Fresh. Green. Summer.

The height of summer in the West Virginia mountains means a bounty of good eats from the garden. The latest reward in my garden is Blue Lake green beans. This is a bush bean, no poles needed, no strings to be removed. A definite plus in my book.

The first picking from these plants yields flavorful, tender beans that bring back memories of my childhood when the month of July meant a steaming hot kitchen (we didn't have air conditioning!) where my mom cooked beans from the garden, serving them alongside breaded pork chops and butter bread with strawberry jam.

 

 

On tonight's menu, I skipped the pork chops, saving them for the next picking because I didn't have any chops at the house. Instead, I seasoned my beans with bacon and onion that I fried until golden brown, using ALL the grease for deliciously flavorful beans.

Green beans and jelly bread. A simple, filling meal that says summer every time.

Recipe:
Two pounds of fresh green beans
One pound of bacon
One onion
Salt and pepper to taste

Clean ends from green beans. Wash. Place in stock pot and cover with water. Bring to boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain beans and then return to pot. Cover again with water and bring to boil. Simmer for 30 to 60 minutes depending on the toughness of beans. Add salt, pepper, fried bacon, onion and grease to beans. (Note: I cut up my bacon with kitchen sheers before frying, adding chopped onion at the beginning of the process.)

There is no magic amount of time to cook the beans. I recommend checking your beans after the first 20 to 30 minutes of the final cooking to determine the desired softness of the beans. A taste test will let you know when the beans are done to your liking.

What's your favorite way to season fresh green beans?

I've had them flavored with pork chop broth, Italian sausage, breakfast sausage, ham and bacon. Each flavor is unique and delicious.