Rockyn Robyn’s Green Bean Casserole Made From Scratch
Growing up, my family never gave much thought to adding the famous Campbell’s Green Bean Casserole to our holiday table.
Many friends and neighbors considered it a staple. As I headed into adulthood, I started to come up with different recipes for green vegetables that I normally wouldn’t make during the holidays. Instead of trying my hand at that famous green bean casserole, I started making a fresh green bean dish with almonds, kind of a green bean almondine if you will.
Then years later, I made roasted Brussels sprouts with caramelized onions and bacon, that became a family favorite.
Then I met Bruce. Bruce wanted to know if I ever made that famous Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup green bean casserole. I told him the truth. I told him that making this dish never entered my mind.
He persisted and I was then forced to formulate a scratch-made version. It was a hit first time around, and every time after.
This year I upped my game with the green bean casserole. Instead of using those canned French fried onions, I used real onion rings in its place. I was going to make onion rings from scratch, but I was way too busy. I’ll do it next time.
Here’s my current recipe for green bean casserole.
1 medium onion sliced thin
2 lbs fresh green beans (with the ends trimmed and the beans cut in half)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 lb cremini mushrooms
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
4 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 ½ cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1- 16 ounce bag of your favorite frozen onion rings
Bring a medium soup pot filled with 4 quarts of water to a boil.
Add the trimmed green beans and cook for about 6 minutes.
Drain green beans in a colander and run them under very cold water for about 2 minutes to stop the cooking.
Dry the beans on a towel to absorb the moisture.
Add the olive oil and the butter to a large skillet.
Add the sliced onions and cook for about 6 minutes until the onions are translucent.
Take a damp paper towel and wipe down the mushrooms.
Put the mushrooms in a food processor and pulse for about 2 minutes. You don’t want a paste, you just want them chopped up small.
Add the mushrooms to the skillet and cook until the moisture evaporates. About 10 to 12 minutes.
Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, lemon pepper, and the flour and mix it through until you no longer see uncooked flour.
Slowly add the chicken broth and continue to mix until incorporated.
Add the heavy cream and continue to stir until thoroughly mixed.
Reduce heat and let simmer for about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken.
While that’s simmering, cut up your frozen onion rings into 1 to 2 inch pieces. Leave a few onion rings whole just for kicks.
Preheat the oven to 400.
When the green beans are done taste for seasoning, and then pour them into a disposable aluminum pan (Aluminum Steam Table Pan – 1⁄2 Size) You see them sold in 10 units per package at Shoprite for $4.99.
Top the green bean casserole with the cut up onion rings
Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees.
