Spicy Garlic Green Beans with Chicken

This is a simple to make meal that explodes with flavor.  And it's healthy, too, if you can imagine that!  So, it's a win/win all around.

Spicy Garlic Green Beans with Chicken


1 Pound Green Beans, Trimmed
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Pound Chicken Breast
Coarse Salt and Ground Pepper 
2 or 3 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
1 Teaspoon (or more) Hot Pepper Flakes

Cut chicken into bite sized pieces and season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 Tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. Removed from skillet and set aside.

In the same skillet, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat.  Stir in garlic and hot pepper flakes.  Cook until garlic softens, don't let it brown.  Add the green beans and season with salt and pepper, toss to coat.  Cover and allow to cook for 10 minutes.  Stir and add chicken.  Allow to cook for another 5 minutes and serve.

Classic Green Bean Casserole

I recently made a baked ham and one of the things I like best as a side dish to ham is green bean casserole.  I've made several different variations of this recipe but this one is THE best I've ever made . . . rich, cream and delicious.







Classic Green Bean Casserole

1 28 Ounce Can Cut Green Beans, Drained
1  10 3/4 Ounce Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
3/4 Cup Mi1k
1/4 Tsp Pepper
1 Can French-Fried Onions

In a small casserole dish, combine soup, milk, and pepper in a 3 quart casserole; mix well. 

Stir in beans and 1/2 of French-fried onions.

Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Stir. Sprinkle with remaining onions. 

Bake 5 minutes or until onions are golden.

Ham and Green Bean Soup

An excellent recipe for using leftover ham.  This is a classic soup recipe from my youth.  It conjures warm, cozy memories.  As far as I'm concerned this soup must be served with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich because that's the way we always ate it.  You don't have to but that makes it super special in my book.

Ham and Green Beans


3-4 Lb Bone-In Ham
1-2 Lb Green Beans, Trimmed
3 - 4 Pounds Small Potatoes
Salt And Pepper


In a large stock pot, cover the ham with water. Boil for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Add extra water to cover as needed.

Cut the potatoes in half or quarters.  I used a combination of new potatoes and Yukon gold.

Remove the ham from the pot.  Add the potatoes and green beans to the broth and cook for 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. 

Cut or shred the meat while the potatoes and beans cook.

Add the meat back to the pot and heat until warmed through. Add salt and pepper to the broth to taste.  

Let simmer until ready to serve.

Hot Pickled Green Beans

Pickling is an easy way to preserve your garden vegetables.  

I got loads of green beans and hot peppers from my garden this year and wanted to do something different with them . . . so I decided to put them both together in a jar and pickle them.

This is an easy recipe for pickling green beans with a kick.  It will make 10 pints of hot pickled green beans!  

Hot Pickled Green Beans

4 Pounds Green Beans
10 12 Ounce Canning Jars With Rings and New Lids
10 T Garlic, Peeled and Minced
10 Small Fresh Hot Cherry Peppers or Jalapenos 
Peppercorns
Pickling Brine 

Pickling Brine: 
6 Cups Water
4 1/2 Cups Cider Vinegar
6 Tablespoons Pickling Salt


Start by sterilizing the jars and lids. Bring the water to a boil to sterilize the jars while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.  Boil the jars at least 5 minutes. Add the lids to a smaller pan of water and bring to a to boil.  Turn down to a simmer once the water has come to a boil. 

Make the pickling brine by mixing all ingredients together and bring to a boil.  Keep at a simmer until ready to use.

Wash the green beans and peppers.  Snap the ends off the green beans.  You can leave the little "tail" on the other end of the green beans.

Trim the beans so that they fit in your jar. If you have very long beans, like I do, you may have to cut them in half.  Pack them in tight to minimize air space.

Add 1 Tablespoon of minced garlic and 1 tablespoon peppercorns to each jar and top with a pepper.  If it’s a small pepper use the whole pepper.

Fill each jar with hot pickling brine, leaving 1/2 inch of head space.

Use a plastic knife to remove air bubbles from jar by running it around the interior of the jar. Wipe the rims and apply the lids and rings.

Place the jars of beans into the canning pot.  Make sure the jars are covered with at least an inch of water.  Bring the water to a full boil.  Process the beans for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Remove the jars from the pot and let them sit undisturbed for at least 12 hours.  At which time you may remove the rings and store them.

Test to make sure the jars are sealed by pressing down on the middle of the lid.  If isn't sucked down then put the jar in the fridge and use as soon as possible. 

Let the beans sit for at least two weeks before eating, to thoroughly develop their flavor.

Chill before using for maximum crunch.

Canning beans . . . what happened?

My garden has been offering up a bounty of green beans.  Consequently, I've been canning a lot of beans . . . water pack, dilly beans, spicy pickled beans.  

This is my first year growing and canning beans, so this is all new to me.  I'm not new to canning but I am newish to pressure canning.  I was surprised when I noticed that in some of my jars a lot of the water had boiled out.  Why is that?  

Well . . . it's my own fault.  My impatience and inexperience . . . thankfully the beans sealed up okay and they will keep okay but will probably discolor due to the lack of liquid. 

According to the Presto (manufacturer of pressure canners) FAQ on pressure canning this is what causes jars to lose liquid during processing . . . 

• Jars were packed too solidly with food or were overfilled. Allow 1/2-inch headspace for all fruits and tomatoes, and 1-inch headspace for vegetables, meat, poultry, and seafood. This is necessary since food expands during canning.
• Exhaust period was insufficient.


• Pressure regulator on the weighted gauge canner rocked vigorously during processing. It should maintain a slow, steady rocking motion.
• An unsteady heat source or steam leakage caused a fluctuation of pressure during processing.
• Removing or bumping the pressure regulator before pressure has completely dropped. Pressure should always drop of its own accord.
• Uneven pressure from rapid temperature changes or drafts blowing on the canner.

• Lids were not adjusted according to manufacturer’s directions.
• Failure to precook food before packing in jars thus allowing shrinkage to occur in the jar. It is especially important to preheat fruit.
• Failure to allow the canner to remain closed for 10 minutes after pressure has completely dropped.

What I did was the last one . . . I didn't  know that the canner should remain closed for 10 minutes after releasing pressure.  I thought that once the pressure was at zero it was safe to open the canner and remove the jars.  So, now I know better and the next time I can beans they'll be perfect   . . .   I hope.  :)

Cold Packed Canned Green Beans

Canning green beans is just about as easy as growing them.  They are a great starter crop for a new gardener and they are also a good vegetable to learn how to pressure can with.

Green beans . . . water packed . . . must be pressure canned due to their low acidity.  

Green beans can be either hot packed or cold packed.  I prefer cold (raw) packed green beans because I will be using them in recipes and they will be less cooked than if I were to hot pack them.  It's also less work up front.




Equipment you will need:

Pressure Canner (I use an All American model 915. An excellent canner, by the way!)
Pint or quart canning jars (quart jars are more economical but for me pint jars are a good serving size so that's what I use for beans.)
Large spoons and ladles
Lids and Rings
Jar grabber (to pick up the hot jars)
Lid lifter
1 small pot to sanitize the lids
Jar funnel

I've been told you don't need to sanitize the jars before pressure canning; however, I think it's a good practice . . . better to be safe than sorry.


Sanitizing the jars kills any fungus and bacteria to prevent spoilage.  You can use the dishwasher for this if you have an extra hot or sanitize cycle, but you can boil them in the canner while your prepping your beans, which is what I usually do.

If you're using the canner, fill the jars with water and place them in the canner.  Then fill the canner with water  until it is over the tops of the jars and bring to a boil.  You will only need about 3 inches of water for the actual canning process but you can dump out the excess water before you put in your filled jars.  Otherwise, fill the canner about half full and bring to a boil.

Put the lids into the small pot of boiling water for at least several minutes.  

Wash beans in cold water and snap or cut them to the desired size . . . I typically cut mine into 2-inch pieces because they fit nicely into the jar.  



Pack the jars tightly with the raw cut beans.  I add a bit of salt into each of the jars . . . use kosher or canning salt NOT table salt.  


Cover with boiling water leaving 1-inch head space.

After your jars have been filled you will need to remove air bubbles by running a utensil down inside the jar between the jar and the beans  . . . a plastic knife or rubber spatula works well for this.
Wipe the rims of your jars clean then top the jars with the canning lids and rings. 


Place filled jars in a pressure canner.  Bring the water to a boil and put the lid on and lock it down.  Vent the canner for 10 minutes.

After venting, start your timer for the processing time - 20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts.

Adjustments for Pressure Canner
Altitude in Feet	Dial Gauge Canner	Weighted Gauge Canner
0-1000	10	10
1001-2000	11	15
2001-4000	12	15
4001-6000	13	15
6001-8000	14	15
8000-10,000	15	15

If you live above 1000 feet elevation you need to figure your altitude adjustments canning. As your altitude goes above 1000 feet above sea level the atmospheric pressure is reduced. This causes water to boil at temperatures lower than 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

For safety in water bath canning you must bring the contents of your jar to at least 212 degrees Fahrenheit. To compensate for the temperature difference you must increase processing time.

The pressure canner is also affected by atmospheric pressures. A pressure canner must reach a temperature of 240 degrees Fahrenheit in order to stop botulism. To compensate for altitude differences, you must increase the amount of pressure used. The time does not change, only the pressure used.

Once processing time is up, vent the canner to release the pressure.  Make  sure the pressure gauge is down to zero before removing the lid.

Place the jars in a draft free area and leave undisturbed for at least twelve hours.  At that point, you can remove the rings.  Test to make sure the jars are sealed by pressing down on the middle of the lid.  If isn't sucked down then put the jar in the fridge and use as soon as possible.

Otherwise, place your jars in a cool dark place for storage.

Dilly Beans

I have a bazillion beans in my garden.  I'm literally picking them by the gallon.  What to do with all those beans . . . besides eat them right up, of course . . . ?  Dilly-'em.  

What's a dilly bean?  A hot spicy pickled dill bean. What's better than a dilly bean?  A whole jar of them.  And what's better than that?  Jars and JARS of them.  Mmmm, yeah, baby!

Dilly Beans (Pickled Green Beans)

Figure approximately 1 pound of beans per pint jar. This recipe makes about six pints of dilly beans.





6 pounds green beans, trimmed to fit your jars 
3 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I use more but it depends on how spicy you like them)
6 teaspoons dill seed 
6 cloves garlic
5 cups white vinegar (5%)
5 cups water
1/2 cup pickling salt (use a bit more if you’ve only got kosher)

You will also need a canning pot, pint canning jars, lids with rings, a jar lifter, canning jar funnel.




Begin by inserting the rack into the pot, add the jars and fill the pot (and jars) with water.  Bring the water to a boil to sterilize the jars while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.  Boil the jars at least 5 minutes.

Add the lids to a smaller pan of water and bring to a to boil.  Turn down to a simmer once the water has come to a boil. 

Wash and trim the beans so that they fit in your jar. If you have very long beans, like I do, you may have to cut them in half.  Pack them in tight to minimize air space.

Combine vinegar, water and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. 

Remove the jars from the canning pot.  Make sure to leave about half the water and leave it at a heavy simmer.

While the brine is heating up, pack the beans into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace (distance between the tops of the beans and the rim of the jar). 



Then to each jar add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (depending on how hot you want them), 1 clove of garlic and 1 teaspoon dill seeds.


Pour the boiling brine over the beans, making sure to leave a 1/2 inch headspace. 

Use a plastic knife to remove air bubbles from jar by running it around the interior of the jar. Wipe the rims and apply the lids and rings.

Place the jars of beans into the canning pot.  Bring the water to a full boil.  Process the beans for 5 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Remove the beans from the pot and let them sit undisturbed for at least 12 hours.  At which time you may remove the rings and store them.

Test to make sure the jars are sealed by pressing down on the middle of the lid.  If isn't sucked down then put the jar in the fridge and use as soon as possible.

Let the beans sit for at least two weeks before eating, to thoroughly develop their flavor.

How my garden grows . . . lotsa beans, lotsa 'maters and lotsa hot peppers

My morning visit to the garden was fruitful . . . literally!  I filled up a five gallon bucket with beans, tomatoes, peppers . . . plus one zucchini and three cucumbers.

I know what I'll be doing tonight!  That would be standing in a hot, steamy kitchen stuffing jars full of fresh, healthy goodness!

It's all good . . . the pantry is filling up.  This winter . . . and next . . . we'll have tomato sauce, chili and pickles.  Lots and LOTS of pickles.

WOOT!



Oh . . . speaking of peppers.  I'm gonna have a bucket full of habaneros soon . . . yay!

How my garden grows . . . everything's coming up beans!

The beans are coming on full force and I'm lovin' it!  It's interesting.  If I look at the bean plants all I see are leaves and vines.  But if I happen to spot bean pods it's like a window opens up and all I see is bean pods everywhere dripping from every vine.  They are the masters of camouflage   

Today I picked another big batch of beans . . . literally pulling them off the plants by the fistful.  And I have plants that haven't even started growing pods yet but lots of blossoms.  

This is the first year I've grown beans and I have to say that its very rewarding.  They are easy to grow and the really produce.  We have a garden so we can stock our pantry and the bean plants are making an excellent contribution.

This week I managed to empty out my veggie drawer which was stuffed with tomatoes, cucumbers and beans by preserving them.    I canned the tomatoes for sauce, made dilly beans, cucumber pickles and pickled peppers.

Today I filled it right back up again and that's not including the beans.  Additionally, I filled a gallon sized baggy up with those.  Time to whip out the canner again.

Besides the beans, I harvested a pile of tomatoes that were surprisingly unmolested, several cucumbers, a zucchini and one pea pod.

I go to the garden between 5 and 6  in the morning (I have to be to work at 8).  The garden is at the point where I either have time to either pick veggies or weed.  I'd rather have weeds than a garden full of rotting vegetables.  However, I try to pull as many of the most obnoxious ones as I can.

Gardening rocks!