Searching for a brand new Thanksgiving facet? Do that asparagus casserole
The Friendsgiving potluck menu texts from my friends Connie Harvey and Ruth Prather started arriving in early November. They learn one thing like this:
Connie: Hey there! I am beginning to do some Thanksgiving day planning. Do y’all have dishes which might be your faves that you simply actually wish to make for the day?
Suzy: Can I convey asparagus casserole and pumpkin rolls?
Connie: Yep. You possibly can!
Ruth: Cranberry sauce and roasted greens.
Connie: Yummy!
Ruth: And wine.
Suzy: I could make a Bourbon chocolate chip pecan pie, too.
Connie: We can have turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy. I am going to make a pumpkin pie. Does anybody besides me like candy potatoes?
Suzy: Steve does. I solely like them in the event that they’re lined in brown sugar, pecans and marshmallows.
Ruth: I do and so does Dave. I might put candy potatoes with roasted greens. Or as Suzy urged?
Connie: As Suzy urged! Lol.
Suzy: Can Thanksgiving be tomorrow?
Generally, Thanksgiving is a big household affair. Different years, work, distance and different obligations flip it right into a extra intimate celebration.
All my grownup life, I have been grateful for associates who gladly took in vacation orphans. I particularly recognize hostesses and hosts, like Connie, who encourage their friends to convey a favourite dish, one thing that captures a style of residence, even when house is 1,000 miles away.
For me, it would not be Thanksgiving with out asparagus casserole. Rising up, my household was tepid, at greatest, when it got here to the normal inexperienced bean casserole. My mom got here up with a substitute utilizing canned asparagus, cream of mushroom soup, cracker crumbs and cheese.
We liked it. I nonetheless do.
This yr, I made a decision to experiment a bit utilizing contemporary asparagus and a home made sauce. The recipe is under if you wish to shake up your vacation menu a bit. After all, you possibly can bake a great casserole anytime.
Completely satisfied Thanksgiving, everyone.
Suzy’s Asparagus Casserole
Serves: 6-8
Fingers-on time: 20 minutes
Complete time: 45 minutes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small shallot, chopped
8 ounces white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
½ cup dry white wine, corresponding to sauvignon blanc
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
1 pound asparagus
Nonstick cooking spray
½ sleeve Ritz crackers (about 16 crackers), crushed
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Place a rack in the midst of the oven and preheat to 375 levels.
In a big skillet over medium warmth, warmth the oil. Add shallot and prepare dinner till smooth, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and prepare dinner till they launch their liquid and begin to shrivel, about 3-5 minutes.
Stir in garlic and prepare dinner till it turns into aromatic, about 1 minute.
Sprinkle salt and white pepper over the combination and stir to mix.
Pour the wine into the skillet and prepare dinner till the liquid is diminished by about half, about 5 minutes, adjusting the warmth as wanted.
Add cream and prepare dinner, stirring sometimes, till the combination begins to thicken barely, 3 to five minutes.
Spray a 1 1/2-quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Trim the woody ends off the asparagus and lower the stalks into three equal items. Organize the asparagus in a fair layer within the baking dish.
Pour the cream sauce over the asparagus and gently stir to combine the sauce and the asparagus.
Place the Ritz crackers in a resealable bag and crush them. Drizzle the butter into the bag and therapeutic massage the crumbs to combine properly.
Unfold the crushed crackers over the casserole, then prime with cheese.
Bake for 25 minutes, or till the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.
Suzy Fleming Leonard is a options journalist with greater than three many years of expertise. Attain her at sleonard@floridatoday.com. Discover her on Fb: @SuzyFlemingLeonard or on Instagram: @SuzyLeonard.
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