Green Bean Grab Bag!

As I was perusing my collection of recipes I happened upon several using green beans as a main ingredient.  I was interested to learn from the book, 'How to Pick a Peach' by Russ Parsons that only about a quarter of green beans grown in the U.S. are eaten fresh and that about half of those come from Florida.  Mexico supplies more than 90% of our imported fresh beans. Most of us are used to preparing the now traditional 'Green Bean Casserole' during the holidays or often just as a standard and easy family side dish.  To learn more about this phenomenon check out this link to foodtimeline.org.  I found a recipe from 1954 that seems to be the precursor to that popular recipe and thought that would be a good place to start!  This recipe does not include the french fried onion rings baked on top.  You'll have to consult your can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup (you know you have at least one in your pantry or cupboard) for that recipe!

Oven Green Beans 

2 1/2 cups canned green beans
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 can mushroom soup
1/2 cup grated cheese
2 Tbsp. chopped pimiento

Place green beans in a well-greased 1 1/2 quart baking dish.  Melt butter in a saucepan.  Add the flour, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and mushroom soup.  Stir constantly over medium heat until mixture is thick and no starch taste remains.  Remove from heat and add cheese and pimiento.  Stir until cheese has melted.  Pour sauce over green beans.  Bake in moderate (350 degrees F.) oven for about 20 minutes.  Serves 5.

Stepping back even further in time I found these two recipes including green beans from the book, 'Grandma's Wartime Kitchen' by Joanne Lamb Hayes who writes that green beans were a popular backyard crop and produced abundantly in most climates.  These were wartime recipes that provided good nutrition and plenty of protein during a time of rationing.  If you're brave...

Green Bean and Egg Salad

1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut diagonally crosswise
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup oil and vinegar dressing
1 green onion, finely chopped
2 hard-cooked large eggs, chilled

Combine beans, salt, and water to just cover in a heavy saucepan.  Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until just tender, about 5 minutes.  Drain well.

Combine cooked beans, oil and vinegar dressing, and green onion in a small bowl.  Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or until ready to pack or serve. 

To pack or serve, peel eggs; cut each into 8 pieces and mix with beans.  Divide between 2 containers or salad plates.

2 servings

Victory Sandwiches

2 1/2 cups cooked string beans, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

Drain beans well and chop very fine.  Add remaining ingredients and blend.  Makes 1 cup and fills 5 or 6 full-size sandwiches.

And now to finish - let's visit 1971 (such attractive food) for a truly 'interesting' salad that only a mother could love.  Translation - please don't make this.

Greens and Bean Salad

1/2 cup salad oil
2 Tbsp. vinegar
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. celery seed
1/4 tsp. paprika
1  16 ounce can (2 cups) cut green beans, drained
4 cups torn lettuce
2 cups torn fresh spinach
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded natural Swiss cheese

In screw-top jar, combine oil, vinegar, salt, sugar, celery seed and paprika; cover and shake to mix well.  Marinate green beans in oil mixture in refrigerator at least 2 hours.  Just before serving, drain the beans reserving the marinade.  Toss beans with the lettuce, spinach and Swiss cheese.  Add reserved marinade and toss to coat.  Makes 4 to 6 servings.

This is just a brief survey of some green bean recipes through the past 75 years.  Because they have always been plentiful, we have tried to blend them into our diets in numerous ways.  As summer pulls to a stop wherever you are, I hope you will find a way to work green beans into your weekly family menus.  You do plan ahead...right?  And of course, you'll be busy canning and putting up jams and jellies for the winter.  Of course!

Here is a vintage TV commercial for Campbell's Soups!  Enjoy.