Delectable Green Bean (BACON!) Casserole

I looked back and couldn't remember if I ever posted a recipe for a Green Bean Casserole I made for Thanksgiving and Christmas a couple years ago. Pretty sure I did, but didn't see it, so I figured I would give the recipe for what I cooked up yesterday.  Yes I realize this is a little late...but if you've got an upcoming holiday party or family gathering or infamous church potluck, bring this along and wow your friends.

Originally I had thought about trying to make homemade onion rings or strings, but that just seemed like a lot of work, and a very messy, greasy kitchen.  Instead I came up with the idea to top the casserole with crispy bacon.  Please use pasture raised, organic, nitrate free bacon for this recipe.  Since you are cooking in the rendered fat, you want to make sure what you have is high quality.  Animals store toxins, antibiotic residue, and hormones in their fat, which is why we bought 1/2 a hog from a family friend.  Now our new freezer is full of delicious (once happy) pork.

I kept the canned green beans because it's what most people are used to, but you could certainly replace them with 2# of frozen or fresh green beans.  If going with fresh, make sure to blanch them before putting them in the casserole

Green Bean Bacon Casserole
1# bacon
1 onion, minced
8oz button mushrooms, minced
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbs grainy mustard
1/2-3/4c Heavy cream or coconut milk
5 egg yolks
Salt and pepper to taste
5 cans green beans, drained

1. Cook Bacon until crisp, then drain on paper towels.  Reserve the bacon grease and pour it all into a large skillet over medium heat.  If for some reason you've decided to use lean turkey bacon, you will need to substitute about 1/2 cup of butter/duck fat/ghee/coconut oil for the bacon grease.

2. Sautee the onion and mushrooms in the grease for 10 minutes.

3. Stir in the garlic powder, mustard, and cream. Remove from heat.

4. Whisk in the egg yolks.

5.  Lightly grease a 9X13" casserole dish.  Combine green beans and sauce in the casserole dish.  Crumble bacon all over the top.

6. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes if you are baking it right away.  Or increase the time to 45+ minutes if you are preparing one day and baking the next.

7. ENJOY!  I also thought if you had leftover turkey or ham you could chop it up and toss it in.  Then serve it with a side of mashed sweet potatoes.  Yum Yum Yum.