“Southern-Style Fresh Green Beans with Baby Red Potatoes”

Don’t you just love fresh vegetables in the summertime? On a recent trip to the market, going through the produce, I saw fresh green beans. A few weeks ago we had dinner with friends and she cooked Southern-Style Fresh Green Beans with Baby Red Potatoes. So you know the first thing I thought was I found dinner tonight. It was rather late in the day but looking at my watch I had plenty of time to cook what was a family favorite growing up. Tender, fresh beans with baby, creamy potatoes with a little smokey pork. Yum!

I mentioned in my previous post Dad always planted a garden every year. Green beans were at the top of the list where vegetables were concerned. It was another one of those Saturday chores my sister and I had to help with. Being one of my favorite vegetables it was easy learning to cook Southern-Style Fresh Green Beans with Baby Red Potatoes like my Mom. I followed her instructions to the letter as she never used a recipe. She thought mine were delicious and I haven’t missed a summer cooking fresh green beans. However, I don’t preserve green beans for the winter in the way my Mom would do every year.

Southern-Style Fresh Green Beans with Baby Red Potatoes

Memories from your childhood is what makes cooking so special for me. Being able to recreate favorite recipes and adding my own spin is so fun and I want you to have fun, too. Make memories of your own or bring old memories to life by cooking old family favorites. How about starting with this recipe? You’ll thank me later because you won’t believe how easy.

Stop at your favorite local market and grab fresh green beans. My recipe can be cooked over the weekend and served a day during the week. I’d say you need a about 2.5 hours of cooking and prep time. I suggest cooking the green beans one day and adding potatoes to cook as the beans are warmed up. Saves time while you get the rest of dinner ready. Hey, I’m a working woman, too. So after a long hard day, the taste of fresh food really does the brain and whole body good. Happy Summer!

Southern-Style Fresh Green Beans with Baby Red Potatoes

Southern-Style Fresh Green Beans with Baby Red Potatoes

2 pounds fresh green beans, washed, stemmed, and cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2-pound smoked bacon, chopped

1/4-pound smoked pork butt, chopped

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

12 Baby Red Potatoes, washed

Salt and black pepper to taste

In a large 6-quart pot over medium-high heat, cook bacon until fat is rendered and browned. Stir in pork butt and onion, cooking for 2 – 3 minutes.

Add in green beans and pour in enough water to just cover beans. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 1 hour or until tender.

Stir in potatoes and cook until fork tender, about 25 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with corn on the cob and fresh sliced tomato.