green beans with browned butter and almonds

i have to give real credit for this recipe to erin, as she pointed me in this direction last thanksgiving when i was looking for recipes.

disclaimer: of COURSE i prefer fresh green beans to canned. however, my fabulous mother-in-law has a giant garden and i have quarts and quarts of canned green beans to use. i really enjoy cooking meals from my pantry and my freezer, because it makes life simple. i need simple, but as a foodie, i need delicious.

i'm not gonna lie...my kids don't really dig the almonds in this recipe, but i do, so they're stuck with them. and they do eat them. they would just prefer that i leave them out.

as usual, i'm a cook, not a baker, and measurements here aren't precise. i throw stuff in a pan and we eat it. sometimes i have an epic fail, but most of the time we love what i made. (i'll post a pasta recipe later that is a great example of using what i had on hand to make dinner.)

this recipe makes a large batch - but i have four hungry kids to feed. :)

green beans with browned butter and almonds

*2 quarts green beans, drained
*1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
*1/4-1/2 cup sliced almonds
*salt and pepper to taste

in a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. when the butter is melted, add the almonds. continue to watch the butter closely, as you want it to brown. it will start to foam. stir the almonds well at this point and reduce the heat. you could burn the butter if you don't pay attention... and then you'd have to start over. after the butter foams, add the green beans and stir to coat. reduce the heat to low, cover and heat through.

ready in 10 minutes or less and super tasty. :)