Monday, July 30, 2012

Grilled Green Beans

I had no plans for Saturday morning...no plans except to sleep in as late as I wanted, that is.

When I opened my eyes that lovely morn, birds were chirping. The cheery sun was streaming into my bedroom. (Well, streaming is a bit of an overstatement. It was filtering in through the blinds and the curtains I had drawn to keep it out.) It must be, what, 10:00? 11:00 a.m.? I smiled at my impressive sleep skills and rolled over to check my clock.

6:50. 6:50 a.m. And I was rarin' to go. So much for being well-rested.

Since I was awake, I decided to hit up the Wauwatosa Farmers Market. When I arrived (after getting ready at a leisurely pace), the farmers were still putting the finishing touches on their wares. They hadn't even officially opened yet, for crying out lout. When you're ready to go before the farmers, you know you're out of your league in terms of waking up early.

I swung by my favorite bakery stand (Yes, I go to the farmers market for pastries. Don't judge.), and the owner greeted me with a smile. "Would you like to be our first customer?" I realized I had first pick of all the muffins, all the croissants, all the cookies that I could want.

And that, my friends, is a darn good reason to wake up at the crack of dawn.

Now for something healthy to make up for the gigantic triple berry muffin I ate...

Grilled Green Beans
Serves: 4
Technique discovered on food.com

1 pound green beans, washed and stem ends trimmed
Salt and pepper
1-2 tablespoons water
Butter for serving, if desired

Preheat grill to medium-high. Meanwhile place two big sheets of aluminum foil on top of each other. Pile green beans in the middle of aluminum foil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Carefully pour 1-2 tablespoons of water on top of green beans. 


Gather up the sides of the aluminum foil and crimp them together to make a packet. Place foil packet on the preheated grill. 


Close the lid and cook for 6-9 minutes, until green beans are crisp-tender. Serve with a pat of butter, if desired. 

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