Now that the tomato plants are started and it looks like the garden season is upon us, I am wondering why I have so many jars of green beans left from last year. I didn't can more than usual, but I think that the family needs some excitement in the old recipes. Does anyone have some great green bean recipes? Thanks!

-- Tami Bowser (windridg@chorus.net), April 17, 2000

Answers

My mother used to can fifty to seventy-five quarts of green beans every year (and about the same amount of blackberry jam). I don't remember her ever doing anything much with hers but frying up a little bacon then heating the green beans with it, but we always liked it and she never had any left by the time the next crop came on. (She also had five hungry children, which may have had something to do with it!) But try The Green Thumb Cookbook from Rodale Press, and Too Many Tomatoes, Squash, Beans, and Other Good Things from Harper and Row. They both have a lot of good recipes.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), April 17, 2000.

With an Italian-type meal, I like them sauteed in olive oil with chopped onion. When starting to brown a little, add some seasoned bread crumbs. I just keep cooking them until browned but not black. The Greek way would be with a little onion, tomato paste or chopped tomatoes, salt & pepper, simmered a bit. Lucky you with all those beans! I think they will keep more than 1 year, too.

-- Jean (schiszik@tbcnet.com), April 17, 2000.

This may sound a little strange, but it is our favorite way. Fry a little bacon & chopped onion. Add 1 beef boullion cube & a tsp. of vinegar. Simmer until the cube melts.

-- Jane Gauch (Sewbears4u@aol.com), April 17, 2000.

We like them pickled. Drain the beans and use pickle juice from any pickle you like the taste of. Heat the juice and add ltsp. celery seed and ltsp. mustard seed. Pour over the beans and refrigerate at least 24 hrs. Serve them with finely chopped onions over sliced tomatoes. You can add a can of kidney beans drained and rinsed for something different. Any way you do it its good. Peggy

-- Peggy (wclpc@cookeville.com), April 17, 2000.

The only way we ever had them at home (other than pickled, of course) was steamed and then mixed with a couple tablespoons of butter, seasoned salt and garlic (my mother used garlic powder, I use the minced stuff). YUMMMM! I had five hungry brothers who seemed to eat endless amounts of anything that didn't move too fast, and the beans were often the first bowl empty on the dinner table!

-- Tracy (trimmer@westzone.com), April 22, 2000.