Mary Jane's Green Beans

Mary Jane's Green Beans 

(tastes fresh from the can)

1. 1 huge can green beans - (The $2.89 size in the bulk section of your grocery store) OR 6 or 7 - 15½ oz size cans
2. 3 teaspoons brown sugar
3. 3 teaspoons Jamison's Soup Base (should be w/ the chicken bullion in the grocery store)
4. 1 medium onion, peeled
5. ¼ - ½ cup liquid shortening (like Wesson, Crisco, Olive Oil or Canola)

Drain about ½ of the water from each can. Put beans (and rest of liquid) in big pot. Pour enough water in beans to come about 2 inches below top of beans. Never cover beans with water. This is very important. Add about 3 teaspoons brown sugar, 3 teaspoons L.B. Jamison's Beef Flavored Soup Base, and ¼ - ½ cup liquid shortening. Then put 1 whole onion (peeled) in middle of beans. For a big pot, I would use a medium size onion. Cook beans at about medium high (uncovered) for about 1 hour, or until all liquid is gone. (This is very important. This is what gives the beans a lot of flavor) Stir beans only a couple of times the whole time they are cooking. This is important too. You may need to turn the heat down to medium toward the end.
You also might need a little more brown sugar and soup base for this many beans. If you don't have Jamison's soup base, try beef bullion, but I think it tastes better with the soup base.
Making the beans this way, makes them taste fresh and they always get eaten up when I cook them for dinners or a carry-in! I get lots of requests for this recipe. My mother in law taught me how to do this over the years.

Recipe by Mary Jane Hall