Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole is one of my favorites, especially for Thanksgiving dinner. However, this year, I have made it quite a few times in the last few months, not just on Thanksgiving Day, possibly because casseroles are a great alternative to soups for quick and easy weeknight dinners.

Nothing special about this recipe - very much like what comes on the label of Campbell's™ soup cans. I change the seasoning a bit, and prefer Cream of Asparagus soup rather than Cream of Celery.

Frozen French cut green beans and canned soup makes for a quick meal that cooks under 30-35 minutes. If in season, fresh green beans cut into 1" pieces and blanched, along with a creamy sauce from scratch is a nice alternative (adjust cooking time as needed).

While Green bean casserole is typically served as a side dish, I make it a main meal especially on cold fall and winter nights. Seasoning and flavors can be adjusted to taste - I keep it fairly simple for the kids, and add a few drops of Tabasco™ sauce or Franks™ Red Hot for myself and D.

Ingredients
16 oz of frozen French-cut beans, thawed
1 can (10¾ oz) Cream of Asparagus (or Broccoli or Potato) soup
6 oz evaporated milk
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp lemon thyme seasoning (optional)
1 Tbsp French Onion Dip mix
2/3 can of French fried onions (about 4 oz)

Preparation

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375°F; reserve half of the French-fried onions to use as topping at the end
2. In a 9-inch square baking dish, combine all the ingredients, stir well and bake for about 25 minutes till bubbly; if preferred, use about 4oz of evaporated milk (+ a few Tbsp water) instead of 6oz, for a thick casserole
3. Top with the reserved French-fried onions and bake another 3 or 4 minutes to crisp the French-fried onions, taking care not to char them
4. Serve warm