Recipe for Today: White Bean Casserole

 

 So you think you've "bean" there and done it all. Well, think again. You haven't experienced the potential of white beans until you've sampled this stunning casserole. It's downright delicious. 

Ingredients:

• 4 (1 oz.) slices French bread or other firm white bread, cubed
• 1/2 cup (2 oz.) fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 7 cups boiling water, divided
• 3 oz. sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil, chopped
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cups vertically sliced red onion
• 1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1/8 tsp. red pepper, crushed
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt, divided
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 (19 oz.) can white beans, drained
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked regular grits
• 2 tbsp. butter Cooking spray

Methods/steps:

Place bread in a blender; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1 cup. Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, and parsley in a small bowl and set aside. Combine 3 cups boiling water and sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl; let stand 10 minutes or until soft. Drain tomatoes over a bowl, reserving 1 cup liquid. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, rosemary, crushed red pepper, and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and reserved 1 cup liquid. Bring to a boil; cook 7 minutes or until most of liquid evaporates. Add 1/2 tsp. salt, black pepper, and beans. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine 4 cups boiling water, 1 tsp. salt, grits, and butter in a large saucepan. Cook 8 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Pour grits mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon tomato mixture evenly over grits; top with breadcrumb mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden.