Everyday Cooking Adventure's Grandma Ellanor's Green Beans & Mustard Sauce

My parents’ moms were newlyweds during the mid-1940s. This was the time of war rationing and learning to make meals with less…as in less ingredients, less money, and less time. However, the good American housewife was in its heyday as the symbol of a typical American family. Both my grandmas enjoyed making meals for their family and friends.

©EverydayCookingAdventures 2014

My dad’s mom, whose recipe this is, enjoyed throwing parties for her fellow curling club members and friends who still lived in the same hometown they grew up in. Without ever having asked her, I know by looking through her bags of recipes we have acquired after her passing, that she looked for dishes that were practical, could be thrown together quickly, but most importantly tasted good. This green beans recipe hits just that mark. The ingredients are cheap but the end-result is a very delicious dish that looks pretty even for just a weekday dinner. Here are my grandma’s green beans:

Green Beans and Mustard Sauce ©EverydayCookingAdventures 2014

Green Beans with Mustard Sauce

Recipe By: Everyday Cooking Adventures’ Grandma Ellanor

Ingredients:

2 oz. fresh green beans, ends snipped off

3 tbsp butter

3 tsp Dijon Mustard

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

4 tbsp flaxseed or ground nuts such as almond or pecan

Directions:

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over stovetop. Lightly salt the water and add the green beans. Bring down to a rolling simmer and cook uncovered for 6 minutes for al dente.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium frying pan melt the butter over medium-low heat. Do not let the butter brown. Add the mustard, salt, pepper, and flaxseed or nuts. Keep warm over low heat.

3. Drain the beans and add to the frying pan. Swish around in the sauce back and forth until coated and serve immediately.