Recipe Exchange

This morning I got an email inviting me to be part of a recipe exchange. How fun! It is always great to have on hand someone else's sure-fire, "works every time" recipe. It is also nice to have new taste twists for what you may already have in your recipe favorites. This The Red White and Food post is for the tasty fun of the recipe exchange!

Remember last week when I told you my mom was excited over a twist on the classic green bean casserole? Well, here is her new and improved version, a recipe she exchanged with me. I love the meatiness of portabello mushroom. Really nice and chewy. I would take this one step further, however, and look at a DIY version of the canned soup and use fresh green beans, but look how delish this is in the pix...

Better Than The Original Green Bean Casserole

1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup organic milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 (9-ounce) packages frozen cut green beans, thawed or fresh, blanched
6 portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed
3 to 4 medium red onions
Extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute mushroom caps until soft in 2 batches with olive oil to coat pan. Set aside. Mix soup, milk, sour cream and pepper in a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Stir in beans.. Bake for 30 minutes, or until hot.

While the casserole is baking, slice onions and saute in a little olive oil, on medium heat, until soft.  Add 1/4 teaspoon salt. Turn heat to low and continue heating until caramelized, about 30 minutes. Remove bean casserole from oven. Arrange onions on a cookie sheet and broil on high 4 to 5 minutes, or until crispy. Scoop casserole evenly into heated mushroom caps. Sprinkle crispy onions on top and serve. Makes 6 servings.