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Southern Style Green Beans, Potatoes, and Corn Meal Dumplings---

Southern Style, slow cooked green beans are a well loved staple dish in this part of the country. Fresh in season green beans are of course preferred. However, frozen or canned greens beans are interchangeable and super delicious also-- because we "doctor them up."  We used canned green beans today as an example of how simple this meal can be. It goes without saying, that in our neck of the woods, green beans are accompanied with potatoes, corn meal dumplings, and seasoned with salt pork. They can be eaten as a side, but in our family this is usually the main dish.

Let's make some green beans with potatoes and corn meal dumplings!

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 (12 oz.) cans green beans, we used the  Allens Cut Italian Kentucky Wonder Style Green Beans--amazingly these specify gluten free
• 5 lbs. potatoes, cut in half with skins on, we like Red Bliss
• 1 (12 oz.) cured salt pork, sliced
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 2 cups water

Dumpling Ingredients:

• 2 cups gluten free corn meal
• 3/4 cup gluten free self rising flour, we used gluten-free Bisquick
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup of broth from beans 

DIRECTIONS:

• In a large pot on medium/high, place salt pork in about 2 cups of water, add potatoes and bring to boil for about 15 to 20 minutes.

• Add green beans and simmer on medium for about 1 hour allowing the deliciousness of the salt port to infuse with the green beans and potatoes. 

MAKING THE CORN MEAL DUMPLINGS: (This is dad giving us corn meal dumpling lessons.)

• In a small mixing bowl, whisk flour, cornmeal, and egg together. Stir the bean liquid into the flour mixture with a spoon or hands (let the broth cool) ---until a thick batter forms---may have to add a little water and/or cornmeal to get the right consistency. 

• Flatten a handful amount of cornmeal mixture, and hand pat into about a 1/4 inch pancake.

•  With beans simmering at a boil, gently drop the dumpling batter, make sure dumplings are under the surface of the broth. Cook about 20 minutes. During this time do not stir or the dumplings will not stay together. 

 VIOLA!

We have Southern style green beans, potatoes,  and corn meal dumplings!

In separate dishes place the dumplings and the potatoes by gently removing them. In a larger dish, ladle out the green beans making sure some of the delicious broth is spooned over them. In my house, we set the salt pork in a dish with a cruet of apple cider vinegar next to it.