Root Vegetable Casserole

I used to make this in the fall, but as my garden began to grow in the spring, I realized this was just as appropriate for late spring as it is for the fall.  You could use any root vegetables you would like, even potatoes and sweet potatoes....you could also use other vegetables, but you would want to change the cook time to accommodate them.  Think of this more as a method to use up a bumper crop of vegetables than a proper recipe.

Root Vegetable Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. AP flour
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup milk
• 2 Tbsp. whole grain mustard
• 4 cups root vegetables, chopped (turnips, parsnips, carrots, radishes, etc.)
• 1 cup green beans, chopped
• 3 sprigs thyme, destemmed
• salt & pepper, to taste

Serves 4 - 6
Cook time: 1 hour and 20 minutes

Preheat oven to 375.  Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Now make your roux: whisk flour, salt, and pepper into the melted butter, then add mustard (flour will be "gloopy" if you add mustard before butter and flour have had the chance to mix together).  Continue whisking the roux over medium heat until it thickens and turns a tannish color.  Add stock and milk and whisk until fully incorporated.  Now add your chopped root vegetables and cook for about 20 minutes with the lid on.  

Add green beans and put vegetable mixture into a 3-quart casserole dish, top with handfuls of breadcrumbs and bake until golden brown about 45 minutes.
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Serve immediately.