Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
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Healthier Green Bean Casserole (Chef Tina Jean)
Makes: 4 to 6 Servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh green beans
3 tablespoons salt for water
4 ounces (approximately 4 slices) Harmons Country Style Bacon
For the topping
1 cup shallots, very thinly sliced in rings (a mandolin slicer works best here)
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup panko break crumbs, finely ground in a food processor
1/8 cup parmesan cheese, grated fine
1 egg, mixed well
¾ teaspoons salt
For the Sauce
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 ½ cups white mushrooms, sliced thin
¼ cup shallots, small dice
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
¼ cup evaporated milk
1 cup 2 % milk
¼ cup Fage 0% Greek yogurt, plain
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray lightly with nonstick spray.
2. Fill a large stock pot with water and place 3 tablespoons salt into water. Bring to a boil over high heat.
3. In the meantime, fill a large mixing bowl half way with ice and then fill the rest with cold tap water. Set aside.
4. Cut stem end off of green beans and then cut in half. Once water has reached boiling, drop the beans into the water and cook for four minutes. Drain water and immediately drop into ice bath to shock. Once beans have cooled, about 2 minutes, remove from ice water and place on a clean dish towel or doubled over paper towels to drain and dry. Reserve beans.
5. Cut bacon into small ¼ inch pieces and place in a medium pan over medium heat. Cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Place crispy bacon bits on a couple pieces of paper towel to drain and pour off any bacon grease that remains in the pan. Wipe out pan with paper towel and set aside to use again.
For the topping
6. Create breading station by using 3 pie pans or bowls. In the first dish place flour. In the second dish place the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. In the third dish, place the mixed egg. Divide the ¾ teaspoon salt evenly amongst all three dishes and then whisk together ingredients in each dish.
7. Beginning with flour, dredge sliced shallots through and shake off any excess. Next pass shallots through eggs and allow excess to drip off. Finally, drop into breading and toss lightly, ensuring shallots are not stuck together and are well coated, as best you can. Place on prepared cookie sheet and continue process with remaining shallots.
8. Bake in preheated oven for ten minutes or until lightly golden and crisp. Do not allow to brown or your topping will impart a burnt flavor.
For the sauce
9. In the pan used to cook bacon, place canola oil and heat over medium heat. Once oil is hot, add unsalted butter as well and allow to slightly brown, but not burn.
10. Add mushrooms and cook until golden and reduced in size by half, stirring often. This will take about three to five minutes. Next add diced shallots and cook just until softened, two minutes. Add garlic and cook just until fragrant about 20 seconds. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
11. Add flour to pan and blend well. Cook for about two minutes. This will cook the starchy flavor out of the flour.
12. Whisk in the evaporated milk, 2% milk and cooked bacon. Continue to cook over medium to medium-low heat until thickened into a sauce consistency (coats the back of a spoon).
13. Whisk in Fage yogurt and reserved green beans to sauce. Toss and cook until heated through. Taste for salt and pepper. Plate on a serving platter or bowl and top with baked shallots. Serve immediately.
*If sauce gets too thick, simply loosen up by adding more 2% milk and heating through. Also, you can prepare the beans and the sauce the day prior and simply reheat through. Day of service; make baked shallots. Heat sauce in pan and then add green beans to heat through. Plate and serve.
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Cranberry Sauce (Chef Tina Jean)
Makes: 2 cups total cranberry sauce
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
4 cups fresh cranberries (1-12 ounce bag of fresh cranberries)
1 cup dried apricots, small dice
1 cup water
1 cup fresh orange juice (from about four oranges)
2 teaspoons orange zest
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 sprigs fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
¼ cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoon white sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon molasses
Directions:
1. Place all ingredients into a large sauce pot. Over medium-high heat, bring to a quick boil and then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until mixture has thickened and cranberries have burst open. This will take approximately 15 minutes or so.
2. Remove from pot and allow to cool to room temperature. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
