Green Bean Casserole

Adapted from The Daring Gourmet, who has truly enriched our holidays 💕

INGREDIENTS

1 lb fresh French green beans, halved & blanched (boil 5 minutes, then cool in ice water)

1 stick butter, divided 🧈
1 pack bacon, finely diced 🥓
1 yellow onion, minced 🧅
4 cloves garlic, minced 🧄
12 oz baby bellas, diced 🍄

~3 tbsp flour
1 cup chicken stock 🐓
1 cup half and half 🥛
6–8 oz white cheddar, grated 🧀
1 tsp salt
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 can [good] French fried onion
OR
1 cup fried shallots

DIRECTIONS

• Melt 4 tbsp butter over medium high heat and fry bacon till caramelized

• Add onions and cook till translucent

• Turn heat up to high and fry mushrooms till caramelized, adding garlic halfway through

• Transfer to bowl

• Preheat oven to 350º

• Melt remaining 4 tbsp butter and whisk in flour. Continue whisking until medium brown in color

• Whisk in chicken stock and half and half and continue cooking/whisking until thickened slightly

• Add cheese, salt, and pepper and continue whisking to fully combine

• Add bacon-mushroom mixture back into pan and simmer for ~2 minutes

• Add green beans, stirring to combine

• Pour into 9x13” casserole dish and sprinkle with French onions or fried shallots

• Bake 30 min until bubbling and onions are golden/crispy