A Librarian in the Kitchen?

of course,

Cookbooks are Books too!

Every once in a while, I like to put down a book and go into the kitchen to fetch myself something more than coffee.  It is on these days when I cook; usually on Sundays for my family. Since Thanksgiving is imminent I thought it would be fun to share some recipes with you.  Not MINE, of course, because where would the fun in THAT be? I want to share good recipes with you!

That’s why I’ve partnered with foodnetwork.com to share a quick and easy recipe.  I’ve chosen a staple; Green Bean Casserole side dish.  Almost everyone I know has a green been casserole dish that they make and take to dinners.

Now, doesn’t THAT look yummy?  If my mother had prepared this recipe she might have gotten me to eat more than one green bean in my life.   Now let’s get down to business.  Here’s the recipe for Green Bean Casserole – Slimmed

Prep Time:45 min
Cook Time:20 min
Level: Intermediate
Serves: 6 servings

Our slimmed down version of this classic offers the creamy mushroom flavor, the sweet tang of onions, and the crunch you expect from Green Bean Casserole, with 60 percent less calories and 80 percent less fat.

Ingredients
3 to 4 medium shallots, in their skins
Kosher salt, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons
1 pound fresh green beans, stemmed, and halved crosswise
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced (about 4 cups)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups mushroom, vegetable, or chicken broth (see Cook’s Note)
3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable cooking spray
1 cup fresh bread crumbs

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put the shallots (in their skins) on a small baking dish, roast until soft, about 30 minutes. When cool enough to handle, skin and coarsely chop the shallots. Set aside.

Bring a medium-large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add kosher salt, to taste. Add the green beans, and cook, uncovered, until crisp-tender and bright green, about 3 minutes. Drain the beans in a colander and rinse with cold water. Transfer the beans to a large bowl.

In the same saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, season with 1 teaspoon salt, cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 7 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the beans.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until golden, about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the broth, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Add the shallots, 1 teaspoon of the thyme, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and stir to combine evenly.

Spray a 2-quart baking dish with vegetable cooking spray. Transfer the vegetable mixture to the pan. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of thyme to bread crumbs and scatter over the vegetables. Bake uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the crumbs brown, about 20 minutes.

Cook’s Note: There has been an explosion of prepared broths on the market. We particularly like the mushroom broth in the aseptic packaging. However, for this recipe, make sure you don’t use an Asian-style mushroom broth. If you can’t find mushroom, a vegetable or chicken broth is a suitable substitute.

Tips: – When sauteing mushrooms, salt them right away–they will release moisture and you can use less oil – 1 cup fresh bread crumbs has less calories than 1 cup dried – Roasting whole shallots is an excellent way to cook them using absolutely no fat

Per Serving: Calories: 187; Total Fat: 7.5 grams; Saturated Fat: 3 grams; Protein: 6 grams; Total carbohydrates: 26 grams; Sugar: 4 grams; Fiber: 4 grams; Cholesterol: 10 milligrams; Sodium: 669 milligrams

How yummy does that sound? It’s easy to make this recipe for your dairy free or vegan friends by swapping out the butter for a healthy non dairy substitute or old fashioned oleo.  Don’t know what oleo is? Go ask your gram. Also for your vegan friends, go with the vegetable broth rather than the chicken; everyone will have a yummy tummy!

Check out the recipe for yourself!

Now who’s going to share a recipe with me?  Hopefully one that involves pie…