what are some good thanksgiving side dishes?

Question

not the usuals like green bean casserole, potatoes, and stuffing. I already know about those. be creative

Answer 1

Creamy Cucumber Salad
2-3 cucumbers, peeled and sliced
1 red onion, halved, sliced into half-rings
1 1/2-2 cups Hidden Valley Ranch or Cucumber Ranch Dressing

Toss in large bowl and chill.


Pea Salad
2 cans sweet peas, drained
3 tbsp. sweet pickle relish
1 rib celery, thinly sliced
1/2 cup KRAFT cheddar cheese crumbles
1/3 cup Miracle Whip
1 tbsp. Ice water
1 tsp prepared yellow mustard
dash celery seed

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, chill before serving.

SUPER MACARONI SALAD
1 16 oz box shell macaroni cooked,drained and cooled
1 1/2 cups good mayonnaise (Hellmans, Kraft's,etc)
1 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup shredded carrots
1/4 large green pepper finely chopped
1/8 cup minced onion
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/ 2 cup sugar

Pour the macaroni in a large bowl, add the veggies including the onions, set aside. In a smaller bowl mix remaining ingredients, taste, it should have a nice sweet and sour flavor, add more sugar or vinegar until you like the taste.
Then pour over the macaroni veggie mix, blend well and put in fridge until ready to serve.



We also always have:
deviled eggs
dinner rolls
scalloped potatoes
pinto beans
homemade baked beans
turnip greens
mock potato salad (uses rutabegas in place of potatoes)

Answer 2

Cheesy Broccoli Casserole - Yum!

INGREDIENTS
1 (16 ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup processed cheese sauce
2 eggs, beaten
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup bread crumbs


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 F (175 degrees C).
In a 4 quart casserole dish combine broccoli, mayonnaise, processed cheese, eggs and mushroom soup. Mix well, sprinkle bread crumbs on top. Bake for 1 hour.

I also always make Spinach artichoke dip for an appetizer
I melt about a 1/4 c. of butter with about a tBs of minced garlic, add 1 or 2 cans of drained spinach a jar of drained artichoke hearts, 2 containers of sour cream, 2 blocks of cream cheese and mix it all together and put on low in my small crockpot and serve warm.

Answer 3

corn casserole

2 cans cream corn
1 stick butter - melted
3 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
3 tbsp flour (self rising)

Mix everything together. Pour into a 9x13 casserole dish or cake pan. Bake at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes. until set and a golden brown.

Answer 4

I vote for the Grilled Stuffed Portobellos and the Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan....they sound great and easy to make. Good luck. An a creative desert is always cheesecake or fudge!

Answer 5

Altie's Old Fashioned Sweet Tasting Potato Salad


6 - 8 medium sized potatoes, peeled & boiled

5 - 6 hard boiled eggs

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 tsp garlic powder, opt.

1 tsp parsley flakes, opt

Salt & pepper to taste

Sweet Homemade Mayonnaise Dressing: Make up while your potatoes & eggs are boiling.



Sweet Homemade Mayonnaise Dressing:
1 cup Mayonnaise (Don't use "salad dressing" - such as Miracle Whip!)

1/2 cup Sugar (I've started subt. with the "Splenda for Baking," that's 50% sugar. You only use 1/4 cup. Regular Splenda would probably work just as well, too.)
1/4 cup leftover sweet pickle juice (when you use up the pickles always save the juice, in the jar, for this recipe! There was always a jar of leftover pickle juice in the back of our frig, when I was growing up.) [Editor note: for Susie's pickle juice see Fire and Ice Sweet Pickle Recipe.]

Blend all dressing ingredients together with wire whisk till thick & smooth. Store in a covered container in the frig. I sometimes make up extra to have on hand for the other recipes it's used in.

Boil the potatoes & drain well. Hard boil the eggs, peel & chop. While still warm, chop the potatoes in a large bowl. Add the eggs, onion, seasonings & parsley & stir together. Mix all ingredients with enough of the Homemade Mayonnaise to make it very moist, since the warm potatoes will absorb it quickly. Add more if necessary.


Being warm the potatoes will break up as you mix them with the mayonnaise, becoming "mashed" potato salad. That's the way it's supposed to look! Refrigerate several hrs before serving allowing the flavors to blend. Serves 8-10



Use this Homemade Mayonnaise mixed with the yolks for great Deviled Eggs!


Also try it in Apple Waldorf Salad:



4 large Apples, unpeeled & chopped into small bite sized pieces.

5-6 stalks Celery, chopped

1 heaping cup Miniature marshmallows

1/2 cup Chopped Pecans

1 Tb Lemon Juice



Mix above mixture with enough Homemade Mayonnaise to coat evenly.

Refrigerate before serving. This salad may weep a little in-between, but just stir it well before serving, each time.
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Corn Fritters


16 1/2 oz creamed corn

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 tablespoon oil

1/4 cup cream

2 1/3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder



Mix the above ingredients. Fry in deep fat at 350 degrees.
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Dandelion Greens Recipe
She washed them and boiled them like spinach. They were served with butter and salt. My father, added a splash of vinegar to his portion. This must have been rather a popular dish as I recall one day, when a group of "town folks" asked if they could come on the property and pick some dandelion greens. I wonder how many people under 40 know that dandelion greens are edible?
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Tomato Dumplings


1 quart stewed tomatoes

2 T butter

sugar to taste



1 Make a batch of dumplings...these can be made from a simple bread type dough of flour, water and shortening.

2 Heat the tomatoes, butter and sugar together in a saucepan large enough to drop the dumplings on top.

3 Once the tomato mixture is hot, add the dumplings and then cook on you stovetop until the dumplings are done.
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Oven-Roasted Potatoes with Bacon and Rosemary


6 pounds of new potatoes, quartered or halved -- depends on size
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
6 oz bacon, chopped, fried
1/4 cup olive oil
2 T crumbled dried rosemary or 8 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste

Par boil the potatoes until barely fork tender (still firm), about 15 minutes. Do Not overcook the potatoes. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Drain potatoes and let cool for a few minutes. Using all the butter, coat the bottom and sides of a shallow pan. Toss potatoes, bacon, olive oil, seasonings, rosemary together and put into shallow pan. Roast, turning often, until all the fat is absorbed and the potatoes are crisp -- 60-90 minutes.

Serve with a few sprigs of rosemary.

Answer 6

Our favorites are: - Un-stuffing (stuffing, but not stuffed; comes out better cooked outside the bird). - Sweet potato casserole - Mashed potatoes - Cranberry sauce - Green bean & bell peppers sauteed with butter & garlic - Asparagus, roasted with butter & garlic Those are always on the table but usually we choose a one or two new and different side dishes every year. Usually it's based on what's fresh at the market. In the past we've done glazed carrots, broccoli with cheese, broccoli rabe (Italian style), sauteed spinache and all kinds of squash.

Answer 7

One of my favorites is

1 bag of frozen broccoli and cauliflower
1 8oz cube cream cheese
1 8oz cube of Velveeta cheese

Put in a microwave safe dish. Cut the cheese up and layer around veggies. Cook for a couple minutes and stir repeat process until all the cheese is melted and the veggies are nice and hot. Very good and very simple.

Answer 8

I make my own homemade cranberry sauce. I use cranberries, orange zest, apples, squeeze the juice from one orange, sometimes some apple juice or cider, some sugar and cinnamon sticks. Cook in pot till cranberries begin to pop. Scoop off the foam that forms. I take out the cinnamon sticks and then use my stick blender to smooth it all out. I let it cool off. It is always a real hit and tastes so much better than that canned jellied crap.

Answer 9

collard greens and smoked pork
candied yams
sweet potato pie
baked macaroni & cheese
cornbread dressing
cinnamon apples
dinner rolls and gravy
cranberry sauce
au gratin potatoes
cucumber and tomato salad
hot water cornbread

Answer 10

Three things we always have on the holiday table- brussel sprouts, scalloped oysters and saurkraut- not your normal sides, but oh, so good!

Brussel Sprouts Pignoli
- 3 pounds fresh brussel sprouts, trimmed
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 3/4 cup fresh grated parmesan or asiago cheese
- 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°.
In a food processor fitted with a slicing blade, coarsely shred the brussel sprouts. If doubling this recipe, you will have to do the shredding in two batches.
On one large or 2 medium baking sheets, toss the brussel sprouts with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Spread out in an even layer.
Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally so they do not burn.
Watch them carefully.
Remove from oven, sprinkle with parmesan or asiago cheese and toss.
Bake for 1-2 minutes more.
Transfer to a bowl and top with toasted pine nuts. (0ptional).
Can be made up to 2 hours ahead. Rewarm before serving.


Scalloped Oysters
1 quart shucked oysters in their liquor
2 cups coarsely crushed saltine crackers
1 cup dry bread crumbs
3/4 cup melted butter
1 cup cream
1 dash tabasco
Nutmeg
Salt and pepper
Celery salt, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Pick oysters free of any shells.
In a deep buttered casserole, mix together crackers, bread crumbs, and melted butter. Place a thin layer of crumb mixture in the bottom of the casserole. Cover it with half of the oysters. Season cream with nutmeg, tabasco,salt, pepper and celery salt (if using). Pour half of this mixture over the oysters. On the next layer, use the oysters, 3/4 of the remaining crumb mixture and cover that with seasoned cream. Top with the remaining crumbs. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Saurkraut with Apples and Bacon
1/4 pound sliced apple-wood smoked bacon
2 tart apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and grated
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon caraway seeds, ground
3 cups apple cider or apple juice
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 pounds of refrigerated (in a jar, not can), prepared sauerkraut, drained (about 1 24-fluid-ounce jar, drained)


1 Put bacon in a large, high-sided oven-proof sauté pan with a lid and place over medium heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until most of the fat has been rendered out, turning as needed. Drain excess fat from pan (leave in about a tablespoon). Remove bacon from the pan and let cool on a plate lined with a paper towel. Roughly chop the bacon and set aside.

2 Add the apples, onion, garlic, and caraway and decrease the heat to low. Cover partially and cook for 10 minutes, until the onion is tender.

3 Remove the lid, stir in the apple cider and vinegar, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced to a thick, syrupy consistency.

4 Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the sauerkraut and bacon, cover, and cook 10 minutes, or until sauerkraut is heated through and tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.