Bacon Green Beans

And this starts the beginning of the posting of backlogged images/recipies. The shot date on this was February 2011— just shy of two years! Regardless, it needs to be shared. I can still remember these green beans because of how tender-crisp they were. I, Michael, am a fan of cooking the crap out of green beans until they are super-soft (preferably with some ham pieces). This recipe takes another route and basically blanches them. The preference is yours but I like mine a little more soft and would probably boil them for 10-12 minutes vs 4-5. This recipe stems from Paula Deen but was slightly modified. I dont think I would call these guys healthy but they are a nice, filling side on account of the bacon and butter—which makes any dish tasty. And the bell peper and peanuts really add some nice flavor to the bean.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
• 2  slices bacon
• 1/2 cup red bell peppers, cut into strips
• 1/2 cup thin onion wedges
• 1/2 cup unsalted peanuts

Directions

1. Fill a bowl with cold water and ice cubes.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the lemon juice.  Drop in the beans and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until beans are bright green.  Drain the beans in a colander and then plunge them into the iced water. Drain again and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, stir together the teriyaki sauce, honey, and butter. Set aside.
4. In a skillet, cook the bacon until very crispy, crumble and set aside.  
5. Saute the bell pepper and onion in the hot bacon fat for 2 minutes.  
6. Add the beans, cashews, and bacon to the skillet.  
7. Add the teriyaki-honey sauce and toss gently.