Not your usual Green Bean Casserole

My mother-in-law is allergic to mushrooms, my daughter-in-law can't handle MSG and my sister has celiac disease so she avoids anything with gluten. Thus the regular Green Bean Casserole is out of the question. Then I was given this one which is easy to adapt to accommodate the eating challenges of those around me. We like this one just as well as the other recipe,.

2 cans french cut green beans
8 oz mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp butter or margarine
2 Tbsp flour or cornstarch
2 tsp grated onion
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp sugar
1 c sour cream
cornflakes or french fried onions

melt butter, add onion, saute lightly. Add flour, salt pepper, sugar, and cook one minute. Add sour cream, cook one minute. Put beans in baking dish, top with cheese then sauce, then corn flakes or french fried onions. Bake at 400 until heated through, about 20 minutes.

Fruit and Pasta Salad

This is a bit unusual, the combination of orange and pasta, but so very tasty. Of course as with most recipes there is a real recipe and then the way I make it. I will try to share them both.

1 pkg small bowtie pasta, cooked and drained.
2 oranges
2 medium apples, cored and chopped
1/2 c plain low-fat yogurt
1 tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp sliced green onions
2 tbsp orange juice (I use concentrate, it makes the orange taste just a little stronger)

Directions:
1. Finely shred enough orange peel to make 1 tsp; set aside. Remove the remaining peel from orange and section and/slice.
2 Mix together orange peel, orange juice, yogurt, sugar and salt. Add cooked pasta, chopped apples and sliced green onions, toss to coat. Gently stir in orange sections.
3. Cover and chill for 2 to 24 hours.

We find the green onions can overpower the flavor, so we wait until just before serving to add them. Also, if it chills for 24 hours the pasta soaks up the sauce, so we double the amount; then just before serving, we stir in the second half. I have also added more orange juice and sugar till I like the taste.
If you make it and make changes that you find make it better let me know, I would love to try it also.