Not Your Mama's Green Bean Casserole

Not too long before Thanksgiving is upon us, so I figured we'd better get movin' on some good Thanksgiving recipes.

I have never been a fan of the traditional green bean casserole that everyone seems to have with their Thanksgiving dinners, so when I saw this recipe a couple of years ago I knew I needed to try it.  And I'm so glad I did!  IT. IS. DELICIOUS!!!

You will make it year after year after year instead of the mushroom soup/french onion kind out there.  I'm usually a turkey, potatoes and roll kind of Thanksgiving dinner gal, that's all I really need to be happy, but this casserole is now on that list!

Stay tuned this week for my favorite Turkey recipe...and next week you'll be in PIE heaven when we do a week of pies as we gear up for our "We're Thankful for Pie Night"!!  And here's a link to last years "Pie Night"

Not Your Mama's Green Bean Casserole

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Topping:

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup flour

2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Beans:

1 pound fresh green beans, rinsed and trimmed

1 gallon water

2 tablespoons kosher salt

Sauce:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

12 ounces mushrooms, sliced thinly

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup half and half

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

Combine the onions, flour, panko and salt and toss to combine.  Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray and spread the onion evenly on the pan.  Bake until golden brown about 30 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes.  When browned, remove and set aside until ready to use.

Turn the oven heat down to 400 degrees.

While the onions are cooking, prepare the beans.  Bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil in a large saucepan.  Blanch for 5 minutes.  Drain the beans and plunge them into a large bowl of ice water to stop them from cooking more.  Drain and set aside.

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and nutmeg and cook for another 1-2 minutes.  Sprinkle the flour over the mushroom mixture and stir to combine.  Cook for 1 minute.  Add the broth and simmer for 1 minute.  Add the half-and-half and cook until the mixture thickens, about 6-8 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 of the onions and all of the green beans.  Top with the remaining onions.  Bake approximately 15 minutes.  Remove and serve immediately.