Judy L’s Green Bean Dish

1/8 cup olive oil
1 generous tbls. crushed garlic
6 cups green cut beans
2 tbls. chopped fresh rosemary (sometimes basil)
1/3 cup slivered almonds (crushed walnuts or pecans are good for a change) *I like to toast the nuts - Emma’s side note

1/3 cup gorgonzola cheese
1/3 cup dried cranberries
*4-5 slices pre-cooked bacon cut into medium size pieces (optional for a veggie side dish - use the toasted nuts)

Briefly saute garlic in oil
Add beans stir to cover with oil
Add rosemary

Continue to saute, stirring frequently until beans are al dente on medium heat - remember the smoke point of the olive oil)
Stir in bacon*, almonds and cranberries
Turn off heat
Add gorgonzola just before serving.

Creamy Sweet Potato Soup

Thanks Jessica Walker!

• 2 pounds organic sweet potatoes,  (about 2 large)

• 2 teaspoons olive oil

• 1 cup chopped onion

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (spicy! optional)

• 4 cups chicken stock

• salt

• 6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled (amount is optional) If you are vegetarian, use toasted walnuts, pine nuts or pepitas/pumpkin seeds

• 1 ounce fresh Parmesan cheese, shaved (about 1/4 cup)

• 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley leaves (optional)

Preparation

1. Bake Sweet Potatoes until you can pierce them with a fork.

2. Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil (or some left over bacon fat! yum!) ; swirl to coat. Add onion; sauté 1 minute or until translucent. Stir in cumin and red pepper and stock. put in chunks of cooked sweet potato. Use an immersion blender to blend cooked sweet potato and stock, or mash happily with potato masher for a chunkier style soup. Salt to taste.  sprinkle cooked bacon, (veggies, replace with toasted pine nuts or pepitas) and Parmesan cheese evenly over top to serve. Garnish with parsley, if desired.