Crock Pot Green Bean Casserole

**originally posted on www.WGLR.com on 11-24-14**

Thanksgiving week is upon us! I would like to wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving, and I hope you enjoy a delicious meal with family and friends this year. If you are hosting the big meal, or need to bring a dish to contribute to a gathering, I am helping you out! This recipe is a traditional holiday dish at my family celebration, and likely at yours, too. Using your crock pot to help with meal prep is a great idea, especially if your turkey is hogging the oven. So, put your GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE in your crock pot! This is easy and delicious. I tweaked the original recipe I found for this online by adding a few dashes of soy sauce, but the grated parmesan cheese in this recipe really stepped this dish up a notch, so I was happy I found it! Sometimes we never revisit recipes we have been making for years, but this one proves that it doesn’t hurt to do that now and then.

CROCK POT GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

• 3 cans (14.5oz) green beans (I prefer french cut. You can also use fresh or frozen beans)
• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• a few dashes soy sauce
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1-6oz can french fried onions

Drain the beans and pour into crock. Stir in soup, milk, soy sauce, parmesan cheese, salt & pepper, and HALF (3oz) of the container of french fried onions. Stir until well combined. Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2. Just before serving, sprinkle the remaining french fried onions on top.

Often, you are planning dinner, but can't make just what you want because your main dish needs the oven, so you have to choose a side that doesn't need to be made in the oven. Well, why not use your crock pot for that side dish? This week I am offering you Slow Cooker Cheesy Broccoli Casserole. It's a good way to get veggies into your meal without a lot of work. I have to warn you though, if you haven't cooked with broccoli too often, it does have a pretty strong smell that some don't enjoy. So, yeah, I warned you there. Ha ha!

And I would like to welcome Thompson's IGA in Cuba City as a sponsor of Julie's Crock of the Week! Welcome aboard!

Your Thompson's IGA ingredient list:

Slow Cooker Cheesy Broccoli Casserole

• 2 lbs fresh (not frozen) broccoli florets, washed and trimmed
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground dry mustard
• 1 cup low fat or fat free milk
• 1 cup chicken or veggie broth
• 1 cup shredded fancy white cheese (swiss, gouda, provolone, fontina, etc)
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Use a 4 quart crock pot. Cut up and wash the broccoli. In a separate mixing bowl, mix together flour, salt, pepper & mustard. Toss the broccoli florets in the flour mixture, coating all the florets.  Pour into slow cooker. Stir in the cup pf fancy white shredded cheese. Pour in the milk and broth. Top with the parmesan cheese and cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-4, until the broccoli is at desired tenderness. Give it all a good stir before serving. Makes about 8 cups, each cup is about 130 calories.