cindy mac posted this recipe several years ago and we just love it! i've made it as written and while i tend to streamline it and serve it close to room temp and sometimes sub hazlenuts for the pecans, it all works--try it!

GREEN BEAN, PECAN, AND FETA SALAD
CindyMac
2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed
1 small purple onion, thinly sliced
2-3 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
CUT green beans into thirds, and arrange in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and steam 5-8 minutes or until crisp-tender. Immediately plunge into cold water to stop the cooking process; drain and pat dry.
TOSS together green beans, onion, cheese, and pecans in a large bowl. Cover and chill 1 hour.
WHISK together olive oil and next 5 ingredients; cover and chill 1 hour.
POUR vinaigrette over green bean mixture, and chill 1 hour; toss just before serving.
~adapted from Southern Living magazine

Greek Greenbeans

2 16 oz frozen french green beans, thawed
1/4 cup pine nuts (piñon nuts)
2 garlic cloves minced
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp olive oil
4 plum tomatoes chopped
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice
4 oz feta crumbled
Bake pine nuts at 350º for 6-8 minutes
Drain beans on paper towels, press well
1. Saute garlic in oil for 1 minute, add beans, saute 5-7 minutes. Stir in tomato, cook 2
minutes until heated. Stir in salt, pepper, lemon juice
2. Sprinkle with cheese, pine nuts.
Serves 6

Source: Smith & Hawken - Gardeners' Community Cookbook by Victoria Wise.

3/4 pound small green beans
3/4 pound pasta, preferably fusilli
2/3 c. olive oil
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1 lg. clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 t. Dijon mustand
salt & pepper
1-1/2 c. cherry tomatoes, stemmed (about 8 oz.)
1/3 c. black olives, pitted and cut in half
2 T. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
2 T. chopped fresh chives
2 t. minced fresh oregano leaves
2/3 c. crumbled feta cheese

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the green beans and cook over high heat until slightly softened but still bright green, 3-4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the beans to a colander and set aside.

2. Bring the water in the pot back to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until slightly softer than al dente. Drain in the same colander with the green beans, shake to dry a bit, and transfer the beans and pasta to a serving bowl. Set aside.

3. Meanwhile, whisk together the oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste to make the dressing.

4. Add the tomatoes, olives, herbs, cheese, and dressing to the beans and pasta. Toss to mix and serve right away.

Note: You'll find that once you've made this recipe, you will quickly adapt it to whatever pasta and herbs you have on hand. I've also added cooked black beans (or other kinds of beans) to increase the protein and make it a salad-meal.

Roasted Green Beans with Garlic
Source: Marilyn (from Fine Cooking)

1 1/2 pound fresh green beans
1 small head garlic
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Wash, trim and dry green beans. Position oven rack in the top third of the oven and preheat to 450° (425° is using dark pan) and place a baking sheet in the oven. Peel each garlic clove and cut each into 4 pieces. Place green beans in a large bowl along with garlic, oil, salt and pepper; toss to coat evenly and pour onto hot baking sheet in a single layer. Roast beans for 10 minutes, stir and continue to roast another 5 minutes if beans are slim and another 10 minutes if beans are thick. Remove to serving dish and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and grated parmesan cheese.

Green Beans with Poppy Seed Dressing

2 tsp poppy seeds
2 tbls white wine vinegar
1 tsp honey
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbls minced shallot
Salt & pepper to taste

Heat a small skillet over medium low heat. Add poppy seeds & toast them, stirring, until fragrant, about a minute. Transfer to a small bowl and cool. Add oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, shallot, salt & pepper. Whisk until well blended.

Tip, tail, and string 2 lbls green beans. Steam until just tender. Warm dressing in a lare skillet over medium heat. Add beans and toss to coat.

1-1/2 c. baby carrots
1-pound small red potatoes, unpeeled, quartered (about 3 cups)
1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
1 T. olive or vegetable oil
1 t. dried basil leaves
1 t. dried thyme leaves
1/2 t. garlic salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 (14-oz.) pkg. Green Giant Select Frozen Whole Green Beans

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Spray 15x10x1-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl, combine carrots, potatoes and onion. Add oil, basil, thyme, garlic salt and pepper; mix well. Spread evenly in sprayed pan. Bake 425°F. for 20 minutes.

2. Remove vegetables from oven. Add green beans; toss to mix.

3. Return to oven; bake at additional 20-25 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring once.

Yield: 6 (1-cup) servings

Ingredient Substitutions: Carrots cut into pieces 1-1/2 inches long and 1/2 inch side can be used in place of the baby carrots.

Refrigerated red potato wedges can be used in place of the fresh potatoes.
------------------------

SPICY ASIAN GREEN BEANS

Beans: 1 bag (14 oz.) Green Giant Select frozen whole green beans

Sauce: 1/4 c. orange juice
1 t. cornstarch
3 T. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/8 - 1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes (good use for those packets of red pepper flakes they give you from Pizza Hut pizza delivery)
1 small clove garlic, minced

1. Cook green beans as directed on bag. Drain; place in serving bowl.

2. Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, mix all sauce ingredients until well blended. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; simmer 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened and clear.

3. Stir sauce into cooked green beans to coat.

(Note: I never use as much soy sauce as called for, and go easy on the red pepper flakes if you don't like hot/spicy foods.)

Green Beans With Goat Cheese And Warm Bacon Dressing (Woodie)

3 Lb haricots verts trimmed
1/2 Lb bacon slices cut into thin strips
1/2 Cup chopped shallots (about 3)
2 garlic cloves chopped
1/4 Cup Sherry wine vinegar
3 Tbl Dijon mustard
1/4 Cup olive oil Optional -
1 Cup crumbled soft fresh goat cheese (about 4 ounces)
1/2 Cup fresh pomegranate seeds or dried ( I don't use)

Cook beans in water until tender crisp. Cook bacon until crisp.
Saute shalotts and garlic in drippings until soft. Add vinegar and mustard. Whisk. Toss beans with dressing top with cheese and bacon.

Here is another Greek dish with green beans.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Green Bean, Zucchini and Potato Stew (Fassolakia Iadera
=======================================================

Adapted from: Krinos Foods

(The original recipe called for a large can of tomatoes and did not include garlic or oregano.)

Green Bean, Zucchini and Potato Stew (Fassolakia Iadera)This is a traditional vegetable mixture that is often eaten cold, accompanied by hunks of country bread and feta cheese

.
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed, halved crosswise
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 ounces zucchini, cut into 1-inch-thick slices
8 ounces russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
3/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh oregano chopped (or dried)
1 14 ounce can of Italian-style tomatoes, chopped.
1/2 cup chicken broth
. Heat oil in heavy large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add
onion and sauté 5 minutes.Add Garlic and green beans and sauté until
onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add zucchini, potatoes, cayenne
pepper, parsley and oregano. Pour tomatoes and their juices over
vegetables. Add chicken broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Cover and
simmer until potatoes are tender, stirring frequently, about 45
minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Can be prepared
1 day ahead -- cover and refrigerate. Serve warm or at room
temperature. 6 To 8 Servings

Fresh Green Bean Ragout (Fasolakia)

1/3 cup Krinos olive oil
2 large red onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 pounds fresh string beans, trimmed
3 medium potatoes, peeled and halved or quartered
1-2 small fresh or dried chili peppers (optional)
1 cup chopped plum tomatoes
Salt, freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Water
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons Krinos red-wine vinegar
1/2 pound Krinos feta

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot and saute the onions and garlic until wilted, about 7 minutes. Add green beans and toss to coat. Cover the pot, reduce heat, and let green beans steam in the oil for 10 minutes.

2. Add the potatoes and chili pepper to the pot, and toss to coat. Pour in the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and add enough water just to cover the beans. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, until beans and potatoes are very tender. Five minutes before removing from heat, add parsley and stir in vinegar. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature with wedges of feta cheese on the side.
  Yield: 4-6 servings

for some reason, yellow beans were not at all plentiful around here this past year. really a shame as i was only beginning to really appreciate them (up until a few years ago, green and yellow beans were one of the very few vegetables i preferred out of a can, versus fresh). my very favorite way to serve wax beans is about as plain as you can get--

trim and steam them until just past crisp/tender
add a pat of butter
stir in some dill weed (dried works just fine)
add a grinding or two of pepper and a pinch of salt

ted in particular enjoys a chilled bean salad and in my opinion, canned beans work perfectly well. usually he adds finely chopped onion to a can of green and yellow beans that have been rinsed, and a can of rinsed chick peas. then he pours on some italian dressing and refrigerates it for awhile before serving. gourmet it's not but i agree with him that at least it's tasty.

Here is a way to cook green beans that I really love. I can't remember where I clipped the recipe from but it has Asian flavors. It says 10 servings, but not if you really like green beans!

GLAZED GREEN BEANS

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups vertically sliced red onion
2 lbs. green beans, trimmed (but left whole)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons sake (rice wine) or rice vinegar

Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, stir-fry 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high. Add beans; stirfry 1 minute. Stir in water and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 12 minutes or until tender. Uncover and bring to a boil; cook 10 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Toss gently to combine.

1 can (16 oz.) green beans, drained
1 can (16 oz.) waxed beans, drained
1 can (16 oz.) kidney beans, drained
1 med. red or sweet white onion, sliced thin
3 tbsp. sugar or sweeten to taste
1/4 c. vinegar

Mix first three ingredients, then layer onion in. Mix sugar and vinegar together and pour over salad. Refrigerate overnight.

Drain the crab & pick over carefully, breaking up any large pieces. Cook the beans in boiling salted water until crisp-tender, then drain.
combine the mayo, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, onions, salt & pepepr in a large bowl, blending well. Carefully stir in the beans & then the crab. Spoon the mixture into greased baking shells or ramekins. Top each dish with a sprinkle of bread crumbs, drizzle w/the butter & bake uncovered in a preheated 400° oven for about 15 minutes or until the salads are hot & the crumbs browned. (Or bake in a shallow casserole for about 25 minutes.)~~Century of Good Cooking

I've not tasted this but have made it for others & it was a hit:
WARM POTATO & GREEN BEAN SALAD (serves 4)
Salad:
1 lb small red potatoes, scrubbed
1/4 lb fresh green beans, trimmed & halved crosswise
1/2 small red onion, cut into thin wedges
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped, optional

Dressing:
3 TBL olive oil
2 TBL dry white wine
2 tsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp each dried oregano & thyme
1/8 tsp dried basil

for the salad: Place the potatoes in a saucepan & cover with cold water. Bring to a boil & cook about 15 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork but not mushy. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring 1" of water to a boil, add the beans & cook about 5 minutes or until crisp-tender.
Drain the potatoes & beans & let cool slightly. Cut the potatoes into halves or quarters, depending on their size. Place the potatoes, beans onions & bell peppers in a large bowl, mixing gently.
For the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk the oil,wine, vinegar, salt, pepper, parsley, oregano, thyme & basil, blending thoroughly. Pour over the vegetables, tossing gently to coat. Let stand at least 1 hour at room temperature before serving.~~St. Michael's Cooks by Design

Here's a recipe I love. It flies in the face of the idea that you should only cook veggies al dente but it's so good it's worth it. It's from Nikki and David Goldbeck's cookbook, "Whole Food Cooking" or something like that... two caveats: it's really only good with fresh garden tomatoes (grocery tomatoes just won't be the same) and you really have to cook the green beans a long time for the rich flavors to develop. Way worth it, though. I'm writing this from memory so if someone has the cookbook and wants to correct me, feel free.

With all that said, here's the general recipe:

saute onion in a small amount olive oil. Add garlic, too, and some herbs -- thyme is good, so is basil. When soft, add fresh green beans (cut up whatever way you like them) and stir a minute, then add garden ripe tomatoes, peeled and cut up. I don't remember the amounts of green beans to tomatoes but I usually just put in what looked like would be good, with enough tomatoes to make a nice sauce. Then, cook slowly over a low heat -- cover the pot and let simmer for 45 minutes or so -- the green beans will soften up a lot and the tomatoes will dissolve into a yummy sauce -- serve over rice or as a side dish -- ideally with a good crusty bread to soak up all the juice.

Sounds too simple to be that good but it's a fantastic dish! But as I mentioned, garden fresh tomatoes are the key... any others and it just won't be the same. Still good, but not the same.

Marinated Green Beans

From Best Ever Recipes vol.II

3/4lb fresh green beans, trimmed
1/4c finely chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1-1/2 T olive oil
3/4 tsp salt
3 T lemon juice

Cook green beans in pot of lightly salted water until crisp-tender. Drain beans but do not rinse them

Transfer beans to medium size bowl, toss with onion, garlic, oil and salt. Marinate at room temp for 1 hour, tossing occasionally.
Just before serving, remove the garlic and discard. Add the lemon juice and toss to coat the beans. Serves 4

Linda

Roasted Green Beans with Garlic -- jackiwolfe
• fresh green beans; washed and ends snapped off
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt & fresh ground pepper
• fresh chopped garlic (to taste)
• balsamic vinegar
Turn oven to 400ö. Spread green beans on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place in oven and roast beans until tender and starting to brown. Partway throught cooking, sprinkle with garlic and toss again. Return to oven. When done, remove from oven, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve hot or at room temperature.
This recipe is also delicious with carrots or asparagus.

Roasted Green Beans with Garlic
Source: Marilyn (from Fine Cooking)
1 1/2 pound fresh green beans
1 small head garlic (I use only 6 to 8 cloves)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Wash, trim and dry green beans. Position oven rack in the top third of the oven and preheat to 450° (425° is using dark pan) and place a baking sheet in the oven. Peel each garlic clove and cut each into 4 pieces. Place green beans in a large bowl along with garlic, oil, salt and pepper; toss to coat evenly and pour onto hot baking sheet in a single layer. Roast beans for 10 minutes, stir and continue to roast another 5 minutes if beans are slim and another 10 minutes if beans are thick. Remove to serving dish and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and grated parmesan cheese.

Here is one I made years ago, from a seed catalogue of all places, when my DS #1 was an toddler (he's 14 now, LOL). I remember him liking it, and asking for more by saying 'bean!' A quick google brought it up for me so I didn't have to retype:

Title: MANDALAY GREEN BEANS
1 lb Green beans; ends trimmed
1 tb Olive oil
1 lg Garlic clove; minced
2 ts Jalapeno; seeded and minced
2 ts Freshly grated ginger
1/2 ts Ground cumin seed
1/2 Orange; zest of
2/3 c Fresh orange juice
1 1/2 tb Lemon juice
1 tb Whole grain mustard
Salt and pepper; to taste

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook only until tender crisp, about 3 to 5 minutes. Drain beans and plunge immediately into ice water to stop cooking action. Drain and cut into 1" pieces. In a large skillet, heat oil. Add garlic, jalapeno and ginger and saute, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add cumin seed and cook 1 minute longer. Stir in orange zest, orange and lemon juices and mustard. Add beans and stir until just heated through. Salt and pepper.

Recipe developed by Renee Shepherd and Fran Raboff. From 1996 "Shepherd's Garden Seeds" catalog. Pg. 6. Electronic format by Cathy Harned.

2 lbs green beans, ends trimmed
3 bunches scallions
2 Tbsps butter
2 Tbsps olive oil
½ lb large mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Cook green beans for 6 minutes - do not let them get soggy.

Lightly saute mushrooms and scallions in 2 Tbsps butter and 2 Tbsps olive oil in large skillet. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Drain beans. Toss all ingredients together with lemon juice. Serve immediately.

Don't forget the fresh lemon juice - it really makes the dish special (we did last time we made it a few weeks ago and we could tell the difference!).

Ann

SharonCb

I'm always looking for new ways to cook veggies. I do think vegetables get the short end of most recipe books!

Sharon, your salmon looks awesome too!

Marilyn