Tag: Featured Post
Buddha Bowl with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Italian Ricotta Cookies
Homemade Green Bean Casserole
Fresh green beans and mushrooms in a creamy sauce topped with crispy oven baked onion rings
We’ve all had the holiday side dish staple of green bean casserole. Aunt Someone-or-other would bring it and we all loved it. Frozen green beans, canned cream of mushroom soup and dried crispy onions. I’m feeling that there could be some updates here.
How about we use all fresh ingredients? And let’s make our own cream of mushroom soup. And what about a sheet pan of crispy oven baked onions for the topping??
Yeah. Let’s do this
I’m going to start with the crispy oven baked onions. The onions need to be super thin so I’m using a mandoline. One of the Food Network chefs used cut resistant gloves while using the mandoline and being the lemming that I am, I had to buy them. SO much easier than the food holding device that they give you with the mandoline
Once the onions are thinly sliced, toss them in a mix of flour, panko and kosher salt. I’ve sprayed a sheet pan with olive oil spray and preheated the oven to 375. Place the onions in a thin layer and bake for about 15 minutes, tossing the onions every 5 minutes so they don’t overcook
While the onions are in the oven, let’s prep the mushrooms
Wipe the mushrooms clean with a paper towel and halve or quarter (depending upon size)
Next we’re going to measure out the ingredients for the cream sauce. You’ll need one cup of half and half, one cup of chicken stock, 2 tablespoons of flour, kosher salt, black pepper, a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 cloves of grated garlic
Add 2 tablespoons of butter to an oven safe pan heated on medium high and toss in the mushrooms. You’ll want to cook these for about 5 to 7 minutes
Add in 2 cloves of shredded garlic, nutmeg, kosher salt and black pepper. Stir and let cook for another minute or two
While the mushrooms are cooking, let’s bring a pot of salted water to a boil
Add in 1 pound of trimmed and halved fresh green beans. They’ll cook more in the oven so we only want to blanch them for about 4 minutes. At 4 minutes, plunge the beans into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside
Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms. I like to use a small sieve so the flour spreads evenly and there are no lumps
Mix until the mushrooms are coated
Now we’ll add in the liquids. Pour in the cup of chicken stock and let simmer for about 5 minutes
Lower the heat to medium-low and add in the half and half
Once the half and half is combined, let simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally
Remove from heat, toss in the green beans and top with the reserved onions
Increase oven heat to 400 and bake for about 15 minutes until the casserole is browned and bubbly
*Simply Sunday’s note: You can prep this casserole all the way up to the point where the green beans are incorporated. Top with onions and bake right before serving dinner
Proudly serve knowing you’ve just recreated a classic side using the freshest of ingredients!
Enjoy!
Simply Sunday's Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
For topping:
2 medium onions
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons panko
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Mushroom cream sauce:
12 ounces mushrooms
1 cup of half and half
1 cup of chicken stock
2 tablespoons of flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons of butter
2 cloves of grated garlic
For green beans:
1 pound of trimmed and halved fresh green beans
kosher salt for water
Directions
For topping:
Thinly slice onions and toss them in a mix of flour, panko and kosher salt. Spray a sheet pan with olive oil spray and preheat the oven to 375. Place the onions in a thin layer and bake for about 15 minutes, tossing the onions every 5 minutes so they don’t overcook
Wipe the mushrooms clean with a paper towel and halve or quarter (depending upon size)
Measure out one cup of half and half, one cup of chicken stock, 2 tablespoons of flour, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 cloves of grated garlic
Add 2 tablespoons of butter to an oven safe pan heated on medium high and toss in the mushrooms. Cook these for about 5 to 7 minutes
Add in 2 cloves of shredded garlic, nutmeg, kosher salt and black pepper. Stir and let cook for another minute or two
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil; add in 1 pound of trimmed and halved fresh green beans; blanch for 4 minutes. Plunge the beans into an ice bath, drain and set aside
Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms. I like to use a small sieve so the flour spreads evenly and there are no lumps; mix until the mushrooms are coated
Pour in the cup of chicken stock and let simmer for about 5 minutes
Lower the heat to medium-low and add in the half and half; once combined, let simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally
Remove from heat, toss in the green beans and top with the reserved onions
Increase oven heat to 400 and bake for about 15 minutes until the casserole is browned and bubbly
*Simply Sunday’s note: You can prep this casserole all the way up to the point where the green beans are incorporated. Top with onions and bake right before serving dinner
Tools used to make this recipe
NuWave Flex Precision Induction Cooktop
Farberware Classic Series Stainless Steel Saucepan
Pyrex Prepware 1-Cup Measuring Cup
Royal Classique 10 Piece Stainless Steel Measuring Cups and Spoons Set with Silicone Handles
Simply Bamboo Maui Bamboo Cutting Board
Stainless Steel Spider Strainer
Wilton Recipe Right Non-stick Cookie Sheet Set, 2-Piece
© Simply Sundays 2019
All rights reserved
Elvis Pound Cake
This rich & buttery pound cake was said to be Elvis Presley’s favorite dessert. One taste, and you’ll agree that it’s the King of all pound cakes
The first time we had this, our friend Lynn brought dessert for a party. She made an Elvis pound cake. Pound cake is pound cake, right? Uh, no.
This pound cake is the closest thing to perfection that I’ve ever tasted. THE best. I’m not even exaggerating.
Enough chit chat, let’s get baking!
Thing is, you have to make this cake exactly like the directions say. It seems rather particular, but who are we to argue with perfection??
Generously butter a bundt pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess flour and set aside.
I’m using a stoneware bundt pan but a teflon bundt pan will work just as well
And now let’s measure out all of our ingredients
We’ll need 2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened, 3 cups of sugar, 7 room temperature eggs (yes, 7!), 2 teaspoons of vanilla, one cup of heavy cream, 3 cups of sifted cake flour* & 1/2 teaspoon of salt
Not to state the obvious, but this is not a diet dessert folks… it’s over the top indulgent but oh-SO-worth it
*sift the cake flour and salt for a total of three times. Then hop on your left foot while singing your favorite Elvis song. Kidding. About the hopping and singing but not the sifting. Remember what I said about following the steps!
We’ll begin by combining our butter and sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until the butter and sugar are well combined and fluffy
We’re going to add in the eggs one at a time with the mixer on medium speed
I like to crack each egg into a small bowl, then add to the mixer so I’m sure not to include any egg shells
Once all of the eggs are incorporated, add in the vanilla
See those little flavorful vanilla beans in my extract? It’s because I make my own from fresh vanilla beans. SO easy and SO worth it. Check out my Homemade Vanilla post
Add the cake flour into the mixer 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with the cream
Beat for 5 minutes on high and you’ll have a beautiful, glossy batter. Smells awesome already!
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan
Place the pan into a cold oven and heat oven to 350 degrees F. Yes, I said a cold oven, not preheated. Why? Not sure. Ask one of my baker friends. I’m just following the rules here
Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes – when a cake tester comes out clean
Cool in the pan then remove and love, love, love
If you prepared your pan well enough, the cake will pull away from the sides of the bundt pan. To be sure, you can slide a butter knife down each side of the cake
Moment of truth… drumroll please… success!
Let cool completely and dust with some powdered sugar
Serve to your extremely lucky friends and family. They will love you for it
Moist, buttery and decadent. No wonder this was Elvis’ favorite. Cut yourself a hunk of burning love and enjoy!
Simply Sundays ~ Elvis Pound Cake
Ingredients
2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
3 cups of sugar
7 room temperature eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 cup of heavy cream
3 cups of sifted cake flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
+butter for greasing the pan and flour for dusting
Powdered sugar for serving
Directions
Generously butter bundt pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess flour and set aside
Add butter and sugar to bowl of mixer and beat on medium-high speed until well combined and fluffy
Add in the eggs one at a time with the mixer on medium speed; once all of the eggs are incorporated, add in the vanilla
Sift the cake flour and salt together for a total of three times; add the cake flour into the mixer 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with the cream
Beat mixture for 5 minutes on high
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan; place the pan into a cold oven and heat oven to 350 degrees F
Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes – when a cake tester comes out clean
Cool in the pan then remove cake to rack: dust with powdered sugar when completely cooled
Tools used to make this recipe
Pyrex Prepware 1-Cup Measuring Cup
Royal Classique 10 Piece Stainless Steel Measuring Cups and Spoons Set with Silicone Handles
Silicone Flexible Rubber Baking Spatula
Pampered Chef Stoneware Fluted Pan 1440
© Simply Sundays 2019
All rights reserved