Better Green Bean Casserole

I titled this "Better" because it is so much better than the cream of mushroom/french fried onion version. Our sister-in-law Shannon made this for Thanksgiving a couple of years ago.

2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. white sugar
1/4 c. onion, diced
1 c. sour cream
3 (14.5 ounce) cans French style green beans, drained (Shannon used fresh)
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. crumbled buttery round crackers
1 Tbsp. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth, and cook for one minute. Stir in the salt, sugar, onion, and sour cream. Add green beans, and stir to coat. Transfer the mixture to a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. Spread shredded cheese over the top. In a small bowl, toss together cracker crumbs and remaining butter, and sprinkle over the cheese. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is golden and cheese is bubbly.

Sweet Potato Casserole

This is my Aunt Dianne's recipe. We make this for Thanksgiving and maybe a couple other times a year.

3 c. mashed sweet potatoes (6 large potatoes)
1/2 c. white sugar
3 eggs
1/2 stick butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla

Combine and put in dish. Then top with the following mixed:

1 c. brown sugar
1/2 stick melted butter
1 c. chopped pecans
1/2 c. flour

Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes.

Bethany's Cranberry Sauce

Before I had this version of cranberry sauce, I thought the only kind was the canned jellied kind (yuck!). I love this version - a must-have for Thanksgiving dinner.

1 c. sugar
1 c. water
3 c. whole fresh cranberries (one 12 oz. bag)
1/2 c. dried cherries

Rinse the cranberries in a colander and remove any remaining stems. Set aside.
Mix sugar, water and cherries in a medium saucepan over med. high heat. Stir until sugar dissolves, bring to a boil, add cranberries. Return to boiling then reduce

heat and boil gently for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Cool completely at room temperature, sauce will thicken. Refrigerate.

Special Mashed Potatoes

These are from Bethany's Aunt Nancy. I worked for Nancy & her husband Curt all through highschool and just love them, so I like making these because they make me think of them, and because they are good.

5 lbs. Potatoes, cooked and mashed
1 c. sour cream
1 8 oz. block of cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. onion salt
1 stick butter, divided in half

Beat all ingredients together in a large bowl (reserve half stick of butter). Put into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
Dot top of potatoes with reserved butter. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.