Green Bean Casserole

Here’s what you need. Green beans, butter, flour, milk, half-and-half, salt, pepper, cayenne, cheddar cheese, bacon, onion, garlic, and panko bread crumbs.

Sorry about the exposure in this photo, but I am an eternally imperfect person.

Like, totally.

Grab a few green beans at a time, then lop off the tops and bottoms. If you like the green beans a little smaller, cut them in half or thirds. I left mine whole because I’m a rebel, a middle child, a malcontent, and a misanthrope.

But only sometimes.

And I know some people prefer to sit on the porch with a bowl in their laps, methodically snapping off the ends of their beans.

But I’m not one of those people.

When it comes to green beans, I take the easy road.

I want the green beans to be slightly tender but still a little crisp, so we need to blanch them. Throw the beans into boiling water and let them cook for about three minutes, more if you want them a little more soft.

Remove them from the boiling water with a slotted spoon, then plunge them into a bowl of icy cold water. This will stop the cooking process in its tracks.

Next, just drain the beans and set them aside. Reflect on the gorgeous color of green. Consider taking one of the green beans to Lowe’s and having them match a can of paint so you can pain a nightstand or a mirror.

Remember that you really don’t feel like painting anything right now.

Proceed with the green bean recipe.

Dice up an onion and some garlic…

Then slice some bacon into small pieces.

Throw the bacon into a skillet over medium heat.

Let it cook for a couple of minutes, then throw in the diced onions and garlic.

Stir it around and cook until the bacon is cooked but not crisp, and the onions are nice and golden brown. Now turn off the heat and set this aside for a sec.

Next, melt some butter in a separate skillet or saucepan.

Sprinkle on some flour. We’re just making a simple white sauce.

Whisk it around immediately to get the flour evenly mixed into the butter.

Let it cook over medium low heat for about two minutes, then pour in some milk…

And a little half-and-half for richness.

Add some salt, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne. You can also add some paprika, mustard powder…any number of spices.

Stir it all together, then add in the grated cheese.

I used sharp cheddar, but you can use pepper jack, white cheddar, or any combination of cheeses.

Stir in the cheese till it melts, then dump in the drained pimentos.

Next up, stir in the bacon and onions.

Stir it in, then check the seasonings. Add a little more salt or cayenne if it needs it, and if it’s way too thick, splash in a little chicken broth. And be sure to taste the seasonings; make sure there’s plenty of punch!

Pour the sauce over the blanched green beans…

Gently stir/toss it all to coat.

Then even out the surface and scrape any remaining sauce on top.

Yum. Oh, yes.

Finally, sprinkle on some panko breadcrumbs.

NOTE: If it’s important to you, you can substitute French’s fried onions here! I just like the panko crumbs a little more, but either is perfectly acceptable.

Bake it at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Serve it up.

Faint.

Wake up.

Smile.

Thanksgiving is near!

Enjoy this, my friends. It’s really, really yummy.