The Most Delicious Way to Cook Green Beans

There are always tons of green beans at the farmers market and they're usually really cheap but we never really knew what to do with them so we wouldn't buy them very often… and then one day we just decided to try them and see what happens. I scoured the internet for recipes and then decided to combine what I liked about all the recipes I found and now I have developed, what I am certain, is the most delicious way to cook green beans! 

First cut the ends off the green beans and chop up some garlic.

I use butter, olive oil, and chicken broth to cook them. So easy and so delicious!

Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in the pan and melt 3-4 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat.

Wait for all the butter to melt and look foamy.

Next, add the chopped garlic.

Let the garlic cook for 2-3 minutes and then add the green beans.

Stir them around and get them as flat as possible in the pan. Cook them until they turn bright green.

Then add some salt and pepper.

And cook for a couple more minutess, stirring occasionally.

Next, add enough chicken broth to cover them and stir.

Let it come to a rapid boil.

Next, cover them and turn the heat to medium low, venting the pan so steam can escape. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until most of the chicken broth has cooked out. Serve warm.

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Green Beans

Ingredients:

1 lb. fresh green beans

3-4 cloves of garlic

2-3 tbsp. olive oil

2-3 cups of chicken broth

3-4 tbsp. butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.    Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in the pan and melt 3-4 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat.

2.    Wait for all the butter to melt and look foamy.

3.    Next, add the chopped garlic.

4.    Let the garlic cook for 2-3 minutes and then add the green beans.

5.    Stir them around and get them as flat as possible in the pan. Cooke them until they turn bright green.

6.    Then add some salt and pepper.

7.    And cook for a couple more minutes, stirring occasionally.

8.    Next add enough chicken broth to cover them and stir.

9.    Let it come to a rapid boil.

10.         Next, cover them and turn the heat to medium low, venting the pan so steam can escape. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until most of the chicken broth has cooked out. Serve warm.

Crockpot Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup

Now that the weather is getting colder.. well California colder, which is not really that cold… more like cool, it is the perfect time for soup! And since I had potatoes, broccoli, and cheese that were unused in my house I decided to add them all together to make this delicious soup! 

First chop up the carrots, potatoes, and broccoli. 

Then melt a tablespoon or two of butter in a large pan or dutch oven.

Add the carrots and some chopped garlic and cook until the carrots are soft but not too soft. Next, add about 6 more tablespoons of butter and melt.

Once the butter is melted add the flour and stir constantly while it cooks for 2-3 minutes.

Next, pour in the HOT chicken broth and heavy cream. 

Stir occasionally while it simmers for 6-8 minutes. 

Put the chopped up potatoes in the crockpot.

Pour the pan mixture over the potatoes and stir.

Add the chopped up broccoli and stir again.

Next add more chicken broth to bring the liquid up to the broccoli line.

Stir and let it cook for 2-3 hours on high. 

Now at this point either use an immersion blender to puree it or, if you want to leave it chunky like I did, just add the cheese and stir it in while it melts. If you want to puree it, do that first and then add the cheese.

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Crockpot Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

3 Russet Potatoes, cubed

3 medium heads of broccoli, chopped

1 carrot, diced

2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped

½ cup of butter, divided

½ cup whole-wheat flour

3 cups chicken broth, plus some if needed

1 ½ cups whole milk (I used a mixture of whole milk and heavy cream because I didn’t have a full 1 ½ cups of whole milk)

2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1.     Wash and peel potatoes and carrot; wash broccoli

2.     Cube potatoes and put in the crock pot

3.     Dice up carrot and set aside; chop up broccoli and garlic cloves and set aside.

4.     Add 1 tbsp. butter to a large saucepan or Dutch oven; once it has melted add carrots and garlic. Cook until carrots are soft but not too soft.

5.     Add the remaining butter and melt, add flour and stir. Continue stirring while it cooks for about 2 minutes until you have a blonde roux.

6.     Add hot chicken broth and milk, stirring occasionally. Let it cook and thicken for 6-10 minutes.

7.     Pour over potatoes into crock-pot. Add chopped broccoli and stir.

8.     Add enough chicken broth so that all vegetables are covered in crockpot. Stir to combine.

9.     Put lid on and cook on high for 2-3 hours.

10.  Add cheese and stir while it melts, let it cook for another 20 minutes.

11. Serve warm, garnish with shredded cheese and crushed croutons.

Roasted Asparagus

In my house we love asparagus.. I mean like love. It's one of our faves. 

First, I wash it and then break off the ends. You could cut them, but it's really not necessary. It's super easy to break the ends off and they break where they naturally need to. You don't need to wait for them to dry, just throw them in a large enough bowl to hold them all.

I use olive oil, onion powder, garlic powder, seasoned salt, and black pepper to season mine before cooking. You could really season them with whatever you like but this is a delicious mix! 

Drizzle some olive oil, usually a couple tablespoons, over them and then toss them with some tongs to make sure they're all coated.

Next add the different types of seasonings.

And toss them again to coat evenly.

To make clean up super easy I line my cookie sheets with foil.

Drizzle the foil with olive oil.

Next spread the asparagus out as even as possible.

Pop them in the oven and cook them for 15-20 minutes. 

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Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients:

1-2 bunches of asparagus

2-3 tbsp. of olive oil

2 tbsp. garlic powder

1 tbsp. onion powder

1 tbsp. seasoned salt

2-3 tsp. black pepper

Directions:

1.     Preheat oven to 450º. Wash and break off ends.

2.     Place them in a bowl big enough to hold them. Drizzle with olive oil and toss them to coat evenly.

3.     Season with garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, and black pepper. Toss them to coat evenly.

4.     Line baking sheet with foil. Drizzle foil with olive oil.

5.     Spread asparagus evenly between 1-2 pans.

6.      Cook for 15-20 minutes depending on the thickness of the asparagus.