Holiday Green Bean Casserole

Okay, so I know that Green Bean Casserole is traditionally consumed on Thanksgiving.  And, let's face it- that recipe off the back of the French's fried onion can is SO good!  I started thinking- really radical thinking here- that none of the ingredients in green bean casserole are particularly designated "holiday" or "Thanksgiving" ingredients...green beans? No.  Mushrooms? Nope.  Fried onions? nada.  So why not apply the "holiday" part of the recipe name to Easter? Eh eh?

 

However, I did NOT make the traditional recipe from French's onion can.  I found this recipe in my Taste of Home cookbook, a healthier version, which guaranteed that "you'll never go back to the old version after trying these green beans!"  Now I don't know if I'd be so bold as to say that I will never ever go back to eating those... after all I'm not even the one who makes it on Thanksgiving... but this WAS very good.  It was lighter and healthier and very flavorful and cheesy.  Just be sure to boil the green beans for long enough- check that they are the right texture- because ours were just a tad crispier than we intended.  But it was still great.

Holiday Green Beans

Holiday Green Be

• 8 cups cut fresh green beans (about 2 pounds)
• 1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup fat-free milk
• 1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Swiss cheese
• 
  TOPPING:
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds
• 1/3 cup crushed cornflakes
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

• Place beans in a Dutch oven and cover with water; bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain and set aside.
• In a large skillet, saute mushrooms in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, onion and pepper until blended. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in beans and cheese until blended.
• Transfer to an 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray (dish will be full). Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over the top.
• Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 12-16 minutes or until bubbly and heated through. Yield: 12 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 2/3 cup equals 144 calories, 7 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 20 mg cholesterol, 108 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 9 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 lean meat, 1 vegetable, 1 fat, 1/2 starch