Parmesan Green Beans + Carrots

Does anyone else but me have trouble deciding what side dishes to make??? The ones that look amazing always seem to take a ridiculous amount of prep-time...and who wants that if you already are making an amazing main dish and a dessert?!

As a general rule...I DO NOT like green beans! The canned ones are stinky and no amount of anything makes them taste good. At my husband's insistence that I had to try fresh ones, I came up with this recipe. I have to admit...he was right...FRESH green beans are indeed good!

Parmesan Green Beans + Carrots

- 12 oz bag of fresh green beans

- 12 oz bag of fresh petite carrots

                 ***NOTE*** You can use any kind of green beans or carrots that you prefer. I use the tiny petite carrots because not only are they sweeter, they cook a lot faster!

- 1/2 Sweet onion (Texas Sweet if you can get your hands on it!)

- Garlic Powder to taste (you can also use minced garlic)

- Salt to taste

- Dried Sage to taste

- 2 tbls unsalted butter (NO you cannot substitute margarine! Most of them are salted and butter gives the food a great flavor!)

- 2 tbls olive oil

- Parmesan Cheese to taste (the kind you would use on pizza not grated!)

1. Heat up your pan on Med-Med/High heat (allowing your pan to warm up a bit helps with more even cooking!) This only takes a minute or so

2. Add in your butter and let melt until you see tiny bubbles...Don't add in your onion until you see those little bubbles! Don't ask me why you wait...but it DOES make a difference

This is not ready yet...see? No bubbles!

Look closely and you will see lots of tiny bubbles - we are just about ready for onions

3. Add in your onions (Depending on how you like your onions cooked - I like mine VERY soft! so it takes them about 10 min)

4. While you are waiting for your onions to cook. You can prepare your other veggies. Now before we start this I will tell you that I am cheating big time! You really SHOULD be boiling your green beans and blanching them BUT hey this is suppose to be quick right? They have these veggies all nice and ready to cook in microwavable steam bags...takes 4-5 min for the green beans and carrots to steam...do this whilst your onions cook!

5. Add into your skillet all the carrots and green beans, as well as all your spices...and if your pan is drying out add in your olive oil as well!

6. Stir occasionally until they are cooked to your preference and then add in your Parmesan. 

7. Let this continue to cook for another 2-3 min. Remove from heat and serve!

Enjoy!