Easy Weeknight Side Dish – Granny’s Green Beans

When it comes to getting supper on the table, most days I’m looking for something quick and easy. Let’s be honest, after working all day the last thing I want to do is go stand over a stove for an hour. And then have to clean up all the mess afterwards. But there are occasional nights where I feel like putting in a little more effort and I try to throw together a full meal, not just the usual casserole or crock pot dish, complete with sides and some sort of bread.

A side that I make more often than not is green beans. Now I know that you’re thinking green beans are one of the easiest things in the world to make, and you’re right. But it’s taken me YEARS to perfect them and get them to taste just like my Granny’s. Growing up, I loved going to their house around supper time because I knew a full spread was going to be out. PaPa was a meat and potatoes kind of guy, so that meant there was always some kind of meat and a whole slew of homemade vegetables, usually picked from his garden.

Granny knew how to take those fresh vegetables and turn them into a dish that was absolutely heavenly. She’s an amazing cook, and after spending lots of time in the kitchen with her and asking a million questions, I finally got her green beans down pat and even added a little pazazz of my own. If you’re looking to add more veggies on the table and want a side dish the whole family will love, keep reading.

Ingredients

• 1 50 oz. can of Hanover Blue Lake Green Beans
• 1 piece of bacon sliced in small pieces
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 TBSP of sugar

The first ingredient is obviously green beans. If you have green beans fresh from the garden, you can use those and those will always taste better than store bought. But if you are buying from the store, you have to get Hanover brand (pictured above). I don’t know what the difference is, but I’ve tried using other brands of canned green beans and it’s just not as good.

Secondly, you need bacon for flavor. I usually just cut it in half and drop it in the pot because that’s super quick and easy, but if you take the time to cut it in smaller pieces they will cook down and give these little yummy bits in each bite. (I should add that this particular day that I was shooting for this blog, I didn’t have any bacon on hand and they still turned out well, just without that little bit of flavor). Then salt and pepper to taste. If I was guessing an exact measurement, I would say probably a half a teaspoon to a teaspoon of each. That’s where Granny’s recipe ends, and my little kick of pizazz comes in. To make it a little more enticing for my kids, I sprinkle over about a tablespoon of sugar into the mix. If you prefer a more savory taste, exclude the sugar. They are delicious either way.

You throw all that in a pot, give it a stir and then bring it to a simmer. Let it cook down until there is almost no liquid left. This is the key! Over the years of trying to perfect this recipe, my biggest mistake was not letting them cook long enough. I would say around 30 minutes is probably how long I let them cook while stirring occasionally during that time, but when you see almost no liquid left if the pot, you know they’re ready.

And that’s it! You have a tasty, somewhat healthy side dish that didn’t take a lot of effort. And I promise your family will love it. You can also feel a bit more accomplished the next time your weeknight casserole is accompanied by a delicious side of green beans. Or you can really impress the family by throwing this out on the table with your next full spread. Hope you enjoy!