Contest-Winning Hearty Hamburger Soup Recipe

This is home cooking at its best - economical, nourishing, yummy and straight from the garden!

Source: adapted from Taste of Home

1 lb. ground beef

4 c. beef stock

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained

3 medium carrots

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 c. chopped celery

1-1/2 t. sea salt

1/4 t. pepper

1/4 t. dried oregano

1 c. fresh or frozen beans

In large saucepan, brown beef; drain.  Add remaining ingredients except green beans; bring to a boil.

Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are tender.  Add beans.  Cover and simmer 15 minutes longer or until beans are tender.

Yield:  8 servings (2 quarts)

Green Bean, Tomato and Chickpea Salad

As soon as the green beans and grape tomatoes are in, this is a staple summer recipe for me.  The chick peas make it a one-dish meal for more lunches and dinners than I can count!

Source:  Adapted from a recipe from Aunt Yvonne and Everyday Food magazine

1 can (15.5 oz.) chick peas, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 c. quartered grape tomatoes

1 1/2 c. green beans, steamed 'til crisp tender, then chilled

1/4 c. red onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 T. coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 T. lemon juice

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

sea salt & pepper

In medium bowl, gently stir together chick peas, tomatoes, green beans, onion, garlic, and parsley.  

In separate small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.  

Pour dressing over vegetables and toss until coated completely.  Chill and let marinate for at least 1/2 hour.

Yield: 4 Servings

Cream of Green Bean Soup

This recipe works great with fresh green beans that are a little on the mature side.

Source:  adapted from food.com

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 T. butter, melted

4 c. chicken broth

2 lbs. fresh green beans, cut into 2" pieces

2 medium baking potatoes, peeled and diced

1/2-1 c. heavy cream

1 T. lemon juice

1/2 t. dried tarragon

1/4 t. pepper

Saute the onions and garlic in butter in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until tender.  Set aside.

Bring the chicken broth and green beans to a boil in a large saucepan.  After about 15 min., add potatoes.  Cook until tender.  Add the reserved onion and garlic mixture.  Stir well.

Transfer mixture into blender jar; cover and process until smooth.  Repeat with remaining mixture, if necessary.  Return pureed mixture to the saucepan and bring to a boil.  Stir in cream, and lemon juice and tarragon.  Cook until thoroughly heated.  Garnish with a dollop of cream and freshly ground black pepper.

Dilled Green Beans

My friend Cindy brought these Dilled Green Beans to book group last winter - they were so yummy!  In anticipation of making a batch of my own, I planted dill and green beans earlier in the spring, hoping they would mature at the same time so I could attempt my own batch.  They did!  :)

Source:  Cindy Cronce

3 lbs. whole green beans

1 1/2 t. cayenne pepper*

6 cloves garlic

6 dill heads

3 1/4 c. cider vinegar

3 1/4 c. water

6 T. salt**

Wash beans, cut off ends.  Pack lengthwise in clean, hot pint jars, leaving 1/4" of headroom (trim beans as necessary to fit into jars).  Add 1 clove garlic, 1 head of dill and 1/4 t. cayenne pepper to each jar.  Mix together water, vinegar and salt; bring to a boil and pour over the beans in the jars while still boiling hot.  Leave 1/4" head space.  Secure lids and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.  

Allow to sit 2 weeks for flavors to develop.

*Note - if you prefer less "kick", use 1/8 t. cayenne pepper per jar instead of 1/4 t.

**I sometimes reduce the amount of salt to 2 t. per jar.

Garlicky Green Beans with Mushrooms

I've been using this recipe all winter with green beans from the freezer - tastes great with both fresh or frozen green beans!

Source: adapted from allrecipes.com

2 1/2 lbs. fresh green beans, trimmed

2 c. sliced fresh mushrooms

2 T. onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 t. butter

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

Steam green beans until crisp-tender.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute mushrooms, onion and garlic in butter until tender.  Drain beans; add to skillet.  Stir in salt and pepper; heat through.

Serves 8

Green & White Bean Salad with Roast Chicken

My seed package describes these pepperoncini peppers as "mildly hot".  I beg to differ!!   So, adjust the amount of pepperoncini called for in this recipe according to your heat tolerance!

Source:  adapted from Everyday Food magazine, May 2011

Coarse sea salt and ground pepper

3/4 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces

2 T. white-wine vinegar

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 can (15.5 oz.) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

roasted chicken breast, chopped

1/4 c. thinly sliced pepperoncini

In a medium pot of boiling salted water, cook green beans until bright green and crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.  Drain, rinse under cool water to stop the cooking, and pat dry.

In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar and oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Add green beans, cannellini beans, onion, tuna and pepperoncini, and stir to combine.  Serve immediately.

Buttered Green Beans with Cashews

I always fall back on this recipe. My friend Amy gave it to me years ago, and I've served it for company more times than I can count; everyone loves it!  I did break my "In-Season" rule and bought fresh green beans from Root's, but I was willing to make an exception since it was for Christmas dinner.  :)

Source:  Amy A.

1 1/2 lbs. fresh green beans

3 T. sweet butter, melted

3/4 t. salt

1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 c. finely chopped fresh parsley

1 c. cashews

Blanch green beans in boiling salted water.

Melt butter, add salt, pepper and parsley.  Stir to mix.

Drain beans and place in warm bowl.  Sprkinle cashews on top, pour butter mixture over.  Toss.

Variations:  Substitute pecans, almonds, hazelnuts or pine nuts in place of the cashews.

Mixed Bean Salad

My mother used to make a similar salad, but I think I prefer this updated version.

Source:  Everyday Food magazine, September 2010

1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise

2 T. cider vinegar

3 T. olive oil

1 T. fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped

1 shallot, thinly sliced*

2 t. grainy mustard

1 can (15.5 oz.) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (15.5 oz.) chickpeas, rinsed and drained

sea salt

pepper

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook green beans until bright green and crisp-tender, 2-3 minutes.  Drain and rinse under cold water until cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, oregano, shallot and mustard.  Add green beans, kidney beans and chickpeas.  Toss well to combine.  Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 6

*Note:  I substituted 1 small red onion and a clove of minced garlic for the shallot.  (I never have shallots on hand!)

Sauteed Green Beans and Red Onion

Source:  adapted from Everyday Food

This is one of my favorite ways to use up an abundance of green beans, as well as red onions, which don't store over the winter as nicely as yellow onions.

2 T. olive oil
1 t. sea salt
1/8 t. ground pepper
1 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into 3" lengths
1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2" wedges
2 t. balsamic vinegar

In a large nonstick skillet, bring 1 c. water, olive oil, salt and pepper to a simmer over medium heat. 
Add green beans and red onion.  Cover; cook until beans are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. 
Uncover; continue cooking, stirring often, until water has evaporated, beans are tender, and onions are beginning to brown, about 5-8 minutes more.  Stir in balsamic vinegar and serve.

Salmon Nicoise Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

(FYI, Nicoise is pronounced "nee-swahs".)

This is a perfect salad for hot summer days and makes wonderful use of new potatoes and fresh green beans.  It's even better when tomatoes are in season.  My dad was kind enough to share some new potatoes from his garden with me; I happily accepted.

Source:  Adapted from Everyday Food magazine

Ingredients:

12 oz. red new potatoes

8 oz. green beans, trimmed

2 (8-oz.) skinless salmon fillets

3 hard-cooked eggs

lettuce

4 plum tomatoes, cut into quarters

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 c. black olives

Directions:

In medium pot, bring 1/2" water to a boil; potatoes and a pinch of sea salt.  Cover and cook until tender.

Transfer potatoes to a bowl; set aside to cool.  Add green beans to pot of boiling water.  Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender.  Drain in colander and rinse under cool water; set aside.

Bake salmon in 425 deg. oven until flaky, 12-15 min.  Transfer to a plate; flake with fork and let cool.

While salmon is cooking, peel and quarter eggs.  Quarter potatoes.

Arrange salmon, green beans, potatoes, eggs, tomatoes, and onion on individual beds of lettuce or Swiss chard.  Serve with vinaigrette (recipe below).

Dijon Vinaigrette:

2 T. fresh lemon juice

1 T. Dijon mustard

1/2 t. sea salt

fresh ground pepper

1/4 c. olive oil

In medium bowl, whisk lemon juice, mustard, salt and a pinch of pepper until combined.

Whisking constantly, add the olive oil in a steady stream; whisk until thickened and creamy.  Or, shake all ingredients in a small jar.

Serves 4