Garlic Green Beans and Shitake Mushrooms

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

Store bought produce just isn't as tasty as fresh-picked veggies. My dad used to grow a variety of string bean (green bean) known as Kentucky Wonder. I remember sitting on the patio in a webbed chair on a hot summer evening, helping my mom snip the ends and remove the strings from the beans before she'd cook them for dinner. They both have passed, but I think of my parents every time I cook green beans.

Most green beans purchased from the local grocery store no longer have strings—all you need do is wash and snip the ends.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound green beans, washed and ends snipped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces shitake mushrooms, sliced
pepper
¼ cup sliced almonds

1. Pour olive oil into a large sauté pan. When hot add beans and whirl in oil to coat. Cover and cook on med-low for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook until beans are al dente and mushrooms are softened. Sprinkle with pepper to taste. Stir in almonds and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes.

Makes 4 side-dish servings.

Serve with chicken, steak or lamb. Try Slow Cooker Rosemary Chicken.

Enjoy!

Almond Cookies

Contributed by Dawn Marie Hamilton

Happy Holidays! It's cookie time. One of my favorite things about the holidays is all the wonderful cookies. Several years ago, I found this recipe in a magazine and revised it a bit for my more mature taste buds by reducing the amount of sugar and replacing some of the white flour with whole-wheat pastry flour for an earthier flavor. The final product is delicious.

*Check out the note below on blanching nuts.

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 cups unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon milk
blanched whole almonds
sesame seeds (optional)

1. In a large food processor bowl, whir butter and sugar. Add whole egg and almond extract and blend. Add flour and baking powder and blend again. Remove dough and place into a bowl, cover, and chill until firm, about one hour. (hint: If dough is left in refrigerator too long, it will need time to soften before it can be shaped into cookies.)

2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls, flatten with thumb, and place 1-inch apart on buttered or parchment-lined cookie trays. (hint: trays should be at room temperature—otherwise cookies may lose their shape.)

3. In a small bowl, beat egg yolk with milk to blend. Lightly brush cookies with egg mixture. Press an almond into the center of each cookie and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. (note: discard excess egg mixture.)

4. Bake cookies in preheated 325 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack. (hint: For more even baking when making two trays of cookies at the same time, switch tray position halfway through cooking time.)

Makes approximately 48 cookies. Enjoy!

*Note on blanching nuts: Place the whole almonds with skins in boiling water for less than one minute and drain in colander. Pour cool water over top and drain again. Pinch nuts between thumb and forefinger and rub off skins.