Confession time. I don’t cook anymore. I mean, I sort of cook, but only the fastest, easiest thing I can think of at 4:30 in the afternoon, with the one caveat that it can’t come entirely out of a box. Soup and sandwiches, basic oven chicken with baked potatoes, salads… I am running low on creativity.

So tonight I thought I’d change things up just a bit. I got some chicken egg rolls from the freezer section at Trader Joe’s. I put those on the menu along with plain brown rice and orange slices. Digging through my fridge, I also came up with a bag of green beans that needed to be used, so I threw some things together in the hopes of creating a passable Asian green bean to round out the meal, and what do you know, they turned out so tasty that even the girls gobbled them right up and asked for more.

Easy Asian Green Beans (Serves 4)

1 Tbs Peanut Oil
12oz Green Beans (washed and trimmed)
Garlic Salt to taste
2 tsp Sesame Seeds (toasted)
Medium sized frying pan with a lid

Heat oil uncovered in pan over medium-low heat. Add green beans and cover. Cook 5 minutes or until green beans start to brown on the bottom. Uncover, sprinkle with garlic salt and stir. Recover and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, stirring periodically, until the beans are tender. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

And that’s it! So easy, right? But I’m telling you, the garlic, peanut, and sesame flavors mingled together just perfectly, making this recipe more than just the sum of it’s parts. I’m going to be serving this one again for sure!

If only all my experiments turned out this well, I might try to be clever in the kitchen more often. Oh well! Feel free to leave me a comment and let me know what your favorite go-to easy dinner menu looks like. Got any tricks, short-cuts or simple sides? I’m all ears!