# Vegetable sides for Thanksgiving



## wasabi woman (Oct 7, 2004)

I am not allowed to vary our Thanksgiving menu very much, the family won't stand for it! :roll: 

The only part of the meal I can introduce anything new are vegetables!
Last year we had...

Creamy Corn Casserole
Prep Time: approx. 5 Minutes. Cook Time: approx. 45 Minutes. 
Makes 8 servings. 

1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 (8.5 ounce) package dry corn bread mix
 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14.75 ounce) can creamed corn
1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and lightly grease a 9x9 baking dish.
In a medium bowl, combine butter, eggs, corn bread mix, whole and creamed corn and sour cream. Spoon mixture into prepared dish.
Bake for 45 mins in the preheated oven, or until the top is golden bown. 
(The ingredients can be doubled and baked in a 9x13 baking dish in almost the same amount of cooking time)

It was a hit!  Anyhow, now I'm looking for something new for this year.
Will you share your family's favorite vegetable side dish?

Thanks!


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## mudbug (Oct 7, 2004)

we're boring - green bean casserole and sweet taters


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## wasabi woman (Oct 7, 2004)

not boring mudbug, traditional!  and yes, we too have the green bean casserole and some kind of sweet potato dish!


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## mudbug (Oct 7, 2004)

Traditional certainly has a better ring, doesn't it?  I guess I did make one different thing last year that got gobbled up, but it wasn't a veg. 

Cranberry Orange Relish

1 pkg fresh cranberries (12 oz)
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups boiling water
2 small or 1 large package cranberry or other red Jello mix
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1-1/2 cups cold water
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Chop cranberries finely in food processor, mix with sugar, set aside.
Add cinnamon and make the Jello using the water amounts.  Refrigerate until thickened - about 90 minutes - then stir in cranberries, oranges, and nuts.  Spoon into a 6-cup mold, cover, and back in the fridge for at least four hours.

Unmold for 12 servings.


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## Audeo (Oct 7, 2004)

mudbug said:
			
		

> we're boring - green bean casserole and sweet taters



NOT!  I may be allowed free reign in my home to experiment with anything in cooking and everyone feigns delight to be a guinea pig, but the one tacit understanding I have with my husband is that there will ALWAYS be green bean casserole with french-fried onions on the Thanksgiving table!

Fortunately, it is also one of the few things I haven't botched from time to time....


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## mudbug (Oct 7, 2004)

I don't think Americans are allowed to celebrate Thanksgiving without The Casserole.  You know those neighbors who come over for "dessert?"  They are really the Secret Food Police, checking up to verify that those are stray bits of mushroom, green been bits, and french fried onion crumbs in the casserole dish.


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## Audeo (Oct 7, 2004)

Ohmygosh!  I never thought about that!


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## middie (Oct 7, 2004)

mud... omg it all makes sense now!!!!!!!!!!


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## mudbug (Oct 7, 2004)

See? ya learn things around here, doncha?


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## crewsk (Oct 7, 2004)

I also make a greenbean casserole(minus the french fried onions-hubby hates them). We also have pineapple casserole.


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## middie (Oct 7, 2004)

mudbug said:
			
		

> See? ya learn things around here, doncha?



and they say forums aren't educational   *pshaw*


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## mudbug (Oct 7, 2004)

crewsk said:
			
		

> I also make a greenbean casserole(minus the french fried onions-hubby hates them). We also have pineapple casserole.



Don't know how I missed this one, crewsk.  Your hubby is a barbarian.  Tell me about the pineapple casserole.  We always have ham at Christmas for my MIL and anything pineapple always goes good w/ham.


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## crewsk (Oct 7, 2004)

Yeah I think he's a barbarian too. But I still love him!

Pineapple Casserole
1(16oz)can pineapple chunks
1/2C. sugar
3Tbsp. flour
1C. grated cheddar cheese
1 stick butter or margarine, melted
Ritz cracker crumbs(I use 1 tube of Ritz for this size)

Spread pineapple with juice in casserole dish(2 quart I think). Mix sugar & flour & sprinkle on top of pineapple. Cover with grated cheese. Top with Ritz crumbs. Pour melted butter evenly over Ritz. Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes until top is brown & bubbly.  

I usually get everything ready the night before & assemble right before cooking.


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## mudbug (Oct 7, 2004)

of course you still love him.  sometimes barbarians are the most fun....

thanks for the casserole recipe.  I'm making this at Christmas!


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## crewsk (Oct 7, 2004)

Yes they are & you're welcome. I hope ya'll enjoy it!


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## jkath (Oct 9, 2004)

Here's the dish I make for my sister every thanksgiving. She can't have meat (not her choice, sadly) so she loves veggie dishes.
I absolutely adore it - it is a great addition to any Turkey dinner!

Creamy Dilled Carrots

4 c. thinly sliced carrots
3/4 c. water
2 Tbsp. butter (no margarine!)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1 Tbsp. flour (wondra works really good)
1/2 c. light cream
2 Tbsp. fresh dill, minced

In a saucepan, combine carrots, water, butter, salt, sugar & pepper. Cover & simmer until carrots are crisp-tender. about 10 minutes. Drain liquid into a small saucepan; set the carrots aside & keep warm. Bring liquid to a boil. In a small bowl, combine flour & cream until smooth; slowly add to liquid, stirring constantly. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour over the carrots; stir in dill. Cover & let stand for 15 minutes before serving. Serves 6-8 (although around here it only serves 4)


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## wasabi woman (Oct 9, 2004)

Thanks jkath! Sounds perfect! I used to make some "dilly carrots" a long time ago for appetizers - think I got the recipe off a spice islands Beau Monde jar; and loved them.  
This sounds like a great extension of that idea!


Thanks alot!


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## masteraznchefjr (Oct 9, 2004)

Cream upon creamed spinach lol thats wut i call it. It has a spicy kick to it.


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## Raine (Oct 9, 2004)

Well keep the things they won't let you change  and add new stuff. Then they may let you change it up a bit.


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## kyles (Oct 10, 2004)

We don't do Thanksgiving in England, which is a shame, it seems like a lovely holiday. I love all the traditions...........coming from Australia, we don't have the same rich cookery traditions, ours are all borrowed from our English cousins.

One weird veggie tradition in England is brussel sprouts for Christmas. We HAVE to have them, and I dislike then, but I always eat them up, YUCK!


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## wasabi woman (Oct 10, 2004)

kyles - I love brussel sprouts!!! and have recipes for probably 40 ways to cook them!  I spent several years in NSW when I was young; my Dad was a civil engineer on The Snowy Mountains HydroElectric project there.
I loved it!  Still watch movies like Sun Downers and The Dish just to hear the good Aussie accents and be reminded of the wonderful people we knew there!

here's a recipe for you, even my Grandkids (who also hate Brussel Sprouts) happily eat!

Braised Brussels Sprouts

4 pints brussels sprouts 
2 TBLS unsalted butter 
Coarse kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 450º. 
In large pot, cover brussels sprouts with water to cover. 
Bring to boil over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes. 
Drain well, cool and cut in halves.
Toss in large roasting pan with butter, salt and pepper. 
Cover with foil or parchment paper and roast for 45 mins.
or until tender. Serve hot. 

Yield: 10 servings.

good on ya!


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## kyles (Oct 10, 2004)

What an amazing experience.......I haven't been to the Snowy Mountain Ranges. I think i feel a Dish moment coming on this afternoon!!! Australians make some great movies.

I have tried brussel sprouts a variety of ways, and I have gone from wild loathing to quiet toleration. The best way is cooked with chestnuts, the sweet nuttiness of chestnuts seems to get rid of some of the bitterness. 

My mum would never serve us anything she wouldn't eat herself, when we had brussel sprouts at home I couldn't understand why she could swallow hers whole, until I caught her in the kitchen peeling back the leaves so hers was no bigger than a marble!


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## wasabi woman (Oct 10, 2004)

Sounds like a very wise Mum to me!!!

Wishing you good brussel sprouts and a Happy Christmas!


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## jkath (Oct 10, 2004)

I love Brussels Sprouts too...
here's how my mom always cooked them (and now me, too)

(Small Bag) Frozen, boiled in just enough water to cover till they're just soft.
Drain, then add about 1 Tbsp butter & a dash of vinegar. It really tastes good, really!


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## SierraCook (Oct 10, 2004)

Speaking of brussels sprouts I saw this recipe this morning on The Barefoot Contessa.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts 
Copyright, 1999, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, All rights reserved 

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy 
Prep Time: 10 minutes 
Cook Time: 40 minutes 
Yield: 6 servings 

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts 
3 tablespoons good olive oil 
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 
Cut off the ends of the Brussels sprouts and 
pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl 
with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer them to 
a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until 
crisp outside and tender inside. Shake the pan from 
time to time to brown the Brussels sprouts evenly. 
Sprinkle with more kosher salt (I like these salty like 
French fries) and serve hot.

Episode#: IG1A11
Copyright © 2003 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved


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## PolishedTopaz (Oct 10, 2004)

How about a variation on the mashed potato thing? Do potatoes au'gratin or panchetta mashed potatoes or baked mashed potatoes with 3 cheeses.


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## kyles (Oct 10, 2004)

I've never considered baking them, we always boil them, I'm sure there are people who put them on for Christmas about now!!!! They are often overcooked and disgusting.

I quite like them as left overs made into bubble and squeak.


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## Raine (Oct 10, 2004)

I posted this last night don't know what happened to it. This is one of our favorites.

Corn Pie

Make this with fresh, frozen or canned corn.  
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup sugar
1 T all-purpose flour
2 cups corn
4 T (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 cup milk
dash of pepper
dash of nutmeg
1/2 t salt
Beat eggs & sugar together. Add flour, corn, butter, milk and seasonings. Pour into casserole dish and cover. Bake 45 minutes in preheated 400-degree oven.


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## Raine (Oct 10, 2004)

Posted it in another thread. This another favorite.

Butternut Cream Pie

1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
1/4 cup hot water
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 T carmel ice cream topping
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground ginger
1/4 t ground cloves
1 pkg (5.1 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
3/4 cup plus 2 T milk
1 pie shell (9 inch) baked
Whipped cream and toasted flaked coconut

Cut squash in half, discard seeds. Place squash cut side down in microwave-safe dish, add hot water. Cover and microwave for 13-15 minutes or until tender. When cool enough to handle, scoop out pulp and mash. Set aside 1 -1 1/2 cups squash (save remaining squah for another use)

In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Stir in squash until blended. Add the sugar, carmel topping, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and cloves; beat until blended. Add pudding mix and milk; beat on low speed for 2 minutes. Spoon into pie shell. Refigerate for at least 3 hours. Garnish with whipped cream and toasted coconut.   
6-8 servings


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## Konditor (Oct 11, 2004)

*Baked Sweet Potatoes in Orange Cups*

5 thin-skinned oranges, halved hemispherically
3 lbs sweet potatoes, pared & cut into large chunks
1 cup white granulated sugar
5 ounces uns. butter (plus another ounce for topping)
Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 ounces peeled fresh gingerroot, grated

Using grapefruit knife, remove flesh from oranges over a sieve place above a bowl; reserve the juice.  Squeeze remaining juice from fruit into the bowl.  Measure out ½ cup orange juice; reserve remaining juice for another use.

Cook sweet potatoes in large, covered saucepan of boiling water for 20-30 minutes, or until they’re tender when pierced w/ point of knife.  Drain.  Return sweet pots to saucepan.  Heat over med. heat & shake pan about 1 min.  Mash the potatoes.  Add orange juice, sugar, 5 oz. butter, and seasonings; beat until combined.

Mound sweet potatoe mixture into orange shells; sprinkle the tops evenly w. grated ginger; dot w/ remaining ounce of butter.  (The filled orange cups can be made ahead, covered & refrigerated for up to 6 hours.)

Bake the cups at 350° until heated through, about 25 min.  At your turkey dinner, serve these orange cups as an accompaniment along w/ cranberry relish, parsnips, Brussel sprouts, & candied chestnuts.


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## jkath (Oct 11, 2004)

Konditor - 
Your Baked Sweet Potatoes in Orange Cups sound perfect! I cannot wait to make them! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!


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## wasabi woman (Oct 11, 2004)

Really have to say thanks everyone! Between the Cranberry Orange Relish, Pineapple Casserole, Creamy Dilled Carrots, Butternut Cream Pie and the Baked Sweet Potatoes in Orange Cups (which not only sounds delicious, but will make a spectacular presentation!), I will be able to really give my family new wonderul things to try!!!  Thank you so much for all your input!!!


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## debthecook (Oct 12, 2004)

On my table, I love creamed spinach and mashed Potatoes, mashed turnips.
My 9 year only cares for white rice and salad.
My husband wants BAKED sweet potatoes and salad.


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## crewsk (Oct 12, 2004)

I hope your family has a wonderful Thanksgiving WW & that they enjoy everything!


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## Claire (Oct 16, 2004)

I, too, have suffered from holiday meal traditions.  Now, don't get me wrong, at Thanksgiving I do all the traditional stuff.  But my family insisted on exactly the same meal at Christmas.  EXACTLY.  AND I might add, the meal contained "traditions" that I, as the eldest child, had never been in on.  The green bean casserole and the marshmallow sweet potatoes were not on the agenda when I was a kid, but my family insisted they HAD to be on the menu.  The cucumber/shrimp/mushroom salad we never did without when I was young, no one wanted.  Oh, dear.  Just because you're siblings doesn't mean you were raised in the same family!!!!


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## mudbug (Oct 16, 2004)

Here's another way to do the sweet potatoes

*Orange-Pecan Sweet Potatoes*

2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 t cinnamon
4 cups cooked, sliced sweet potatoes
1/3 cup orange juice
3 T brandy
pinch of salt (optional)
1/2 t ginger
1/4 t allspice

Combine 1/3 cup of brown sugar, pecans, 1/4 cup melted butter and cinnamon.  Mix and set aside for final layer.

Combine remaining ingedients and layer potatoes in shallow, buttered casserole dish.  Top with set-aside mixture.

Bake covered at 350 for 30 minutes.  If you prefer a crunchy topping, remove cover for the last few minutes of baking time.


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## debthecook (Nov 10, 2004)

Haitian Sweet Potato Pudding:

6 cups grated sweet potatoes
3 sliced ripe bananas
1 cup coconut milk
4 cups half and half
9 eggs lightly beaten
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 cup raisins
1 tsp group cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tbs vanilla

Oven 350
Mix all and pour into a 9x13 inch baking pan. Bake for 30 min till potatoes are cooked through.  10 to 12 servings.


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## amber (Nov 20, 2004)

masteraznchefjr said:
			
		

> Cream upon creamed spinach lol thats wut i call it. It has a spicy kick to it.



May I please have your recipe for this?


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## Claire (Nov 22, 2004)

I like brussels sprouts, and a good hint is just to boil 'til they're as firm or mushy as you like, then at a good spoon full of orange juice concentrate to the butter, and maybe a grind of nutmeg.  The OJ plays well with the slight bitter tang of the sprouts.  

Most of my life I've been far away from family on Thanksgiving, so had my own traditions.  Then I lived near my family for a few years and learned how hide-bound people can be when it comes to holiday dinners.  One year I was determined to have a goose rather than turkey for Christmas, and you'd swear I'd started a revolution.  Christmas was always an exact duplicate of Thanksgiving.  Easter and New Years day were pretty much the same (ham), and when I tried to introduced my husband's family Easter tradition (lamb), once again it just didn't wash (and they all like lamb, I might add).  I now no longer live near my family, and at holidays I simply say, "this (XXXXX) is what I am making, and feel free to bring whatever is YOUR family tradition."  If we wind up with one bowl of my sage stuffing, one of cornbread dressing, one of sausage dressing, and no squash or sweet potatoes, so be it.  Everyone has their favorite!


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## Audeo (Nov 22, 2004)

Clair, you're such a storyteller!  And I just love it when people put their foot down!  (I've enjoyed doing it myself a few times@ :twisted: )  Shaking folks up a bit is also entertaining!

LOL at this one!!


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