As I was flipping through my planner at work today, I realized something crazy: Thanksgiving is next week! It feels like November just started, so it’s hard to believe we’re already on the verge of the holidays.

I love this time of year because, while it’s hectic, there’s always some type of get together to look forward to. Many of our family gatherings over the next month are centered around a delicious spread of food. I lalways make a couple of old standbys (like grandma’s green bean casserole), along with a new recipe or two.

Because I know oven space is especially precious on Thanksgiving, I’m always on the hunt for dishes that can be made ahead of time or cooked quickly on the stove. I love this cheesy garlic kale because it has delicious flavor but isn’t as heavy as some of the more traditional holiday vegetable side dishes.

There are a few people in my family who turn their noses up at kale, but this recipe is husband approved. James isn’t a huge vegetable fan, but he actually went back for seconds when I served this with dinner last night! This is a great recipe to keep in your back pocket even after the holidays are over because of how quickly it comes together. I recently paired it with chicken sausage and polenta and loved how it complemented the rest of the meal. 

Cheesy Garlic Kale

serves 4-6

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 Tbsp. butter, divided
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 large bunch kale
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
  [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once butter is melted, add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Add kale to skillet and carefully pour water over top. Cook kale until bright green and soft and all the water is evaporated.
3. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. butter, 2 Tbsp. cheese, salt and pepper to skillet and toss kale until evenly coated. Remove from heat and top with remaining parmesan.

[/directions]

The post Cheesy Garlic Kale appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

There are few holiday dishes as divisive as green bean casserole. People fall into one of two camps: you love it or you loathe it.

I was never a big fan of traditional green bean casserole growing up. I usually just picked the french fried onions off the top. It wasn’t a dish our family made often for the holidays because my mom had a much better recipe in her arsenal: her mother’s green bean casserole. It’s proof that everything’s better with cheese.

I remember a couple of years ago we were planning our Thanksgiving meal and figuring out who would provide each dish. No one volunteered to make the green bean casserole because we figured mom would, like she did every year. But then we arrived to my parent’s house and one dish was noticeably absent. We were shocked. Thanksgiving without green bean casserole?! It just wasn’t right.

I don’t think we’ve neglected to have green bean casserole at Thanksgiving since then. We always try a few new side dishes every year, but it’s one of those recipes you just don’t mess with. Yes, it has cream of mushroom soup. Yes, it includes questionable “cheese product.” But it’s something we eat once or twice a year, so you better believe I’m going to enjoy it. To me it tastes like home.

What’s the one dish your family has every year at Thanksgiving? Tell me in the comments!

Grandma’s Cheesy Green Bean Casserole

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
• 1 Tbsp. flour
• 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup American cheese (Velveeta works best), shredded
• 4 cups canned green beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
• 1/2 cup sourdough bread, cubed
  [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a large casserole dish with cooking spray.
2. In a large saucepan, melt 1 Tbsp. butter over medium-low heat. Add flour and Worcestershire sauce and whisk until smooth and slightly brown, about one minute. Slowly pour in milk, whisking constantly until thick.
3. Add cream of mushroom soup and cheese to pan and stir until combined. Stir in green beans and pour mixture into casserole dish.
4. Melt remaining Tbsp. of butter in the microwave, heating in 15-second increments until melted. Stir in garlic salt, then toss cubes of bread in the butter. Spread evenly on top of green beans.
5. Place casserole in the oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until bread is browned and casserole is bubbling.

[/directions]

The post Grandma’s Cheesy Green Bean Casserole appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.