 40 years ago.  How is that possible? 

.

Not too bad of a mess of beans, do you think?

We've been looking through my cookbooks together, so I can see what she wants to make.  Anything with chocolate looks like the deal.  She likes the whole cupcake thing.

I talked to her mom about arranging our next play date, but she's a little busy planning a wedding.  Patience. 

Remember to pass along what you know.