not your mamma's green bean casserole

ok so I have never understood the Green Bean Casserole...



I think I had heard about it before I moved down south to Southern Idaho and Utah... and I think Calie (Keith's wife) found a recipe for it once and made the casserole when I was like 18 or something...I remember it was a new experiment for all of us- like eating foreign food for the first time...

but when I finally became a permanent resident of the Wasatch Front and a permanent member of Chay's family, I soon learned the importance of the Green Bean Casserole. This dish is um...well...let's just say you can't have holiday dinners without it. -Not necessarily sacred, but almost equally as important as the Turkey at Thanksgiving...it's a big deal. Ok maybe not as important as the turkey...but probably the mashed potatoes. If a holiday dinner didn't happen to have it (which it never would), someone would most definitely say, "where's the Green Bean Casserole?"

Maybe it's like me and cranberry sauce...In my world, turkey dinners always have to have cranberry sauce...and one time it was missing at Chay's house for Thanksgiving and I said out loud, "Where's the cranberry sauce?" I learned quickly cranberry sauce wasn't as important as I thought it was! But it's so delicious...oh my- especially on turkey sandwiches the next day with miracle whip....

back to the Green Bean Casserole...It is so weird with its string beans, fried french onion things, and cream of mushroom soup concoction. I was never exactly too sure what was so fascinating about this dish...and where was the flavor? It was like a heap of mushy mush...but since I will eat almost anything, I will keep eating and eating it thinking it will eventually get better...and it never does. So confusing why everyone eats it every year. Is it really that good to other people? Or is it just that whole tradition thing?

Well then it happened, I was asked by my dear Mother in Law to make it for the family Thanksgiving dinner last year. I freaked out. I can't claim Green Bean Casserole as my contribution to Thanksgiving Dinner. That is like buying your best friend a gift on clearance only because it was cheap and not because it was meaningful... Or wearing jeans and flip flops to church...can't do it.

So I desperately called Emily. And she saved me- she always does... She had a Green Bean Casserole Recipe believe it or not- with no cream of mushroom soup anywhere to be found. This is the Green Bean Casserole taken to a whole new level...and last night Emily and I decided to re-name it "Not Your Mamma's Green Bean Casserole"

anyway- so this recipe is amazing- to die for!!!! Very good, full of flavor, full of fat, full of love.

Not Your Mamma's Green Bean Casserole

5 cans Fancy cut/ French cut beans
8oz cream cheese
8oz sour cream
1 Pkg Uncle Dans Southern Ranch mix
1 lb shredded Swiss cheese
corn flakes

Mix 5 cans green beans (drained) with ranch mix, sour cream, cream cheese, and half of shredded cheese until smooth. Spread in glass 9X13 baking pan, top with rest of shredded cheese, and then top with crushed corn flakes.

I put the cream cheese, sour cream, ranch pack, half swiss cheese in blender first and then poured and mixed into the green beans. A lot easier to work with!

Bake 350 until bubbly and corn flakes start to brown. (Approximately 30-40 min.)

I am posting this so maybe it's not too late to revolutionize your Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow night!!!