Mom's Cooking: Country-style Green Beans w/ New Potatoes

      Growing up on the farm, my mother always cooked green beans with bacon or ham, covered in water, for a long time! This was the way everyone I knew prepared the green veggie. As a matter of fact I had no idea that green beans could be steamed quickly until I was an adult. 
     As I was picking our first crop of green beans, I was reminded of the long rows of green beans I used to pick on the farm and, nostalgia took over . . . resulting in Country-style Green Beans w/ New Potatoes.
     Growing up we snipped both ends of the beans -- now I just snap of the stem end.

Country-style Green Beans w/ New Potatoes

4 slices bacon, cut into thirds

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 pounds fresh green beans, stem ends snipped or trimmed

8 small new potatoes, halved or quartered if large

Fresh thyme leaves, optional

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.     In a large saucepan or medium Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until it has rendered most of its fat and has begun to brown, about 5 minutes.

2.     Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Fat has been rendered from bacon; it has begun to brown & onions have been added to Dutch oven.

3.     Add the green beans, potatoes and thyme leaves and enough water to just cover them. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.

Beans & potatoes have come to a boil and it's now time to add the lid and simmer until tender.

4.     Season with salt and pepper, to taste, then cover the pan and simmer until the beans are very tender, about 45 minutes.