Six Bean Salad

     Occasionally, I will post a healthy recipe. My philosophy is to eat your fruits and vegetables, then you can have some sweets. No wonder my kids will eat their vegetables. The first time I had a five bean salad was while I was in the military. I liked it but I like beans and green beans. My favorite is green beans so I doubled the green beans.
     Since we were having a cook out. I decided to make some easy side dishes. The five bean salad was one of the side dishes. My husband will not eat this dish. He wouldn't even try it. The kids would try it but they preferred the macaroni salad. 
     I will have to make this dish for my Dad. He would appreciate it as much as I did. I will post photos of my trip soon. I hope you have a wonderful 4th of July. Be safe.

Six Bean Salad
2 cans (15 oz) green beans
1 can (15 oz) waxed yellow beans
1 can (15 oz) kidney beans
1 can (15 oz) black beans
1 can (15 oz) white kidney beans
1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans
1 tsp grated onion
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp celery salt, additional for garnish

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, heat the green beans and yellow wax beans. Drain and allow to cool.
2. Rinse off the kidney beans, black beans, and garbanzo beans. Set aside. 
3. In a small bowl, combine the onion, sugar, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper. 
4. Gently, toss all the ingredients in a large bowl. 
5. Lightly top with additional celery salt.
6. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Recipe adapted from Samina Cooks. 

Two years ago.......................I made Strawberry Fool with blueberries.
Three years ago.....................I made Strawberry Whoppie Pies.
Four years ago.......................I made Bacon and Cheddar Scones.

Did you already know........................
-Green beans originated from Mexico and South America.
-In the 16th century, the Spanish explores introduced beans to Europe.
-Green beans and dry beans belong to the Phaseolus vulgaris family.

Roasted Green Beans with Walnuts and Cranberries

Since Thanksgiving is approaching soon, I'm trying out new side dishes. Do you always make the same dishes every year or do you change the menu? There are some traditional foods I always make but the sides plus desserts vary. I loved this recipe and it did have the great flavors of Thanksgiving. I will be adding it to my menu.

Roasted Green
1 1/2 lbs. green beans, trimmed
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. On a baking sheet, toss the green beans with the olive oil and salt.
3. Evenly spread the green beans onto the baking sheet.
4. Sprinkle the walnuts on top of the green beans.
5. cook the green beans in the oven for 6 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and carefully mix in the cranberries.
7. Cook the green beans for another 6 minutes. 
8. Serve immediately.

Recipe aspired from Real Simple.

One year ago...........................I made Lasagna Soup.
Two years ago........................I made Roasted Chicken.

Did you already know............
-Early Settlers thought the flower of the cranberry resembled a cran hence the name crane berry.
-It is believed cranberries were served at the first Thanksgiving.
-Native Indians called cranberries either sassamanesh, ibimi, and atoqua.

Green Beans with sauteed onions

When I was growing up, my mother always had a vegetable with our meals. Since she was a good role model, I like to follow her example. I'm glad because my children eat their vegetables. My husband is a different story. Normally, I make our vegetables very plain. Sometimes I get fancy and add olive oil with salt and pepper. Well, we have been eating a lot of green beans lately. When I saw this recipe, I knew the kids would love it. We even talked my husband into trying it. He doesn't eat green beans. He probably hasn't had green beans for over twenty years at least. He even would eat these green beans.

Yellow, Purple, and Green Beans used

Green Beans with Caramelized Onions
3 lbs. fresh green beans, stem end trimmed
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large high sided skillet, boil some water over high heat.
2. Add a pinch of salt to the boiling water and the green beans.
3. Cover and cook the green beans for about 5 minutes.
4. Drain the green beans and run the green beans under cold water. Set aside.
5. In the skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. 
6. Add the butter and stir until melted.
7. Add the onions and saute for 20 to 25 minutes or until the onions are caramelized. 
8. Add the green beans to heat for about 5 minutes.
9. Add salt and pepper to taste to the green beans and caramelized onions.
10. Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence.

 

One year ago...............................I made Asian Chicken Wrap.

Did you already know.................

- Green beans come in yellow and purple too.

-Purple green beans turn green when cooked.

-Other names for green beans are sting beans, snap beans, ejotes, and haricots verts (tiny green beans).

Green Beans and Bacon with Browned Butter

My youngest daughter has an Easy Bake Oven. She loves it and decided to bake something for us. It doesn't matter what the packet says she tries to place it in the oven like frosting. I'm just glad she asks me right before cooking it. I'm not sure how good baked frosting taste. She did finally find a cake packet to bake. When it came out, she offered all of us a piece. I kindly thanked her but I was full. My husband and son said sure. They both took a bite and left the room. They came and right after they whispered to me that it tasted awful. She hollers, "So, what do you think?" My two guys in unison holler back, "You did awesome!" (while making a face I may add.) I did think it was very sweet of them that they didn't want to hurt her feelings. I did notice they didn't finish their piece.  After they left, my daughter did come in and told me quietly that she didn't like it but she'll try another one later. I told her that she should. When I think back to when I was a kid and had an Easy Bake Oven, I don't really remember eating a lot of them but I just like to bake in it. 

I usually like my green beans plain. For Thanksgiving, we always have green bean casserole but I like to try out new recipes before I decide to make it on Thanksgiving. The kids really liked this recipe with bacon and brown butter. How could they not? I think they would elect to eat their green beans this way everyday.

Green Beans and Bacon with Browned Butter
2 lb. green beans, trimmed
4 oz. bacon
2 shallots, thinly sliced
4 Tbsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 

1. In a large saucepan, add the green beans to boiling, salted water.
2. Cover and cook the green beans for 4 to 7 minutes. The green beans should be crisp tender.
3. Drain and set aside the green beans.
4. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp.
5. Remove the bacon and place on a paper towel lined plate. Set aside.
6. In the skillet, reduce the heat to medium low.
7. Add the shallots and cook for 4 minutes or until just beginning to crisp. Stir frequently. Remove the shallots onto the same plate with the bacon.
8. Season to taste with salt.
9. To the skillet, add the butter and melt over medium heat.
10. Reduce the heat to medium low.
11. Continue to cook for 4 minutes. Do not stir. The butter needs to become light brown. Reduce heat to low.
12. Add the green beans and shallots back to the skillet.
13. Cook 2 to 4 minutes until heated through, stirring occasionally.
14. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
15. Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Garden November 2012 magazine.

Did you know....................a year ago I made Honey Yeast Rolls. 

Did you already know........
-In 1963, the first Easy Bake Oven was sold.
-The first Easy Bake Ovens sold for around $16.
-Since the first Easy Bake Oven, there has been 11 models.

Minestrone

Happy Veteran's Day!

Both my parents were in the military. I remember growing up and my father wearing his uniform. My father had made it a career so we lived all over from Guam and Hawaii to Virginia. Since they served in the Navy, my father told me to join the Air Force. I'm glad I did for many reasons. To this day, I still keep in touch with several service members. I wanted to take a moment to Thank all my fellow Veterans out there and our military members who are still currently serving. It is a tough life. 

Thank you!

I normally do not post two soup recipes in a row but I am cold lately. My oldest daughter is even wearing a coat lately. When there is snow on the ground and it is February, I will have to remind her about her coat but not now. I guess she has to become immune to it once again. The best thing about soups are they normally can be a healthy alternative. I really like soups with lots of vegetables so this is a great pick. This is a great recipe to keep our Veteran's healthy!

Minestrone Soup
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
2 (28 oz.) can fire roasted tomatoes
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 (15 oz) can low sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup elbow pasta
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.
2. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the celery and carrots. Cook for about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the green beans, dried oregano and dried basil. Salt and Pepper to taste. Cook for 3 minutes.
6. Add the fire roasted tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
7. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes.
8. Stir in the kidney beans and pasta. Cook for 10 minutes or until the pasta is cooked to the al dente or desired texture.
9. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with fresh basil if desired.

 Recipe adapted from Ellie Krieger from Food Network.
(If I had planned it right, I should have served a recipe by Sunny Anderson since she is also an Air Force Veteran.)

Did you already know...
-The Veteran's Day National Ceremony is held every year on November 11th at Arlington National Ceremony and it commences with laying a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknowns at precisely at 11:00 am.
-There are over 23 million Veterans in the United States.
-"1.8 million veterans are women." according to History Channel.