Thanksgiving: The OG GBC (Green Bean Casserole)

There is not a lot that can compete with a green bean casserole (GBC) at Thanksgiving (ok well if my friends chimed in, corn casserole would kick GBC out of the running). Sure, there are a lot of "fancier" casseroles out there, you know ones made with fresh green beans and homemade sauce and other special twists. But this girl likes the OG GBC.

The best part about this whole experience is I have not made GBC in a long time. So I will be honest, I forgot what was in the casserole. With Friendsgiving fast approaching, I volunteered my culinary skills to bring the GBC. As I was wandering around the grocery store (of which I work at), my friend Stacey (who happens to be the best chef I know) asked me what I was doing because of the massive look of confusion and me doing a recipe search on my phone. Thankfully, Stacey helped this lady out and told me exactly what I needed to make the OG GBC. With one tiny secret...

Diced baby bellas sauteed in butter.

3 tablespoons, melted to be exact.

Over medium heat...

For about 5-7 minutes or until they are a golden brown.

Then pop open 2 cans of canned cut green beans. (I was leaning toward the French style green bean because it is my all-time winner of the canned vegetable in Anne's world, but Stacey said she preferred the cut and I was sticking to her expertise on the GBC).  One of my dietitian tricks is to rinse off the green beans to reduce the sodium content but not the taste.  No worries, plenty of salty goodness even after a good rinse off.  (I love my colander, it was my Grandma Jose's..vintage).

Then I prepare my beautiful white dish by popping open the 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup mixed with 1 1/2 cups of milk, 1 1/2 cups of fried onions, the beautifully sauteed mushrooms and my secret ingredient, 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan. Mix until well incorporated.

Toss the green beans into the pool and coat them with the creamy goodness.

Make sure to hold onto a good 2 cups of the crispy onions for the later part of the baking magic.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and bake for 20 minutes. Place the remaining onions on the top of the casserole and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

And there you have it, my OG GBC masterpiece!  Whatever traditions you have on Thanksgiving, they are original to you and to your family. Holidays are time to enjoy family, friends and food. As a dietitian, everyone thinks I am always on the hunt for a healthier version of holiday recipes, but there are certain things that should just remain the way you always remembered them.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.....