Sweet & Savory Green Beans

We eat these all the time!  They're a great side dish for coq sans vin, pot roast, and/or Cornish game hens.  I've been making these for years, but it wasn't until recently that I buckled down and wrote out a recipe...  That's just how I roll ;)

Ingredients:

• 4 c. frozen green beans
• 7 strips of bacon
• 1/4 c. water
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/8 t. pepper
• 1 T. honey
• 1 T. mustard

Directions:

1. Preheat medium-sized skillet over medium heat.  Cut bacon into strips/bits.
2. Add bacon to pan and cook until crispy.  Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Add green beans to pan and stir.  Add water and salt and cook for 10 minutes.
4. When the water starts to look low, add remaining ingredients and stir until well combined.
5. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently so as to keep the honey from burning.
6. Remove from heat.  Add bacon, stir and serve.

Just a little note: I use microwave bacon, because it's easier to handle (aka. less gross), and also because I like the way it crisps up and how little grease it produces.  If you choose to use real bacon, you might want to drain some of the grease out of the pan before adding the green beans.  I also make these with ham, and they taste just as good!  Just add a little butter in place of bacon grease.  Or, you could simply boil the green beans in some water as a low-fat alternative.  I like the subtle smokiness of the bacon, but it's really the honey-mustard combo that makes this dish so tasty...  So feel free to make them according to your taste, and enjoy!  *B