Doritos Taco Green Bean Casserole

Well, here's a funny recipe.  Not so much funny, HA HA... Not even funny peculiar.  This recipe is funny because it is a "Top Five" recipe of mine.  Easily a Top Five Side Dish, but, it demands the use of a processed food for it to taste right.

For me, that's the funny part.  I made a decision a couple of years ago to stop using processed food.  Specifically, no canned goods.  Too much salt, too many preservatives and too many ingredients I can't pronounce.  So, here's the funny part, I took the classic Church Potluck side dish, Green bean Casserole, replaced the French Fried Onions with caramelized onions.  I replaced the canned Cream of Mushroom Soup with a home made mushroom soup.

But, no matter how I try, I just can not replace the texture, flavor and deliciousness of adding taco flavored Doritos.  Nothing compares.

There are a couple of things I make that I simply must have a processed ingredient.  I do limit myself to only once a month or less (Moderation in all things, including moderation).  So far in my "Top Five" project I have shared a recipe for Lemon Cream Cheese Bars that needs a boxed cake mix (I did try with a scratch cake mix and it just did not work).

So, I guess I need to add a "Top Five" recipes that demand a commercial processed food product to get right category.  Here, the doritos add an extra crunch for texture, an extra taco seasoning for taste and when you line the bottom with chips, they absorb some of the mushroom soup to form a crust as it bakes.

Even BETTER than the classic Church Potluck dish...

Here's what I did...

1 large Onion, cut in slices, rings separated
2 TBS Butter (to caramelize the onion
About three handfuls of Taco Flavored Doritos, divided
1 pound Green Beans, fresh if available, but frozen works
1 cup Half and Half
1 Medium Onion, diced in medium to large chunks
4 cloves Garlic, minced
4 TBS Butter
4 TBS Flour
2 cups sliced Portobello Mushrooms
1/4 tsp Red pepper Flakes
1 tsp Oregano
2 cups Chicken Stock
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
1/4 cup slivered Almonds

• First, caramelize the Onion, in a sautee pan, melt the butter and add the onion slices.  Stir frequently.  With the heat on a low simmer.  It takes about 45 minutes for the butter to mix with the natural sugars in the onions and create a delicious sweet topping for our casserole.
• Meanwhile, make the soup... slice the mushrooms, mince the garlic and dice the onion.
• First step, make a roux.  In a large pot, melt the butter and over medium heat, add the flour.  Continue to stir non stop until the roux begins to darken slightly and give off a nutty aroma.  Be careful to not burn the roux and to stir constantly.
• Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt.
• Cook for about five more minutes, stirring constantly, add the garlic, pepper flakes and oregano.
• Add the Half and half and stir until the pot is simmering.
• SLOWLY add the chicken stock, about 1/3rd cup at a time, stirring so the soup stays creamy.
• Add Green Beans and the diced onions.
• Line the bottom of a casserole dish with crushed Taco Chips
• Pour mixture into greased casserole pan, and bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.
• Top with Parmesan Cheese, more crushed Taco Chips and the caramelized onions
• Bake for another 10 minutes to begin to melt the cheese.

And ENJOY!

You will be the hit of the Church Pot Luck!