Green Beans with Shallot Butter

These are another holiday favorite in my home. They are very flavorful and are sure to get even the kids in your house to eat their greens :) 


Ingredients: 

3 lbs green beans
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2/3 cup thinly sliced shallots (we've used green onions when we couldn't find shallots and they work great as well)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:


In a small skillet, melt 1/4 cup of the butter with olive oil over medium heat.
Add shallots and cook for 7-9 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally, until tender.
Stir in remaining butter, salt and pepper and remove from heat.
Cook green beans uncovered in a large pot of boiling water 5-7 minutes or until crisp-tender.
Drain well and transfer to a serving bowl.
Add shallot butter and parsley and toss to coat.
Garnish with toasted almonds if desired, and serve.

Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

I made these mashed potatoes for our Christmas dinner this past year with my husband's side of the family. They were a huge hit and I got quite a few compliments! Creamy, flavorful and delicious, these are definitely not boring mashed potatoes!!!


Ingredients: 
5 pounds red potatoes, cut into chunks (leave skins on!)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (I used paste)
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1 (8 oz.) container sour cream
1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of butter
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large pot of slightly salted boiling water, cook the potatoes, garlic and bouillon until potatoes are tender but firm (about 15 minutes). Drain, reserving water. In a separate large bowl, mash potatoes with sour cream and cream cheese, adding reserved water as needed to attain desired consistency.
Transfer the potato mixture in to your slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 2-3 hours. Just before serving, stir in butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.