Nutty Buttery Green Beans

This recipe is from Emeril Lagasse. I've made this version before and it's easy and yummy. I decide to try a healthier version tonight so I substituted olive oil for butter. I also didn't have any Worcestershire sauce, so I just omitted it from the recipe. They were still quite tasty.

Nutty Buttery Green Beans

1 pound green beans
5 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 (2 1/4-ounce) package sliced almonds
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Trim the green beans. Place the water and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a medium, heavy 3 1/2 quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Carefully add the beans and return to a boil. Cook, uncovered, until tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Remove the saucepan from the heat, and drain the beans in a colander set in the sink, pouring away from you. Rinse under cold running water and drain.
3. Melt the butter in the same saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the almonds, Worcestershire sauce, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the pepper. Cook, stirring, until the almonds are toasted, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add the drained green beans to the pan and cook, stirring, until well coated with sauce and warmed through, about 1 minute.
5. Remove from the heat and serve.

Broccoli Salad

Broccoli Salad

1 head broccoli
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup yellow or white raisins
shelled sunflower seeds
1/2 lb cooked bacon, crumbled

Dressing
1 cup mayonaise
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

Mix broccoli and next three ingredients together and store in refrigerator. Mix dressing together and store in refrigerator. Combine salad and dressing together two to three hours before serving. Before serving, sprinkle with sunflower seeds and bacon.

Tuscan Potato Salad

This recipe comes from a friend of mine who contributed it to our church cookbook. I'm not a huge fan of any kind of salad with a mayonaise base. So, this version of potato salad suits me better and Scott liked it, too.

Tuscan Potato Salad
3 lbs potatoes, cubed
2/3 cup Parmesan, grated
1 cup ricotta cheese
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced
1/2 cup olive oil
6 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Cook potatoes until soft and drain. While potatoes are still hot, add the remaining ingredients. Can be served warm or chilled.

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Black Bean and Corn Salsa
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp diced red pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, deveined and chopped (optional)
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice, lemon juice OR white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Tortillia chips

1. Combine corn, black beans and remaining ingredients in medium non-metallic bowl, except for fresh cilantro and parsley. Cover and refrigerate.
2. Bring to room temperature before serving and add the freshly chopped parsley and cilantro.
3. Serve with tortillia chips

Chicken Tonight

Tonight, our meal consisted of the Bisquick chicken fingers, roasted potatoes (the freezer kind) and stir-fry snap peas (the recipe called for snow peas, but I didn't have any). Here is the recipe for the snap peas. This meal was prepared and ready in 30 minutes. AND, the chicken fingers and potatoes baked at the same temperature (this is handy since I don't have a double oven).

Stir-fry Snap Peas
1.5 tsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
salt to taste
1 box frozen snap peas, thawed
1 Tbsp oil
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1. In a small bowl, combine the butter, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and salt; set aside.
2. In a small skillet, stir-fry peas in oil for 1-2 minutes or until crisp tender. Add walnuts; cook and stir for one minute.
3. Drizzle with butter mixture; toss to coat. Cover and cook for two minutes or until heated through.