Summertime Green Beans

Mmmm, nothing says summertime more than fresh green beans. Fresh green beans have to one of my favorites. If you don't have your own greens beans or friends dropping them off at your doorstep by the truckloads, go and grab a couple of handfuls at your local air market or grocery store and hurry back, so we can cook these babies!

Summertime Green Beans -

We're starting off with about 1/2 pound of fresh green beans. Snap off the ends, pull the strings off and wash gently with cool water and drain.

In a 2 quart pan, heat 1-1/2 tablespoons of shortening over medium-high heat. Yes, shortening...none of your friends are using shortening, it's important to be different.

Dice 1/2 Vidalia onion, 1/2 red bell pepper and 2 cloves of garlic.

Add the onion and bell pepper to heated pan and saute for 3 to 5 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon of seal salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

Add the garlic and saute for another 2 minutes. It's important to hold off on the garlic. If it's cooked too long, it will burn and make your dish taste bitter.

Add the beans to the pan and stir to mix all of your ingredients together.

Add 3/4 cup of chicken stock, cover pot, leaving top slightly askew and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Once liquid has evaporated, lower heat just a bit and brown up the onions, peppers and beans just a bit.

When I plated these beans, my tween and her daddy gathered around the plate like they were gathered around a camp fire trying to stay warm.