CHEESY GREEN BEAN AND GREEN PEA CASSEROLE

This casserole recipe, with the main ingredients being green beans, green peas and a heavenly cheesy sauce has been a very high-mileage recipe in my kitchen for what seems like forever. I am pretty sure I’ve been making this vegetable/cheesy awesomeness since Joel and I were first married.  As I said…forever!

Last week, I had lunch with my longtime, dear friend, Linda Philhower. I was telling her the story of my nephew, Justin, requesting that I bring this casserole to a family dinner at his home.  She recalled that a recipe somewhat like this was in the cookbook her kids’ elementary school put together many years ago. That would’ve been Carlisle Elementary in Plano, Texas.  When the kids were young, this casserole was on the request list for every “Big Small Family” celebration. Maybe it’s because the cheesy sauce sort of hides the vegetables, or maybe the sauce just makes them taste better.   It might just be me, but I swear I can taste the vegetables.

This recipe is easily doubled or tripled.

To make this “kid-friendly” recipe, you will need canned green beans and canned green peas, Cream  of Mushroom Soup, fresh mushrooms, onions and garlic and the deal maker for kids (and adults)…the Velveeta Cheese.  OK, so I never said this recipe was totally healthy, but I can assure you, it is healthier than lots of things kids eat! And…if you can get them to eat green beans and green peas, it’s probably a little more than a wash.

Saute the onions, mushrooms and garlic until they are soft.  (I give you the option of using dried minced onions, garlic powder and sliced mushrooms from a jar if you happen to be in a hurry, as I often was in the days of little kids running around the house.)  Stir in the Cream of Mushroom Soup.

Add the Velveeta Cheese cubes.  Stir constantly until the cheese is almost totally melted and the vegetable/cheese mixture is creamy.  Carefully toss in the well-drained green beans and green peas.

Pour the ingredients into a casserole that has been sprayed with a cooking spray like Pam.

This is the taste of vegetable/cheesy awesomeness!

CHEESY GREEN BEAN AND GREEN PEA CASSEROLE

 

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Prep time

30 minutes

Cook time

30 minutes

Total time

1 hour

 

Author: Brenda Small

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1¾ cup finely chopped onion (or ¼ cup dried minced onion)
• ¾ cup thinly sliced Crimini mushrooms (or 1 (4.5 ounce) jar sliced mushrooms, drained)
• 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh garlic (or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder)
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
• ¼ pound Velveeta cheese, cut into ½" cubes (who knows...you may want to add more!)
• 1 (15 ounce) can young green peas, well drained
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can cut or French Style green beans, well drained

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Lightly spray a baking/casserole dish with cooking spray. I used Pam.
3. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat.
4. When the pan is hot, swirl the olive oil to cover the bottom.
5. When the oil is hot, stir in the onions, mushrooms and garlic.
6. Turn the heat down to medium.
7. Saute, stirring often, until the vegetables are slightly soft.
8. Add the soup and cheese cubes. Stir until the cheese melts.
9. Carefully fold in the well drained vegetables.
10. Pour into the prepared casserole.
11. Cover and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
12. You may top the casserole with buttered cracker crumbs...I don't do this.

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