Thanksgiving Turkey Cheeseball

We've been invited to Ron and Janis's for Thanksgiving (yay - thanks guys!) and I'm bringing green bean casserole (I'm going to follow a recipe I found at melskitchencafe and try a from scratch version this time that doesn't use cream of mushroom soup - wish me luck! see below for the recipe); Zehnders cranberry relish (see below for recipe); and a cheeseball that looks like a turkey. I haven't made the turkey cheeseball recipe before but here is the picture I'm following (I found it online at Crafts a la mode) and I wanted to share it in case you need a last minute appetizer! I'm going to use one of the  cheeseball recipes I've made before (click here and here for those posts) and then decorate it like this picture - looks simple, and it's so cute!


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Zehnders Cranberry Relish:

Ingredients:

• 3 medium sized apples like Northern Spy or Granny Smith, cored but keep the peel on 
• 1 pound frozen cranberries (you want them frozen so they chop easier)
• 2 naval oranges, with the peel on
• 2 cup sugar

Instructions:

• Chop the apples, oranges (including peel), and cranberries into 1/4" pieces.
• Add sugar and mix well. 
• Let set one hour before serving. 

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Green Bean Casserole (from scratch):

yield: 6-8 servings

FROM-SCRATCH GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE WITH EXTRA CRUNCHY TOPPING

TOTAL TIME: 90 MINS (INCLUDES RESTING TIME AFTER BAKING)

PREP TIME: 20 MINS

COOK TIME: 50 MINS

INGREDIENTS:

TOPPING:

• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 2 1/2 cups canned fried onions

CASSEROLE:

• 2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound cremini or baby bella mushrooms, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth (I use low-sodium)
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup milk (1%, 2% or whole)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish and set aside.
2. FOR THE TOPPING, in a medium bowl stir together the panko bread crumbs and the melted butter. Add the fried onions and toss.
3. For the casserole, in a microwave-safe bowl, combine the green beans and 1/2 cup water. Cover and microwave for 6-8 minutes, stirring once, until the green beans are slightly tender (they’ll cook longer in a later step).
4. Drain the green beans and transfer them to the prepared baking dish.
5. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet set over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the mushrooms, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until the liquid is mostly evaporated and the mushrooms are tender, 5-7 minutes.
6. Stir in the flour and cook for another minute or two, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth until it is all incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Add the heavy cream and milk, and whisk until well-combined. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
7. Pour the sauce over the green beans and toss to combine.
8. Bake the casserole for 20 minutes, until the green beans are mostly tender. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the topping mixture evenly over the top. Bake for another 5-10 minutes (watch carefully so the topping doesn’t burn).
9. Let the casserole cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

NOTES:

I think this could definitely be made ahead of time. Store the topping separately, and refrigerate the assembled (but not baked) green bean casserole, covered, for a day or so. Then bake as directed (adding a few minutes to the baking time to account for the chilled casserole). 

All images and text ©Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Recipe Permalink: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/green-bean-casserole-extra-crunchy-topping/