I know it's just early December, but I'm already thinking about Christmas. At my family's Christmas dinner, the holiday spread almost always looks the same. The vegetable served is green beans. I do like green beans but I think that it would be nice to change things up a little. I've been searching for a veggie tray, side dish or salad that is seasonally colorful and delicious.

While I was searching, I made an interesting discovery...the history of the Green Bean Casserole. Here is the story according to Campbells:

Deemed the "mother of comfort food," Dorcas Reilly led the team that created the Green Bean Casserole in 1955, while working as a staff member in the Home Economics department of the Campbell Soup Company.

Mrs. Reilly grew up in Camden,

New Jersey, and received her B.S. in Home Economics from Drexel University. She began her career at Campbell in 1949, where she was one of two full-time staff members in the department. She says the inspiration for the Green Bean Casserole was to create a quick and easy recipe around two

things most Americans always had on hand in the 1950s: green beans and Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup. Like all great recipes, the casserole requires minimal number of ingredients (just five), doesn't take much time, and can be customized to fit a wide

range of tastes.

In 2002, Mrs. Reilly appeared at the National Inventor's Hall of Fame to donate the original copy of the recipe to the museum. The now-yellowed 8 x 11 recipe card takes its place alongside Enrico Fermi's invention of the first controlled nuclear reactor and Thomas Alva Edison's two greatest hits: the light bulb and the phonograph.

Campbell's now calls it their "Classic Green Bean Casserole". If you have never made this time tested recipe, here it is:

Classic Green Bean Casserole
Prep: 10 minutes
Bake: 30 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (Regular, 98% Fat Free or Healthy Request®)
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Dash ground black pepper
4 cups cooked cut green beans
1 1/3 cups French's® French Fried Onions

Directions:
Stir the soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, beans and 2/3 cup onions in a 1 1/2-quart casserole.

Bake at 350°F. for 25 minutes or until the bean mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir the bean mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining onions.

Bake for 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.

If you would like to join me in venturing away from this traditional side, I have found several dishes that I want to make. Hopefully these dishes will inspire you as you begin planning your holiday meal. Click on the blog name above the photo to be taken to the recipe.

Blue Kale Road

Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate Seeds