Veggie Side for Thanksgiving?!
Answers: I always make Green Bean Casserole for Thanksgiving, but I am getting kinda tired of the same ole thing. Does anyone have another idea that tastes just as great !!! Please no corn~
My mom cooks broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus. She fills a 9" x 13" baking dish with cooked broccoli on one end, cauliflower in the middle, and asparagus on the other end. She covers all of it with cheese sauce & then sprinkles Corn Flakes on the top. Then she bakes it just until it's hot. It's delicious....and different!
You can do like a broccoli/cauliflower cheesey casserole, or my parents did just sauteed green beans. yum with olive oil and garlic! or what about spinach?
I just received a magazine from kraft foods that has some excellent sides in it. www.kraftfoods.com
Land O Lakes also has some great sides www.landolakes.com
Also, Taste Of Home www.tasteofhome.com
Roasted butternut squash!
1 butternut squash, about 1 ? to 2 pounds
olive oil cooking spray
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon salt
? teaspoon pepper
Preheat oven to 350°.
Cut the squash into four wedges.
Remove the seeds.
Mist each wedge with cooking spray and dust with allspice, salt and pepper.
Bake for 40 minutes until soft.
How about some classic favorites? Peas & carrots, corn, tossed green salad (or Caesar salad)? Simple, basic but always a welcome item on the table.
Cider-Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Cranberries Recipe
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 1/2 C. apple cider or apple juice
1/4 C. (packed) golden brown sugar
2 T. butter
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
1/2 t. ground allspice
1/2 C. dried cranberries
Boil sweet potatoes in a large pot of salted water until halfway cooked (when a knife inserted into center will encounter resistance), about 5 minutes. Drain and cool. (This step can be done 1 day ahead if sweet potatoes are covered and refrigerated.)
Combine cider, sugar, butter, nutmeg and allspice in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Add potatoes and reduce heat so liquid is simmering. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add cranberries and continue cooking until liquid is reduced to a syrupy glaze and potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. (If the glaze becomes very thick before potatoes become tender, thin it with a small amount of cider.)
When potatoes are tender, transfer to a serving bowl with a slotted spoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour remaining glaze over sweet potatoes and serve.
Makes 6 servings.
OR-
Wild Rice with Pecans Recipe
1 C. uncooked wild rice
5 1/2 C. reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 C. dried cherries
1 C. pecan halves
4 green onions, washed, ends removed, thinly sliced
Grated peel of 1 orange
1/3 C. orange juice
2 T. olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Place the rice in a strainer and rinse thoroughly under cold water. In a medium, heavy saucepan, place the rice. Add the chicken broth and heat to boiling. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the rice is tender. Drain and place in a bowl. Add the cherries, pecans, green onion, orange peel, orange juice, olive oil and salt and pepper; toss gently. Let stand at least 2 hours for the flavors to develop. Serve at room temperature or heat before serving.
Makes 8 servings.
I know I'm weird, but I hate that green bean casserole dish
Roasted Butternut Squash, Rosemary and Garlic Lasagna Recipe
3 lbs. butternut squash, quartered, seeded, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 9 1/2 C.)
3 T. vegetable oil
4 C. milk
2 T. dried rosemary, crumbled
1 T. minced garlic
1/4 C. butter
4 T. all-purpose flour
9 7 x 3 1/2-inch sheets dry no-boil lasagna pasta
1 1/3 C. freshly grated Parmesan (about 5 oz.)
1 C. heavy cream
1/2 t. salt
Garnish: Fresh rosemary sprigs
Preheat oven to 450°F. and oil 2 large shallow baking pans.
In a large bowl toss squash with oil until coated well and spread in one layer in pans. Roast squash in oven 10 minutes and season with salt. Stir squash and roast 10 to 15 minutes more, or until tender and beginning to turn golden.
While squash is roasting, in a saucepan bring milk to a simmer with rosemary. Heat milk mixture over low heat 10 minutes and pour through a sieve into a large pitcher or measuring cup.
In a large heavy saucepan cook garlic in butter over moderately low heat, stirring until softened. Stir in flour and cook roux, stirring, 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and whisk in milk mixture in a stream until smooth. Return pan to heat and simmer sauce, whisking occasionally, about 10 minutes, or until thick. Stir in squash and salt and pepper to taste. Sauce may be made 3 days ahead and chilled, its surface covered with plastic wrap.
Reduce temperature to 375°F. and butter a baking dish, 13 x 9 x 2 inches.
Pour 1 cup sauce into baking dish (sauce will not cover bottom completely) and cover with 3 lasagna sheets, making sure they do not touch each other. Spread half of remaining sauce over pasta and sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan. Make one more layer in same manner, beginning and ending with pasta. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat cream with salt until it holds soft peaks and spread evenly over top pasta layer, making sure pasta is completely covered. Sprinkle remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan over cream. Cover dish tightly with foil, tenting slightly to prevent foil from touching top layer, and bake in middle of oven 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake lasagna 10 minutes more, or until top is bubbling and golden. Let lasagna stand 5 minutes. Garnish each serving with rosemary.
Yield: 6 servings as a main course or 12 as a side dish
Green Beans with Sherried Onion and Mushroom Sauce Recipe
1 lb. green beans, stemmed, and cut into 2-inch lengths
Salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg
3 T. butter
1 C. small pearl onions, sliced in half
1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms
2 T. flour
1/2 C. chicken stock
1/2 C. heavy cream
2 T. sherry
Bring 2 quarts water to a boil and add the beans. Simmer until they're crisp, but tender. Drain; season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
In a 10-inch skillet, melt the butter and add the onions, sauteeing for three minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms give off some of their liquid. Add the flour; stir until blended.
Gradually stir in the stock and whisk until thickened. Add the cream and sherry, stirring until the mixture thickens. Add the seasonings and refrigerate until ready to serve. At that time, heat the sauce and add the green beans to the sauce.
I like garlic buttered red potatoes with broccoli and carrots
A garden salad is still a hit during the holidays
Cabbage with bacon
Turnips with butter (don't forget to add a touch of sugar)
Greens (collard, mustard, turnip)
Three-Bean salad
try mashed sweet potaote, its a twist on the classic mashed potatoe, here the recipe i use:
http://www.grouprecipes.com/3539/mashed-...
MACARONI SALAD
1 sm. pkg. macaroni
1/4 lb. Longhorn cheese
4 hard cooked eggs
1 sm. onion (more if desired)
1/2 - 1 c. cooked frozen peas
Salad dressing
Salt
Sugar
Cook macaroni and to it, add: Cheese, eggs, and onion. Cook peas for about one minute and add to mixture. Add salad dressing, salt to taste, and a little sugar.
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WILD RICE AND MUSHROOM
DRESSING
2 c. cooked wild rice
2 c. cooked white rice
4 strips bacon
1 med. onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp. finely minced parsley
1 lg. can sliced mushrooms with liquid
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 to 1/2 c. chicken broth
Cook rices according to package instructions. Saute bacon until crispy; remove and crumble. Saute onions in bacon drippings until soft and yellow. Add remaining ingredients using enough chicken broth (duck is better!) for a moist dressing. Season with salt and pepper. (I added some sage, also.) Bake 30 minutes at 325 degrees. Excellent with turkey, ducks, or other game birds. Serves 8.
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VEGETABLE CASSEROLE
Broccoli florets
Cauliflower florets
Carrot slices
Brussels sprouts, optional
(Use one frozen bag each, or one bunch fresh each.)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 c. Cheddar cheese, grated
Cook the vegetables in separate pans, until crisp, not well done. Drain well and place in well greased casserole dish. Heat and stir the two soups together. Pour over the vegetables. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake 325 degrees, 45 minutes, or so.
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CRANBERRY PUNCH FOR THANKSGIVING
2 c. pineapple juice
1 c. orange juice
Lots of ice
2 c. cranberry juice
1 c. club soda
6 lemon slices
Combine all the ingredients in a glass pitcher and stir. Refrigerate until ready to serve with your Thanksgiving dinner
for the past few years, my family has gotten a squash or pumpkin, and stuffed it with stuffing.
Though this is mainly for my benefit, as I don't eat turkey.
Super Broccoli Casserole
2 boxes or 1 bag frozen, chopped broccoli, cooked and drained
2 eggs beaten
1 sml onion, minced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
? cup mayonnaise
1 cup grated cheddar, jack, or mozzarella cheese
1 cup cracker crumbs
? cup butter
Combine first 6 ingredients, add to buttered 9x11 casserole dish. Sprinkle with cracker crumbs and dot with butter. Bake at 350F for 1 hour.
well I put a new twist on the green bean casserole . instead of using the cream of mushroom soup ,I use cheddar cheese soup instead and it adds a new twist to it . my niece and nephew dont eat mushrooms so i use the cheddar cheese soup instead . good luck and god bless.