If you enjoy Thanksgiving dinners, but would like to take a small step away from the ordinary, try these alternative side dishes that maybe become staples on your holiday table.
Orange-Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients:
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup orange juice
¾ cup water
4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed
Orange zest
Bring sugars, water, and juice to a boil over medium heat until the sugars have dissolved. Add the cranberries and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer for approximately 10 minutes, until most of the berries have burst. Stir in orange zest and remove from heat. Cool completely and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set.
Bacon Garlic Green Beans
Ingredients:
3 lbs fresh green beans, with the ends removed
4 slices of bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled
1 cup butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp lemon zest
In a medium pan, just cover green beans with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer just until beans begin to soften, approximately 10 minutes. Drain water and return beans to pot. Add butter and bacon to pan over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, stir in garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes and remove from heat. Stir in lemon zest and serve.
Roasted Butternut Squash
Ingredients:
1 medium Butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
*tip – poke several shallow holes in the washed squash and put it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. After it cools, peel with a vegetable peeler
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt, to taste
Can be garnished with fresh shredded parmesan cheese, cinnamon, rosemary, or other aromatic spice of your choice.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl (or gallon size Ziploc bag) combine butternut squash cubes, olive oil, garlic, and salt until well coated. Arrange cubes on baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 25-35 minutes until pieces are browned and tender. Garnish if desired.
Cheesy Creamed Corn
Ingredients:
2 (10 ounce) packages of frozen yellow corn, thawed
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp granulated sugar
Black pepper to taste
2 tbsp butter
½ cup milk
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
¼- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (adjust to taste)
Combine corn, heavy cream, sugar, butter, salt and pepper in a skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3-5 minutes. Whisk together flour and milk until smooth and add to skillet. Stir constantly over medium heat until sauce has thickened and corn is cooked, approximately 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted. Serve immediately.
