Oh God - How I HATE Green Bean Casserole - Until Now!!!

Hi Y'all. Yup - absolutely cannot STAND the usual Midwest Green Bean Casserole!! However, although I'm from the West Coast and husband is a Midwesterner, as are the other family members, I've had to (as my old French mom would have said) "make a part of things." So, if I actually HAVE to make this stuff, I decided to do my twist on it. My way tastes pretty damn good, if I say so myself, and I do!

My recipe goes as follows: (Oh, this is a test batch, so if you like it, double or triple the recipe).

2 Tbsps. Butter;
1 Tbsp. good olive oil;
1 large shallot, finely chopped;
2 large or 3 smaller cloves of garlic, either run thru a press or slammed and chopped;
A good splash (1/4 C?) of dry white wine;
1 can of cut or French cut green beans, drained;
1/2 can of Campbell's Cream of Chicken soup (undiluted)
2 strips of crumbled, cooked bacon;
1/2 bag (1 Cup) of Italian 6 Cheese (I buy Crystal Farms here in Iowa, but you'll have to figure it out there - it's a mix of Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Provolone, Asiago, Parm and Romano, finely shredded - I'd eat a doorknob with this cheese mixture on it!!);
French's French fried onions to suit.
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Melt butter and olive oil in a saucepan until it sizzles; add shallot. Cook and stir for 2-3 mins. Add chopped garlic, mix and cook for another minute or so. Add well drained green beans, mix and heat through. Add 1/2 can of cream of chicken soup (undiluted) and mix thoroughly. Check for salt and add freshly ground pepper to taste. In the interim, fry a couple or so strips of smoked bacon, drain on paper towel and allow to cool. Pour bean mixture into an oven safe casserole dish (previously sprayed with non stick stuff), crumble the bacon and distribute over the bean mixture. Top with generous amounts of the killer shredded cheese (the thicker the better), then top that with the French fried onions (crush them as you go). After all that, put the dish in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. When it's bubbly, it's done.

I STILL won't walk over hot coals for this casserole, but it's a whole lot better than the bland stuff. Bon Appetite!