Green Bean Casserole

By devogirl

When I think about traditional holiday side dishes, Green Bean Casserole always comes to mind. The problem for me is that two of the main ingredients come from a can. Although your mom’s green bean casserole may have been delicious, most likely it was made with a can of Cream of Mushroom soup and topped with a tin of fried onions. But don’t despair, there are ways to recreate this classic the way you remember, only healthier and a lot more fresh tasting. With just a bit of freshly grated Parmesan, some sautéed onions and a homemade, flavorful sauce, the green bean casserole of your youth is taken to a new level and becomes something even more special that your kids will be telling their kids about years from now.

Ingredients

• 1 pound green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 cup panko or bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup whole milk (you can use half and half if you want the dish to be extra rich and creamy)
• canola or olive oil cooking spray

Preparation

Step 1

1. Place the green beans in a steamer pot over boiling water and steam for 8 minutes or until fork tender.

2. Preheat oven to 400 F.

3. In a large sauce pot melt 1 tbsp butter and sauté the chopped onion and 1/4 tsp of salt for 4 minutes.

4. Remove the onions and set aside in a separate bowl with the panko and parmesan cheese. Toss to evenly combine.

5. In the same large sauce pot, melt the remaining 2 tbsp of butter, add the mushrooms and remaining 1 tsp of salt and sauté for 4 minutes.

6. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute.

7. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of flour over the mushrooms and stir for 30 seconds until evenly coated.

8. Add the chicken broth and milk, bring to a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes or until thickened.

9. Add the beans to the sauce and then pour into a greased 8 x 8 inch baking dish.

10. Sprinkle with onion/panko mixture on top, lightly spray with oil and bake for 25 minutes or until the top is golden.

11. Serve.