Category Archives: VEGETABLE SIDE DISH RECIPES

GREEN BEANS

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Ok, I know what most of you are thinking. What in the name of all things healthy is Patti doing posting a recipe for simple steamed green beans? Hasn’t she got better recipes to offer? Doesn’t she know my time is valuable? But wait, ye of little faith, this is more about procedure than ingredient content.  It’s all about making life easier for the person preparing and serving a buffet dinner and as such the first recipe in my DINNER PARTY MENUS series.

Most buffet dinners include, at a minimum, appetizers, a main dish, starchy side, veggie of some sort, salad, perhaps bread, and a tasty dessert. This formula provides plenty of variety and seemingly an easy menu to plan. But if you are like me, the choice of the veggie component can be most vexing. And there is the general appeal of the flavor combinations to be considered.  If, for example, you are serving a creamy main dish such as Swedish Meatballs or pasta, the last type of veggie dish anyone would enjoy eating would be one smothered in yet another rich sauce. In fact, most of the time, any main dish or starchy side dish you plan to serve is going to be fairly rich. So, over the years I have learned to serve plain veggie dishes with buffet dinners. And preferably a veggie that can be prepared ahead of time and just heated up at the last minute as in this green bean recipe. So give this recipe a try for your next dinner party. And of course you can use this same method with other veggies such as broccoli or carrots. Just don’t overcook your veggies. Nothing shows off your cooking skills better than a perfectly prepared vegetable. And another little hint. Don’t try to be too precious when serving a buffet dinner. If not all of your guests will be seated at a table, don’t leave the green beans in their original long and lovely state. Do your guests a favor and cut those stunning beauties into bite size pieces. Believe me, it will not change the flavor of the beans, and your guests trying to balance a plate of food, a fork, a napkin and a beverage on their lap, will be eternally grateful that a knife was not required.

  • 2 lbs. green beans, cut into bite sized pieces
  • butter
  • kosher salt
  • juice of one lemon, opt. (don’t even think about using bottled juice – it’s fresh lemon juice or nothin’)

 

Steam or cook the beans in boiling water until crisp tender. Do not overcook. Immediately pour beans into a colander and spray with cold water until beans are no longer even warm. Allow to drain for a few minutes. Pour into a microwave safe serving bowl and dot with butter. Cover and place in refrigerator until just ready to serve. When ready to serve, warm beans in the microwave (remember, you don’t want them to really cook any more, just get warm). Remove from microwave, sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and drizzle with lemon. Stir and serve. 2 lbs. of beans serves about 20 people nicely.

Note: I love the 2 pound packages of green beans from Costco for a dinner party. They are of uniform length and just the perfect bite size when cut in half.

 

 

ROASTED SUGAR SNAP PEAS

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I got this quick, easy, incredibly flavorful and healthy recipe from the Love Farm Organics site one day when I was searching the web for a local organic farm that delivered weekly produce boxes. Well they are local if you happen to live in Portland, Oregon, but from the Seattle area, Forest Grove, Oregon (40 miles west of Portland) isn’t exactly “local”. Too bad, I would love to support these farmers. And I would love to have their produce delivered to my home once a week. But alas, great customer service only goes so far – and delivering to my home would certainly qualify as “going too far”. But if you are lucky enough to live near Forest Grove or in the metropolitan Portland area, I would advise you to check out Love Farm Organics. If their produce is as good as their recipes, you are in for a treat.

  • ½ lb. sugar snap peas*, calyx cut off and strings removed, if necessary
  • 2-3 tsp. olive oil
  • 1 T. thinly sliced shallots, rings separated
  • 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
  • kosher salt

Place sugar snap peas on a medium sized baking sheet. Pour about 2 teaspoons of olive oil over the peas and mix well until every pod is well coated. (Only use more oil if the pods still seem dry or are not evenly coated.) Spread pods in a single layer on the pan. Sprinkle with shallot slices, thyme, and a moderate amount of kosher salt.  (It’s easy to over salt this recipe, so go easy.) Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in a pre-heated 425 degree oven until crisp tender. Serve hot or at room temperature.

*Sugar snap peas are a cross between green peas and snow peas. The pods appear quite fat, like they’re ready to burst with large peas, but inside, they’re mostly air, and the kernels are miniscule. Like snow peas, you eat the entire pod. Cut off the calyx (end attached to the stalk), and remove the fibrous strings running down the center.  (Note: some varieties are string-less.) You may also see these peas labeled simply as “snap peas” or “sugar peas.”