What I love about being a recipe developer is experimenting with different ingredients. I believe each ingredient in every dish matters. Last week, my brother Mike told me when I was a little girl, he used to see me reading ingredients on packages of food I enjoyed. I’ve always been highly interested in the subject of food. When I taste food I love, I start trying to figure out what ingredients were used. 

This macaroni and cheese is delicious. I wonder how many cheeses were used and what kind of cheeses.›

Yeah . . . that’s me when I taste a good dish. 

As a food writer, I love that I can speak to my audience, not just about my passion for food, but about what they . . . you may want. Are you ready to build up your lean dish recipes? Do you need some make-ahead food ideas like breakfast tacos you can make the night before and heat up in the morning? Would you like meal-prep ideas for your family? Are you a caregiver for your parents and want to know how to cook large amounts of food for the week at one time to save time on other days? Are you a beginner cook and would like a little more confidence in the kitchen? 

I hope my recipes can be of some assistance to you. I want to make cooking and eating an exciting experience for you. I want you to know you can cook a delicious, elevated dish with familiar ingredients. You can make buttermilk with milk and vinegar or milk and lemon juice. You can make salmon that you enjoy at home. You can prepare food your children will love. Date night in can be a fun time with you two cooking up something delicious to eat together. 

I would love to make your time cooking in the kitchen so much fun. Some recipes may require more time than others, but are all easy, approachable, delicious, and so worth the effort. 

Let’s talk about green beans – a vegetable that I enjoy. You can brighten them up with a little drizzle of lemon juice and lemon zest. This is a classic dish that is simple yet delicious. There are a number of ways to prepare green beans. They can be cooked to a tender-crunch. That means tender but with a slight crisp when you bite. They can be drizzled with a sauce or cooked with a smoked meat. Yum, right? 

I am sharing a Roasted Green Beans recipe. This is an easy side dish to make anytime of the week.

Ingredients

•   12 oz fresh green beans

•   2 tbsp olive oil

•   1 tsp kosher salt*

Instructions

1.   Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2.   Put the green beans on a sheet pan in an even layer.

3.   Drizzle the olive oil over the green beans.

4.   Sprinkle with the salt.

5.   Roast for 12-15 minutes.*

6.   Enjoy!

Notes:

*Start at 3/4 tsp of salt. Add up to 1/4 tsp more if needed. 

*The temperature in different ovens can vary.