Pesto-topped Flounder & Green Beans Packets

This meal was so tasty, quick, easy, refreshing & healthy! I enjoyed it so much. With the bountiful amounts of fresh basil blessing our garden (thanks Pop-in-law), this was a natural choice. If you are looking for a fish dish, try this. If you do not want to turn on the oven, fine, throw the packets off-heat onto the grill!!!!  OMGoodness... Delish.
<3 Lishie

Pesto-topped Flounder & Green Beans Packets

• fresh green beans, cleaned/ends clipped
• 2 oz fresh flounder, 1/2" thick
• 2-4 slices lemon + lemon juice
• 1/4 c basil pesto
• pinch black pepper

Place a handful of green beans 12" square of heavy foil, sprayed with a little cooking oil. Lay one fillet onto the green beans.

Squirt the fillet with lemon juice, spread evenly with the pesto, pinch with pepper & place 1-2 lemon slices on top. Bring together two opposite edges of foil & seal with a double fold. Fold remaining ends to completely enclose food, allowing space for steam to build. Place foil packets on a  baking pan.

Bake @ 400 degree F about 15 minutes or until fish begins to flake when tested with a fork. Open packets carefully to allow steam to escape. Transfer packet contents to plates.

Recipe Swap~ Thanksgiving Side

I cannot believe it is November & Thanksgiving is around the corner!!! Exciting & scary at the same time. We had another successful recipe swap with my national cooking board. The theme this time was Thanksgiving sides. I gave: Strip House Potatoes Romanoff & received Mary Ellen's green bean side. Visit Christine's Kitchen Chronicles for her version from the swap!!!

I love green beans & usually, we eat them the Italian way, as a salad with a vinaigrette so this was a nice change. This recipe is similar to how I make my Brussels Sprouts. But because I had just used the last of my pancetta on those yummy sprouts, I went ahead & took Mary Ellen's advice of using bacon which I keep on hand, frozen for times like this. The green beans were a little too greasy for my taste but I think with pancetta they would have been perfect! Next time! 

How do you celebrate Thanksgiving? Do you have a dish everyone asks for? What are your traditions? I'd love to hear!!! Comment below, please! 

<3 Lishie

Green Beans with Bacon & Caramelized Shallots

Adapted from: Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

• 1/5 pounds fresh green beans, rinsed and trimmed
• 3 oz coarsely chopped bacon
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• Salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the green beans & boil 3 to 4 minutes until just tender. Drain beans and immediately plunge into ice water. Allow to sit in ice water until cold, then drain well, & set aside.

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crispy, then set aside. Reduce heat to medium, stir shallots into the bacon fat, & cook gently until the shallots have turned dark golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Place bacon & green beans in skillet; toss & cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt & pepper before serving.