Fresh Green Bean and Mushroom Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ranch dressing mix
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook uncovered until tender but still firm to the bite, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; whisk flour, ranch dressing mix, and white pepper into butter until a paste-like consistency is reached. Pour milk into butter mixture; cook, whisking constantly, until sauce is thick and bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes.

Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Cook and stir onion and garlic in hot skillet until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Transfer 1/2 of the onion mixture to a plate and return skillet to heat.

Stir mushrooms into skillet with remaining onion mixture; cook and stir until mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes.

Stir mushroom mixture, green beans, and sauce together in a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. Stir reserved onion mixture and bread crumbs together in a bowl; sprinkle over green bean mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven until hot and bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes.