3 slices bacon
4 c. water
2 lbs. fresh green beans
1/2 tsp. sugar
Few dashes dried red pepper or dash of Tabasco sauce
Salt and pepper

Place bacon in large saucepan with water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes (or cut up bacon and microwave, adding bacon and grease to water with beans). Wash beans and trim ends; break into 1 inch pieces. Add beans, sugar, and red pepper to bacon. Cover and cook over very low heat for 2 hours. If necessary, from time to time, add water just to keep beans from sticking. Taste during last hour of cooking and add salt and pepper if needed. About 15 minutes before serving, sift about a teaspoon of flour into the pot; stir it well into the juices in the bottom, then resume cooking the beans. This coats the beans ever so slightly and there is never a drop of clear, watery liquid to remain in a puddle in bottom of pot.