Green Bean Casserole from Scratch

 I recently was made aware of a very sad story about a man that lives in the town we have adopted.  He was incarcerated for 18 years for a crime he did not commit.  A local group proved his innocence using DNA.  As if losing 18 years of your life is not bad enough, we live in a state that does not compensate people for false imprisonment. This poor guy has nothing.  He gets 700.00 per month from social services, half of which pays for the room he rents. So, I am making him Christmas Eve dinner.  It is a drop in the bucket but at least he will have something for Christmas.  This morning I prepared a green bean casserole for him.  Tomorrow I will roast him a large chicken and make mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, sweet potato casserole and rolls.  He is getting a cookie platter, a decorated tree and some presents too.

 I never made the traditional green bean casserole for my family but a lot of people associate it with holiday meals so I've begun to make it when I am giving meals away.

 It is so easy to make from scratch and so much better than making it using canned soup.

 Here is the recipe:



Add the flour and stir for a minute.  Add the salt and pepper, lemon zest and parsley.

Next add the milk.  Cook a bit until it starts to thicken.

 Stir in the sour cream.

 Add the sauce to the beans which you have cooked following the package directions.

 Stir in some of the cheddar and some of the fried onions.

Place it in a casserole and top with the remaining cheddar and fried onions.  I am refrigerating this and cooking it tomorrow so I will add the toppings just before it goes in the oven.  Bake it at 350 degrees until the cheese melts and the edges are bubbling.  About 25 minutes.

Comments

Anonymous said…
when our Kelly married a fella from the U.S.A we were introduced this , I think I should make your version, I am not a fan of canned mushroom soup thats in the other recipe, ,, your recipe sounds wonderful!
Anonymous said…
What a terrible fate!
I thought they paid for such terrible mistakes all over the world, here he would have been a rich man if that had happened here and similar things do happen here too.

I must admit that I never would have thought breen bean casserole to be achristmas dish but then again, this part of the country have baked brown beans on their yule bord :-)

Have a great day!
Christer.
Wrongful conviction is bad enough but how terribly, terribly unfair that there is no compensation available to someone who endures this most unjust treatment. May 2015 bring better times for that unfortunate man. And it will start with your delicious Xmas Eve dinner!
Sandy Livesay said…
Jaz,

18 years in prison, wrongfully convicted, and no compensation. That is really terrible. You're an Angel to help this man out. I would do the same thing. Christmas is for giving, and we give year round when we can.
TARYTERRE said…
That is such a sad story. It is horrible he can't get some kind of compensation for all those years. You are doing such a wonderful kindness. I am glad he will have a Christmas to celebrate.
Mary said…
That is a terrible story, I think most states should pay some compensation , even a few hundred a month would make this gentleman's life a bit easier. I had never made or eaten Green bean casserole, so one year I made it , it was awful...canned soup so salty. Your version should yummy.
Susan said…
My guess is that your thoughtful and delicious meal will go a long way towards healing him from the inside out. It is unbelievable that he gets nothing for those lost 18 years.
Carole said…
Wishing you and your family a lovely Christmas. And all the best for the New Year too! Cheers from Carole's Chatter
greekwitch said…
That was such a sad story! So unfair! You did something wonderful!
1st Man said…
What a sad story. Injustice like that just makes me crazy. But thanks in part to you an uplifting moment or two for him will hopefully bring him peace at this time of year.

Thank you for this recipe too. It's so funny, at Thanksgiving we were talking about a green bean casserole and 2nd Man said "yeah but it has so much processed stuff in it". Now I can present this to him and say make this! Ha.
Kay said…
Oh gosh! That looks delicious!!! He'll love it. The state took 18 years away and he's not compensated? That's insane and so wrong!!!