Homemade Green Bean Casserole

If you don't like green bean casserole, but have only tried the Campbell's soup version, I highly urge you to try this recipe before you completely nix the idea. This fresh twist on an old classic is a great addition to your Thanksgiving table. This recipe makes about eight servings and is based off of a recipe over at The Novice Chef.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30+ minutes

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds of fresh green beans, rinsed
Two (2) tablespoons of unsalted butter
One (1) small onion, chopped
Two (2) cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups of baby bella mushrooms
Two (2) tablespoons of all-purpose flour
One (1) cup of veggie stock
One (1) cup of half-and-half
1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs
One (1) cup of french fried onions
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat your oven to 375F degrees.
Trim your green beans and set aside.
Bring about 1/2 gallon of water to a boil, add green beans and cook for about 5 minutes.

Remove, drain, and ice the green beans immediately to stop them from cooking (this is called blanching). Set aside.
In a large skillet, melt butter and add garlic and onions to saute for a few minutes until aromatic.
Add mushrooms and continue to cook for another 4-5 minutes.
Sprinkle the flour into the pan and coat all veggies with the flour.

Immediately pour in the veggie stock and continue to cook for a minute.
Slowly stir in the half-and-half and keep cooking until the sauce thickens (this will take about 5-8 minutes).
In a 9x13" casserole dish, spoon in the green beans and then pour the sauce mixture on top of them. Stir to combine, if necessary.

Top with a light layer of panko breadcrumbs and then a layer of french fried onions.
Bake for 20 minutes and enjoy!