Green Beans With Bacon & Onion

3 or 4 slices of bacon
1 T butter
2 or 3 T onion, chopped
One can of green beans, any style, or even better, fresh.
If you are using canned green beans, drain the water off of them as best you can (squish the lid down into the can and turn it upside down lol)

Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until done.
While the bacon is cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat and add the onions and the green beans, stirring right away to coat everything with butter and then every now and then to cook everything evenly.
When the onions are soft (they usually get a little "clear") cover the saucepan and lower the heat a little.
When the bacon is done, lift the pieces out of the pan and set onto a paper towel. Pat off the extra grease and crumble the cooked bacon into the saucepan with the green beans and onions.
Stir, turn the heat back up to medium-low and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes, or until everything in the saucepan is hot enough to serve.

Corn On The Cob

Corn on the cob is best when you buy the ears with the hardest kernels.
People look at you funny in the grocery store for poking the corn but if you want the absolute best, you'll work for it.

*grin*

Shuck the ears, remove all the silk and place in a pot with enough unsalted cold water to cover (salt toughens corn).
Add 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice for each gallon of water.
Heat to boiling. Boil uncovered 2 minutes; remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes uncovered before serving.
Smile and await the compliments. :)

Roasted Vegetables

1 med eggplant, cut into 1 1/2" cubes

1 med green bell pepper, halved and cut into 1" wide slices

1 med red bell pepper, halved and cut into 1" wide slices

1 med onion, cut into 8 wedges, then separated

2 med zucchini, cut into 1" pieces

1/2 lb whole mushrooms

2 T dried basil leaves (1/3 c fresh)

3 T vegetable oil

2 T red wine vinegar

1 t dried oregano leaves

1/2 t salt

1/4 t ground black pepper

1 med tomato, seeded and cut into 2" pieces

1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place eggplant, bell peppers, onion, zucchini, and mushrooms in 3 qt casserole dish and sprinkle with basil.  Mix oil, vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper, then drizzle evenly over vegetables.

Bake uncovered for 30 min.  Add tomatoes; toss to coat.  Bake 15 min longer, until vegetables are tender.

Serve sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese.

*For a delicious main dish, serve vegetables tossed with 8 oz cooked pasta

Sautéing Vegetables 

When sautéing vegetables for side dishes or to add to your entree, use a medium/high heat and heat your butter or oil well enough first so that when you add your vegetables, they immediately start cooking.  Add any seasonings you want to use first, stirring the seasoning(s) into the heated butter or oil.  Start with the vegetables that take the longest to cook (i.e. onions).  As you add the next vegetable, get the pan "back up to heat" before adding the next and continue in this manner until all your varieties of vegetables have been added.  Once the pan has been brought "back up to heat" for the last time, stir well and monitor, stirring occasionally.  Lower the heat and cover if necessary until the last vegetable added has been cooked to your desired level of doneness.

In general, onions, mushrooms and celery take the longest to cook with bell peppers following closely behind.  Sliced carrots (in oriental dishes) should be added last so they don't get soggy before serving.  Don't ask me about peas LOL.

Veggie Sticks 

(and a note on eating healthy)

We always say that we should eat a healthier diet, but how often do we apply the idea to actually living it?
I was in an auto accident in 1986 that every Dr. I saw said should have killed me instantly.
Instead, I was left with internal injuries that completely changed the course of my life as I knew it.
Once I was able to eat again, I had to start anew as if I were an infant.
As I gradually conditioned my stomach to intake solid foods, I became aware of just how different things were going to be...no more chemically processed foods, no more junk food, no more fast food! I honestly thought I was going to starve to death lol.
Resorting back to the "old-fashioned" way of cooking foods (from scratch, not out of a box, a can, or precooked & frozen) I found that I could eat anything I wanted with the exception of pork products.
As time has passed, I have developed a tolerance for some prepared foods, but not many which is why you see in my recipe collection that canned soups and canned vegetables are the only pre-made items on the menu.
I do recommend chips as sides although I can't eat them. I know they are good tasting and not too bad for your health if you only eat them on occasion.
Anyway, back to what I started on to begin with....snacking...
Without the chips, cheese-puffs, candy bars, & Doritos, I was lost as to what to snack on until I remembered my flight home from Hawaii and the in-flight meal: veggie sticks and rolled up varieties of meats with a dish of sour cream for dipping everything in.
I was saved! Not only did I get my snacks back, but now they were healthy ones to boot!
Vegetables will keep crispy-fresh in a container with cold water in the bottom of it as long as you keep it shut and refrigerated.
Carrots, celery, broccoli, green bell peppers...any vegetable that can be cut into finger food can be stored in the same container for at least 5 days.
Keep one in your refrigerator for your kids or for yourself with a container of sour cream (or your favorite dip or dressing) nearby.
It is as easy as unwrapping a candy bar, opening a bag of chips or cheese puffs and a hundred times healthier for you and your family.