This Green Beans Blue Cheese Salad is the perfect side dish or salad served for a summer party! Make ahead and chill in the refrigerator before serving.

Green Beans Blue Cheese Salad

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When my friend Joan sent fresh green beans from her garden over with her son, who was headed on a backpack trip with our son, I got a little homesick for some of our friends in our hometown, and also our garden!

Green Beans Blue Cheese Salad

One of the things my husband and I have learned, in the last 6 weeks of being in our new home, is that we could love the home we’d had (garden, pool, beautiful backyard, so many memories), but leave it anyway. Because now we are loving our new space, as we’re working hard on a few DIY projects. For over a year, we tossed around the idea of wanting to live in a new environment, specifically central Oregon, because of the air, light, outdoor activities, cooler temps in the summer (and snow in the winter!), a church dear to our hearts, and slowing down. It took hard work to put a plan in place to downsize, and to summon the courage to give up the life we had (and leave the people that we loved), in favor of a life with new adventures (for both us and our children)–growth, change—a place we were meant to be.

For this season.

In the end, it comes down to several things for people who move away. We are happy that we love the place that we left, and all of our beautiful memories and friends (our calendar is getting full already, with out-of-town guests), because we can outgrow phases of life. Not everyone, but for some people.

For some, it makes sense to live in the same place their whole lives. For others, adventure is at the root of their soul. It’s not discontentment, but an “I want to explore and meet new people and have new experiences and be used by God in this great big world that we live in.”

Guess what? Here’s a little surprise to us. Since we moved, we’ve talked to many close friends about “new seasons”, and find that we weren’t the only ones with adventurous spirits. For some, it’s hard to take the plunge; for others, it’s on their bucket list, or they’re considering and praying about it, like we had done for a solid year.

My hubby and I both agreed: We were up for the challenge, a new season in life to grow!

Another thing we’ve learned is that we can shine brightly anywhere, and “new” situations force us to try new things, face our fears, possibly make us lean on others, because quite honestly—we’re out of our comfort zone.

I don’t know about you, but I want to keep learning and growing through all of the seasons in my life.

It may not require a move, but hold on to your seats if it does …

Green Beans Blue Cheese Salad

Green Beans Blue Cheese Salad

So, with Joan’s amazing garden green beans (picked with so much love), we had burgers for dinner last week, and I served this fantastic Green Beans Blue Cheese Salad.

Made with crumbled blue cheese, a sweet tangy buttermilk dressing, with fresh herbs, you blanch the green beans, chill with the dressing drizzled on top, and serve!

Oh, and don’t forget fresh summer dill. (Another thing I miss from our garden – sniff-sniff).

Green Beans Blue Cheese Salad

Green Beans Blue Cheese Salad
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Green Beans Blue Cheese Salad

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 10 -12
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Ingredients
 

  • 3 pounds green string beans, trimmed
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 6 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
  • 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 4 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dried
  • 4 teaspoons cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp. sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1/2 cup very thinly sliced red onion

Instructions
 

  • Place a large bowl of ice water by the stove. Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add beans, and boil until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes (they will turn a bright green). (Boil small beans for 2 minutes, medium beans for 3 minutes, and large beans for 4-5 minutes.)
  • Drain the beans; transfer to the ice water to cool. Drain; pat dry.
  • Combine buttermilk, blue cheese, mayonnaise, dill, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper in a mini food processor. Pulse until almost smooth. (Or, optional to leave the blue cheese chunky.)
  • Transfer the beans to a large bowl, add onion and the dressing; toss to coat.
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More summer salads:

Sweet Asian Slaw with Apples and Corn

Red Cabbage Beet Slaw with Cranberries

Orange Cranberry Summer Slaw Salad

Green Beans Blue Cheese Salad