Sautéed Green Beans and Cherry Tomatoes

Harvest the last of your green beans and cherry tomatoes and make this quick and simple side dish that is both healthy and appetizing!

I literally make this dish every month all year long. Snapping beans and the “thunk” of each pod hitting the bottom of a large, white bucket is burned into my childhood memory . We’d busily snap beans for my mom to can during the summer in Washington and then enjoy them all year long.

Nowadays I’ve leaned away from canning a bit and instead savor those summery flavors every month but keeping two basic ingredients in hand, just cherry tomatoes and green beans. So simple and budget friendly!

Recommended Equipment

• Wusthof Knives
• Tongs

Before You Begin…

You’ll want to get started by washing and trimming your green beans and giving them a quick blanch. See section below for how to blanch green beans.

What Do I Need for Sautéed Green Beans and Tomatoes?

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty vegetable side dish.

• Green Beans: fresh is best, either from the garden or grocery store
• Kosher Salt: adds flavor to the water that you boil the green beans in
• Water: used to boil the green beans
• Olive Oil: helps sauté the shallots and vegetables
• Shallot: adds a mild onion flavor
• Garlic: adds flavor
• Cherry Tomatoes: different varieties are best, grape tomatoes also work great
• Salt and Pepper: adds flavor
• Lemon: adds a bright citrusy flavor
• Fresh Herbs: You can use any combination you want. We like to use herbs such as thyme, parsley, dill or oregano.
• Feta: or cotija works too…and the cheese is totally optional

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

How to Blanch Green Beans So They Actually Stay Crisp

Blanching is the process of cooking a fruit or vegetable by quickly scalding them in boiling water then moving them to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. For this recipe, you will only leave the green beans in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes. This is just enough time to cook the green beans until tender but still crisp.

If you let them go much longer, they will start to get soggy and lose their bright green color. By transferring the cooked green beans to a bowl of ice water, they stop cooking and stay crisp for the next step of the recipe.

Do You Have to Trim Green Beans?

You should remove the top end of the green bean. This is the end that was once connected to the plant. It can be quite hard and chewy, so you wouldn’t want to eat it. Some people like to also remove t

Fresh Tabbouleh Recipe

Tabbouleh is a light and fresh Mediterranean salad made with fresh parsley, bulgur wheat, green onions, mint, and tomatoes tossed in a lemon dressing.

Tabbouleh (pronounced tuh-boo-lee), also know as tabouli salad, is a parsley heavy salad commonly found in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean countries. While I have seen many Americanized versions where they include way more bulgur wheat so it is more grain-focused, I love it when the star of the show is the parsley just as it was in Israel! It’s a healthy and herbaceous side dish for any meal!

Having tabbouleh in Israel at Magdala’s changed my life. The freshness of the dish was one of the moments that I just sat back and felt the reality of where I was, the simplicity of food and life ya know. I’ll never forget it!

What is Bulgur Wheat?

Bulgur wheat is an edible cereal grain made from parboiled cracked wheat that is dried before packaging. It has a nutty or earth taste and has a texture similar to couscous or quinoa. It is quick and easy to cook and versatile in how it can be used.

What is in Tabbouleh?

For the Dressing

• Olive Oil: the base of the dressing
• Lemon Zest and Juice: adds acidity and bright flavor to the dressing
• Garlic: adds flavor
• Salt and Pepper: adds flavor

For the Tabbouleh

• Fine Bulgur: You’ll find it on the same row as the grains or the pasta at the grocery store. If you have a hard time finding it, you should be able to find it at any health food store.
• Flat Leaf and Curly Leaf Parsley: I love the combination of the two for this salad. I use the Italian (flat leaf) parsley which has more flavor but that smooth look and texture mellows it out. While the curly is more mild but I love the texture it adds.
• Green Onions: The green onions add flavor, you can also use chives
• Mint Leaves: You will definitely want fresh mint for this recipe!
• Grape Tomatoes: I like to half or quarter them so they are easier (and less messy) to eat.

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe at the end of the post.

Substitutions and Additions in Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh in it’s authentic form is just parsley, green onions, mint, tomatoes and bulgur with olive oil and lemon juice. You can see that we have taken a few liberties with our version here. It’s really a versatile salad, so feel free to add or omit items as desired. Here are some ideas:

Additions

• Cucumber
• Pomegranates
• Chickpeas
• Feta
• Sliced Grilled Chicken

Substitutes

• Bulgur Wheat – couscous or quinoa

Important Tips

1. Chop everything small. It is meant to all blend together. You can do it by hand with a knife or use a food processor or small blender. Jus

The BEST Caprese Salad with Pistachios

The BEST caprese salad with pistachios recipe is right here! There’s nothing like finding a good recipe for fresh from the garden tomatoes.

This caprese salad is so light and refreshing and oooooooooohhhhhhhh so wonderful during the summer when you can pick the tomatoes straight from your garden. I had no idea tomatoes could even be that delicious until I tried my first homegrown tomato. It’s like a totally different thing. Am I right, gardeners?!

We love pistachios too and threw some on top of this pretty salad one night and we both found ourselves digging for the pistachios which could only mean one thing, they were meant to be. That added crunch is molto buono!

Recommended Equipment

• Tomato Knife
• Cutting Board

Before You Begin…

Slice your tomatoes nice and thick! I love a meaty bite of garden fresh tomato! And slice your mozzarella into thick slices too.

What is a Caprese Salad?

Caprese salad is a simple Italian salad, made of sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and sweet basil, seasoned with salt and olive oil.

Ingredients for Caprese Salad

Have I ever told you we love caprese salad? No? Well, we do. Like, a lot. Especially when it has a really nice balsamic vinegar (not the cheapest no name stuff at the store). And even more so when it’s the best caprese salad with pistachios. Here is everything you will need…

• Tomatoes: heirloom or vine ripe tomatoes
• Mozzarella: it has to be fresh!
• Pistachios: shelled and either lightly salted or no salt added
• Basil: fresh leaves only
• Olive Oil: you’ll only need a drizzle but a good quality oil will make all the difference
• Balsamic Vinegar: go for a higher quality vinegar or even a balsamic glaze
• Salt and Pepper: just for a little extra flavor

The measurements and details for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

What Kind of Mozzarella is Best for Caprese Salad?

You absolutely have to use fresh mozzarella to get the full caprese experience! The part skim or low moisture mozzarella, while cheaper, is saltier and won’t grab on to the flavors like fresh mozzarella does. You can get the fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini) if you want, but we love the big hunks of a block of fresh mozz.

If you absolutely need a substitute, then burrata will be your best bet.

What Type of Tomatoes are Best for Caprese Salad?

If you have access to fresh tomatoes straight from the garden, then go with those! Get some at a farmers market or maybe your neighbor! They just can’t be beat!

If store bought is your only option, then go with vin

Fabulous Ranch Green Beans Recipe [+Video]

This is a green beans recipe like you’ve never tasted before and it is FABULOUS! The green beans are creamy and full of that comforting ranch flavor that everyone loves all topped with a crunchy Panko topping. Boom! You’re going to love this vegetable side dish!

I’ve been spending some quality time with more and more teenagers lately, and I’ve never felt more old and out of touch. Haha! I find myself asking them to explain all the slang words they are using. I learned a new one the other day and I’m totally incorporating it into my everyday lingo because it’s used to describe really, really good food — now that is something I can relate to! The word is “bussin'”. I can confidently say that these green beans are totally bussin’! 

After I accidentally created our melt-in-your-mouth baked ranch chicken, I had the thought that swapping the chicken for green beans would be stellar! And then I thought, nobody ever cares about green bean recipes. My next thought was…I don’t care! I’m going to do it anyway! And I was 100% correct, creamy ranch green bean casserole is out of this world…aka bussin’! And you need to try it!

Ingredients for Ranch Green Bean Casserole

You only need a few ingredients to make this tasty side dish, and most of the items will already be things you have on hand. Here is what you will need:

• Green Beans – fresh, washed, trimmed and then blanched
• Shallot – part of the onion and garlic family but more subtle in flavor
• Salt and Pepper – adds flavor
• Butter – used in the base for the sauce and as a binder for the crunchy Panko topping  
• Flour – thickens the sauce
• Ranch Salad Dressing – Trust me on this, make it from the packet, following the directions. It will taste way better then if you just buy a bottle of ranch.
• Milk – combines with the ranch to create the sauce
• Panko Breadcrumbs – Japanese-style breadcrumbs that adds crunch to the top of this casserole

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post. You can also save and/or print the recipe from there.

How to Blanch Green Beans

Blanching green beans takes just a few quick and easy steps. Fill a large pot of water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add kosher salt to the water (about 1 tablespoon for every quart of water). When the water starts boiling, add the beans and let them cook for 2-3 minutes. 

Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice while the beans are cooking. When the beans have finished cooking, transfer the beans to the ice bath. Let them sit for a few minutes in the cold water. This helps the green beans maint

German Potato Salad

German potato salad is served warm with tender potatoes, crunchy bacon and a mustard vinegar dressing that is everything a potato salad should be!

Don’t get me wrong, we love our traditional potato salad! And it always has a place as a favorite side dish at the picnic table, but if you want to change things up and ditch the eggs and mayo, then this is the potato salad for you!

I start by boiling some golden and red potatoes, then I cook the bacon on the stove in a dutch oven. Once the potatoes are fork tender, I combine them with the bacon and some garlic with a little of the bacon fat (hello flavor town!!) and then top it all with a tangy mustard (2 kinds!) and apple cider vinegar dressing.

The ingredients are so few and so simple that it seems impossible it could be so good, but it is heaven! It’s all topped with a little fresh parsley on top because, while it seems useless, it actually freshens the whole dish up. Trust me, you need to make this.

Ingredients for German Potato Salad

• Potatoes: We love the combo of some Yukon gold potatoes and red potatoes, but you could do all of one or the other. Just avoid the russets!
• Salt: adds flavor to the potatoes as they boil
• Bacon: adds flavor and a crunchy texture to the dish. Don’t forget to reserve some of the bacon grease left behind.
• Butter: use unsalted so that you can control the saltiness of the dish
• Olive Oil: extra virgin is preferred
• Apple Cider Vinegar: adds acid to the dish
• Garlic: adds flavor, be sure to use fresh garlic
• Sugar: mellows out the vinegar
• Mustards: we use a combo of stone ground mustard and Dijon for maximum flavor
• Salt and Pepper: just enough until it tastes perfect to you
• Parsley: some is going to get mixed in while everything is cooking and some is going to be added fresh on top at the end so make sure you follow the instructions

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

What Kind Of Potatoes Do You Use For Potato Salad?

For potato salad, you’ll want to stay away from starchy, thick-skinned potatoes like russets, which will fall apart during the cooking process.

Red potatoes or golden potatoes maintain the perfect texture for salad.

Variations for German Potato Salad

There are a few options for changing this recipe up. You can always try different combinations of potatoes, though we really love the combination of reds and Yukon golds.

If you want to lighten things up a little, try using turkey bacon. You’ll be losing a lot of flavor if you go with this option because you won’t have the bacon grease to add to the dressing. Turkey bacon is quite lean and doesn’t leave much, if any, grease behind.

Feel free to play with the mustards that you use. If you want to add a little heat, try using a little s