I just didn’t like the additives, preservatives, massive amount of salt, or the funny canned flavor. There has to be a way to make it better….. And there is.

What happens when you substitute fresh, organic ingredients? Magic, that’s what! The cream sauce infused with garlic and bacon, made with portabella mushrooms and half and half becomes succulent, sweet and rich, meaty with mushroom flavor.  The true flavor of the green beans shines and the texture is tender yet with some tooth.

Did I mention the portabellas?

These are the before pictures. There are no shots of the green bean casserole after baking because, quite frankly, I burnt everything I touched this year. Not badly but enough that the aftershots would not be very appetizing!

Don’t save this for Thanksgiving or Christmas. It is simple, delicious, and inexpensive.

Green Bean Casserole

• 2 lbs of fresh green beans, trimmed, washed, and cut
• 1 lbs baby portabella mushrooms, sliced thickly
• 1 onion (I used purple) peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 strips of bacon, applewood smoked or peppered
• 4 cups heavy cream
• 1 tbs sherry or vermouth
• 1 tbs balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup butter, cut in chunks
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups sliced onions sauted until golden OR 2 cups Durkee Onions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a 13×9 inch casserole dish
2. Cook green beans until crisp – tender. They will cook more in the oven, so don’t get them too mushy
3. Drain green beans well and spoon into prepared pan
4. Chop bacon into a small dice, add with onions to the pan
5. Saute until the bacon is crisp and brown and the fat is rendered but the onion is not scorched
6. Add garlic and mushrooms
7. Saute mushrooms in the bacon fat until tender, remove the contents of the pan to casserole dish and mix into the green beans
8. Add the sherry ( or vermouth) and the balsamic
9. Add the cream and bring to a boil
10. Once it reaches a boil turn heat down and maintain a simmer until the cream is reduced and coats the back of a spoon, 5 to 10 minutes
11. Whisk in the butter, small pieces at a time and whisk until the butter is melted and the sauce absorbs it
12. Taste and adjust seasonings
13. Pour over the green bean mixture, top with sauteed onions or Durkee and bake for 20 minutes

Serves 8

images: marye audet

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Also wanted to let you know that if you were having problems  with  or questions about your last minute baking or cooking and needed a 911 you can contact me all day long on twitter @MaryeAudet. I will check often and the laptop screen will be up until this afternoon when our dinner is ready.

Christopher Audet, USAF

I just want to leave you with a thought. I hope it is not offensive to my readers in other countries..we should all be proud of the place God has planted us. I wanted to thank all of the men and women away from home today because they are serving the country. It is hard to look at the extra piece of pumpkin pie and not choke up a little. I know that my son is in my heart and thoughts today as he serves.

If you are serving or you have a family member that is…thank you. Freedom comes at great cost. It is never free nor should it ever be taken for granted.

No Better Land Than This
Edgar Guest

If I knew a better country in this glorious world today
Where a man’s work hours are shorter and he’s drawing bigger pay,
If the Briton or the Frenchman had an easier life than mine,
I’d pack my goods this minute and I’d sail across the brine.
But I notice when an alien wants a land of hope and cheer,
And a future for his children, he comes out and settles here.

Here’s the glorious land of Freedom! Here’s the milk and honey goal
For the peasant out of Russia, for the long-subjected Pole.
It is here the sons of Italy and men of Austria turn
For the comfort of their bodies and the wages they can earn.
And with all that men complain of, and with all that goes amiss,
There’s no happier, better nation on the world’s broad face than this.

So I’m thinking when I listen to the wails of discontent,
And some foreign disbeliever spreads his evil sentiment,
That the breed of hate and envy that is sowing sin and shame
In this glorious land of Freedom should go back from whence it came.
And I hold it is the duty, rich or poor, of every man
Who enjoys this country’s bounty to be all American.

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Anyway, I wanted to share about her book because it looks interesting/funny/unique AND because it may be just what you need to pick up today to help you get through the Holidays.  What is it?

THE ART OF OVEREATING:  A Bellyful of Laughs About Our Food Phobic Culture

Let’s face it, for whatever reason, America is a bunch of food phobes. We like it. We indulge. We get fat.  Leslie speaks to that with some great suggestions for taking overeating to a whole new level of cool. And, if you are trying to lose weight? No problem, just do the opposite of what she says. Check out these suggestions:
1. When stacking your plate, use the same method as the Egyptians, lay the foundation with the heaviest foods, then layer with lighter foods. If you make it into a pyramid, you can see all the food groups, too!

3. Be a good guest and offer to do the dishes. Alone. This way, you can lick each plate clean. If anyone catches you, say you are trying to be eco-conscious and save water.

With suggestions like that how can you resist? I may have to stop by Barnes and Noble while I am out fighting the crowds today…

image:used by permission Leslie Landis

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This was it. It is so different and so good!  It encompasses all the flavors you can imagine: tangy, sweet, sour, spicy….The flavors just sort of hit you in layers, one after another, ending with a smoky heat from the chipotle.

And then…the textures! tender, chewy, crisp, crunchy…. the dressing pulls everything together. Balsamic, brown sugar, chipotle and vanilla. Truly incredible.

If you live in a warm climate I can definitely see this on your Thanksgiving Table. Added bonus? Since it is a salad you can make it about 2 days ahead of time and it will be perfect on the BIG day. Gotta love it. If you are foin to make it ahead of time use less chipotle. The chipotle will get spicier as it stands.

Roast Sweet Potato Salad

• 5 Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut int 4ths or 8ths
• Olive oil for drizzling
• 3 stalks of celery
• 1 honey crisp apple (may substitute Granny Smith), chopped (leave the peel on)
• 1 cup chopped pecans pr almonds
• 1 onion peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped candied ginger
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Vanilla Balsamic Vinaigrette

1. Preheat the oven to 400F
2. Place sweet potatoes in an oiled pan and drizzle with oil. Roast until slightly caramelized and done, about 45 minutes.
3. Let cool
4. Add the sweet potatoes and the rest of the ingredients to a large bowl. Toss lightly, serve or chill for up to three days.

Vanilla Balsamic Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup Balsamic
• 1/4 cup organic spiced cider
• 1/3 cup light oil (walnut, peanut, etc)
• 2 tbs brown sugar
• 2 tbs honey or maple syrup
• 1 tsp. bourbon vanilla
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of cloves
• 1 large chipotle in adobo sauce,  mashed

1. Whisk ingredients together and allow to stand for 20 minutes.
2. Pour over salad and allow to stand for at least an hour or up to three days.

images: marye audet

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Roast Apples, Onions, and Thyme

Yay.

Then I found out that my tenants were moving from investment house #2. That means two empty houses…Then I had about two days of nonstop crying..this breakup stuff is much worse than it was in high school..and since I announced my singlehood on Baking Delights..I have been getting a trickle of email from male readers..Just for the record guys? I don’t do computer sex.

..then the van stopped working… Well..it just goes on from there. And I realized that I have been worse about blogging this week than ever before. I am so sorry!  I will be making it up to you..promise.

Today I just want to link to some old posts on Baking Delights that will help you with your holiday baking. Call it blogsurfing at home I guess. Ready?

How to Stuff a Turkey Pictorial

Bourbon Sweet Potatoes

Last Minute Thanksgiving Tips

10 Easy Thanksgiving Recipes for Kids

Sage Stuffing

Easy Recipes for Thanksgiving Leftovers

25 Best Thanksgiving Pie Recipes

Pumpkin Pie Noir

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Caramel Pecan Pumpkin Bread Pudding

This is funny. As I was going through old posts I saw this one from November 23, 2008 Blogsurfing Saturday…on Sunday must be the date..I am going to mark my calendar for next year!

Thanksgiving Side Dish Round Up

Wyatts Eggplant Casserole (not traditional but yummy)

Pictorial: Perfect Pie Crust

Roast Apples, Onions and Thyme

Sausage, Apple, and Raisin Stuffing

Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry Crisp

Hope this helps! I will be posting more Thanksgiving posts all week..I promise

images:marye audet

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Remember that roasting vegetables gives them a sweetness that can’t be achieved in any other manner. These are tossed in a cider- bourbon  reduction prior to being placed in the oven and the sauce glazes the apples and onions with a hint of color and a taste that will absolutely knock your socks off. Finish it with a bit more thyme.

You can make the sauce a day ahead and then finish the dish an hour before serving. I  got the recipe from November Bon Appetit but I adjusted some of the components and added the bourbon. Give this a try, I think you will like it.

Let the pan that you have the reduction in cool off before you start licking it out. You could really burn your tongue. Not that I did that. I am just sayin’.

You can leave the bourbon out if you like, either add another couple of tablespoons of cider or balsamic vinegar.You end up with tender, sweet, crispy, tangy, earthy, spicy yumminess that just cannot be denied.

Roast Apples, Onion, and Thyme

• 4 cups organic spiced apple cider
• 4 tablespoons of bourbon
• 1/2 cup cold, unsalted butter cut in chunks
• Pinch of Kosher salt
• 1 tsp coarse black pepper
• 4 Vidalia or 1015 onions peeled and quartered
• 1/8 cup chopped fresh thyme
• 6 Honeycrisp or MacIntosh apples; peeled, cored and cut in wedges

1. Boil the cider until reduced to 2/3 cup. This will take about 15 minuts.
2. Whisk in the bourbon and either flame or boil for 1 minute longer.
3. Whisk in the butter one or two chunks at a time.
4. Add a pinch of salt for seasoning
5. Set aside
6. Preheat the oven to 425F
7. Toss the onions with half of the thyme and half of the reduction. Place in a buttered pan
8. Toss the apples with the other half of the thyme and the rest of the reduction and place in another buttered pan
9. Roast apples and onions, stirring once in awhile, for  30 minutes.
10. Increase heat to 475F and roast until caramelized and done, about  15 minutes more. Watch carefully to prevent scorching
11. Sprinkle with a little extra thyme and serve hot

Serves 8

images : marye audet

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Thanksgiving is usually a no brainer around here. I made a menu over ten years ago and we pretty much go by it completely, adding a new dish or two every year to try. It is just that everyone has things they just “have to have” and adding something new is impossible without taking away something old, comfortable, and traditional so…we don’t.

What I have found is that it is great to make Thanksgiving foods other times during the month. It allows us to try new things without sacrificing the almighty menu. Everyone is happy.

Today’s blogsurfing is  is made up of the cool dishes I have found that you might like to try. Not all of these are from blogs, but they are all things that just looked really good to me. I am woefully behind on the posts that I promised last week, not just because I am behind on posting but because I am behind on cooking! I need life to slow down just a tiny but. Heading in to Christmas? Not likely to slow down, is it?

1. Green Beans with Ginger and Cashews
2. Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots
3. Bacon Ranch Potatoes
4. Scalloped Potatoes with Caramelized Onions
5. Soy Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Sesame Seeds
6. Cider Glazed Butternut Squash
7. Turkey Cranberry Strudel
8. Glazed Baby Carrots and Brussels Sprouts
9. Whipped Carrots and Parsnips
10. Warm Pumpkin Salad with Polenta and Candied Pumpkin Seeds
11. Roasted Onions with Gruyere Croutons
12. Creamy Broccoli with Cashews

In a couple of days I will do a roundup of the past Baking Delights Thanksgiving recipes. Enjoy your weeked!

image: marye audet

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When I saw this recipe for chipotle cranberry sauce in Bon Appetit I was somewhat skeptical. But I made some adjustments to it, and made it and you know what?

It was good. Not just like..mmm..yeah..good...But more like...WHOA, now that’s GOOD!

This would be great warmed up over a brick of cream cheese and served with gingersnaps or Carrs Water Crackers. I am thinking it would make incredible phyllo appetizers as well. You get the tart-sweet tastes of the cranberry and cinnamon and then the smoky heat from the chipotle..and a little whisper of garlic at the end – like the smell of perfume in the house the morning after a party. Faint…but there.

If you love your traditional orange- cranberry sauce you may not like this as a substitute. To me it was more of an appetizer, something to be eaten with cheese, apples, and crackers. Give it a try, if you like southwestern flavor you are gonna love this.

Chipotle Cranberry Sauce

• 2 canned chipotles in adobo sauce, mashed
• 1 lb cranberries
• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup apple cider
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cumin

1. Combine chipotles, sugar, cider, garlic, and cranberries in a pan.
2. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until sugar melts and cranberries pop. You may need to add a little more cider.
3. Add cinnamon and cumin and simmer about five minutes.
4. Let cool.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

images:marye audet

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This recipe is based on one in the November issue of Bon Appetit. I liked the way that the bread held up to the other ingredients, and how the flavors melded together. Now, flavors…..first bite is sweet apple and raisins…chewy, tangy sourdough…then the complexity of the fresh sage and sausage..and finally the smoky heat of the chipotle.  I think that this is good enough to be a casserole dish all by itself.

It isn’t at all difficult to make, and only takes an about 45 minutes in the oven. And the aroma? Amazing.

Sausage, Apple, and Raising Stuffing

• 1 1/2 lb loaf of artisan sourdough, cubed
• 1 lb sage flavored breakfast sausage (bulk)
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 2  tbs chopped chipotle in adobo
• 4 tbs butter, divided use
• 4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups golden raisins or dried cranberries or a mix of the two
• 2 tbs chopped fresh sage
• 2  cups organic chicken broth
• 1/2 cup Calvados or apple cider
• 2 eggs

1. Spread bread cubes in a flat pan and toast at 350F for 12-15 minutes
2. Spoon bread into a large bowl
3. Saute sausage until done, remove from pan and stir into bread cubes
4. Add onion and celery to drippings in pan and saute until tender…stir into bread cubes
5. Melt 2 tbs butter in the same pan and add the apples and saute until tender.
6. Add apples and raisins to bowl with bread.
7. Melt the remaining butter in the pan and add sage. Stir for 30 seconds and then pour over bread.
8. Stir to mix evenly.
9. Whisk eggs and chicken broth and pour over bread.
10. Toss to blend evenly.
11. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
12. Spoon into a greased casserole dish.
13. Bake uncovered at 350F for 45 minutes to an hour.
14. Let stand 10 minutes

Makes 16 servings

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I put a layer of streusel on the bottom as well as on the top for added texture and sweetness. I really like the result.

This is a great, comfort food type dessert but would also work well on the Thanksgiving dessert buffet. It is just different enough to be awesome but familiar enough to  make you feel cozy.

Vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream would be great with this. It is so easy to make, takes very little time…and is amazing. How can you resist?

Cooking the berries before adding them to the crisp allows the juices to thicken and so the bottom layer doesn’t turn to mush. In every bite you have the contrast between crunchy, chewy, tart, sweet, and tender. Every bite gives you intense flavor. This is a new favorite. I loved it.

Cranberry Crisp

• 2 bags cranberries
• 2 cups of sugar or to taste
• 1/2 cup fruity red wine
• 4 tbs unsalted butter
• Water if needed

Cook the ingredients together, stirring, until cranberries pop open and liquid thickens. You may need to add water to keep it from sticking. This will take about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, add butter.  Set aside.

Streusel

• 1 cup chopped almonds
• 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 half cup unsalted butter

Mix together with fingers until crumbly.

Assemble and Bake

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Grease a 9 inch square pan and sprinkle half the crumbs in the bottom
3. Spoon the cranberry on top
4. Sprinkle the rest of the streusel over the top
5. Bake for about 40 minutes or until done.

serves 6-8

images: marye audet

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