When it comes to my own personal Thanksgiving menu, I'm a bit of a minimalist [1] and prefer to keep recipes understated rather than over-the-top. This applies, in particular, to side dishes: I'm partial to items such as simply prepared sweet potatoes [2] and these green beans, blanched briefly and served with caramelized onions.

In my humble opinion, there's no need for green beans to be shrouded in a mysterious canned mushroom concoction, baked until soggy, then drenched in a shower of processed "crispy onions." It's entirely unnecessary, especially when taut haricots verts and naturally sweet slow-braised onions can speak for themselves.