Ritz Cracker Green Bean Casserole Recipe

8 cups fresh green beans, trimmed, washed, cut in half
1 Tbsp salt
8 pieces bacon, diced
1 small onion, finely diced
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup real mayonnaise
1 container (8 oz) sour cream
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 small can sliced water chestnuts
kosher salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 cup butter
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 "tube" of Ritz crackers, crushed

Fill a large saucepan with cold water and 1 Tbsp of salt and bring to a boil. Add the beans and let them come back up to a boil, then boil for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice and water. When beans are done boiling, drain through a colander, then dump the beans in the ice water and cool for 1 minute.

Remove to a paper towel covered surface to dry.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a large casserole dish.

Get out a large skillet and put over medium-high heat. Add the bacon pieces and fry, stirring, until crisp. Add the onion to the skillet and fry just until transparent.

Add the beans to the skillet and continue cooking, stirring steadily, just until beans are heated through and they start to develop some color; remove skillet from heat.

Stir into the beans the mayonnaise, sour cream, Cheddar cheese, and chestnuts, then taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Turn bean mixture out into the prepared casserole dish.

In a separate small saucepan, melt the butter and garlic powder together, then stir in the crushed Ritz crackers until well coated.

Sprinkle the cracker crumbs evenly over the bean mixture in casserole dish.

Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes or until bubbling hot.

Will serve 8 to 10 at a potluck setting.