# Green Beans Sauce?



## giggler

Mom asked me to bring Green Beans but not Casserole this year as she will be making all the casserole dishes..

She asked for Green Beans with Bacon..

Do Y'all know what types of spices or maybe a very light sauce I could use?

I will probably use either fresh beans or frozen as I dont like canned green beans..

Thanks, Eric, Austin Tx.


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## GotGarlic

This one sounds pretty good: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/green-beans-with-bacon-and-shallots-104502

I would use seasoned salt instead of regular salt for a bit more flavor.


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## jennyema

Blanch the beans in salted boiling water.  Set aside.

Fry up some bacon.  Remove from pan and crumble.

Dump out all but maybe 2T of the bacon fat.

Sauté the beans in the bacon fat till done to your like

Add in crumbled bacon stir and serve

No sauce needed

It's even better with bacon AND onions


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## Aunt Bea

I would just toss them with enough bacon grease to make them shine.

At this time of year I like to plump/poach a few craisins in melted butter and add them to the green beans for a little color.

At other times a few slivered almonds, sliced mushrooms, chopped onions, minced garlic cloves, diced red bell pepper or hot red pepper flakes can give the green beans a lift.  I usually sweat the additional ingredient in some melted butter or olive oil to soften before adding the cooked green beans.  

The leftovers can be used as a simple salad if you toss them with a little fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar and some olive oil or you can go all out and make a musgo version of a salad niçoise, don't get hung up on the recipe just use what you have on hand.

Leftover Green Bean Niçoise Recipe | MyRecipes.com

Good luck!


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## cinisajoy

If she wants bacon green beans, do not ruin them with a sauce.
Bacon, salt and pepper.   Cook on top of the stove.


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## Cheryl J

Ditto on the bacon and onions.  As AB mentioned, I also sometimes add slivered almonds.


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## Andy M.

jennyema said:


> Blanch the beans in salted boiling water.  Set aside.
> 
> Fry up some bacon.  Remove from pan and crumble.
> 
> Dump out all but maybe 2T of the bacon fat.
> 
> Sauté the beans in the bacon fat till done to your like
> 
> Add in crumbled bacon stir and serve
> 
> No sauce needed
> 
> It's even better with bacon AND onions




Just do this. It's all you need.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

jennyema said:


> Blanch the beans in salted boiling water.  Set aside.
> 
> Fry up some bacon.  Remove from pan and crumble.
> 
> Dump out all but maybe 2T of the bacon fat.
> 
> Sauté the beans in the bacon fat till done to your like
> 
> Add in crumbled bacon stir and serve
> 
> No sauce needed
> 
> It's even better with bacon AND onions



It's even more better with bacon AND onions AND toasted sliced almonds


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## Kayelle

Nope, forget the sauce Eric. See above for the best advice. All I would add is don't expect it to be wonderful unless you put it together on top of your Mom's stove. It doesn't hold or transport well imo.
You can do the bacon and onions at home, and finish the blanched green beans on her stove top.


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## Kayelle

Eric I just wanted to add that if you are near a Trader Joe's these are a wonderful choice for your dish.
They are frozen.


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## CraigC

Slice some onions and saute in butter till soft. Add a can of stewed tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Add blanched green beans, season with S&P to taste and cook to desired tenderness.


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## tenspeed

It's all personal preferences, but I like a bit of marina (home made) tossed with veggies or veggies and penne.  I've never done it with bacon, but don't see why it wouldn't be a good combination.  Just a small quantity of marinara so you have beans with marinara, and don't have marinara with beans.

  As previously noted, cook the beans just before serving.


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## taxlady

I think frozen green beans are already blanched, before freezing. I don't know that for a fact though. I would skip blanching frozen beans.


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## CraigC

taxlady said:


> I think frozen green beans are already blanched, before freezing. I don't know that for a fact though. I would skip blanching frozen beans.



I buy a large bag of fresh green beans, blanch and freeze in portion sizes. So, I'll bet you are right.


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## taxlady

CraigC said:


> I buy a large bag of fresh green beans, blanch and freeze in portion sizes. So, I'll bet you are right.


A friend of mine said that he didn't eat frozen peas, because they were bright green, unlike fresh peas. I have learned, from experience, that they turn that bright green colour when you blanch them.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

If your heart is set on a sauce, use a freshly made Hollandaise Sauce to coat the green beans.  It pairs perfectly with the beans and bacon, and the onion and slivered almonds as well.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## cinisajoy

Does mom want a sauce on her green beans since she specifically said green beans with bacon?
I would keep it simple for mom.


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## CharlieD

you going to have enough suggestions for next 100 Thanksgivings. 

use frozen green beans. make sure they are completely defrosted.
Use sliced almonds, toasted
Garlic salt to taste. Mix both into the green beans. Put in the oven until just hot. Take it out. While beans are int he oven. Fry bacon. Drain on a paper towel. Use fat if desired. Cut/dice the bacon into bight size pieces or smaller. Mix into hot beans. I suppose you can do that before putting the beans into the oven. Done. Supper easy. Do not overcook. All it needs is to be hot.


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## Kayelle

tenspeed said:


> It's all personal preferences, but I like a bit of marina (home made) tossed with veggies or veggies and penne.  I've never done it with bacon, but don't see why it wouldn't be a good combination.  Just a small quantity of marinara so you have beans with marinara, and don't have marinara with beans.
> 
> As previously noted, cook the beans just before serving.



I did green beans with my usual bacon/onion saute tonight. Your post inspired me, and I added just a *little* condensed frozen Pizza sauce with an equal amount of water, and steamed the dish till crisp tender.

It was the best green beans dish I've ever done!!

You're on the mark here Tenspeed!!! Thank you!


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## RPCookin

giggler said:


> Mom asked me to bring Green Beans but not Casserole this year as she will be making all the casserole dishes..
> 
> She asked for Green Beans with Bacon..
> 
> Do Y'all know what types of spices or maybe a very light sauce I could use?
> 
> I will probably use either fresh beans or frozen as I dont like canned green beans..
> 
> Thanks, Eric, Austin Tx.



Eric, I've been using a seasoning salt blend from Savory Spice Shop that is excellent on veggies.  I use it to give some interest to something as plain as frozen mixed veggies.  On bacon green beans it would be great along with just some melted butter.  They ship so it's available anywhere.  Here's the link for County Clare Seasoning Salt.

They do some really good stuff - worth a look.


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## rickysmith

Green beans produce seeds. If the pods are permitted to older they will gradually dry down and can be collected and used like dry beans. Dry beans often have very fibrous pods that are too tough to want to eat as natural beans. Perhaps if they are very small they can be used as natural beans, but even then many of them are too fibrous to be tasty.


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## tenspeed

taxlady said:


> I think frozen green beans are already blanched, before freezing. I don't know that for a fact though. I would skip blanching frozen beans.


From

How frozen vegetable is made - production process, making, used, processing, product, industry, machine

"Another innovation       attributed to a General Foods scientist was the process of blanching       vegetables before freezing. Blanching entailed immersing the vegetables in       boiling water for a few minutes to halt the activity of certain enzymes.       This preserved their flavor much more effectively."
​


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## liliedu13

i love green beans


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## CraigC

liliedu13 said:


> i love green beans



Most of us do. What is your favorite preparation?


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## Aunt Bea

Try using green beans to lighten up your next batch of German potato salad.

You can also take a shortcut, start with a can of Read's! 

German Potato Salad — READ


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## Addie

taxlady said:


> I think frozen green beans are already blanched, before freezing. I don't know that for a fact though. I would skip blanching frozen beans.



One summer as a teenager I worked in a misnamed cannery. They prepared veggies right from the fields. Some were prepared for the can and others for freezing. They were all blanched in big vats prior to their next step. Some went into the cans immediately and the cans were then placed in a huge pressure cooker for the finished cooked product. 

The ones for the freezer, were first blanched and then right into sealed bags for the freezer. I haven't eaten a can of beans since childhood. Only frozen.


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