Kid-friendly Kid-Created Green Bean Casserole Cups+Creamed Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms+Cranberry Sparkler Recipe - Sticky Fingers Cooking
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Family Meal Plan: Kid-Created Green Bean Casserole Cups + Creamed Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms + Fancy Cranberry Juice Sparklers

Family Meal Plan: Kid-Created Green Bean Casserole Cups+Creamed Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms+Cranberry Sparkler

Kid-Created Green Bean Casserole Cups + Creamed Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms + Fancy Cranberry Juice Sparklers

by Erin Fletter
Photo by from my point of view/Shutterstock.com
prep time
35 minutes
cook time
36 minutes
makes
6-12 servings

Fun Food Story

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Kid-Created Green Bean Casserole Cups

Kid chefs will love learning how to create these bite-sized Thanksgiving appetizers, even if they think they don't love the main ingredients! In chef Jacqui's family, mushrooms were always a part of their Thanksgiving table growing up, and she has said with conviction that she loathed them until well after she left home and experienced her first perfectly cooked portobello mushroom. It blew her mind, and she felt a little cheated for being raised on rubbery, slimy, tasteless sliced mushrooms from a can! Unless they are cooked and salted well, mushrooms tend to fall into the "dislike" category for people of all ages, especially young people. Spinach?! Green beans?! Let's give kids something to talk about this week! We love the transformation when kids go from "loathe" to "love" in one metamorphic bite. It's very brave to try new things. Reiterate this to your kid chefs and empower them to encourage their families to try these appetizers if they're hesitant. Who knows, their appetites might be transformed as well!

Happy & Healthy Cooking,

Chef Erin, Food-Geek-in-Chief
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Shopping List

  • FRESH
  • 14 medium-to-large sized button mushrooms **(see allergy subs below)**
  • 1 orange
  • FROZEN
  • 1 1/2 C frozen green beans
  • 10 oz frozen spinach
  • DAIRY
  • 1/2 C heavy whipping cream **(see allergy subs below)**
  • 1 T butter **(see allergy subs below)**
  • 1/2 C whole milk **(see allergy subs below)**
  • 1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese **(see allergy subs below)**
  • 2 T whipped (or regular) cream cheese **(see allergy subs below)**
  • PANTRY
  • 1 12-oz package wonton wrappers **(see allergy subs below)**
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 T cornstarch **(see allergy subs below)**
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 T sugar
  • 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
  • French fried onions or panko bread crumbs, optional **(see allergy subs below)**
  • 3 C cranberry juice (100% juice)
  • 1 C sparkling water
  • HAVE ON HAND
  • ice

Fun-Da-Mentals Kitchen Skills

  • bake :

    to cook food with dry heat, as in an oven.

  • blend :

    to stir together two or more ingredients until just combined; blending is a gentler process than mixing.

  • coat :

    to apply a covering of flour, breadcrumbs, oil, sauce, or batter to food before baking or frying.

  • juice :

    to extract or squeeze out the juice of a fruit or vegetable, like a lemon, orange, or carrot, often cutting open or peeling the fruit or veggie first to access its flesh.

  • mix :

    to thoroughly combine two or more ingredients until uniform in texture.

  • rim :

    to dip the outer edge or rim of a glass into sugar or salt after first applying moisture, such as water or juice.

  • stuff :

    to fill the cavity of a food with another food, like a fruit or vegetable or a savory, sweet, or bread mixture, usually before cooking.

  • zest :

    to scrape off the outer colored part of a citrus fruit's rind (skin or peel) using a metal tool with small sharp blades, such as a zester, microplane, or the small holes of a grater (avoid the "pith," the white, spongy lining of the rind that can be bitter).

Equipment Checklist

  • Oven
  • Oven mitt or pot holder
  • Sheet pan (9" x 13" works well)
  • Parchment paper
  • Measuring spoons
  • Small metal spoon
  • Muffin pan (12-cup)
  • Blender
  • Liquid measuring cup
  • Dry measuring cups
  • Mixing bowl
  • Cereal bowl
  • Small plate
  • Zester for zesting citrus (or metal box grater with small zesting holes)
  • Cutting board + kid-safe knife (a butter knife works great)
  • Citrus squeezer (optional)
  • Wooden spoon
  • Small drinking glasses
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Ingredients

Kid-Created Green Bean Casserole Cups

  • 12 wonton wrappers + extra in case some rip **(for GLUTEN ALLERGY sub 3 gluten-free/nut-free store-bought pie crusts or make your own gluten-free pie crust—more info below)**
  • 14 medium-to-large sized button mushroom stems—if also making Stuffed Mushrooms, save caps for that recipe **(Omit stems for MUSHROOM ALLERGY)**
  • 1 1/2 C frozen green beans
  • 1 T butter **(for DAIRY ALLERGY sub a nut-free oil, like olive or vegetable oil)**
  • 1/2 C heavy whipping cream **(for DAIRY ALLERGY sub coconut cream)**
  • 1/2 C whole milk **(for DAIRY ALLERGY sub dairy-free/nut-free milk)**
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 T cornstarch **(for CORN ALLERGY sub arrowroot powder)**
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese **(for DAIRY ALLERGY sub nutritional yeast, found in health food stores)**
  • French fried onions or panko bread crumbs, optional **(Omit for GLUTEN ALLERGY or sub gluten-free/nut-free panko bread crumbs)**

Creamed Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

  • 14 medium-large button mushroom caps—if also making Green Bean Casserole Cups, use caps from that recipe **(for MUSHROOM ALLERGY sub 8 to 10 mini sweet peppers)**
  • 10 oz frozen spinach (thawed, drained, and squeezed)
  • 1/2 C cream of mushroom mixture, made from Green Bean Casserole Cup recipe **(see allergy subs in that recipe)**
  • 2 T whipped (or regular) cream cheese **(for DAIRY ALLERGY sub dairy-free/nut-free cream cheese)**
  • 2 T grated Parmesan cheese **(for DAIRY ALLERGY sub nutritional yeast, found in health food stores)**
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • panko bread crumbs, optional **(Omit for GLUTEN ALLERGY or sub gluten-free/nut-free panko bread crumbs)**

Fancy Cranberry Juice Sparklers

  • 1 T sugar
  • 1 orange
  • ice
  • 3 C cranberry juice (100% juice)
  • 1 C sparkling water

Food Allergen Substitutions

Kid-Created Green Bean Casserole Cups

  • Gluten/Wheat: Omit French fried onions or panko bread crumbs OR substitute gluten-free/nut-free panko bread crumbs. For wonton wrappers, substitute 3 store-bought gluten-free pie crusts or make your own gluten-free pie crust dough before class: Mix 1/2 C cassava or gluten-free flour (use a blend with xanthan gum) together with 1 pinch of salt. Add 1/4 C cold butter in chunks, then use clean hands to break up the butter into the flour until it’s the size of peas. Add 1/2 tsp vinegar and cold water, starting with 1 T of cold water and adding more as needed (drier climates may need more water). Using your hands, work the vinegar and water into the dough until it all holds together. Roll out the dough until it’s no thicker than 1/4 inch using a rolling pin or an empty, clean water bottle just before class starts. Kid chefs can punch out circular shapes using the top of a wide-mouthed mason jar or cut 4" x 4" squares freehand.
  • Mushrooms: Omit mushroom stems. 
  • Dairy: Substitute a nut-free oil, like olive or vegetable oil, for butter. Substitute coconut cream for heavy cream. Substitute vegetable broth for milk. Substitute nutritional yeast (found in health food stores) for Parmesan cheese. 
  • Corn: Sub arrowroot powder for cornstarch.

Creamed Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

  • Gluten/Wheat: Omit panko bread crumbs or substitute gluten-free/nut-free panko bread crumbs. 
  • Mushrooms: Substitute 8 to 10 mini sweet peppers for 14 mushroom caps.
  • Dairy: Substitute nutritional yeast (found in health food stores) for Parmesan cheese. Substitute dairy-free/nut-free cream cheese.

Instructions

Kid-Created Green Bean Casserole Cups

1.
preheat + twist + pull

Preheat your oven to 400 F. Twist and pull the stems from 14 button mushrooms. Set the mushroom caps aside in a mixing bowl to use for the Creamed Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms or another recipe. (For mushroom allergies: Omit the mushroom stems. Also, you will be slicing mini sweet peppers in halves lengthwise and setting those aside for the Creamed Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms (Peppers) recipe instead of mushroom caps.)

2.
add + blend

Add the mushroom stems, 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, 1/2 cup milk, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper to your blender. Blend until mixture (with or without mushroom stems) is puréed and smooth!

3.
pour + mix

Pour 3/4 cup of the mushroom cream mixture into a bowl and mix in 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Save the remaining mushroom cream mixture for the Creamed Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms (see recipe)!

4.
add + stir + coat

To the mushroom and cheese mixture, add 1 1/2 cup of frozen green beans. Stir to coat the beans!

5.
press + fill + bake

Press 12 wonton wrappers into your muffin pan wells (1 wrapper per well). Fill each wonton cup with about 2 to 3 tablespoons of green bean mixture. Sprinkle each cup with optional French fried onions or panko bread crumbs. Bake the Green Bean Casserole Cups for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown and bubbly on top! Let them cool slightly before eating, as they will be very hot!

Creamed Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

1.
preheat + line

Preheat your oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.
add + mix

Add 10 ounces of spinach (thawed, drained, and the liquid squeezed out) to a mixing bowl. Add 2 tablespoons cream cheese, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the remaining 1/2 cup of creamy mushroom mixture from Green Bean Casserole Cups (see recipe), and mix well to combine.

3.
stuff + bake

Line your mushroom caps with holes facing up, ready to be stuffed, or sliced mini peppers facing up (if mushroom allergy present), on the lined baking sheet. Stuff each mushroom cap (or mini sweet pepper) with the creamed spinach mixture and top with optional French fried onions or panko bread crumbs. Bake for 18 minutes until golden brown and bubbly! Let them cool slightly before eating, as they will be very hot!

Fancy Cranberry Juice Sparklers

1.
measure + zest + mix + rim

Measure 1 tablespoon of sugar and pour onto a small plate. Zest 1 orange and mix the zest in with the sugar. Cut the orange in half and rim the outside of small drinking glasses with the cut side of the orange. Dip the tops of glasses into the orange and sugar mixture so that they’re evenly coated with a rim of orange sugar.

2.
fill + juice + stir

Fill glasses with ice. Squeeze orange juice over each glass of ice. Divide 3 cups of cranberry juice among glasses (fill each about 3/4 of the way). Then, with 1 cup of sparkling water, top off each glass and stir. Cheers!

Surprise Ingredient: Mushrooms!

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Photo by Africa Studio/Shutterstock.com

Hi! I'm Toady! I'm a Mushroom!

“I'm also a fun guy! Get it? Fun guy—fungi? I'm good in salads, sandwiches, soups, stews, on pizza, with pasta, and stuffed with other yummy foods. Plus, you can cook and use me in recipes just like you would meat!"

History

  • The first mushrooms were thought to be cultivated in Southeast Asia, but it is not known why for sure. Perhaps someone discovered that mushrooms grew by accident and sought out a growing method.
  • All mushrooms are fungi, but not all fungi are mushrooms! There are an estimated 1.5 to 2 million species of fungi on planet Earth, of which only 80,000 have been properly identified. There are over 250 kinds of mushrooms that people eat.
  • Mushrooms are a kind of fungus that look like umbrellas! They grow in places like yards, forests, fields, and gardens. 
  • What is a fungus? It's a kind of living organism that is different from plants. In fact, mushrooms are more like humans than plants! 
  • Fungi walls are made of a fibrous substance called "chitin," rather than cellulose, like plants. Also, plants produce their own energy from the sun from photosynthesis, but mushrooms and other fungi don't need the sun for energy!
  • Many fungi eat by breaking down dead plants. However, other fungi feast on dead animals, bird droppings, manure, wallpaper paste, fruit, and living animals. So fungi are like nature's cleanup crew!
  • The yeast that makes bread rise is a type of fungi.
  • Mushrooms are sometimes called Toadstools! Can you picture a toad sitting on top of a giant mushroom?
  • Some mushrooms are good to eat, like portobellos, crimini, and shiitakes, while others are extremely poisonous. Never eat a mushroom you find growing outside unless you are with a mushroom expert!
  • The Honey Mushroom in the Blue Mountains of Oregon is the world's largest living thing. It is actually a mushroom colony and is believed to be at least 2,000 years old! It covers almost four square miles!
  • Some mushrooms live entirely underwater.
  • In the Amazon rainforest, mushrooms release spores into the air, which creates the surface for water to condense and can trigger rain. The rain then causes more fungi to grow.
  • Before the invention of colorful synthetic dyes, people used mushrooms for dyeing wool and other natural fibers.
  • Greek warriors ate mushrooms to increase their strength before battle.
  • Mushrooms are one of the vegetable world's substitutes for meat. 

Anatomy & Etymology

  • The largest mushroom you'll find in most grocery stores is the portobello. It is the fully grown version of the Agaricus Bisporus species and has a large, brown cap. Smaller, immature mushrooms may be brown, like the cremini, or white, like the button.  
  • Mushrooms contain more than 90 percent water!
  • Some mushrooms glow in the dark! They produce light through a process called bioluminescence. People used to carry these in ancient times to light their way through the forest. 
  • Mushrooms can grow super fast. Once they break through the surface of whatever they're growing on, they can double their size in just one day.
  • The word "mushroom" comes from late Middle English for any fungus with a fleshy and fruiting body. It is derived from the Old French "mousseron," from the late Latin "mussirio."

How to Pick, Buy, & Eat

  • Wild mushrooms can be found in many wooded areas. If you choose to harvest wild mushrooms, make certain you have a professional identify your pick. Many mushrooms may resemble safe mushrooms but are actually poisonous!
  • Buy mushrooms with whole, intact caps, and be sure they are not wet or slimy!
  • They will smell strong, sweet, and earthy when fresh. 
  • Rinse mushrooms before you slice or cut them. Whole mushrooms won't absorb much water, while cut mushrooms will. Wait to rinse mushrooms until right before you cook them; otherwise, they'll turn slimy.
  • Mushrooms can be broiled, sautéed, and grilled. Mushrooms can be chopped or sliced and added to other dishes. Portobello caps are large enough to eat like a hamburger on a bun!
  • The mushroom cap is most often the part that is cooked and eaten. The stem can be fibrous and woody but will add flavor to vegetable or meat stock.
  • Mushrooms pair well with balsamic vinegar, fresh herbs (like oregano, rosemary, thyme, and cilantro), marinara, spinach, leafy greens, tomatoes, goat cheese, mozzarella, cream-based sauces, garlic, and onions.
  • Store mushrooms in a partially closed resealable plastic bag to ensure air circulation without drying out the mushrooms.

Nutrition

  • Mushrooms are low in calories and are an excellent source of B vitamins. These vitamins are needed for healthy cell and brain function, and they help prevent cancer and stress.
  • Even though mushrooms don't use the sun for energy, they use it to produce vitamin D, just like humans do! Vitamin D is essential to our bones! It keeps them strong and regenerating. 
  • Mushrooms have essential minerals such as selenium, copper, phosphorus, zinc, and potassium. Copper helps the body build red blood cells and is necessary for the health of our bones. Selenium is an antioxidant that may decrease cancer risk. 
  • Mushrooms have been used successfully in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years to treat many health conditions. Western medicine is finally beginning to recognize and utilize some of the medicine mushrooms naturally contain.

 

History of Green Bean Casserole!

Photo by Elena Veselova/Shutterstock.com
  • In 1955, Dorcas Reilly, a test kitchen employee at Campbell Soup Company in Camden, New Jersey, created the first green bean casserole. It is the most popular recipe ever developed by the company.
  • The soup used in the casserole, Cream of Mushroom, was also created by Campbell's Soup in 1955 and was marketed as both a soup and a sauce. The recipe, known then as "Green Bean Bake," was printed on the mushroom soup can labels in 1960. Afterward, it went from being an everyday side dish to becoming a popular Thanksgiving side. 
  • The recipe consists of cooked cut green beans (canned, fresh, or frozen) mixed with cream of mushroom soup, milk, soy sauce, French fried onions, and ground black pepper. It is baked, topped with more French fried onions, and then baked a little longer. 
  • Other ingredients, like cheddar cheese, bacon, and sliced mushrooms, are sometimes added, and different vegetables, like broccoli or cauliflower, can be used instead of green beans. Kids make their own sauce in our SFC version, Kid-Created Green Bean Casserole Cups, which includes fresh mushrooms. No matter how you make it, green bean casserole is one of our favorite comfort foods!

Let's Learn About Thanksgiving!

Photo by Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com
  • A Thanksgiving holiday is celebrated on various dates in a few countries and cities. It is a national holiday in the United States on the third Thursday in November and Canada on the second Monday in October. The holidays began as a celebration of the harvest and the past year's blessings.
  • In the US, the traditional beginnings of the holiday began in 1621 as a three-day celebration to give thanks for the harvest. The Pilgrims living in Plymouth Colony (Massachusetts) were joined by several members of Wampanoag Indians, who may also have brought food with them. Although the Pilgrims did not refer to their feast by name, it is usually called the "first'' Thanksgiving.
  • The foods the Pilgrims and Wampanoag ate would have been somewhat different than our traditional Thanksgiving dinners. According to an account written in the journal of William Bradford, the leader of the Plymouth Colony, the Pilgrims had access to cod, bass, and other fish, venison (deer), waterfowl, wild turkeys, and Indian corn (as bread or porridge). Later reports of their crops besides corn may indicate they also had beans, carrots, grains, lettuce, onions, peas, pumpkins, and turnips. 
  • Since that "first" Thanksgiving, national proclamations made to celebrate a day of Thanksgiving included ones in 1782 by the US Congress, in 1789 and 1795 by George Washington, in 1798 and 1799 by John Adams, and in 1814 by James Madison. Various states also proclaimed days of Thanksgiving.
  • Starting in 1846 and continuing for 17 years, Sarah Josepha Hale, the editor of Godey's Lady's Book magazine, campaigned for a national Thanksgiving holiday to be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. She sent her requests to newspapers and government leaders. 
  • Finally, in 1863, during the Civil War, Sarah's editorials moved President Abraham Lincoln to proclaim Thanksgiving a national holiday to give thanks for the nation's general blessings and military successes. Since then, it has been observed every year. 
  • In the United States, the modern Thanksgiving dinner typically consists of turkey, dressing or stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole or other vegetables, and pumpkin or other pies. After the feast, families often take walks, watch American football games, go to the movies, play games, put together jigsaw puzzles, or decorate for Christmas. Some families volunteer to serve dinner at homeless shelters. 
  • Cooking methods for the Thanksgiving turkey have changed over the years. In addition to roasted, you might be served a turkey that has been deep-fried, smoked, broiled, or grilled.

The Yolk's On You

Why did the cranberries turn red? 

Because they saw the turkey dressing!

Lettuce Joke Around

What did Papa Spinach say to Baby Spinach? 

"Be-LEAF in yourself!"

The Yolk's On You

Did you hear the joke about the fungus? 

I could tell it to you, but it might need time to grow on you.

Lettuce Joke Around

What’s a dancer’s favorite kind of vegetable?

Spin-ach!

THYME for a Laugh

Why did the Mushroom get invited to all the parties? 

Because he's a fungi! (fun guy)

That's Berry Funny

What vegetable can tie your shoes?

String beans!

That's Berry Funny

What acting job did the green bean audition for?

The casse-role!

That's Berry Funny

Why did the Fungi leave the party? 

There wasn't mushroom to dance!

THYME for a Laugh

Why are spinach leaves never lonely? 

Because they come in bunches!

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