Crispy Green Bean Fries with Sriracha Dipping Sauce

When you go to the grocery store, do you painstakingly measure and weigh each ingredient you're buying?  Or do you just kind of estimate and buy what looks about right?  Because if you're the latter, then you may have gotten yourself into trouble before.  Either you are short and don't have enough of what you need, or you grossly overbuy and then have a bunch of some random ingredient to use up.  Not that I know this from experience…

Anyhoo, should you find yourself with extra green beans after Thanksgiving, or if you're looking for a fun and unique side for your turkey leftovers sandwich, I have a recipe for you!

These crispy green bean fries use steamed green beans.  You coat them with some herbs, spices, and panko bread crumbs, and bake them to crispy perfection.  And then.  You serve them with a spicy Sriracha dipping sauce.  The bright freshness of the green beans pairs so nicely with the creamy, spicy sauce.  To be totally honest, I was a little skeptical of this recipe.  I mean, green bean french fries?  Really?  Just drop the act and give me real fries, please and thank you.  But Joey and I were both pleasantly surprised by these!  And that sauce.  It's really really great.  If you make these green beans to serve with a a turkey leftovers sandwich (and you should), then I highly recommend that you slather this sauce on your sandwich as well.  It's Thanksgiving leftovers perfection.

Crispy Green Bean Fries with Sriracha Dipping Sauce
adapted from Cooking Light, November 2014

• 1/4 cup reduced fat mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbs buttermilk
• 2 tsp Sriracha
• 1 Tbs fresh lime juice
• 2 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 lb steamed green beans
• 3 egg whites, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Combine the mayonnaise, buttermilk, Sriracha, and lime juice in a small bowl.  Season lightly with salt and pepper, cover, and chill until ready to serve.

Spread the panko in an even layer on a baking sheet, and bake for 4 minutes, until light golden-brown.  Transfer to a shallow dish (like a pie plate) to cool.

In a gallon-sized ziploc bag, combine the flour, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and oregano.  Add the green beans, close the bag, and shake to coat the green beans with the flour mixture.  

Add the egg whites to a shallow dish as well.

Working a few beans at a time, shake off the excess flour, dip in the egg whites, then roll in the panko.

Arrange in a single layer on a  rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until they are crispy and golden-brown.  Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

Pasta Primavera

First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for the kind words in my pregnancy announcement!  Like I said, we are very excited, despite the 1st trimester nausea.  I really shouldn't complain though - overall it has been much milder than when I was pregnant with Caroline.  I'm pretty sure I didn't cook for 6 straight weeks back then!  This time around I felt marginally better, but more than anything I struggled to eat plenty of fruits and veggies, since the thought pretty much turned my stomach.  The best way to get around that?  Mix them up with carbs!

Pasta Primavera is aptly named for its plethora of spring vegetables.  While it's certainly not low-calorie, it is full of vegetables.  This particular version contains asparagus, green beans, peas, zucchini, mushrooms, and tomatoes.  While this dinner isn't challenging, it is a bit time and labor-intensive.  First, the vegetables are blanched (cooked briefly in boiling water).  The mushrooms are cooked with the tomatoes and cream to form a rich sauce, the noodles are cooked, and then finally, it's all combined and finished with basil, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese.

This was a hit with our whole family - Caroline especially liked the noodles, but she ate the veggies with gusto as well.  So as I said, it's not necessarily a healthy dish, but any dinner that will get Caroline (and me) to eat this many vegetables is definitely a winner in my book!


Pasta Primavera
serves 6 as a main course
adapted from Cook's Illustrated, The New Best Recipe

• salt
• 6 oz green beans, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 12 medium asparagus spears, tough ends snapped off, halved lengthwise, and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 6 Tbs unsalted butter
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced thin
• 4 large plum tomatoes (about 1 lb), cored, peeled, and chopped medium*
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 lb dried fettuccine
• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup shredded basil leaves
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

Bring 3 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large saucepan, and add 1 tablespoon of salt.  Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside.  Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook 1 1/2 minutes.  Add the asparagus and cook 30 seconds.  Add the zucchini and cook 30 seconds.  Finally, add the peas and cook 30 seconds.  Drain the vegetables and submerge in the ice water to stop the cooking.  Let sit until chilled, about 3-5 minutes.  Drain well and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.

Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in the new-empty saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the mushrooms and cook until browned, 8-10 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and red pepper flakes, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until the tomatoes begin to lose their shape, about 7 minutes.  Add the cream and simmer until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes.  Cover to keep warm and set aside.

Add 1 Tablespoon of salt to the boiling water and add the pasta.  Stir to separate the strands, and cook until al dente. 

As the pasta cooks, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the garlic and saute until fragrant and very lightly colored, about 1 minute.  Add the vegetables and cook until heated through, about 2-3 minutes.  Season with salt to taste; set aside.  Bring the tomato-mushroom mixture back to a simmer over medium heat.

Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet with the vegetables.  Add the mushroom-tomato sauce, and over low heat, gently toss well to coat and distribute the vegetables.  Add the basil and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper  to taste.  Toss well and divide the pasta among individual serving bowls.  Serve immediately, passing the cheese separately.

*to peel the tomatoes, cut a small "x" in the bottom of the tomato, and cook in boiling water 30 seconds-1 minute, or until the skin begins to crack.  Submerge in an ice bath, then peel the skin.

Green Beans Parmesan

I feel like side dishes often get relegated to the back burner. Many people don't really care about them. Well, I have to admit that oftentimes I will just throw some veggies in the steamer or on the grill and call it a day, but sometimes I like to make something that is a little more substantial and interesting.

These green beans are now one of my favorites. I love Parmesan cheese, and I had actually just picked up a nice block of Parmigano-Reggiano last week, so this was a perfect chance to use it. Joey isn't usually a big fan of green beans, but he enjoyed these. The breadcrumbs really give them a great crunch, and I pretty much love tomatoes on everything.

While this wasn't the fastest recipe, it certainly wasn't too terribly difficult or time consuming. It can easily be done while your main dish cooks.

Green Beans Parmesan
adapted from Cook's Illustrated
serves 6 to 8

• 1 slice high-quality white sandwich bread (without crusts), torn into quarters
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium shallot, chopped fine
• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 pound green beans, washed, and ends trimmed
• 1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth
• salt and pepper

Process the bread in a food processor (you should have about 1 cup crumbs).

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the breadcrumbs and cook, tossing often, until golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and toss with 1/4 cup Parmesan and the chopped basil.

Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel, and add 1 Tablespoon of oil. Heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallot and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Cook until soft, 1-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and cook until the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.

Wipe out the skillet again, and heat the last tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the green beans and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook, tossing the beans often, until they are browned in spots, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and stir in tomato mixture and chicken broth. Cover and cook until the beans are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the lid and cook until the liquid evaporates, 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Adjust seasonings if necessary with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish and top with bread crumbs.