Side Dishes to Match the Entrée

My husband typically is the cook for the meat on most holidays as he can deep fry an injected Cajun turkey, bake, rotisserie or smoke the meat of our choice, and I am the cook for the side dishes.

There are some dishes the family loves and expects to see each year, but I like to throw in a new vegetable or two just for the variety. The recipes below are a mixture of the old and the new.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb. Sweet potatoes Topping:
• 1/2 c milk 1/2 c brown sugar
• 3 tbsp. Butter cubed 1/2. flour
• 1 beaten egg 1/2 c pecan pieces
• 2 tbsp. Butter
• 1/3 c. sugar Pecan halves optional
• 1 tsp. vanilla
  

Scrub and peel sweet potatoes. Cut off and discard woody pieces and ends. Cut potatoes into cubes. Cook, covered in a small amt. Of boiling water for 25-35 minutes, until tender. Drain.

Combine hot potatoes, sugar, milk, egg, 3 tbsp. butter, and vanilla. With a wooden spoon, stir to break up potatoes but not completely mash them. Put mixture into a greased 2 qt. sq. baking dish.

Combine brown sugar, and flour, cut in the 2 tbsp. of butter till mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pecan pieces and sprinkle crumb mixture on potatoes. Bake uncovered in 350° oven, about 25 minutes or until set. Garnish with pecan halves.

Makes 8 servings.

The picture is actually this recipe doubled, as I had a large crowd. Sometimes I triple the recipe. This is a very sweet recipe but oh so good with the brown sugar and pecans. I took a before and after picture.

Ingredients:

• 1 12 oz can Mexican style corn, drained
• 1 16 oz can French cut green beans
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 can mushroom or celery soup, undiluted
• 1/2 tsp. white pepper
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup herb seasoned stuffing mix

Combine first 8 ingredients, stir well. Spoon mixture into lightly greased

8" baking dish. Combine butter and stuffing mix in bowl, toss gently.

Sprinkle over casserole.

Bake covered at 350° for 45 minutes.

Makes 6 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 small butternut squash (2 lb.), peeled, sliced
• 3   parsnips (3/4 lb.), sliced
• 1 large red onion, sliced
• 1 large  red pepper, cut into strips
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup  Kraft Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette Dressing, divided
• 10 cups baby spinach leaves
• 1/4 cup  Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Bits
• 2 Tbsp. pine nuts, toasted

HEAT oven to 450º.

PLACE first 5 ingredients in 15x10x1-inch pan. Add 2 Tbsp. dressing; toss to coat. Spread to evenly cover bottom of pan.

BAKE 40 to 45 min. or until vegetables are tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally. Spoon mixture into large bowl. Add spinach; toss lightly.

TOP with bacon, nuts and remaining dressing.

This was something new this year and it was a hit with most of the family.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans diced pineapple (juice drained)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
• 1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed
• 1 stick butter, melted

Mix pineapple, sugar and cheese in baking dish. Sprinkle with crackers. drizzle with melted butter. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until brown and bubbly.

Ingredients:

• 2 acorn squash, cut lengthwise in half, seeded
• 1-1/4 cups water
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
• 1 cup chopped peeled apples
• 1 cup KRAFT Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Microwave Cooking Method:

Cut each squash piece lengthwise in half; place, cut-sides down, on microwaveable plate. Microwave on HIGH 12 to15 minutes or until tender. You can put the whole squash in the microwave for about 2 minutes and it will be easier to cut.

Meanwhile, bring water and butter to boil in medium saucepan. Add stuffing mix and apples; stir. Cover. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 min.; stir in cheese.

Turn squash over; top with stuffing. Microwave on High 2 min. or until heated through.

Oven cooking method:

Place squash wedges, cut-sides down, in shallow pan. Bake in 375º oven for 40 min. or until squash is tender. Meanwhile, prepare stuffing mixture as directed. Top squash with stuffing mixture; bake 5 min. or until heated through

I tried a new cranberry sauce this year and everyone loved it. It was such an easy recipe also.

Ingredients:

• I 12 oz. bag cranberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup orange juice

Boil mixture for about 10 minutes until cranberries pop open. Let chill and it thickens. I made it a day ahead which I always like to do when possible and it was very good.

I hope the cook in the family will like some of these recipes and try them out.

The variety will work with many different meals and certainly don't have to be used just for a holiday. Sometimes side dishes make the meal so much more special, and the cook gets the credit for their creativity.

I hope you enjoy them.

The copyright, renewed in 2018, for this article is owned by Pamela Oglesby. Permission to republish this article in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.