Thanksgiving: Spicy Soy Chorizo Green Bean Casserole

I make different versions of this dish on special occasions.  This was my own personal spin on it this Thanksgiving.  I always use fresh green beans.  I think I used frozen one year and I hated it.  I wouldn't even consider using canned, ever.  However,  I usually do use Campbell's cream of mushroom soup, because frankly, I like it in this dish and it's easy.  I always use bacon too, but decided soy chorizo would make it a bit healthier though unfortunately still high in sodium.  I made this the day before so all I would have to do is bake it off when the bird came out.  The ingredients I used:

• 1.5 lb bag of cleaned, trimmed haricot vert from Costco
• 1/2 lb of organic cremini mushrooms, sliced thinly
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, cleaned and diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 can of mushroom soup
• 6 oz of Trader Joe's soy chorizo, fried in avocado oil
• 1 container of French's onions
• 1 jalapeno pepper, diced with seeds and stems
• 1 cup of 0% fat sour cream
• 1 cup of Trader Joe's Extra Sharp Wisconsin cheddar, grated
• Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
• 4 fresh thyme stalks, stripped
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, on a microplane

I sauteed the chorizo first.

I put half aside and put the other half in the fridge for my stuffing tomorrow.

I always ponder blanching the green beans or not.

I didn't this year.  I rinsed them well in a colander, put them on plate, covered them in saran wrap and nuked them for 5 minutes to give them a head start.

I don't like soggy, grey-green beans - I'd rather have a snap than mush.  I sauteed all the veggies next.

When soft, I added in the chorizo and stirred until incorporated.

Next I dumped in the soup, sour cream, cheese and seasoning.

I mixed everything together and then lastly poured in the green beans.

I stirred again until combined and poured into a "cooking oil" sprayed 13" x 9" baking dish.

I covered and put in the fridge.  I would top with the fried onions before baking tomorrow.

It would bake in a 350°F oven for 45 minutes.

The end result was yummy.  Spicy and cheesy and pleasing to the palette.  It fit in well with our dinner tonight.