Gingered Green Beans W/Caramelized Shallots

As I sit in my kitchen, snapping the ends of a big basket of fresh green beans, I keep hearing this voice in my head saying....no wait, almost singing...."Busy girls are happy girls." I remember snapping green beans with my best friend, her mother's voice prompting us like a soothing melodic chime.....but despite her sweet 'chiming' voice, we weren't fooled for a second by the veiled