The traditional Southern green bean casserole uses frozen beans, canned water chestnuts and cream of mushroom soup. Here's a much fresher tasting version using Georgia pecans, real mushrooms, and fresh green beans, all of is crowned with a tender buttermilk biscuit topping.

Makes 8 servings
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes

Filling:
1 pound fresh green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup milk
12 ounces mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup pecan halves
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper

Biscuit Topping:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cold butter
1/2 cup buttermilk

1. Blanch the green beans in boiling water 2 minutes; drain well. In a large saucepot melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until softened. Stir in the flour and cook 1 minute.

2. Gradually add the milk, stirring until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the green beans, mushrooms, pecans, cheddar cheese, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, salt and pepper. Spread mixture in a 10-inch baking dish.

3. Heat oven to 350F. To make Biscuit Topping, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture is crumbly. Stir in buttermilk with a few quick strokes.

4. Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and pat out to 1/2-ich thickness. Cut the dough into random-sized pieces and shapes and arrange on top of vegetable filling in a kind of crazy-quilt pattern, letting the filling poke through in spots.

5. Bake cobbler 25 minutes or until filling bubbles and biscuit topping is golden. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Per Serving: Calories: 277; Protein: 8g; Carbohydrate: 29g; Fiber: 3g; Saturated Fat: 6g; Cholesterol: 24mg; Sodium: 408mg.

Source: Georgia Pecan Commission