Best Thanksgiving Sides?

[lovelylulu]

Does anyone have any tasty recipies for thanksgiving sides? We''re all headed to my brother''s house this year and I want to bring something to accompany the main meal they are making. Thoughts/suggestions?

I caught this on the Food network yesterday and they sounded really delicious, but i''m thinking i might want something that doesn''t necessarily have to be made the day of -- maybe something that i can prepare at home and bring...

Wild rice Stuffed Portobellos

 

[Curls]

I like this recipe from Allrecipes. It''s Harvest Rice. Very fall spirited, I think. I add garlic, just because I love garlic and chop the onions smaller as well. Based on the reviews, some people don''t like the orange zest in it though.

Harvest Rice

Something I make every year is Green Bean Bundles. They have a great presentation. There''s several ways to make them. I don''t really follow this exact recipe since my mom and I have been making them for years, but this one looks close. In this region, most of us love sweet things even if it is vegetables. I actually add more brown sugar than recipe calls for, but that may not go over so well in other places. I always use real minced garlic instead of garlic powder. I sautee a little chopped onion before adding the other ingredients and I don''t use beef bouillon either, but sounds good. I marinate the beans overnight and spoon the mixture over them every so often while baking. To save time, I usually use canned whole green beans instead of steaming fresh ones.

Green Bean Bundles

 

[jorman]

Brocolli Rice Casserole-
You can prepare the entire dish the day before

Steam 1 cup dry rice according to instructions (I used Texmati).
1/2 yellow onion chopped
2 cups fresh brocolli steamed (you can also use pre-cooked frozen)
2 cups diced portabella mushrooms (large dice- chunks)
1 small container original Cheese Whiz.
1 can cream of mushroom soup
! small container Durkee Fried Onions

In casserole dish mix soup and cheese- set aside.
Steam rice and brocolli in seperate sauce pans- set aside.
Sautee onion until clear and tender.

Mix rice and all veggies (mushrooms will cook in oven) in with soup mixture until well combined.
Refrigerate until ready to bake.
Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Top with Durkee onions and bake until onions are slightly golden.
Enjoy!

 

[appletini]

Southern Living has twice backed sweet potatoes with buttercrunch topping that sound really yummy.

 

[robbie3982]

Ok, I''m going to be really boring and suggest mashed potatoes. I LOVE mashed potatoes and homemade is the best. What makes mine amazing is cream cheese. I use about a 5 lb bag of potatoes, 2 bricks of cream cheese, a stick of butter or margerine, salt, pepper and garlic powder. I think they''re the best, but I''m a bit biased

. They also re-heat very well.

 

[MINE!!]

Date: 11/13/2006 12:20:21 PM
Author:lovelylulu
Does anyone have any tasty recipies for thanksgiving sides? We''re all headed to my brother''s house this year and I want to bring something to accompany the main meal they are making. Thoughts/suggestions?


I caught this on the Food network yesterday and they sounded really delicious, but i''m thinking i might want something that doesn''t necessarily have to be made the day of -- maybe something that i can prepare at home and bring...


Wild rice Stuffed Portobellos

I know this is not going to be a help at all.. but personally, I think you have to have 100% without a doubt a can of Cranberry Sauce shaped like the can....LOL

 

[jorman]

Ooooh- Appletini- my husband would LOVE that! Is it in the magazine or cookbook?

 

[appletini]

Jorman,

Its in the November 2006 magazine, but it is also on their website www.southernliving.com

 

[Mara]

i love trying to find new ideas for side dishes for thanksgiving. we always have the staples (mashed potatoes, stuffing, salad) of course, but i am looking for some new veggies this year. i think one of my fave recipes previously was this head of cauliflower dish where you steamed three heads of cauliflower (intact) and then created a brown garlic butter with roasted walnuts in a saucepan kinda thing and then drizzled it all over the steamed cauliflower, it was DIVINE. and if you got smallish heads it made a lovely display on a long thin serving dish because you could put them in a row then drizzle over the top. very good looking. maybe i should make that again this year. i love cauliflower though so i''m partial.

anyone have other yummy veggie suggestions?

still trying to figure out what we are going to be doing for our ''personal'' turkey this year, brining or should i try an herbed roast instead. hmmm.

 

[diamondfan]

It is not Thanksgiving to me without candied sweet potates with marshmallows.

I am having my dinner catered this year. I will make a couple of things, but I have 12 adults and 6 kids, and most of them are staying with me for the week and I cannot deal. My mother in law stresses me and I will have to be entertaining her all week, so getting organized to cook and having her in my kitchen criticizing is too much for me. This way, I will have all the appetizers and stuff for people to snack on (this way I am not having to make lunch too) and then 95% of the dinner will be taken care of, plus desserts. I am serving a dish they like which is french green beans, cippoline onions and walnuts. The cauliflower sounds amazing, Mara. Where did you get the recipe? I used to make a spinach, onion, mushroom and cheddar cheese baked thing which is great. And I love braised root veggies so something along those lines could be great too. I like walnuts in things, and I love roasted garlic.

 

[moremoremore]

MINE! I just wet my pants...where did you find that pic? What a riot. I will be the first (and probably only LOL) to admit that I LOVE the canned stuff. Love it!

And I'm even MORE boring by suggesting my "Awesome Taters"....9 med taters, boiled until almost done....fridge for one day....peel .... melt block cheddar, pint half & half, 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 pep, coarsley grate taters and pour over mix...Bake 350 for 45 min,at 425 for last hour. YUM. Pure boring FAT but I LOVE them!!!

ANd I adore STUFFING but without meat...eww...

 

[ellaila]

Date: 11/13/2006 5:34:57 PM
Author: appletini
Jorman,

Its in the November 2006 magazine, but it is also on their website www.southernliving.com

Is it just me or is that Web site totally frustrating?!

I eventually found the links for both the potatoes and the buttercrunch topping, but the site is incredibly slow, and the potato recipe doesn''t include any measurements

Appletini, can you please post them if you''ve got the magazine?

Here''s the buttercrunch topping (sounds so good!):
Prep: 10 min.
3 cups crushed cornflakes cereal
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
Stir together 3 cups crushed cornflakes cereal, 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar, and 1/4 cup melted butter until blended. Store in freezer in a zip-top plastic freezer bag up to 3 months.

Oh, and Mara, I want that cauliflower recipe too -- YUMMMMM!!!

 

[ellaila]

Oh and just saw "Scene Stealing Sides" on Cooking Light -- lots of recipes here!

http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking/fd/features/package/0,14343,358507,00.html

 

[AGBF]

Date: 11/13/2006 6:53:34 PM
Author: diamondfan
It is not Thanksgiving to me without candied sweet potates with marshmallows.

Our family never put marshmallows on the sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving and I never bothered to eat the sweet potatoes. I didn't find out about the marshmallows trick until I was an adult. I now have a massive collection of recipes for baked sweet potatoes (from "scratch" or canned) made with marshmallows and with all kinds of exotic toppings. My mother will still prepare sweet potatoes as she always did, candied...no marshmallows...if left to her own devices. We're northerners. Are the marshmallows southern or something?

Deb, now living in Virginia and wondering...

 

[Ann]

I''m doing a new item for a side this year, Roasted Acorn Squash with some kind of Sauce!

I can''t decide which sauce to use yet, but it''ll be BurbonButter or a Balsalmic Ginger

 

[ellaila]

OK, was able to get back to the twice-baked sweets site, and I see that it says to just add spices, butter, etc. "to taste" so here''s the recipe:
---------------------------
small sweet potatoes
butter
brown sugar
cinnamon
nutmeg
miniature marshmallows
Buttercrunch Topping

Peel small sweet potatoes (to avoid a greenish cast, buy mature sweet potatoes); rub with oil. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until tender; cool completely. Carefully scoop out pulp, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shells intact.
Mash together pulp with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to taste; spoon mixture evenly into shells. Bake, covered, at 350° for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Uncover and top potatoes evenly with Buttercrunch Topping and miniature marshmallows; bake, uncovered, 10 more minutes.

 

[diamondfan]

Deb, I grew up in So. Cal...I just always loved it, and I flavor mine with brown sugar and grand marnier and put nuts on them too...YUM like a dish of candy

 

[sevens one]

I found some great recipes on the foodnetwork.com

Here''s the Mayflower Martini!

2 teaspoons sweet vermouth
Ice cubes
1 part gin
2 parts white cranberry juice
Whole cranberries on toothpicks, to garnish
Pour 1 teaspoon of sweet vermouth into each martini glass; swirl glass to coat and pour out excess. Set aside.
Fill a martini shaker with ice cubes. Pour 1 part gin and 2 parts white cranberry juice. Shake vigorously. Pour into martini glasses.

Serve chilled with a garnish of whole cranberries on a toothpick.

 

[AGBF]

Date: 11/13/2006 7:48:05 PM
Author: ellaila
Uncover and top potatoes evenly with Buttercrunch Topping and miniature marshmallows; bake, uncovered, 10 more minutes.

What is buttercrunch topping? Where does one buy it? I have had recipes call for things that had buttercrunch qualities (like a crumbled Skor candy bar), but never one that called for a buttercrunch topping!

 

[firebirdgold]

Try Thanksgiving 101. I got a smash-hit brussel sprouts and chesnut side dish from it. Normally my family hates brussel sprouts but it''s always the first bowl to get cleaned out!

 

[monarch64]

Date: 11/13/2006 8:14:51 PM
Author: sevens one

I found some great recipes on the foodnetwork.com

Here''s the Mayflower Martini!

2 teaspoons sweet vermouth
Ice cubes
1 part gin
2 parts white cranberry juice
Whole cranberries on toothpicks, to garnish

Pour 1 teaspoon of sweet vermouth into each martini glass; swirl glass to coat and pour out excess. Set aside.
Fill a martini shaker with ice cubes. Pour 1 part gin and 2 parts white cranberry juice. Shake vigorously. Pour into martini glasses.

Serve chilled with a garnish of whole cranberries on a toothpick.

Hee hee, can this be adapted to vodka instead of gin? Lots of vodka drinkers on DH''s side, where we will be celebrating the actual day...then I will drive down to southern IN to celebrate with my family (who are NOT drinkers at all, lol) for the rest of the weekend...DH and I always get together with friends "Thanksgiving Eve" to have drinks and enjoy the anticipation of the long weekend, though, and this looks like a great cocktail to serve!!! Thanks sevensone!

 

[diamondfan]

Sounds festive and great BUT with MY mother in law around, I just need the bottle of booze and a straw!!!!

 

[monarch64]

Date: 11/13/2006 6:53:34 PM
Author: diamondfan
It is not Thanksgiving to me without candied sweet potates with marshmallows.

I am having my dinner catered this year. I will make a couple of things, but I have 12 adults and 6 kids, and most of them are staying with me for the week and I cannot deal. My mother in law stresses me and I will have to be entertaining her all week, so getting organized to cook and having her in my kitchen criticizing is too much for me. This way, I will have all the appetizers and stuff for people to snack on (this way I am not having to make lunch too) and then 95% of the dinner will be taken care of, plus desserts. I am serving a dish they like which is french green beans, cippoline onions and walnuts. The cauliflower sounds amazing, Mara. Where did you get the recipe? I used to make a spinach, onion, mushroom and cheddar cheese baked thing which is great. And I love braised root veggies so something along those lines could be great too. I like walnuts in things, and I love roasted garlic.

Ya know, I am a gal who just dies for good old southern cooking, and then transplanted myself to Chicago...and into a family who just doesn''t appreciate southern cooking like I do... Last year I brought a sweet potato casserole modeled after my grandmother''s homemade recipe. I adapted a recipe from a BHG cookbook we have and it turned out almost just like hers--sweet potatoes with brown sugar, etc., covered with a layer of melted but browned on top marshmallows and pecans. Guess who ate most of it? Moi. Guess which dish was NOT cleaned out? Sadly, mine...damn these yankees, lol! How can they not know sweet potatoes are not only nutritious, but good for the soul? LOL!

This year my MIL has asked me to bring crockpot spinach and artichoke dip, and fresh garlic and olive oil marinated portabella mushrooms. They are Italian through and through, I swear.

 

[monarch64]

Date: 11/13/2006 12:20:21 PM
Author:lovelylulu
Does anyone have any tasty recipies for thanksgiving sides? We''re all headed to my brother''s house this year and I want to bring something to accompany the main meal they are making. Thoughts/suggestions?

I caught this on the Food network yesterday and they sounded really delicious, but i''m thinking i might want something that doesn''t necessarily have to be made the day of -- maybe something that i can prepare at home and bring...

Wild rice Stuffed Portobellos

Lulu, I am definitely going to try this Wild rice stuffed Portabella recipe! I just printed it out so I could get the ingredients this week and try it before Thanksgiving once! Thanks!

 

[monarch64]

Date: 11/15/2006 1:15:02 AM
Author: diamondfan
Sounds festive and great BUT with MY mother in law around, I just need the bottle of booze and a straw!!!!

ROFLMAO!

 

[diamondfan]

Mon, there is something about butter and sugar and crunch that is divine.

I love comfort food, with a twist, but I love fried chicken, mashed potatoes, good quality mac and cheese...

of course I do not eat it much.

I also LOVE Italian food and I love that dip. I used to have a cream cheese crab dip with slivered almonds on top and it was AWESOME. I could eat the whole bowl, and I love the artichoke spinach dip too...

 

[monarch64]

Date: 11/15/2006 1:28:47 AM
Author: diamondfan
Mon, there is something about butter and sugar and crunch that is divine.

I love comfort food, with a twist, but I love fried chicken, mashed potatoes, good quality mac and cheese...

of course I do not eat it much.

I also LOVE Italian food and I love that dip. I used to have a cream cheese crab dip with slivered almonds on top and it was AWESOME. I could eat the whole bowl, and I love the artichoke spinach dip too...

Ooo DF, I know...those comfort foods really speak to me as well, but the times I actually eat them are few and far between! Just the thought of some of those things is enough to send me worrying into next week about whether my jeans will fit in 3 days, lol! Every time DH goes on a bender and orders pizza from our favorite place I get all willy nilly, tee hee!

Seriously, though, glad to hear you''re doing catering for TXgiving and not giving a hee or a haw what the old girl says, ha!

So many people coming into your household should be a joyous occasion, and I really hope no one screws it up for you! TG my house is only 1250 sq. ft. total and there just isn''t room for more than 6 at a time...otherwise I''d be wondering what the fastest way to kill myself was right now with the holidays coming, he hee. This year we are lucky in that no one cares about what food we bring, just whether we bring the new puppy and who gets to love on her the most!

Oh, I wanted to mention that your story sounds SO much like my own mother''s and her MIL--Grandma is certified CRAZY--manic depressive, used to try to draw attention with suicide threats, etc., and my mother has been the only one to see through it...her MIL is just one of those people you try to avoid during the holidays, though everyone inevitably feels sorry for her and pays her attention anyway. My dad (evil MIL''s son) sees it, but rarely acknowledges her behavior, thus putting a damper on the whole holiday. And my family wonders why I moved 5 hrs. away from them...

My own MIL isn''t half as bad, but still...she has her days and I do my share of telephone and email avoidance, he hee.

 

[diamondfan]

Monarch I can only say I thank G*d for caller id!!!!

Unfortunately for me right now I do have a large house and lots of bedrooms and no one wanted to be in a hotel. Honestly the closest one is not great at all, and the good ones are in Philly and require highway driving. Thus I would have to hand her the keys to our third car (not happening) or drive her back and forth. And the hotels, Ritz, Four Seasons etc, are pricey so SHE would not pay and I would. Worth my sanity on one hand but she starts charging up room service and spa bills whenever we are paying and there is something about it that just irks me.

Your poor mom. Your dad being in the middle I know it is a tough call. You are smart to have moved is all I can say!

 

[monarch64]

Date: 11/15/2006 2:51:24 AM
Author: diamondfan
Monarch I can only say I thank G*d for caller id!!!!

Unfortunately for me right now I do have a large house and lots of bedrooms and no one wanted to be in a hotel. Honestly the closest one is not great at all, and the good ones are in Philly and require highway driving. Thus I would have to hand her the keys to our third car (not happening) or drive her back and forth. And the hotels, Ritz, Four Seasons etc, are pricey so SHE would not pay and I would. Worth my sanity on one hand but she starts charging up room service and spa bills whenever we are paying and there is something about it that just irks me.

Your poor mom. Your dad being in the middle I know it is a tough call. You are smart to have moved is all I can say!

OMg, can''t you get her a room and tell the front desk she''s under child supervision or something and to block all "special" charges? Maybe hire a cab to drive her to the hotel and mix up one of those special "medicated" drinks before she leaves?

Seriously, I know how bad it can get with relatives such as your MIL (and my own grandmother)--seems we women never do anything about it but worry ourselves to death over them. It must just be one of those things in life with which you have to deal or be dealt with...arrgh. I now hate the holidays just as much as my mother does because of my g-ma! I"m sure yours will turn out just beautifully in the end, as will ours, but still it is stressful to even think about how things will be. Good luck with everything, and I look forward to hearing about how you took control of the sitch. and didn''t let the old girl rain on your lovely parade, he hee!

 

[diamondfan]

Xanax cocktail anyone?!

I just hope her sister will keep her in line.

I am a great hostess and try to make people comfy and happy but that ship has sailed where the witch is concerned. And sadly I do not even hide my feelings now, the gloves have come off. If she thinks she can waltz into my home and pull her crap, she needs to stand corrected and I am happy to oblige!!!!

Have a great holiday yourself with good people, your new little pup (Daisy, yeah) and wonderful food...