Green Beans are a favorite at our house. This elegant version elevates basic green beans to a whole new level. This dish is great for entertaining because it looks and tastes like you spent a lot more time on it than you actually did. Roasting the green beans assures they will be crisp tender and full of robust flavor. As an added bonus, the extra virgin olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese greatly enhances the natural appeal of this classic side. Green Beans are actually the seed pod of the common bean plant — though I’m not really sure that fact makes them taste better! Names vary according to their characteristics of growth -- string beans, snap beans, pole beans, bush beans or French beans. Green beans are low in calories and carbs but high in nutritional value. They ... [Read More]
Side Dishes
Maple Glazed Baby Carrots
They are really good, my sister Vee said, when telling me about the glazed carrots she’d made. That was a couple of years ago and I’ve had the recipe in my “let’s try this” stack ever since. Last time we visited her family, she made Maple Glazed Carrots with Pecans. And she was right – again! They are good! But let’s just keep that between us okay – she doesn’t need to go gettin’ the big head!* I’ve gotten lazy and grab a package of frozen vegetables to microwave instead of cooking the real deal. This recipe starts with baby carrots – no need to peel and slice. Put a cup or so of water in a medium pan, add carrots, cover and bring to boil. Steam/boil until carrots are crisp tender when pierced with a fork. That only takes about 15 minutes. So easy, it was not worth the fussin’ on my ... [Read More]
Basic Creamed Peas
Creamed peas are good on their own but they are also very versatile. You can dress them up with onions, mushrooms or small new potatoes. Creamed peas are one of those traditional family dishes that are rarely given a thought. Some families add to the basic sauce. Things like a spoonful of sugar -- or a dash of nutmeg, a bit of crushed garlic, a couple slices of crumbled bacon, some cheese. Just one or two from the list to lift the dish from bland to memorable. My own preference is butter --- LOTS of it! Creamed peas served over mashed potatoes are a traditional accompaniment to salmon patties – along with sweet coleslaw. The sauce is a basic white sauce. Not only does it make a great sauce for creamed peas, but making a good white sauce is a basic and versatile cooking ... [Read More]
