Making Lima Beans palatable

[Jean in Newcastle]

Any tips on making lima beans palatable for my family? That is the one veggie that even my dh mutinies on! (The other is brussels sprouts but since I don't eat them either, it doesn't count. . .)

[HRAAB]

Well, we just like a pot of lima beans, but I do have a casserole I make.

 

1 1/2 c. cubed ham

1 c cooked lima beans

1 c. corn

1 C. shredded cheddar cheese

2 T. chopped onion.

1/2 green pepper chopped

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

 

Mix together and bake for 15 min. in 400 oven. Mix up a batch of cornbread, spread over the top and bake for another 20 minutes or until brown.

 

My kids eat this one.

[BikeBookBread]

This is the one veggie I have never, in 14 years of marriage, served. I have such bad memories of choking lima beans down by swallowing whole with milk.

 

Ketchup?

[Jen in PA]

Well, we just like a pot of lima beans, but I do have a casserole I make.

 

1 1/2 c. cubed ham

1 c cooked lima beans

1 c. corn

1 C. shredded cheddar cheese

2 T. chopped onion.

1/2 green pepper chopped

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

 

Mix together and bake for 15 min. in 400 oven. Mix up a batch of cornbread, spread over the top and bake for another 20 minutes or until brown.

 

My kids eat this one.

 

 

This sounds so good!

[TN Mama]

We actually like limas here. When I was little Mom served them with a little ranch dressing to make them more appealing.

[LibraryLover]

I lvoe food, I love veggies, but lima beans are rather awful. Why not skip them (there are so many fab other veggies)? lol Is that a bad suggestion?

[missmoe]

Throw them out the door! I hate limas. Haven't eaten them in 20 years. I'm sure that as an adult, if served lima beans, I would eat them. But I remember hating the texture as a kid, and I remember the eating of the lima beans as being mandatory. Why, oh why? If your kids aren't picky about other foods and they hate limas then do all mankind a service and get rid of the limas. ;);)

[WTMCassandra]

Any tips on making lima beans palatable for my family? That is the one veggie that even my dh mutinies on! (The other is brussels sprouts but since I don't eat them either, it doesn't count. . .)

 

Sorry, I don't think it's POSSIBLE to make lima beans palatable. YMMV.

 

We don't serve them in our house. However, we do eat them in frozen mixed vegetables--and my children even complain about those! :D

 

I tell them just to eat them anyhow and be glad I don't believe in serving them by themselves like my mother always did. :tongue_smilie:

 

I don't eat brussel sprouts, either. :lol:

[plansrme]

If any 'ole white bean will work, my family loves this recipe:

 

http://whatsonmyplate.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/crusty-white-beans-with-kale/

 

I have this cookbook, and it's been hit or miss for us, but some of the hits are wonderful.

 

Terri

[kalanamak]

Any tips on making lima beans palatable for my family? That is the one veggie that even my dh mutinies on! (The other is brussels sprouts but since I don't eat them either, it doesn't count. . .)

 

 

Try fresh. You can get fresh BS but it is hard to get the limas without knowing a farmer.

My mother baked (the frozen kind) them in a glass cooking bowl in milk and butter at 350 F. She baked them quite awhile.

[Spy Car]

Strange, lima beans and brussels sprouts are two "favorites" in our home.

 

We do two types of limas.

 

Dried limas (white skinned) that we soak overnight, cook (mostly), and then finish cooking with a dollop of olive oil, sea-salt, copious amounts of fresh garlic, and fresh (or dried) rosemary. The final cook goes till the garlic is mellow and the beans give off some creaminess to the cooking liquid. Delicious!

 

For "frozen" green limas, flash cook in heavily boiling water, drain, then throw them then into a skillet with a little olive oil, garlic (or not), and a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a little sea-salt, and dill. Get just a little caramelizing going to bring out the natural sugars in the beans and you have one of life's great treats.

 

Bill (lima-lover)

[lulubelle]

The only thing we put lima beans in is a three-bean casserole from Betty Crocker: baked beans in tomato sauce, lima beans, and kidney beans with sausage. We just had it last week. A very good winter food!

[Jean in Newcastle]

Ok - tonight it was limas in a garlic tomato sauce with a touch of apple cider vinegar and honey. Dh ate it! Ds and dd ate a tiny "no thank you" helping with no fuss (which is a definite improvement!)

 

I'm looking forward to trying some other of these recipes.

 

The reason we had to have limas tonight is that somehow I forgot to shop for vegetables and that's all I had to serve! Going off to shop for veggies tonight.

[Lovin Learnin]

My mother-in-law makes THE best limas.

 

1 bag of dried beans soaked

3 stalks of celery cut into large chunks

2 large white onions cut into large chunks

3-4 slices of bacon

seasoning to taste

 

Put all in a pot and just cover with water. Simmer until beans are cooked, veggies are soft and liquid is juicy (if you know what I mean), adding water while cooking if necessary.

 

Dd and I make a special trip to Grandmas when she's cooking limas. Yum!

[Mama Bear]

An older family member used to serve them, baby ones, in cream of msg/mushroom soup. Delish! But I like 'em with a teeny bit of butter, salt, pepper, and a little onion powder. I think the key is cooking them at a simmer, in a thin layer, in a skillet or saute pan, with not quite enough water to cover, until done. Brussels are similarly lovely done that way -- with a little butter (1-2T for several servings) and season salt. Slurp.

 

Off topic -- do you think so many people hate veggies because they've only ever had badly cooked ones? A dear friend actually serves pots of boiled broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, onions, and zuchinni. She puts quite a bit of butter on, and no wonder -- they're smoosh! My dad refers to his mom's method of veggie prep as them having been "cooked into submission." Our pastor used the same terminology to explain his mother's use of a pressure cooker. :001_huh:

 

Roasted Asparagus is in my top ten favorite foods, with other roasted or barely cooked veggies close behind. So admittedly, my vantage point is weird. :D

[specialmama]

My MIL makes AMAZING lima beans. She's Greek, and uses Giant Lima Beans, which you can usually only buy in Greece or a specialty store. Really, they're just bigger and whiter than typical limas. Here's what she does, although she slightly modifies her recipe each time:

 

Create a broth by blending 1/2 cup olive oil, 2-3 large tomatoes, 8 cloves garlic and 1 large onions. Add about a half teaspoon each of salt and marjoram or oregano or rosemary. Pour into casserole dish. Pour enough pre-soaked limas into dish that they all remain submerged. Cover with tinfoil. Bake in 375 oven for I don't know how long :lol: I'm NOT calling her to ask, but anyhow... I do know it's for more than a few hours. When they are *just* tender, you can remove the tinfoil and continue baking longer, monitoring the tops of the beans; if they get too dark and start to look dry, then put the tinfoil back on.

 

After you make this the first time, you will know what your family likes: we like to add even more garlic and a bit less oil. Sometimes we add crumbled feta on top and serve it that way. It's quite good and can honestly rival the best restaurants in Greece. I ordered it every time we went out to eat in Greece and my MIL's remains the best!

 

ETA: I just spoke with her and she scolded me like only a Greek lady can! LOL! She said I forgot to blend in a couple stalks of celery, (oops) and to bake with a few bay leaves (true). She said it can look green, so add more tomatoes and tomato paste until the sauce is red. She also said "Kah-rihn, joo dohn poot oregeno, marjoramie or rosemary, only if sick! (well gosh, how did I know that?) Just parsley, lots and lots of parsley. It is goot with lima beans." Who knew? LOL

Edited October 27, 2009 by specialmama
spoke with MIL...

[Laurie4b]

I lvoe food, I love veggies, but lima beans are rather awful. Why not skip them (there are so many fab other veggies)? lol Is that a bad suggestion?

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree: If you like them, just eat them yourself. Don't inflict them!

[chickenpatty]

We grew limas in our garden this year and I canned some and froze some. When I cook/heat them, I throw in a chicken boullion cube or two and they are quite tasty. I like lima beans cooked most any way, but this is the one way in which dh will admit liking them.

Edited October 27, 2009 by chickenpatty

[Spy Car]

My MIL makes AMAZING lima beans. She's Greek, and uses Giant Lima Beans, which you can usually only buy in Greece or a specialty store. Really, they're just bigger and whiter than typical limas. Here's what she does, although she slightly modifies her recipe each time:

 

Create a broth by blending 1/2 cup olive oil, 2-3 large tomatoes, 8 cloves garlic and 1 large onions. Add about a half teaspoon each of salt and marjoram or oregano or rosemary. Pour into casserole dish. Pour enough pre-soaked limas into dish that they all remain submerged. Cover with tinfoil. Bake in 375 oven for I don't know how long :lol: I'm NOT calling her to ask, but anyhow... I do know it's for more than a few hours. When they are *just* tender, you can remove the tinfoil and continue baking longer, monitoring the tops of the beans; if they get too dark and start to look dry, then put the tinfoil back on.

 

After you make this the first time, you will know what your family likes: we like to add even more garlic and a bit less oil. Sometimes we add crumbled feta on top and serve it that way. It's quite good and can honestly rival the best restaurants in Greece. I ordered it every time we went out to eat in Greece and my MIL's remains the best!

 

 

Mmmmm :drool5:

[Remudamom]

Merciful heavens, I'd kill for some fresh lima beans.

 

But I'm the only one here that would. To me it's rather embarrassing that my children don't love them. Shames our Southern heritage.

 

Don't even bring up black eyed peas...................yum.

[Nestof3]

I just cook them with diced onion and add salt and pepper.

 

Nathan loves lima beans.

[LauraGB]

Create a broth by blending 1/2 cup olive oil, 2-3 large tomatoes, 8 cloves garlic and 1 large onions. Add about a half teaspoon each of salt and marjoram or oregano or rosemary. Pour into casserole dish. Pour enough pre-soaked limas into dish that they all remain submerged. Cover with tinfoil. Bake in 375 oven for I don't know how long :lol: I'm NOT calling her to ask, but anyhow... I do know it's for more than a few hours. When they are *just* tender, you can remove the tinfoil and continue baking longer, monitoring the tops of the beans; if they get too dark and start to look dry, then put the tinfoil back on.

 

After you make this the first time, you will know what your family likes: we like to add even more garlic and a bit less oil. Sometimes we add crumbled feta on top and serve it that way. It's quite good and can honestly rival the best restaurants in Greece. I ordered it every time we went out to eat in Greece and my MIL's remains the best!

 

Whoa - that looks fantastic! Guess what we're having for dinner tomorrow.

 

And I thought I liked them with just butter, salt and pepper.

[shalom22]

Brussel sprouts, Lima Beans and organ meat:ack2: are not allowed to enter my house. Per dh's order and my thankfulness.:hurray:

[Jean in Newcastle]

Brussel sprouts, Lima Beans and organ meat:ack2: are not allowed to enter my house. Per dh's order and my thankfulness.:hurray:

 

OK - I definitely agree with you on the organ meat! My MIL loves to cook with organ meat - not just liver but tripe, tongue, kidneys. . . and even blood (does that count as "organ"?) Filipino cooking is an organ mine field! ( I do love a lot of Filipino dishes though.)

[Vida Winter]

My dh abhors asparagus; the rest of us love it. I don't serve it when he is home. No big deal; I figure everyone is entitled to not like a few things. When I was a child I was *forced* to eat liver. It was vile. I still can't stand it. Every one of us has our limits.

[Mrs Mungo]

This is the one veggie I have never, in 14 years of marriage, served. I have such bad memories of choking lima beans down by swallowing whole with milk.

 

Ketchup?

 

I agree. I love vegetables, I even eat tons of veggies raw. My kids love everything from asparagus to zucchini but I *hate* and will not cook lima beans. :ack2:

[petepie2]

Lima beans, butter beans, butter peas, etc are my favorite vegetables. I buy them frozen (although I would love to have fresh) and usually cook them according to the directions on the bag. Although, sometimes I have to cook them longer. An undercooked lima bean is blech! I add plenty of salt, pepper, butter, and many times, especially if I'm cooking butter peas, I'll add some frozen corn during the last 5 minutes or so of cooking.

 

As a Southern girl, I grew up on lima beans and other assorted peas, such as blackeyed peas, purple hull peas, etc. Love them!

 

Brussel sprouts? I once tried them roasted with olive oil and salt and pepper and I couldn't stomach them. The taste was just so strong and unpleasant.

[Slartibartfast]

 

Create a broth by blending 1/2 cup olive oil, 2-3 large tomatoes, 8 cloves garlic and 1 large onions. Add about a half teaspoon each of salt and marjoram or oregano or rosemary. Pour into casserole dish. Pour enough pre-soaked limas into dish that they all remain submerged. Cover with tinfoil. Bake in 375 oven for I don't know how long :lol: I'm NOT calling her to ask, but anyhow... I do know it's for more than a few hours. When they are *just* tender, you can remove the tinfoil and continue baking longer, monitoring the tops of the beans; if they get too dark and start to look dry, then put the tinfoil back on.

 

 

 

Mmmmmm..that looks good!

 

I cook lima beans with bacon. Yum! I also love back eyed peas and I love Brussel Sprouts

 

YYYuummm.

 

My dh likes liver but I won't go near it. When we bought part of a cow I ended up with some liver but it is just sitting in my freezer. I don't plan on cooking it. :ack2:

[JoyfulMama]

I never had a brussel sprout or a lima bean until I got married. My mother doesn't like them, and therefore didn't cook them. But I LOVE them. And they are two favorites of my three kids. And we can buy limas by the bushel here - much tastier.

My MIL puts milk on her limas, but we don't. I don't cook them into submission. I don't microwave them. Brussel sprouts are steamed. We just serve them both with a light touch of salt and pepper. No butter here.

But I will save a couple of the above suggestions... olive oil and tomatoes are right up my taste buds... :drool5:

[Lizzie in Ma]

:D

[*********]

I don't care for lima beans, and I don't serve them.

 

But I love roasted brussel sprouts. I use fresh brussel sprouts, cut them in half, toss them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic, then roast them till brown.

 

Yum.

 

The only way my mom ever served brussel sprouts was steamed. Yuck. :tongue_smilie: I agree with a pp who said that many people may think they don't like a certain veggie, but really they just didn't like the way it was prepared.

[Erica in PA]

Well, we just like a pot of lima beans, but I do have a casserole I make.

 

1 1/2 c. cubed ham

1 c cooked lima beans

1 c. corn

1 C. shredded cheddar cheese

2 T. chopped onion.

1/2 green pepper chopped

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

 

Mix together and bake for 15 min. in 400 oven. Mix up a batch of cornbread, spread over the top and bake for another 20 minutes or until brown.

 

My kids eat this one.

 

Mmmm, that sounds good!! I think I'll make this for dinner tonight. Our family actually loves lima beans. Brussels sprouts and spinach are a different matter, however.

[JillZ]

Lima beans are delicious with a little soy sauce and sesame oil! Actually this works for almost any green vegetable. Broccoli with soy sauce and sesame oil is my favorite.

[EmilyK]

I read this because I was hoping for some more ways to fix something I like. And I got it!

 

Dumb question -- Are limas the same as butterbeans?

[amydavis]

I would not have touched a butter bean/lima bean with a ten foot pole as a child. However, my family and I now love them. I usually buy the frozen baby lima beans. I cook them with far more liquid and seasonings than what the package says, because we prefer them to be in more of a broth, I guess. I think of it as a soup meal when I serve them, so usually a salad and some warm crusty bread. I also love black-eyed peas, pinto beans...both are things I would not have touched until rather recently.

 

Some of the recipes seemed interesting - gonna have to give them a try!

 

Oh, but yeah, no organ meat here either...:D

[HRAAB]

My MIL makes AMAZING lima beans. She's Greek, and uses Giant Lima Beans, which you can usually only buy in Greece or a specialty store. Really, they're just bigger and whiter than typical limas. Here's what she does, although she slightly modifies her recipe each time:

 

Create a broth by blending 1/2 cup olive oil, 2-3 large tomatoes, 8 cloves garlic and 1 large onions. Add about a half teaspoon each of salt and marjoram or oregano or rosemary. Pour into casserole dish. Pour enough pre-soaked limas into dish that they all remain submerged. Cover with tinfoil. Bake in 375 oven for I don't know how long :lol: I'm NOT calling her to ask, but anyhow... I do know it's for more than a few hours. When they are *just* tender, you can remove the tinfoil and continue baking longer, monitoring the tops of the beans; if they get too dark and start to look dry, then put the tinfoil back on.

 

After you make this the first time, you will know what your family likes: we like to add even more garlic and a bit less oil. Sometimes we add crumbled feta on top and serve it that way. It's quite good and can honestly rival the best restaurants in Greece. I ordered it every time we went out to eat in Greece and my MIL's remains the best!

 

Om my goodness. We are having this for dinner this week.

[kalanamak]

Merciful heavens, I'd kill for some fresh lima beans.

 

 

 

My friends in your neck of the woods grow them....

[Garga]

Baby lima beans (not the normal sized.) Lots (and lots and lots) of butter.

[Audrey]

Any tips on making lima beans palatable for my family? That is the one veggie that even my dh mutinies on! (The other is brussels sprouts but since I don't eat them either, it doesn't count. . .)

 

 

Stop trying. Anything that tastes better coming up than going down isn't worth the hassle.

[Sputterduck]

I love lima beans! I say just serve them plain... but I'm assuming that won't work for you. :p

[katemary63]

:iagree::iagree::iagree: If you like them, just eat them yourself. Don't inflict them!

 

:iagree:

[petepie2]

I read this because I was hoping for some more ways to fix something I like. And I got it!

 

Dumb question -- Are limas the same as butterbeans?

 

I think "butter beans" is simply a Southern term for "lima beans". There are however, different types of limas, such as Fordhook and baby limas. There are also speckled varieties.

[mom2abcd]

Lima beans are probably dh and dd's favorite vegetable! All I do is steam a bag of frozen lima beans and salt them. All six of us like them this way. I will say that some lima beans that you buy are on the tough side (not picked early enough.)

 

You don't want them too mushy, but you want them done. HTH.

[Mrs Mungo]

I think "butter beans" is simply a Southern term for "lima beans". There are however, different types of limas, such as Fordhook and baby limas. There are also speckled varieties.

 

I'm from Oklahoma. I think technically butter beans and lima beans are the same bean but different varieties. What we can butter beans (which I like) are not the same as what we call lima beans (which I do not like), they don't have the same taste or texture, to me.

[ereks mom]

As a Southern girl, I grew up on lima beans and other assorted peas, such as blackeyed peas, purple hull peas, etc. Love them!

 

 

:iagree:

 

I LOVE butterbeans -- and until I was an adult, I had no idea that they were the same thing as the "lima beans" my Michigander grandparents talked about. LOL!

 

Anyway, as for cooking them... here's what I do:

 

If you have the frozen ones (not nearly as good as fresh from the garden, but...) put them into a saucepan and add enough water to cover them. Cover the pan with a well-fitting lid. Bring the water & lima beans to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in (gently) salt to taste -- usually about 1/2 teaspoon or so per quart of lima beans and about 2 teaspoons of canola oil. (My grandmother would've added a small piece of fatback, but I'm trying to be a bit more cholesterol-conscious. LOL! However, I do sometimes put in a small piece of lean ham or bacon for flavor.) Reduce heat to low, and simmer approximately 45 minutes. (I prefer slightly overcooked to undercooked. I can't stand crunchy butterbeans!)

[LauraGB]

My MIL makes AMAZING lima beans. She's Greek, and uses Giant Lima Beans, which you can usually only buy in Greece or a specialty store. Really, they're just bigger and whiter than typical limas. Here's what she does, although she slightly modifies her recipe each time:

 

Create a broth by blending 1/2 cup olive oil, 2-3 large tomatoes, 8 cloves garlic and 1 large onions. Add about a half teaspoon each of salt and marjoram or oregano or rosemary. Pour into casserole dish. Pour enough pre-soaked limas into dish that they all remain submerged. Cover with tinfoil. Bake in 375 oven for I don't know how long :lol: I'm NOT calling her to ask, but anyhow... I do know it's for more than a few hours. When they are *just* tender, you can remove the tinfoil and continue baking longer, monitoring the tops of the beans; if they get too dark and start to look dry, then put the tinfoil back on.

 

After you make this the first time, you will know what your family likes: we like to add even more garlic and a bit less oil. Sometimes we add crumbled feta on top and serve it that way. It's quite good and can honestly rival the best restaurants in Greece. I ordered it every time we went out to eat in Greece and my MIL's remains the best!

 

ETA: I just spoke with her and she scolded me like only a Greek lady can! LOL! She said I forgot to blend in a couple stalks of celery, (oops) and to bake with a few bay leaves (true). She said it can look green, so add more tomatoes and tomato paste until the sauce is red. She also said "Kah-rihn, joo dohn poot oregeno, marjoramie or rosemary, only if sick! (well gosh, how did I know that?) Just parsley, lots and lots of parsley. It is goot with lima beans." Who knew? LOL

 

Well, I just made these beans. I made them before I saw the ETA. And I came back to say :drool::thumbup:!! I added the oregano (and I threw in a bay leaf, too, because it just looked like the right thing to do, lol), and used about a bag and a half of frozen limas, topped them with feta, and they so totally rocked! Super delicate, creamy, and delicious. Thanks so much!

[Catherine]

Our farmer's market has had a "fresh bean man" for all of the 19 years I've been going there. They sell fresh shelled beans, different varieties, out of coolers. There's often a line around the corner for this vendor. They are truly a delicacy.

 

I buy fresh limas and cook them as "succotash" with corn and onions. In fact, SOTW volume 3 AG has a delicious succotash recipe with bacon that we love. Even my picky child is Ok with eating beans, far more than with salad\greens.