Crowd Pleasing Green Bean Casserole

I have made green bean casserole so many ways.  It's amazing to make from scratch, but for Thanksgiving 2014, I was cooking 3 different casseroles (green bean, broccoli rice, and squash) for a big crowd, so I needed  to keep is simple. 

What is more simple than 

Campbell's Classic Green Bean Casserole? 

Honestly, it's delicious. 

I know some people do not care for it, but I happen to love it. 

My biggest challenge was determining how much of it I needed to make. 

I decided this time, I'd make notes of how I made it and how it tasted so that I know next Thanksgiving if this recipe was a "keeper"

So, here is my version of green bean casserole for a crowd

CROWD PLEASING GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

Ingredients (classic recipe)

• 4 cans (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 2 cups whole milk
• 4 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 8 cans (14.5 ounces) cut green beans ( I prefer these over french green beans)
• 4 1/3 cups french fried onions

Extra Twist- Sauteed Mushrooms 

(if you want to "jazz" it up)

• 1 pkg fresh button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup sherry
• 1/4 cup half n half 

Directions

• Preheat oven 350 degrees
• Set aside 1 1/3 cups french fried onions
• Whisk together soup, milk, soy sauce, and pepper to make the sauce
• Toss green beans with sauce in a baking dish (I used a large foil roasting dish as I was taking this to another location)
• Add the sauteed mushrooms if you went for the "extra twist"
• Bake casserole for 40-45 minutes, until the mixture begins to bubble around the edges
• Stir the mixture and sprinkle with reserved french fried onions
• Bake another 5-10 minutes until onions begin to brown

I prepared this the day before serving. I place saran wrap first then wrapped with heavy duty foil.  I used a black sharpie to write the cooking temp and instructions on the outside.