Southern Green Beans and Potatoes
Green Beans and Potatoes
Follow our complete, step-by-step, photo illustrated instructions to make one of the South’s favorite side dishes.
Southern Green Beans and Potatoes
…
Or as we call them “Beans and Taters.”
…
I may have been “born and raised” in the South, but I’m not much of a vegetable fan for reasons unknown. But, these two would be my first choice from any table or buffet.
If it were Potatoes and Green Beans, that would be even more like it. Smile. I do love my potatoes.
You could open up a can of beans and a can of “taters”, but why not do them fresh when they are available. Fresh vegetables are so much better, and at this time of the year, they’re starting to show up at roadside stands, farmers market and more.
Whether you call them green beans or snap beans doesn’t really matter. They’re one and the same.
Mama cooked them a lot, and she put a lot of effort an love into storing them up for us to also enjoy during the winter months when fresh ones weren’t available.
Usually she was out in the garden early in the morning to pick the beans, a bushel or more at the time.
Next, she would grab a big old dishpan and head out to the front porch, usually with a neighbor or relative to string the beans and snap them.
I can easily visualize her sitting in her wooden rocker, apron on, dishpan filled with beans sitting in her lap. Often, there would be a glass of sweet tea sitting on the wooden floor of the front porch right beside of her.
As long as it took, they would sit and talk, string and snap, until the beans had all been cleaned and ready for cooking, canning, or freezing.
The summer sun would make the day hot, but the shade and hopefully cool breeze on that front porch were a welcome time of the day to sit down for a little bit, but still working just the same.
I couldn’t help but recall those days as I worked on the 2 pounds of fresh beans I had purchased to prepare this recipe. No matter how hard I try, they will never be as good as hers. Smile.
Red potatoes were used here, mostly because I had them on hand. They also hold up a bit better during the longer cooking time it will take to get the fresh beans cooked to perfection. Russets are good, but break up too easily after being cooked for awhile.
The day before I cooked these, I did another post here on Taste of Southern called “How To Render Bacon Fat.” I wanted some bacon grease to season my beans with. It’s liquid gold for such purposes.
So, if you’re ready to cook up a pot of beans and taters like Mama would do them, then let’s get on in the kitchen, and… Let’s Get Cooking.
…
You’ll need these ingredients to make our Green Beans and Potatoes recipe.
…
Begin by washing your potatoes under some cold running water. Gently scrub in the indentations to be sure you remove any dirt that might be in those. When finished, just set them aside for now.
…
I like to place some cold water in the sink to wash my beans.
It’s kind of hard to just rinse them under running water, so place the beans in your sink and add enough water to get them to float. Then, swish them around good for a few minutes, looking for any trash or leaves as you rinse them clean.
Use your hands to scoop the beans out and place them in a large bowl or colander before draining the water and dirt from the sink.
Any dirt will settle in the bottom of the sink as you wash the beans. If you just drain the sink, the beans end up resting on top of the dirt and you haven’t accomplished very much. Lift them out first, then drain the sink. Thank you for listening. Smile.
…
Now it’s time to start the fun part. Yes, we’ll do this one bean at a time, but it won’t take long.
This is where Mama would place all the beans in a dishpan and head for the front porch to rock in her chair and snap the beans.
These particular beans are fresh, young and tender. They don’t have a lot of “strings” on them, but you may have some that are a bit older that will need to have those strings removed. Stay with me for a minute because I don’t have a photo to illustrate this point.
See me holding the bean in the photo above? I’m holding out the end that was attached to the bush the beans grew on. You’ll need to grasp this end between your fingers and snap the end. If it has a string attached, gently pull the end back and the string should come completely off as you pull the end down the length of the bean.
When you get to the end, snap that end off, and you should be able to pull that end back around and peel the string off from the other side. It’s not complicated and you’ll get much faster at this process after you’ve done a few.
If you leave the string attached and cook the beans you’ll end up trying to chew the tough string, thinking you’ve found a hair or something in your beans. You don’t wont that to happen now do you?
…
Snap off both ends of the bean, removing any strings as you go.
…
Next, just hold each bean in your hands and snap it into bite sized pieces.
…
Continue to pull the strings off, snap the ends off, and snap the beans into bite sized pieces until you have them all done. Whew!
I only had two pounds here and I’m not very fast at this myself. Of course, I wasn’t rushing. I was watching a program on the computer while I did mine.
Mama, and my aunts, use to sit on the porch and do this a bushel or more at a time. I couldn’t help but think about that while I sat in air-conditioning and working on these few. Times sure have changed haven’t they?
…
I decided to cut my potatoes into quarters. They were small to begin with, but I decided to cut them since I didn’t have but a few on hand at the time. You can leave yours whole if you prefer. They will have plenty of time to cook as we boil the beans.
…
Grab a good sized stock pot and place the beans and potatoes inside. Add enough water to cover the beans by about 3 inches. You’ll need a good amount of water to begin with. It will evaporate down as the beans cook.
…
Add your seasoning. I’m using about a Tablespoon of Bacon grease from where I just did the post on How To Render Bacon Fat. It’s a great seasoning for beans in my opinion.
…
Add the sugar.
We can’t forget the sugar. Mama always added a small amount of sugar to just about all the vegetables that she cooked, so I’m continuing the tradition. It just knocks the “edge” off of the taste of the vegetables as they cook.
Cook on Medium heat for 1 hour or longer.
Place the pot on your stove top over Medium heat. Once they start to boil, turn them down just a bit and let them cook at a low boil until tender.
You want the beans and potatoes to be done, but some folks like a little crunch in them. Just cook them until they reach the desired doneness that you and your family prefer.
…
After an hour on the stove top, add in the Black Pepper.
…
Then, add the salt.
You may also notice that I added a couple of strips of leftover bacon to this pot. I just had it in the kitchen following another recipe I’d prepared so I tossed it in for a bit more flavor.
Mama often used a big chunk of fat back, or a piece of side meat to season her vegetables. It pretty much depended on what was available at the time. You get similar results from them all. Smile.
…
Give everything a good stir with a large spoon, and continue to cook the beans and potatoes until they are done.
Mine cooked for an hour and a half to get to the point that I like them. Mama always “cooked them to death” as the old folk would say, but they sure were good.
…
Enjoy!
Serve them warm and enjoy one of the South’s most favored side dishes.
Mama would have a bowl like this, sometimes with potatoes and sometimes without, sitting on that big oval dining room table every Sunday after church. Good times with all the family gathered around.
…
Southern Green Beans and Potatoes
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dishes
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
Easy to follow, step-by-step, photo illustrated instructions on how to make our Southern Green Beans and Potatoes. Printable recipe included.
Ingredients
- 2lb fresh Green Beans
- 1lb small Red Potatoes, about 6–8
- 1 Tablespoon Bacon Grease
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes under cool running water. Set aside.
- Place a couple inches of cold water in your sink. Add the green beans.
- Swish the beans around to wash them, removing any leaves or debris.
- Lift the beans out of the wash water. Place in a colander to drain.
- One at a time, snap the ends off the beans, removing any strings as you go.
- Discard the end pieces.
- Snap each bean into bite sized pieces.
- Place the beans in a large stock pot and cover with water by about 3 inches.
- Add the red potatoes. Cut them into quarters if preferred.
- Add the bacon grease.
- Add the sugar.
- Place on stove top over Medium High heat and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to Medium and let cook for one hour.
- Add the black pepper.
- Add the salt. Stir well.
- Continue to cook the beans and potatoes until done as desired.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Ham hock, hog jowl, side meat or fat back can be used as a good Southern type seasoning instead of the bacon grease.
Keywords: Green Beans with Potatoes, red potatoes, beans and taters
…
Your Comments:
Ever made Green Beans and Potatoes with fresh vegetables? Share your memories of this great Southern side dish.
It will only take a minute or two for you to leave your comments in the section below.
Just remember, all comments are moderated. That just means that I personally read each and everyone before they are approved for viewing on our family friendly website. Thank you in advance for sharing.
Sign Up For Our Free Newsletter:
While you’re here, be sure to sign up for our totally FREE NEWSLETTER. I’ll send you an Email every once in awhile to remind you when I post a new recipe, or when anything else of importance is going on around Taste of Southern. It’s totally free, and super easy to sign up. And, should you ever decide that you are no longer interested, it’s even quicker to unsubscribe. How cool is that? I’ll be looking forward to seeing you add your name to our list. The signup box is below and you’ll also find one in the top right hand corner of each page. I hope you’ll do it today.
Be Blessed!!!
Steve
..
You may also like our: Baked Beans from Scratch
And for a great Southern seasoning secret: How To Render Bacon Fat
Category: Side Dishes
I just had to add an extra comment after seeing that little discussion in the comments about cooking carrots. This is different from the green beans recipe though. One time I was having lunch at our local Cracker Barrel and complimented the waitress about their carrots side dish. She brought the manager over to our table to hear what I’d said. He smiled and told me how they cook their carrots. I was amazed at what he said. It’s just water brought to a boil and then add sliced carrots, a few tablespoons of butter, and half a cup (or more) of brown sugar! You just cook on medium heat till the carrots are tender. How easy is that? Hahahahaha I hope this was useful. It really works.
I’m 75 and am lucky enough to have been taught by my sweet mama here in Texas how to make this dish, just about exactly like your recipe. We used chopped up smoked bacon slices for the fat though. There’s nothing like these green beans and potatoes to bring childhood memories flashing back to my eyes! Makes me want to go brew some sweet iced tea, just thinking about it! Thanks for the memories and your great photos, too.
★★★★★
Hi Steve. I love the recipe for the green beans and potatoes. Actually I’m gonna fix a big pot for dinner tomorrow. I use fat back for seasoning and I put peeled Yukon gold new potatoes in with the green beans when they are almost done. The sugar salt and pepper are what I use exactly. Fresh green beans have always been a family favorite of ours! Have a blessed day.
★★★★★
Thank you very much! I hadn’t made this in so long, I was looking for a refresher course!! This one is perfect..just like my family made. Sunday will be fried pork chops, fresh green beans w/ red potatoes, peaches & cream corn, fried okra, sliced tomatoes, and onions…yummo!!!
★★★★★
I haven’t tried your way yet but I’ve added everything to my grocery list to try it soon. This recipe is almost exactly how my grandma used to make it, with a few tweaks. I don’t remember the sugar part but it definitely wouldn’t surprise me if she used it lol. I’ve seen a lot of recipes where the beans are a side dish. We always had them as the main dish. Well, grandma always had fried chicken and fried cornbread to go along with it but the beans were more of a soup. (I do the bacon version with canned beans and potatoes as a side dish with a little sautéed white onion) She used ham hock or a good chunk of fat back for her seasoning and she added dumplings to the top (same as she would with collards and cabbage lol). I know that nothing will ever be as good as grandmas was but this is the closest I’ve seen and can’t wait to try it!
★★★★★
Perfect!
★★★★★
You have some very good recipes and have enjoyed reading them. I’m almost 80 and my mother and dad were from the old school when it came to cooking. I was raised on fatback, lard. and bacon grease. Today I cook green beans, collards and cabbage using fatback or bacon and butter. When cooking the potatoes I melt butter and bacon grease and pour the cut up potatoes in the pot and let them get a little brown on them. This is just letting the flavor get inside the potatoes. The I pour the greens in, add a little salt and pepper. I pour either beef broth, chicken broth or water in just about half covering the greens. I add a big ole onion and cook the daylight out of them. Cook the water out and let the greens cook in the grease. Just before I serve them I pour pepper sauce (made from home grown red hot peppers) and white vinegar. This will make you slap your mama it’s so good.
Growing up in Alabama, we also ate our green beans cooked very well done. As I like to describe it, we cooked them into submission!
How true!! LOL…same in Georgia!!
THANK YOU for taking me (62-years old) back to my childhood vacations. I live in central Indiana. My grandparents lived in Kentucky. Every mid-to late July we went there for a week. We sat on the porch and snapped the green beans. They used the same recipe (not sure about sugar though). My grandparents died when I was a teenager and my parents when I was in my mid-20s. This was very special for me. Thanks again
★★★★★
Hi Toni, Thank you for sharing your memories of green beans with us. I’m glad we could bring back some good thoughts for you. I know you have to miss your parents and your grandparents, but it’s always good to have fond memories of them. It’s my pleasure to share the recipes. I do appreciate your visit today and I hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Steve, I want to thank you for taking me back home. I was born in Currituck,North Carolina. I am living in Germany after retiring from the US Army. I still remember cooking these taters and beans with my Mama. I am cooking them now after searching on your page. Thanks for sharing. I have been a follower for some time and when I need Southern recipes you are my go to guy. I so enjoy your newsletters. Blessings to you. Until next time ******Peace!!!.
★★★★★
Hi Betty, Greetings to Germany all the way from your home state of North Carolina. It’s great to hear from you. I’m glad we could bring back some memories for you with our recipe. I hope they turn out well for you and it’s my pleasure to share the recipes. I’m thankful to have you as a subscriber to the Newsletter. I will always be grateful for your support. I do appreciate your visits and I hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Hi from Elizabeth City!
Perfect reproduction of our old southern favorite, Steve. I remembered enough to do it myself (I was always involved in getting all of our summer produce ready for canning, and in helping Mama get supper on the table every night), but I wanted to check it with someone else’s recipe,and you did very well by it. Thanks for the memories!
★★★★★
Hi Sonny, Thank you for your comments. I’m glad we could bring back some good memories for you with the recipe. I do appreciate your visit and I hope you’ll visit with us often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
This does bring back fond memories of the 50s and 60s. I still make this dish but I don’t use sugar. We always had a backyard garden which provided us with great meals and we always grew green beans and red potatoes. My mom would usually can about 80 quarts of beans each summer…either Kentucky Wonders or Rattlesnake beans. Those were the good old days!! I know one thing for sure, the longer you cook green beans, the better they are and leftovers were the best. After several hours at the pool, we would come home ravenous and heat up the beans and potatoes. Nothing like fresh veggies from the garden. Thank you for reminding me what wonderful parents I had who provided great home grown food.
Hi Steve, I left a comment for this recipe back in July. This recipe has been a staple in my house ever since you shared it. It’s winter now so I am tending to use frozen green beans. They turn out just as delicious. What do you think about this…do you think I could substitute fresh carrots for the green beans? Do you think they would absorb the bacon flavor as well as the green beans do? I’m wondering if you have ever tried different veggies with the bacon seasoning. Carrots are wonderful in my opinion. Take care. Thank you for your response.
Hi Joan, I’m glad you’ve been enjoying the Southern Green Beans and Potatoes recipe. Thank you for trying it. I’ve used the bacon fat to season lots of vegetables. It’s good on just about anything. Smile. As for the carrots, you might have to try that first. As the old saying goes, you want know until you try it. Right? I’d try the baby carrots I think. They would be more tender and more likely to absorb more flavor. Just my opinion of course. What’s your favorite way to prepare carrots? I do appreciate your visit today and I hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Oh my. I have many lovely recipes for carrots. For Thanksgiving, I tried a new one and it was wonderful. I am not a big fan of cooking with alcohol, but Bourbon Glazed Carrots was what I made and was a hit. (I really cannot even stand the smell of bourbon! Go figure.) Simmer and stir 1/4c brown sugar, 1/4c butter and 2tbsp bourbon for about 10 minutes then pour over approx. 2 pounds of boiled, coined carrots. Very nice. It was much better the next day, in my opinion. I’ll try your recipe with carrots and I’ll let you know.
★★★★★
AWESOME Just the way my grandmother cooked them except for the sugar. Never sugar!!! Great recipe Steve!!! Delicious:-)), without the sugar.
Terry (Ted)
Hi Ted, You really must try them with a bit of sugar just once. You don’t know what you’re missing. Smile. It’s not enough to make them taste sweet, its just a little. Mama did it with about all of her vegetable dishes. Thank you for commenting and for your visit today. I do hope you’ll visit with us often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Right
★★★★★
I had just put a pot of snaps and taters on the stove when I saw your new post. They are one off my all time favorites. The only thing I do different is I season my cooking water first. I prefer streak of lean which is another name for bacon. I cook this for about 30 minutes and then add snap and taters. Yes, got to have a little sugar. Thanks
Hi Steve, I guess great minds think alike huh? Smile. Streak o Lean is another great seasoning meat. I’ve used it many times. I do hope you might try some bacon grease in those beans and taters next time you cook them. Let me know if you do. Thanks for your visit today and I do hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Oh Steve you hit my country roots. My momma and I used to make these all the time..love them! How about new potatoes and fresh peas creamed? I was born and raised on a farm in California and my Mom was originaly from Oklahoma, so we always had good ole’southern cookin’. I love your recipes and so look forward to so many more, God Bless you and keep up the excellent recipes…My prayers to you and your friends.
Hi Susie, Thank you for sharing your memories of our Green Beans and Potatoes recipe. The creamed potatoes and peas sounds really good too. Smile. Thank you for your visit and for your prayers for me and my friends. It’s greatly appreciated. I do hope you’ll stop by for another visit with us… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
I love everything about the recipe this week and I have eaten “snaps” (as we call them) with potatoes (and sometimes without them) my whole life. The picture could be on a menu or in a cookbook because I feel like I could taste them! All of your recipes and your newsletters make me feel “at home”. Thank you for all you do.
Sandra
Hi Sandra, You’re just too kind. Smile. Thank you for the compliments and thank you for being a subscriber to the Newsletters. It’s all greatly appreciated. You’re family with Taste of Southern, so we’re glad you’re home. I look forward to seeing you every time you stop by. You know you’re always welcome. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
My mother made this often and it was always a big hit.
She always added a small “Cottage Ham” to the beans and potatoes. The pot liquor was great to.
We dipped buttered rye bread in it.
Hi Kent, You must be from Cincinnati, home of the “Cottage Ham.” Smile. I bet it was all really good though. Here in the south we would have to use cornbread for any dunking in the pot liquor. Thank you for sharing your memories of the Green Beans and Potatoes with us. And yes, I had to Google the cottage ham part to see what that was. Isn’t the Internet great? Smile. I appreciate your visit and do hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
We call ‘cooked to death’ green beans Cookalldays – as though it’s one word…I make them the same way and freeze the pot liquor for another batch or to add to soup – sometimes called Refrigerator Soup made when I clear out misc remains – add some more vegetables, that last pieces of sausage or leftover beef, pork, chicken – whatever. Cookalldays have been and always will be a favorite.
Hi Jennifer, Thank you for sharing your memory of the “cookalldays.” I’ve never heard of that. What area of the world are you from? Sounds like a regional term to somewhere. Saving the broth for soup is a great idea as well. Thanks for the suggestion. I do appreciate your visit and hope that you’ll drop by any old time. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
I live in Florida – my folks and their families were from Indiana – my grandmothers made green beans the same way. Cookalldays distinguishes them from store bought canned or frozen. Never really thought much about it so thanks – it made me smile to consider why we say that!
Dear Steve,
Thanks so much for this. Its my favorite way to cook fresh green beans though I have to admit my children and I prefer home canned green beans to fresh. We used to cook them slowly on the back of the woodstove until most of the liquid was gone. Sometimes I’d add a hambone or hamhock.
Sprinkling on a little dash of cider vinegar or homemade pepper sauce tastes good too.
Hi Kathleen, I’m not smart enough to home can green beans. I took a class where we did some, and I ended up using those in another recipe I posted here on Taste of Southern, but that’s about all the experience I’ve had with canning green beans. They are good that way though for sure. Smile. I might be a bit envious of you being able to cook on that woodstove. I’ve never had the chance but would love to experience that at least once in my lifetime. I do appreciate you sharing your memories with us and I hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
This green bean and potato dish looks so yummy! I can hardly wait to make it. I do have a couple questions, though. Maybe I’m supposed to know the answers instinctively, but I don’t.
1. Do you use the lid at all while you’re cooking the beans and potatoes, or just leave it off the pot to let the water evaporate while it’s cooking?
2. Do you add the bacon raw, and just before you start cooking the beans and potatoes?
Thanks, Steve — love your recipes!
Hi Kathie, Thank you for the great questions. I think whether you cover the pot or not is pretty much just personal choice. There is no right or wrong answer for the most part. Most green type vegetables are cooked without a lid on the pot which is suppose to help them keep a bright green color when cooked. I’ve never tested that out personally, but it’s general consensus. And, as you mentioned, without a lid, the water will evaporate more quickly. The vegetables do lose some of their nutrients and perhaps some flavor as the water boils off, but I didn’t want a big pot of juice at the end.
Most recipes would suggest bringing the water to a boil before adding the vegetables, but I get a bit lazy in that respect and will often just put the beans in water and start it boiling from cold. It’s just what I do, not saying it’s right or wrong. As long as you just don’t let the water boil completely away and run the risk of burning or scorching your vegetables, you’ll be good. Does that make any sense at all? Smile.
As for the bacon. I had cooked bacon earlier and saved the bacon grease for seasoning the beans and potatoes. Since I had a couple of slices left, I just tossed them in the pot, but yes, it was cooked to begin with. I’d suggest you use bacon grease as the seasoning of course and should you just happen to have some leftover bacon, add it in. Otherwise, the bacon grease will give you a lot of flavor.
I do hope this helps and I hope you’ll try the Green Beans and Potatoes. Please let me know how they turn out for you. Again, I appreciate the questions and your visit today. I do hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Back when I lived in the Piedmont, (late 70’s-’93) had a big garden and a passel of young kids I used sit under the water sprinkler while stringing and snapping my green beans, I stayed cool, the beans got clean and I could keep an eye on the kids.
It was too hot to cook inside so I’d toss the beans and bacon fat in a cast iron pot that fit in my grill.
Never heard of putting ‘taters’ into them until I moved to Alaska and met another ‘born Texan’ who proposed this exotic variation.
Thanks for the memories!
Hi C.J., Now that’s what I call real innovation. Sitting under the sprinkler to stay cool AND to wash the beans. How cool is that? Smile. Thank you for sharing your memories with us. I bet they tasted great in that big cast iron pot. I appreciate you taking the time to write and for your visit today. I do hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
You bet I’ve made green beans and taters, cooked just like you did. Same seasoning, bacon added and cooked to death….sure made me hungry! My hubby’s family is from North Carolina. My mother-in-law used to raise her own beans. She called them Little Greasies and they had a bigger bean which sometimes cooked out into the dish-yummy! Once she to,d me they were little white bush beans but I don’t know I’d she made that up Cuz she was a hoot! She also made Pickled Green Beans. Put them up in quart jars. Hubby and I could eat a whole quart at one sitting but they did leave you a little gassy . Sadly, she died of Alzheimer’s and the recipe was lost. I just know they fermented like making kraut,
I do Enjoy your posts, hope you are feeling well
Hi Mary, I don’t think your mother-in-law was pulling your leg about either of the beans. You can buy the white beans in most stores. Little Greasy beans is a variety of green bean. They’re not actually greasy but the skin is shiny and wet looking, thus the name. And, I think you’re referring to a Dilly Bean that is fermented. I’ve never tried them but they sound easy enough to make. Perhaps I should do some. Then again, I’d never tasted Pickled Okra until about 6 years ago. It tasted much better than I first thought it would, so maybe the Dilly Beans would be good too. Have you ever heard of Leather Britchies? Thats where they string up green beans them let them dry out to store them. I’ve heard those are really good, but again, something I’ve never tried. So many things… so little time. Smile. I do appreciate you sharing your story with us. Thank you for your visit today and I invite you to stop by any old time. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
My Mama used the flat green beans. Can’t find them fresh in our town. I buy the Blue Lake canned (called Italian) variety. So, l follow your recipe except cut the cooking time. Love them. Thank you Steve.
Hi Joyce, I’ve had the Italian green beans. They’re very good and would be great with potatoes like this. Thanks for bringing that up. I appreciate your visit and trust you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Hello everyone. When I opened your email this morning, Steve, and I saw your photo of the green beans, I wanted a scoop!! I went to the store to pick up green beans and potatoes right after reading your newsletter. My beans are cooking right now. As the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Thank you so much for posting. Glad to hear you, Billy and Jan are all feeling better. You too, be blessed.
Hi Joan, I’ll have to be careful about the pictures if they are going to have that kind of effect on you. Smile. But then, I’d love to have some more of these right now myself. I’ve got more in the fridge but have yet to snap them and cook them but it’s on the list for tomorrow. I hope you enjoy yours. Thank you for your concern of Jan and Billy, they both are recovering and doing well. Me too. Thank you for your visit and sharing your story. I do hope you’ll visit with us often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve PS-Thank you for being a subscriber to the Newsletter. Smile.
That’s the way I cook my snap beans, just like my mamma, cooked to death. Mine still don’t taste like her’s did and I guess they never will but when I cook them I always think about her. I shopped with her one time and got my beans out of the same pile, cooked them up and carrried a sampling over to her house, nope not the same. I swore she must have spit in the pot cause I did everything just like she did.
Mamma’s must have a special touch. Thanks for your news letters, I enjoy reading them. Hope you continue to feel better.
Hi D, I’ve always heard it was just “all the love” that mamas used when they cooked. That’s probably the only real answer. My mother loved to cook and you didn’t show up at our house without her offering you something to eat. It’s just the way they were. I do appreciate your comments and glad we could elicit some good memories for you. Thanks for stopping by and be sure to visit with us often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
We had green beans or snap beans or pole beans (whatever you call them) in our garden when I was growing up in NC. I don’t remember Mama cooking potatoes with them but I’ve had them cooked together since then and even do it myself sometimes. I really like them. A couple of hints for first timers in the “city”: I think the fresh green beans we buy in the grocery store in a plastic zip-lock bag are a lot cleaner than those you buy at a farmers market or roadside stand. Therefore, I put a piece of newspaper on my kitchen table, put a bowl beside it, pour all the beans onto newspaper and sit down and start snipping away. I can go faster with a small paring knife than I can snapping them. Put in a colander to rinse. Also, I use a vegetable brush to scrub potatoes really good when I’m washing then. Scrub really hard.
Hi Shirley, Thank you for sharing your “hints” for the “city slickers.” Smile. I might be one of those city slickers myself, but a country boy at heart. It’s easy to visualize you sitting at that table snapping the beans. Thank you for sharing your memories and for taking the time to write today. As always, I appreciate your visits and your support. Be sure to visit with us often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
My goodness Steve, your posts Always take me back to my Grandma’s house! I AM going to cook this for sure! Thank you.
Hi Dara, I do hope you get to try the Green Beans and Potatoes and I’m happy we can bring back some good memories for you. Thanks for stopping by and be sure to stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Good Morning Steve,
I cooked beans and potatoes on Saturday, just like yours without the bacon added, or pepper. I have never added pepper, might add that the next time. My husbands favorite vegetable, still have some for leftovers. My mother always said that sugar brings out the flavor of vegetables and that is why I add it too. She must have been right, they are delicious!
Still praying for your recovery and that of your friends too.
Hi Marilyn, I guess great minds think alike, what with us cooking the same dish. Smile. They are good though aren’t they? Plus, they seem to get better and better the more you can warm them up. Thank you for your prayers for my friends and myself. They are greatly appreciated. I do thank you for your visits and your support and as always, be sure to visit with us again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
You make yours exactly the way my Southern Grandma taught me.
I am So Jealous–Would have Devoured that pot along with you!
Alas, I No longer make these because my children just will not eat them–They seem to dislike everything I loved-food wise–and I miss it all. The green beans we grew in our garden were wonderful–they had purple seeds inside and cooked up a deep rich green. After all these years, I still don’t know the name of that particular variety of bean. My entire Family and hometown folk have long passed away–so I had no one I could ask.
Hi Cheryl, I wish I could have shared some with you. They tasted mighty good to me even if I did cook them. Smile. I wish I could help you with that variety of beans but that’s just not my territory. Perhaps one of our readers can share some insight with that. Thank you for taking the time to write. I truly appreciate your visits and hope you’ll visit with us often. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
My favorite way to cook green beans. Beans and taters are a family favorite and when I make them for covered dish dinners at church, it’s one of the first empty dishes, along with my deviled eggs. My little great granddaughter calls them “doubled eggs”.
Hi Karen, “Doubled eggs” is cute. I liked that. Smile. I bet you cook up some great beans and taters of your own. Thanks for taking the time to share and for all of your visits. I do hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Give that great granddaughter a big hug for us. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Sir, thank you for your effort in preserving our Southern heritage. The “art” of made from scratch cooking is rapidly disappearing in today’s fast food, order out, box prepared culture. Grocery stores now pre-package meals that require nothing more than re-heating at home. Today’s kids-tomorrow’s families- will never appreciate the aroma of fresh veggies wafting out of the kitchen. Food re-heated in a microwave doesn’t waft!
I was fortunate to be raised by a grandmother that put me on a kitchen stool in front of the stove and answered my constant “but why?”.
Today I’m across the 70 yard line, but I still take the time to string pole beans, slice okra, tear collards or turnip greens, and serve ‘em with made from scratch corn bread cooked in a 100 year old iron skillet. My grand kids don’t appreciate the effort that produces these flavors.
Meals brought home in a fast food sack, or zapped in a microwave and eaten in front of the tv don’t have the same satisfying effect.
Hi Doug, You are so very right with all that you stated. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and memories with us. Hopefully one day your grand kids will look back and appreciate all that you tried to instill in them with your labor of love in the kitchen. It is indeed sad that made from scratch cooking has faded away in so many areas. But, I’m always encouraged by learning that someone like yourself is carrying on such traditions. Keep up the great work. I appreciate your visits and do hope you’ll stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
My Introduction To the “southern way” was breaking bushels of green beans on the porch with aunts and uncles. Have kept the tradition going for 50 + years. Canning quarts of them for the winter and enjoying them. Love the beans and the memories. Thanks, Steve.
Hi Marlene, Thank YOU for sharing your memories about green beans. It’s exciting to know that you’ve kept the tradition going within your own family. It takes a bit of work, but it creates some interesting and great memories along the way. Keep up the great work. Thank you for your visit today and I do trust that you will stop by again… real soon. Be Blessed!!! -Steve