Penelope has not only been having fun so far this summer but she has also been working and learning new things. Just the other day after helping me with the laundry and helping Chris "un-paint"  his car (sigh, don't even ask), I taught her to wash and trim some fresh green beans. She really enjoys helping out in the kitchen and I enjoy not having to do all the prep work myself.

Green Beans with Pancetta

1 pound of green beans, ends trimmed and cut in half. Penelope used kitchen shears to trim off the edges and halve the beans.
1 small package of pancetta chopped up.
2 to 3 green onions chopped
2 to 3 minced garlic cloves
A couple pats of butter
Salt and Pepper

Put the beans in a pot of salted boiling water for about 5 minutes. Remove the beans and place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain beans. Take your pancetta and fry it up in a pan. Add the green beans, onions, garlic and butter and sauté making sure to get everything all mixed together. Add salt and pepper and enjoy, preferably with a nice steak and sautéed mushrooms like we did.