Green Bean Casserole is a classic American holiday dish. Easy to make, it is a perfect dish to cook in a solar oven to complement your own holiday dinner.
So you don’t want to take a chance on cooking the holiday turkey in the solar oven because 1) you might have bad weather and not enough sunshine; or 2) the turkey is too big to fit in your solar oven; or 3) it might take too long to cook and everyone will be waiting on dinner. But Green Bean Casserole is a perfect dish to make in your solar oven because all it really needs to do is heat up.
For many Americans, a holiday dinner isn’t complete without a Green Bean Casserole sitting on the table. According to Wikipedia, Green Bean Casserole was created in 1955 in the home economics laboratory of the Campbell Soup Company. Apparently, they wanted to make a quick recipe that used items that were commonly kept in every kitchen – canned green beans and canned soup. And quick it is. The side dish became so popular that it became a classic dish. Almost every American has either eaten, seen, or heard about Green Bean Casserole.
But not only is it a “must-have” on holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, it is also very popular for potlucks and funeral dinners year round. Once upon a time, many years ago, I was the head of the church committee that put on the luncheon or dinner for the family and friends of the deceased after a funeral. At one point, so many women were bringing Green Bean Casserole that we actually had to request that no one bring it unless specifically assigned.
I cooked my Green Bean Casserole in a Sunflair Solar Oven. It was a sunny, but cool, day of 53°F (12° C). After pre-heating for 30 minutes, the Sunflair reached a temperature of 200° F (93° C). While that might not seem very hot, it is almost 4 times the ambient air temperature and it is definitely hot enough to cook.
Classic Green Bean Casserole in a Solar Oven
- 2 cans (14.5 oz each) French-sliced green beans, drained
- 1 can (10¾ oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 can (2.8 oz) French fried onions
- Pre-heat solar oven while preparing the ingredients.
- Drain the green beans.
- In a large bow, mix mushroom soup, and milk. Stir to mix well.
- Add the green beans to the soup/milk mixture.
- Pour into a greased solar-safe dish or pan.
- Place into the hot solar oven.
- Bake until the casserole is hot and bubbly.
- Top the casserole with the French-fried onions.
- Continue to cook until the onions are lightly browned and crispy.
For best results, bake Green Bean Casserole in a covered dish. If there is no lid, it can be covered with aluminum foil, dull side out. However, I baked mine with out a cover and it still did very well.
My casserole cooked for 2 hours at a temperature of 200° F (93°C) on a 53°F (12°C) afternoon. It was probably hot much sooner.
Thanks for solar cooking with Sunshine On My Shoulder. What is your favorite holiday side dish? Leave me a comment and tell me.
Dull side out? Why? Because your mom told you to, and her mom told her to?
The difference in cooking time is so negligible it’s almost nonexistent. Try it with two baked potatoes, one with the dull side out, the other with the shiny side out.
No noticeable difference.
Hello Ted, Thanks for taking the time to leave me this feedback. Actually, you are correct in that there is no real discernible difference in the cooking time between using the dull and the shiny side of aluminum foil. But in solar cooking, it is always better to use non-shiny pots and pans. Shiny post reflect light away from the vessel, and dark pots absorb the heat. That is why I used the dull side. (My mother taught me to use the shiny side out.) Perhaps it made no difference anyway. Usually when I use aluminum foil in the solar oven, I cover it with a black cloth. I’m not sure why I didn’t this time. If you use aluminum foil in the solar oven, it is a good idea to use it dull side out or cover it. But even if you don’t, the food will still cook. So in the end, it is really up to the cook, as always, to do what works best for him. For more info see Cookware Guide for Solar Cooking Thanks for stopping by. Happy solar cooking. Merry