Garlic Green Beans

Green beans are a mystery to me.

Up until about three years ago, I didn't like them. Not only did I not like them, but I didn't understand how other people could like them. They were an alien concept, and I just didn't want to bother.

But, like most foreign concepts, you may need to place them in familiar settings to grasp them. So when you introduce garlic cloves to the equation, you're translating from Weird Green Bean Language to good, old, "reasonable" English, and before you know it, you're eating green beans with steaks and stir-fry, and you're saying things like "these green beans are really doing it for me."

As far as who, precisely, you're saying these things to, though, I'm not sure. But this is what good cooking can do - take the unmanageable and unfamiliar and make them delicious, even desirable.

Also: canned green beans are stupid. Go fresh or go home! (DW)

1 lb fresh green beans, washed and ends trimmed
6 cloves of garlic, cut in thin slices
1 tablespoon butter
Garlic powder & salt, to taste

Add green beans and garlic slices to a large pot of boiling water. Boil for 7 minutes, or until green beans are cooked to desired tenderness. Drain water. Add butter, garlic powder and salt to taste. Serve while beans are still warm. (AW)