55th Anniversary of Campbell's Soup Introducing Green Bean Casserole Recipe

[stopbush]

Poll question: 55th Anniversary of Campbell's Soup Introducing Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Yep.

55 years ago, in an attempt to get housewives to buy more Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup, the Campbell Soup Company introduced their recipe for green bean casserole.

The marketing ploy worked great, to the point where many families now consider this a "traditional" Thanksgiving side dish that is based on "an old family recipe" that dates from the time of...whenever their family first came to America.

Personally, we never had this dish at our family Thanksgivings, and we don't have it at our home now that I have kids. That said, I have sampled the concoction at the homes of others, and I have to say that I don't know what all the fuss is about. Heavy on the salt and calories and pretty low on tasting at all exceptional. What does it have over the blandest of mashed potatoes?

So, what you think about the dish?

Vote below:

[Horse with no Name]

1. I love it!

My family loves it.
It is always on the holiday menu.
However, I am not delusional to think this is an old family recipe.
It is the same recipe I get off of the can of the dried onions every year!:)

[Quantess]

2. It's best without the soup can. From scratch.

I can't remember exactly, but it has some cream (or milk), an egg or two, sour cream, bread crumbs, garlic, onion, salt & pepper, and a layer of cheese on top, baked in the oven.

Use fresh or high-quality-frozen green beans.

Forget the soup can!

[Occulus]

14. DON'T forget to parboil the beans.

That's a VERY important step; if you don't do it, the beans are way too tough.

[elleng]

3. Don't care for it: BLAH, but family likes it.

I'm doing something else, in Day-After-Thanksgiving, in particular

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/11/08/health/20101108_thanksgiving.html?ref=dining#15

[vixengrl]

4. The one time I put on Thanksgiving--I had to make it, because I love

this dish. I realized while making it that it's about the clash of textures--the salty, velvety mushroom soup base, the slight juiciness of the green beens, the crispness of the French's onions, that really make the dish work. It shouldn't be bland--pearl onions and pepper are absolutely required.

Of course, I could just pop the top on the can of fried onions and eat that--so much better than Funyions for a stink-breath snack! (I've eaten them straight--It's like binging on bacon without any other breakfast item in sight. It's a calorie-wallow. In fact, right know I'm going to devise a dish with fried onions and bacon--OMG--put bacon in green bean casserole!! And since I'm already putting sausage in the stuffing....)

[Lasher]

5. It's the Boxcar Willie of side dishes.

Never heard of it until a few years ago when I started seeing commercials claiming it had been part of every Thanksgiving meal except mine for the past century. I've tried it and I'd rather have just plain old green beans.

[hlthe2b]

6. It is ok, not a tradition for me at all; yes to the too much fat/sodium

[SoCalDem]

7. I use Cream of celery & add water chestnuts

that mushroom soup is NASTY...

[Madam Mossfern]

8. Yuck

The only time I had it was at my husband's family's Thanksgiving dinner. I still don't understand why anyone would actually look forward to it. If I serve string beans for Thanksgiving, I blanch fresh ones and then quick sautee them in thinly sliced garlic and olive oil.

[SheilaT]

9. Not sure which response to

mark. This is not something I've ever made, or anyone in my family ever made. There were a couple of years a while back when I hosted Thanksgiving for a group of friends, and someone brought the green bean casserole. It's okay. I'll eat it if it's in front of me, but I won't make it myself.

[fizzgig]

10. we're going to make it from scratch this year

i'm excited

[Raine]

11. I'e never had it, I don't like mushrooms

so I'm not really interested in making it. My mother used to make a greenbean salad that I think is probably much better.

[Igel]

12. It's gross! It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without it!

I have to make it once a year--at Thanksgiving--because my wife expects it.

I'd just prefer the mushroom soup. With oyster crackers.

[etherealtruth]

18. It's gross! It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without it!

Yep

[Loki]

13. This has always been the kids dish to make

and they started adding shredded cheese to the mix and also on top then the onions. We've made it that way ever since and it is part of our holiday tradition.

[IDemo]

15. Green beans my way:

Using fresh (preferably) or frozen beans (never canned!), boil them long enough until they just begin to soften. Drain.

Chop some bacon and onion and saute in a frying pan. Drain excess grease. Stir in green beans, heat for a minute and serve.

Delicious! :9

[trotsky]

19. Your recipe sounds great except for one step.

"Drain excess grease."

I may omit that one. ;-)

[Bunny]

16. Anything with the Campbell name is sure to be good.

;)

[malaise]

17. I only had it once

with fresh green beans - it's OK.

[BlueGirlRedState]

20. My husband and 10 year old daughter make it

I can't stand to look at it.

[Vinca]

21. It makes me gag to just think of it. The worst part is the disgusting canned, fried onions.

[TheKentuckian]

22. Other: Why ruin yummy green beans with that slop?

[rucky]

23. I just eat the fried onions off the top.

Which do benefit from soaking up some of the gooey slop underneath, but that's as far as I'll go.

[mdmc]

24. ..

[TwilightGardener]

25. I like it. I'm not a food snob on holidays.

[LWolf]

26. I've never eaten green bean casserole.

I love green beans, especially fresh and raw from my garden. I'll steam them and eat them like french fries or potato chips. I'll put them in soups. I've never seen nor eaten "green bean casserole," though.

[WinkyDink]

27. I LOVE it! I add extra sauteed mushrooms! But I made it last week, so not tomorrow!

Eh, I'm a peasant. What can I say?

:-)