Make-Ahead Green Bean Casserole

Oh my goooosh, this is so good.  I've never been a huge fan of green bean casserole, but I tried it on a whim (the picture and recipe are from http://www.melskitchencafe.com/) and wowza.  Sooooo good.

Make-Ahead Green Bean Casserole

Yield: Serves 10 to 12 as a side dish (can be easily halved and baked in a smaller dish)

Note: The topping and casserole can be frozen separately for up to 2 months. Hallelujah!

Ingredients

Topping:
• 2 slices hearty sandwich bread, white or wheat, torn into pieces
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups canned fried onions
Casserole:
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 10 ounces white mushrooms , sliced thin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 6 garlic cloves , minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup cornstarch

Directions

1. For the topping: Pulse bread, butter, and salt in food processor until coarsely ground. Combine bread mixture and canned fried onions in a bowl, transfer to a zipper-lock freezer bag, and freeze. (I placed the topping bag right on top of the casserole in the freezer so I could keep track of both.)
2. For the casserole: Melt the butter in a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper and cook until the mushrooms release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until all the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the flour and cook until golden, stirring, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in broth and cream and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, toss the green beans with the cornstarch until the beans are evenly coated. Transfer the beans to a 9X13-inch baking dish. Pour the warm mushroom mixture evenly over the beans. Let the casserole cool completely on the counter. Once cooled, cover with a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.
4. When ready to bake, adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the layer of plastic wrap from the baking dish and replace the foil. Bake, covered, until the sauce is bubbling and the beans are tender, about 80 minutes, stirring the beans thoroughly after 50 minutes. Remove the foil and spread the frozen topping mixture over the beans. Bake until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Serve.