With the holidays quickly approaching, I wanted to share a favorite side dish this month. This is simple and has cranberries and bacon, along with some green beans. How can you go wrong? I like to use a chili-infused maple syrup that brings just a touch of heat to the beans, so feel free to experiment to match your tastes. And I prefer the beans to still be firm which is why I don’t steam them before tossing with the onion mixture. If you like them softer, steam them for 5 minutes or so before adding to the skillet.
Maple-Bacon Green Beans
- 3 cups cut fresh green beans
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 bacon strips, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
In a large skillet, cook onion and bacon over medium heat until bacon is crisp; drain. Stir the cranberries, maple syrup, salt, and pepper into the onion mixture. Add beans and heat through, tossing to combine, for about 5-7 minutes.
Serves 4