Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a big pinch of salt and the green beans.
Cook for about five minutes, the beans should still be crisp.
Drain them and set aside.
Butter a baking dish large enough to hold the green beans with 1 tablespoon butter
and set aside.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Tear the bread into 2-inch pieces, put them into a bowl, and add 1 tablespoon chives,1 tablespoon thyme, 1 tablespoon rosemary, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and 3 tablespoons olive oil.
Stir well to coat and spread onto a baking sheet.
Bake just until the bread just starts to turn golden, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the mushrooms and shallots, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the mushrooms have released their liquid, about 10 minutes.
Pour in the heavy cream, add the remaining thyme and chives, and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add the green beans and stir well.
Put the green bean mixture into the prepared baking dish, top with the croutons, and sprinkle on the remaining Parmesan.
Bake until everything is hot and bubbling, about 20 to 25 minutes.
In a medium saucepan, prepare syrup. Bring the sugar, water, lemon juice and zest to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Poach apricots or peaches until tender. (Tip: if you use peaches, remove the skin.) Let them cool in the syrup.
To prepare raspberry sauce, in a blender, combine the raspberries, sugar and lemon juice. Process to a puree.
Remove fruits from syrup.
To serve: In a small bowl, place a scoop of vanilla ice cream, place the fruit on top, and cover with raspberry sauce. Garnish with whipped cream and toasted almonds.
In a deep heavy saucepan combine the brown sugar, maple syrup, and cream and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring and washing down any sugar crystals clinging to the sides of the pan with a brush dipped in cold water, until the sugar is dissolved.
Bring the mixture to a boil and boil it, undisturbed, until a candy thermometer registers 250 degrees F.
Remove the pan from the heat, add the butter, and swirl the pan gently until the butter is melted. Let the maple caramel cool for 5 minutes.
Push a wooden skewer or chopstick through the length of each apple and holding the apples by the skewers dip the apples 1 at a time in the maple caramel, coating them well and letting the excess drip off.
Put the apples on buttered baking sheets until the maple caramel is cool and firm. Serve the apples immediately.
