The Home Cook: Green Bean and Beef Casserole

I like green bean casserole. (No, not Hot Dish - it's Cass.er.ole - this isn't Minnesota.)

Don't think I didn't hear that collective shudder of revulsion, because I totally did. If I'm being quite frank I'm a little bummed that there aren't more reasons to make it. I mean yeah there's Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, but really...I don't think that cuts it. And while I may not be alone in my enjoyment of The Great American Side Dish, I am well aware of my minority status. I think the biggest strike against this modest dish is that it's often over cooked, allowed to cool, reheated and THEN served, with an abusive past like that, nothing good can come of it. It also doesn't help that every person on the face of the North American continent makes it exactly as directed by Campbell's and Frenches. Not that this is inherently bad mind you, but there is a better way...I promise.

But you might be wondering what this has to do with the post title...good question. I've found a way to get my green bean casserole fix in a "one dish" supper version. The inspiration came in the form of one of those vendor cookbooks that litter the grocery checkouts, and while I'd love to tell you I'm above all that...I'm not. If there is a good supper idea or five, those little magazines have a way of crawling in my shopping bag and not leaving until they've reached the promised land of my cookbook collection. The answer (or near answer) to my problem was only waiting to be found. To be found, heavily modified, tentatively tried and soundly enjoyed.

Green Bean and Beef Casserole
As adapted from the casserole link above and a 2002 Pillsbury cooking magazine

4 strips Bacon
1 lb. Ground Beef
1 small Onion, diced
1 clove of Garlic, finely minced
Pinch of Salt
1 4.5oz jar of sliced Mushrooms, drained (or 4oz sliced fresh mushrooms)
1 can cut Green Beans, drained (or 2 cups fresh green beans, cut and par cooked)
1/4 teaspoon White Pepper
1 can 99%FF Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/4 cup Half & Half (or skim milk)
1 cup of French Fried Onions (or to taste)
1 8oz tube of refrigerator Crescent Rolls (or one 8oz tubed crescent sheet)

Preheat oven to 350° and lightly grease 8"x8" pan.

Open crescent rolls or sheet, roll out and cut in half. Line the bottom of the pan with one half of the sheet and bake for 10 minutes.

In a large heavy skillet cook the bacon til crisp. Drain off and set bacon aside. In same skillet brown together hamburger, onion, garlic and salt over medium heat. Crumble bacon into mixture, drain off and set aside.

In same skillet saute mushrooms until lightly browned, return meat to skillet. Stir in pepper, cream of mushroom soup and half & half until well combined. Gently fold in green beans and french fried onions.

After bottom crust has baked for 10 minutes, remove from oven and spoon filling over crust.* Top with remaining half of pastry. Bake for 20 more minutes or until filling is bubbly and pastry is golden.


Cook's Notes:

- *I think cheese could be a good addition, maybe somewhere between 1/2 to 1 cup of sharp cheddar on top of the filling before the top crust.

- I'd like to try this with either puff pastry or philo dough; that may take off the "pasty white midwestern casserole" edginess that this has.

- I've used 1 cup green beans & 1 cup frozen mixed veggies...Tim calls it Kelli Pot Pie, I may trademark it and become fabulously wealthy...or not.

- Double for a family sized 9"x13"x2" dish.