Green Bean Casserole and Give Away

I've been a military wife for over 11 years and almost every party or get-together at the squadron that I attend we are required to bring a dish to share. I grew up in a Baptist church so I'm quite familiar with pot-lucks and it's always amused me that there are usually the same dishes. There are usually 2-3 cheesy hash brown casseroles, deviled eggs, an asian salad with ramen noodles, fruit salad, a jello salad of some sort, gobs of chips, and chocolate chip cookies. (Oh, and here in our town someone always brings a huge plate of Jim 'n Nicks cheesy cornbread muffins, they're so addicting!) Everyone in the squadron knows that I cook so they usually ask me what I brought. I will admit that there have been times I've been a bit embarrassed to admit that I totally copped out and brought something like a plate of fruit.

One of the foundations of many, many casseroles is a can of cream of mushroom soup. Condensed canned soups leave much to be desired in taste and also contain many processed ingredients. If your goal is to cook with real food, but you have recipes in your repertoire that call for cream of mushroom soup, then I encourage you to try and make your own. It only takes about 15 minutes and the flavors in your dish will increase ten-fold.

Now is the season for Christmas parties, and if you're like me, you'll be invited to a few potlucks. This is the perfect dish that will please almost anyone, but with extra depth of flavor. The casserole keeps very well in the fridge and can be made a day ahead of time and then heated in the oven before serving.

As a way to say "Merry Christmas," I'm giving away a Fair Trade mixer gift basket from Equal Exchange. A few weeks ago I picked up one of their Organic Mint Chocolate Bars at the store. The chocolate was really delicious with peppermint and 67% cacao. I checked out their site and discovered they are a company that makes all organic fair-trade products. Their organic chocolates and cocoas are the perfect splurge this holiday season. Their products are imported by Ten Thousand Villages from Dhaka Handicrafts, a non-profit that works to improve the lives of children and rural families in Bangladesh. By the way, I noticed their gift baskets are on sale right now! Delicious, and a deal!

To enter the give-away, please leave a comment between today and Monday, December 7th. I'll draw a name at random and announce the winner on Tuesday, December 8th. (Only one comment per person please. Also, since this gift will be shipped directly from the Equal Exchange it can only be shipped to the contiguous US.) I received a coupon code from them for 10% off $75 or more plus free shipping. They gave me permission to share the code with you: giftme10

Green Bean Casserole
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated
Serves 8-10

1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons coconut oil
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
2 pounds green beans, trimmed and halved
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
3 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Preheat oven to 425°F and adjust rack to middle position. In a large bowl, toss together red onion and coconut oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Spread onions out on a large baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Stir onions and put back in oven for another 15 minutes or until onions loose most of their moisture and begin to brown. Remove from oven and set aside. Reduce heat in oven to 375°F.

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the green beans to the water and boil for 6 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside. 

Melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet. When foaming subsides add the mushrooms and season generously with salt and pepper. Saute until mushrooms have released their moisture and the edges begin to turn golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the flour and stir constantly until incorporated, about 1 minute.  Gradually add the chicken stock and then the cream, whisking constantly to avoid lumping. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens, 5-6 minutes. 

Toss together mushroom mixture and green beans and then pour into a 13x9 baking dish. Top with red onions and bake until bubbling, about 20-25 minutes.