This is something I've made about 6 times, it blows the canned soup version out of the water! I put a little more garlic in my sauce.. I copied the whole thing, pasted below.. it's work, but once you make it with fresh green beans, you don't want to go back!

CLASSIC GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

Serves 10 to 12.   Published November 1, 2006.  

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

 

Using fresh green beans rather than frozen or canned was our first update to the classic green bean casserole recipe. In place of canned soup, we made a mushroom variation of the classic French velouté sauce. Ultimately, we found that the canned onions couldn't be entirely replaced in our green bean casserole recipe without sacrificing the level of convenience we thought appropriate to the dish, but we masked their commercial flavor with freshly made buttered bread crumbs.

 

 

The components of the casserole can be prepared ahead of time. Store the bread-crumb topping in an airtight container in the refrigerator and combine with the onions just before cooking. Combine the beans and cooled sauce in a baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. To serve, remove the plastic wrap and heat the casserole in a 425-degree oven for 10 minutes, then add the topping and bake as directed. This recipe can be halved and baked in a 2-quart (or 8-inch-square) baking dish. If making a half batch, reduce the cooking time of the sauce in step 3 to about 6 minutes (1 3/4 cups) and the baking time in step 4 to 10 minutes.

 

 

INGREDIENTS

• Topping
• 4slices white sandwich bread , each slice torn into quarters
• 2tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
• 1/4teaspoon table salt
• 1/8teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3cups canned fried onions (about 6 ounces)
• Beans and Sauce
• Table salt
• 2pounds green beans , ends trimmed, and halved
• 3tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1pound white button mushrooms , stems trimmed, wiped clean, and broken into 1/2-inch pieces (see illustrations below)
• 3medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
• Ground black pepper
• 3tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2cups heavy cream

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. FOR THE TOPPING: Pulse bread, butter, salt, and pepper in food processor until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about ten 1-second pulses. Transfer to large bowl and toss with onions; set aside.

2. 2. FOR THE BEANS AND SAUCE: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Fill large bowl with ice water. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven. Add 2 tablespoons salt and beans. Cook beans until bright green and crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Drain beans in colander and plunge immediately into ice water to stop cooking. Spread beans on paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain.

3. 3. Add butter to now-empty Dutch oven and melt over medium-high heat until foaming subsides. Add mushrooms, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; coo****il mushrooms release moisture and liquid evaporates, about 6 minutes. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in broth and bring to simmer, stirring constantly. Add cream, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until sauce is thickened and reduced to 3 1/2 cups, about 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. 4. Add green beans to sauce and stir until evenly coated. Arrange in even layer in 3-quart (or 13 by 9-inch) baking dish. Sprinkle with topping and bake until top is golden brown and sauce is bubbling around edges, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

TECHNIQUE

Quicker Vegetable Prep For Green Bean Casserole

Breaking Mushrooms: 1. Using your thumb, pop the caps off their stems.

2. Squeeze both the stem and the cap between your thumb and forefinger to break each into pieces.

Trimming Green Beans: Line up about 8 beans in a row on a cutting board. Trim about 1/2 inch from each end, then cut the beans in half.

Jo's green bean dish and the broccoli casserole sound like geat ideas.  My real talent is baking.  When one of my friends hear about the surgery her first reaction was- will she still make cakes?  I am responsible for dessert and will make a "small bites"  platter of desserts - Mini apple pies, cupcakes and maple pumpkin and regular cannoli and choc chip cookies- something for everyone, but small tastes rather than a giant slice of cake or pie.  I don't have to cook, but as a guest I'll use a salad plate for dinner.  This is another food crowd so I don't think anyone will notice what I eat or don't eat.  Turkey is easy, but I'll need a taste of stuffing and gravy too.  Happy Thanksgiving!

I am being introduced to mushies tomorrow and just in time for Thanksgiving dinner, even though I know I will only be able to have an ounce or two I plan to take some turkey home for a later date. I also plan to have a taste of the dressing. My mom is a fabulous cook, I guess I will just serve out in the kitchen and get a head start on the dishes so everyone else can relax a bit. OMG I can't wait to have a taste of turkey, I know they say to eat white meat but I want the dark meat The white meat I love on sandwiches with mayo because I find it so dry.

I know a lot of people think it is "just one day" and "a little won't hurt",but that is not tru for everyone.

You know yourelf and if you are addicted to carbs/sugr or are a binge eater,"just a little" can send you down that slippery slope to a place you don't want to be. I am this way so I stick to the meat and not carby vegs. I also bring SF choc pudding in a pie shell with sf topping as a "choc pie" and don't eat the crust.

You could also make fauxtatoes with cauliflower,and sour cream. Any kind of brocolli or squash dish would be good as long as it doesn't have crax or bread crumbs etc.

Check out WWW.theworldaccordingtoeggface.com   for recipes and also www.lowcarbeating.com, I think. Google low carb side dishes and you will get a bunch of sites.

good luck,
Holly

 Thank you, thank you my OH family... what a lot of great advice, ideas, support and recipes (!) yummmmm. I'm feeling much more like this is just going to be a fun event and I simply will not stress about it. 
The only really hard decision now will be which of those great side dish suggestions to make? Perhaps I better pick two of them.
Happy Gobble Gobble all...
Lynn

Deviled eggs are always good and appreciated by all.

Not sure if you can have raw veggies yet, but  maybe a veggie and dip platter... everyone in my family loves that...especially kids...

This year will be my first thanksgiving sleeved... and even before I was sleeved, I was scheduled to work... so hopefully I will survive.