Beside The Bird IV: 5 Savories From The South 🌞 [View all]

Green Bean Casserole

There's no canned soup in sight.

Today, I'm sharing a green bean casserole recipe that's a cinch to make and a nice departure from the cream of mushroom standby we all know and love. The wonderful thing about it, besides the fact that it contains bacon and cheese, is that it begins with a plain white sauce, which can be adapted in any number of ways. Use a combination of different types of cheese (pepper jack or white cheddar would be great), add a little mustard, some mushrooms—whatever floats your boat! You can switch up the topping too. More on that below.

Just have fun with this vegetable side dish! Use this recipe as your starting point, and feel free to make changes so it suits your family's preferences. What I'm saying is, the green bean casserole world is your oyster.

Ingredients

2 lb. fresh green beans, ends cut off
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 1/2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
Chicken broth, if needed for thinning
1 (4 oz.) jar sliced pimientos, drained
1 cup panko breadcrumbs

Directions

1 Cut the green beans in half if you like smaller pieces. Blanch the green beans: Drop them into lightly salted boiling water and allow them to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the beans from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain the beans once they're cool; set aside.

2 Add the bacon pieces to a skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon for 2 minutes, then add the onion and garlic; continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, or until bacon is done (but not crisp) and the onion is golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3 In a separate skillet or saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and whisk, immediately, to evenly mix it into the butter. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the milk and half-and-half. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, while sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, and cayenne, then add the cheese. Stir while the cheese melts. If the sauce is too thick, splash in some chicken broth, as needed. Turn off the heat.

4 Add the pimientos to the pan, then add the bacon/onion mixture. Stir to combine. Pour over the green beans and stir gently to combine. Pour into a baking dish and top with panko. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the panko is golden.


https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a11889/green-bean-casserole/


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Green Bell Peppers Stuffed with Spicy Potatoes, Chili & Dried Mango
Bharwa Shimla Mirch

This is a family favorite for Maunika Gowardhan, author of Tandoori Home Cooking: Over 70 Classic Indian Tandoori Recipes to Cook at Home. Bell peppers are stuffed with spiced, crushed potatoes that are also flavoured with dried mango powder, which lends that tangy, sour note.

(Spicy Potato Stuffed Bell Peppers)


One of my most fond memories is when I was 15 and 16, I’d go to the street stall and this vendor used to be stood there. He’d heat up corn on the cob over hot coal and I thought it'd be so nice to do something like that. I used to stand there, eating that corn once he'd made it, while watching those coals burn up really, really high. It would be pouring down rain, but the joy of eating that corn and being under that little shack of his where his street cart was just warming my hands across that hot coal… It'll stay with me for a lifetime. So sharing the corn on the cob, I've kind of upped the ante in terms of flavor because I've added a chili and lime butter to it. I feel like there's a lot of nostalgia in the vegetarian chapter. One of my favorite recipes is the green bell peppers stuffed with spicy potatoes and dried mango.

That looks so delicious, I think it’s probably going to be the first thing I make.

Yeah, it’s super, super simple to make, but that's actually something my mother would constantly make at home. Especially when we had friends and family over. Green bell peppers, when they're charred and grilled, are just amazing. They still have a crunch, but they have so much flavor. There are two ways of doing this. The peppers in India were much smaller, so [my mother] would trim the top off the pepper and cook it whole. If you're able to get small peppers, then just trim the tops and you don’t need to halve the peppers like I have [in Tandoori Home Cooking]. So if you have guests who are vegetarian, you can use the spicy potato mix. If you have non-vegetarian guests, you could stuff it with something like the keema, or minced spicy lamb, and then grill it.

Green Bell Peppers Stuffed with Spicy Potatoes, Chili & Dried Mango

Serves 4

When I lived in India my mum would make this recipe often, especially when she had friends over. It’s a family favourite that I wanted to share because of my love for green bell peppers. The bell peppers are stuffed with spiced, crushed potatoes that are also flavoured with dried mango powder, which lends that tangy, sour note. The bell peppers we used to get in India were much smaller than those found here in the UK, so when we cooked them at home we would cut the tops off, stuff them and then grill them or sit them over a pan to cook. Because these are slightly bigger, here I have halved the bell peppers lengthwise and then stuffed and grilled them, which softens the pepper slightly although they still retain some bite.

Ingredients

4 medium green bell peppers, halved lengthwise, stems left on and deseeded
2 tbsp vegetable oil
pinch of salt

For the filling

2 tbsp vegetable oil
pinch of asafoetida
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 green bird’s-eye chillies, finely chopped
1 heaped tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
600 g (1 lb 5 oz) potatoes, boiled, peeled and lightly crushed
1 tsp dried mango powder
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves
salt, to taste

Instructions

Brush the inside of each bell pepper with the oil and sprinkle with a little salt. Set aside while you make the filling.

To make the filling, heat the oil in a large non-stick saucepan over a medium heat. Add the asafoetida and cumin seeds and, as they splutter, quickly add the green chillies, ground coriander, turmeric and chilli powder. Add the crushed potatoes and stir well for 1 minute. Lower the heat, season to taste and add the dried mango powder along with chopped coriander (cilantro). Turn off the heat, cover and leave to cool completely.

Divide the potato filling equally between the eight bell pepper halves. Press the filling down into the bell peppers so they are well stuffed.

Heat a griddle pan over a high flame. Brush the top and base of each shimla mirch with oil and place them, potato filling side down, onto the grill and cook for 5–6 minutes. Turn the bell peppers over, so they are now potato filling side up, and grill for a further 8 minutes.

Serve warm with chutney and roti.

Excerpted with permission from "Tandoori Home Cooking" by Maunika Gowardhan

https://www.kcrw.com/stories/maunika-gowardhan-tandoori-home-cooking-kitchen-oven


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Broccoli Cheese and Cracker Casserole

Buttery crackers are baked in as topping.
By Ree Drummond

This is a recreation of a common broccoli-cheese dish I've seen on a couple of down-home restaurant menus… and it's a little on the weird side. Sometimes, though, weird can be a wonderful thing.

I love broccoli-cheese anything and while broccoli-rice casserole isn't something I grew up eating on Thanksgiving, I always love my sister-in-law Missy's when she brings hers along. There's nothing like the combination of gooey, melty cheese and tender broccoli. Nothing.

But this one is a little different from the typical broccoli cheese casserole. This one uses Ritz cracker crumbs—not just on the top as a crust but also in the casserole itself, which gives it an almost "stuffing" consistency. It really shouldn't work as a combo... but it does! And it's delightful. You can spice it up or down with cayenne, depending on your tastes. I sometimes sub sharp cheddar for some of the Velveeta cheese, but you can do what you want. Just be sure there's still some Velveeta in there—it is key to the magical cheesy sauce. If you’re looking for a quick, easy Thanksgiving side dish, give this a try! It's next-level comfort food.

Important note: You will not find this dish anywhere in France. I just thought I'd throw that out there. Interpret it however you’d like.

I’m The Pioneer Woman: International Woman of Mystery. Yep, that's me.

Ingredients

3 sleeves round butter crackers, such as Ritz
3 lb. broccoli, cut into florets
2 lb. Velveeta cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard (optional)


Directions

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the crackers in a large plastic, zip-top bag and crush slightly, leaving some large chunks. Set aside.

2 Plunge the broccoli into boiling water and allow to boil for 1 minute. Strain and set aside.

3 Cut the Velveeta into chunks. Throw it into a large pot with the milk, cream, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Melt, stirring occasionally, until totally smooth. Stir in the Dijon mustard, if using.

4 Add the broccoli to the cheese sauce, then add half the cracker crumbs. Stir to combine, then pour the mixture into a buttered 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Top with the remaining cracker crumbs, then sprinkle the top generously with black pepper.

5 Bake until the top is golden brown and the casserole is bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes.

https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a10411/broccoli-cheese-cracker-casserole/

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Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
By Leah Perez

It's your favorite comfort food with fall flavor.

For those who believe pumpkin belongs in more things than just a latte or a pie, pumpkin mac and cheese will satisfy all your autumnal cravings. In this creamy, cheesy, savory pumpkin dish, the pumpkin bechamel teams up with fontina and smoked gouda to form a luscious sauce that coats each and every noodle. Then, for a finishing touch, the pasta is topped with crunchy garlic butter parmesan breadcrumbs. Make it for a cozy fall dinner at home, or for your Thanksgiving feast!

Ingredients

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
3 cloves garlic, grated and divided
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more for pasta water
3/4 tsp. ground black pepper, divided
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 lb. dry cavatappi pasta
6 sage leaves
1/2 medium yellow onion, grated
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground mustard
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 cups whole milk
1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin puree
8 oz. fontina cheese, shredded
8 oz. smoked gouda cheese, shredded

Directions

1 In a small nonstick skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add 1 grated garlic clove and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the panko breadcrumbs, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and toast, stirring frequently, until the panko is golden brown, 2 minutes.

2 Remove the mixture to a small bowl and cool for 5 minutes. Stir in the parmesan.

3 In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring water to a boil. Add the pasta and salt to taste. Cook, stirring the pasta, until just under al dente, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water.

4 In the same pot over medium heat, melt the remaining ¼ cup of butter. Stir in the sage leaves. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sage is lightly fried and the butter is deeply golden and smells toasty. Remove the sage leaves to a paper towel-lined plate and add the onion to the butter. Cook until the onion is soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the remaining 2 grated garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the flour, mustard, nutmeg, cayenne, the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons of salt, and the remaining ½ teaspoon pepper. Cook until the raw flour smell disappears, 3 to 4 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Whisk in the pumpkin puree and cook until very thick, 5 minutes.

5 Remove the pot from heat and gradually add the shredded cheeses, whisking until melted before adding more. Taste for salt.

6 Fold in the drained noodles, adding pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time until the sauce coats the noodles.

7 Serve the pumpkin mac and cheese hot, sprinkled with the toasted panko bread crumbs and crumbled sage.

https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a44120097/pumpkin-mac-and-cheese-recipe/


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Pull-Apart Garlic Bread
By Hannah Klinger; Recipe by Sloane Layton


Everything is better with garlic-butter, especially dinner rolls. This variation is baked in a loaf pan with pieces that you can pull apart.

Garlic-herb butter and plenty of parmesan cheese make it irresistible!

Family and friends will be throwing elbows to grab some of this buttery, parmesan-dusted pull-apart garlic bread. This recipe makes two big loaves, which should (hopefully!) be enough to keep the peace. While store-bought or frozen pizza dough is a great hack for weeknight garlic knots, an easy homemade dough makes this version wonderfully tender and light. After the dough rises, get the kids to help divide and shape it into balls. These are stacked in between layers of garlic butter and cheese, then baked in a bread loaf pan until gorgeously golden. Serve with warm marinara for a trophy-worthy Super Bowl snack or as an upgrade to rolls on your Thanksgiving table.

Ingredients

For the Dough:

1/4 cup warm water (about 110º)
1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
1 1/2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 cup whole milk, warm (about 110º)
2 large eggs, beaten
1 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
5 cups bread flour
Nonstick cooking spray

For the Garlic Butter:

1/2 cup unsalted butter
8 garlic cloves, grated
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1 Tbsp. finely chopped rosemary
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese


Directions

1 For the dough, whisk together the water, yeast and 1/2 tablespoon of the sugar in a small bowl. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

2 Beat the milk, eggs, salt, butter, yeast mixture, and remaining 1 tablespoon of the sugar on medium-low in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment until well combined, about 10 seconds. With the mixer on medium-low, gradually add the flour. Once the flour is incorporated, increase the speed to medium and beat the dough until smooth and elastic, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let stand until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

3 For the garlic butter, combine the butter, garlic, and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and rosemary. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the garlic butter for brushing on the baked loaves.

4 Lightly grease 2 (9-by-5-inch) loaf pans. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 40 (about 1 ounce) pieces; shape into balls. Roll 20 dough balls in the garlic butter and arrange in the bottom of the prepared loaf pans. Sprinkle with half of the parmesan. Repeat with the remaining dough balls, garlic butter, and parmesan. Drizzle any remaining garlic butter evenly over the loaves.

5 Cover the pans loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350° during the last 20 minutes of rise time.

6 Uncover the loaves and discard the plastic wrap. Bake until the tops are golden brown and a thermometer inserted in the center registers 200°, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon of garlic butter, reheating the butter gently over low heat if needed to melt. Cool the loaves in the pans on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the loaves from the pans. Serve warm.

https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a40884272/pull-apart-garlic-bread-recipe/

Southern India and Southern US!