Farm Fresh Beans with Bacon Balsamic Vinaigrette

Continuing in the vein of barbeque fare, I thought I'd share a recipe I made this weekend. We spent Saturday morning at the farmer's market and came home with some tasty treats, including an assortment of green and yellow beans. I didn't want to take away from the natural taste of the beans, but thought I'd add a little sweetness. The result was delish! After eating the leftovers on Sunday, I found that this dish is good both warm and cold, which makes it perfect for a backyard barbeque!

Farm Fresh Beans with Bacon Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 lb. green and yellow beans, washed & ends trimmed

6 slices precooked bacon, diced (I used precooked because it is leaner, but you can use uncooked bacon)

Olive oil*

1/4 C apple cider vinegar

2 tsp sugar

Salt & pepper to taste

Cook diced bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add green beans and oil for sauteing. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, dissolve the sugar in the vinegar. Add to the beans and cover. Cook another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or cool and serve later.

*If using uncooked bacon, olive oil may not be necessary. I added it because most of the fat had already been cooked out of the bacon so there wasn't much in the pan for sauteing the green beans.