Green Bean Casserole

Prep Time 20 Minutes
Cook Time 30 Minutes
Servings 8
Difficulty Easy

Ingredients

■2 pounds Fresh Green Beans, Ends Cut Off
■4 slices Bacon, Cut Into 1/4 Inch Pieces
■3 cloves Garlic, Minced
■½ whole Large Onion, Chopped
■4 Tablespoons Butter
■4 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour
■2-½ cups Whole Milk
■½ cups Half-and-half
■1-½ teaspoon Salt, More To Taste
■Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
■⅛ teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
■1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
■1 jar (4 Ounce) Sliced Pimentoes, Drained
■Extra Milk For Thinning If Necessary
■1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs

Preparation Instructions

Cut green beans in half if you like pieces to be a little smaller.

Blanch the green beans: drop them into lightly salted boiling water and allow green beans to cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove them 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 beans once they’re cool and set aside.

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

In a separate skillet or saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Sprinkle flour into the pan and whisk immediately to evenly mix it into the butter. Cook for a minute or two, then pour in milk and half and half. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, while sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and cayenne then add the grated cheddar. Stir while cheese melts. Turn off heat.

Add pimentos to pan, then add bacon/onion mixture. Stir to combine. Pour over green beans and stir gently to combine. Pour into a baking dish and top with panko crumbs.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and panko crumbs are golden.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/11/green-bean-casserole/

Beer-Braised Beef with Onions

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 3 Hours
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 6

Ingredients
■1 whole Chuck Roast, 2 1/2 To 5 Pounds
■Salt And Pepper To Taste (Be Generous!)
■3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
■4 whole Onions, Peeled And Sliced Thick
■5 cloves Garlic Chopped
■2 cans Beer
■1 teaspoon Ground Thyme
■½ teaspoons Rosemary Leaves
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Heat oil in a large dutch oven over high heat.

Season meat generously with salt and pepper. Sear meat on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove meat from pan. Lower heat to medium.

Throw in onions and garlic. Stir for 30 seconds. Pour in beer, and add thyme, rosemary, and salt to taste—about 1 teaspoon. (Do not undersalt!) Add meat to pot, put to submerge, and place lid on pot.

Cook in oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until meat is fork tender and falling apart.

Shred meat with two forks. Serve on dinner plates and spoon juice and onions over the top.

Serve with very crust bread to sop up the juice.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/08/beer-braised-beef-with-onions/

Delicious Hominy Casserole

8 slices thick bacon
1 large onion, finely diced
4 14.5-ounce cans white hominy, drained
2 4-ounce cans diced green chilies (Hatch chilies are splendid)
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 seeded, finely diced fresh jalapeno (optional, for heat)
Extra cheddar, bacon, and chilies for sprinkling

Fry the bacon until almost crisp; remove from skillet and drain all but a couple of tablespoons bacon grease. Crumble the bacon and set aside.
Add onion to skillet and cook for a couple of minutes. Pour in hominy and stir for a couple of minute until warm. Add cheese, chilies, jalapenos (if using), and bacon and stir until cheese is melted. Remove from heat.
Pour mixture into a large baking pan and sprinkle with a little more cheese, bacon, and green chilies, if desired.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, or until hot and heated through.

Serve with hamburgers, brisket, steaks, or with a salad for a delicious lunch. You’ll love it!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/09/delicious-hominy-casserole/

Fresh Corn and Wild Rice Casserole

2 cups cooked wild rice
3 to 4 cups fresh corn kernels (scraped off the cob)
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup heavy cream
1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt (or table salt to taste)
cayenne pepper to taste
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 to 1 cup milk, for thinning

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook wild rice in chicken broth until almost done. Rice should still have a firm (but not crunchy) bite. Drain rice and allow to cool.
Scrape corn kernels into a large mixing bowl. Add in cream, butter, beaten eggs, salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir together.
Add in cooled wild rice, stirring gently. Splash in milk so that mixture is stirrable, but not overly juicy.
Taste for seasonings, adding more salt or cayenne pepper if needed.

Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until just turning golden brown on top and mixture is somewhat set.

Serve with Thanksgiving dinner. Repeat every year.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/10/fresh-corn-with-wild-rice-a-delicious-holiday-sidedish/

Pioneer Woman Chicken Spaghetti

2 cups cooked chicken
2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup finely diced green pepper
1/2 cup finely diced onion

1-4 oz jar diced pimentos, drained
3 cups dry spaghetti, broken into two inch pieces
2 cups reserved chicken broth from pot
1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 additional cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Cook 1 cut up fryer and pick out the meat to make two cups. Cook spaghetti in same chicken broth until al dente. Do not overcook. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except additional 1 cup sharp cheddar. Place mixture in casserole pan and top with remaining sharp cheddar. Cover and freeze up to six months, cover and refrigerate up to two days, or bake immediately: 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly. (If the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil.)

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/chicken_spaghet/