"Wayne Boatwright" > wrote in message
5.198...
> On Wed 21 Nov 2018 02:56:11p, U.S. Janet B. told us...
>
>>
>> Courtesy of Walgreens newsletter:
>>
>>
>>>Leaner Green Bean Casserole
>>>Ingredients
>>>" ½ ounce packaged dried porcini, morels or mixed wild
>>>mushrooms " 1 ½ cups low-fat or non-fat milk
>>>" ½ cup instant non-fat milk powder
>>>" 2 large onions
>>>" 1 bay leaf
>>>" 10 to 12 whole peppercorns, lightly crushed
>>>" 1 pound fresh button or Cremini mushrooms
>>>" 1 tablespoon cornstarch
>>>" 1 teaspoon sea salt
>>>" 2 teaspoons fresh-ground black pepper
>>>" 4 tablespoons oil, divided
>>>" 2 pounds fresh green beans
>>>" ½ cup breadcrumbs
>>>Making the Mushroom Sauce
>>>Step 1
>>>Soak the dried mushrooms in a cup of lukewarm water for 30
>>>minutes. Squeeze out any excess moisture from the mushrooms, and
>>>mince them. Strain the soaking water through a coffee filter to
>>>remove any grit, and reserve. Dry wild mushrooms can be found in
>>>the produce section of most supermarkets. They add a concentrated
>>>mushroom flavor to the casserole, but if you have trouble finding
>>>them feel free to leave them out. Step 2
>>>Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet until very hot. Slice two-thirds of
>>>the mushrooms thinly, then chop the remaining third into coarse
>>>pieces. Sear them in the hot, dry skillet in small batches,
>>>stirring each batch as it releases and re-absorbs its juices. Add
>>>the browned fresh mushrooms to the rehydrated wild mushrooms. Step
>>>3 Whisk the milk powder into the low-fat milk, until it's
>>>completely dissolved. Pour the milk into a heavy-bottomed
>>>saucepan. Add ¼ onion, coarsely chopped, as well as the bay leaf
>>>and peppercorns. Bring the milk to a simmer over low heat, then
>>>simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the flavorings from the milk, and
>>>return it to the saucepan. Step 4
>>>Add the mushrooms to the saucepan, and all but ¼ cup of the
>>>mushroom water. Whisk 2 tablespoons of flour or 1 tablespoon of
>>>cornstarch into that last ¼ cup, then stir it into the rest of the
>>>sauce. Stir continuously for 5 minutes, as it thickens. Season it
>>>with salt and pepper, then taste the sauce and add more if
>>>necessary.
>>>
>>>Assembling the Casserole
>>>Step 1
>>>Warm a skillet over moderate heat. While it's heating, slice the
>>>remaining onions into long shreds. Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into
>>>the skillet, than add the onions. Stir frequently until the onions
>>>are lightly golden (this should take about 10 minutes). Step 2
>>>Trim the green beans and snap them in half. Blanch them in boiling
>>>water for 5 minutes, then drain them and plunge them into a bowl
>>>of ice water so they stop cooking. Once they're cold, drain the
>>>beans thoroughly. Step 3
>>>Heat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and spray a 3-quart
>>>casserole dish with vegetable oil spray. Combine the sauce, green
>>>beans and half the onions in a large mixing bowl. Toss them until
>>>the beans are well coated with sauce, then scoop the mixture into
>>>your baking dish. Step 4
>>>Toss the breadcrumbs with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, and
>>>then with the other half of the onions. Sprinkle this topping over
>>>the casserole, then transfer it to the heated oven. Bake the
>>>mixture for 30 to 60 minutes, until the sauce is thickened and the
>>>beans are as tender as you like
>>>
>> Janet US
>>
>
> The recipe looks tasty, but I would subsstitute full-fat for all the
> "leaner" ingrediens. And that goes for all the low fat recipes that
> people and companies have conjured up for the Holidays.
>
> If you don't use low-fat (low-everything) in your everyday cooking,
> why on earth would you do it for a special holiday meal?
>
> IMHO, meals for the Holidays should be luxious and not striving to
> pare down much of what is good about the food.
>
> If you have to do it for health reasons, so be it. But for most
> people 1 fabulous luxuious meal isn't going to kill anyone.

We're just having plain green beans. Easy and we all like them. I don't do
low fat except for cottage cheese. I just don't like the mouth feel of the
full fat.