Good Friends Good Food - Green Beans: Green Beans with Bacon and Onion

       This week we are cooking with green beans, mostly because they are still in season here and we all happen to love green beans.  I cook green beans a lot, and one of our favorite ways is to steam them and then mix a little stone ground mustard into them, no other seasoning.  While that is an easy and handy method to have on hand, I remember loving my grandmother's green beans from my growing up years.  Sadly, the recipe went with her when she passed.  Why did I not think to write that down while we were making them?  After searching online I found a few recipes that matched ingredients and maybe would work, so I experimented a bit, mixing and matching, until I came up with one tasting very close, if not exactly, like hers.
       Ingredients:  One Pound of Fresh Green Beans
                                3 slices of bacon
                                1 small red onion
                                1 teaspoon cornstarch
                                1/4 cup water
                                2 Tablespoons of cider vinegar
                                1 Tablespoon of brown sugar
                                1 Tablespoon of German mustard
                                1/2 teaspoon salt
                                1/4 teaspoon black pepper
       Wash a pound of fresh green beans and cut off the stem end (she always left the tails on, so I do that, too).  Snap or cut the green beans into one inch pieces. Steam the green beans to your desired doneness. 
       While the beans are steaming, in a small saucepan saute 3 pieces of bacon cut into one inch pieces until slightly crispy.  Drain all but one tablespoon of bacon drippings and set the bacon aside. 
       To the pan with the 1 Tablespoon drippings add one small onion in thin half-moon pieces and cook until they are opaque.
        In a small bowl combine 1 teaspoon of cornstarch, 1/4 cup water, 2 Tablespoons of cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon of German mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Stir and add this all to the pan with the onions, cook until thickened and then add the bacon pieces back into the pan. 
       When the green beans have finished cooking, place them in a bowl and pour the sauce mixture, stir gently but thoroughly and serve warm.  Serves 4-6
       We loved these Green Beans with Bacon and Onion, and while they aren't meant for every day, having them as a special treat now and again makes me happy.  To see what the others made with their green beans, you can click on the members' blogs listed here.  Peggy, Margaret, Ulrike, Nancy, and Donna
       Next up is Tomatoes, posting on October 9th.  If you would like to join in, just leave a link to your post in the comments section at any of our blogs and we will come and see what you made!