Simple, but Elegant Side Dishes for Christmas Dinner, 2016
Your grandkids were just decked out in their Halloween costumes and now you’re looking at the Holiday season—Thanksgiving and then Christmas. And though the holiday season is filled with family tradition and joy, it also comes with a certain amount of stress. What will you buy, how will you decorate, and what will you cook?
We’re here to help. When the family gathers this year for that traditional Thanksgiving or Christmas meal, maybe you’d like to add a few easy but creative side dishes to your turkey or ham dinner. The following are relatively easy dishes to prepare, but offer variety and class to any meal.
So go ahead and buy that twenty pound turkey or ham and fix the family’s favorites to go along, but why not try out at least one new dish to add some zest to the meal?
Three Stuffing Recipes Made in Your Crockpot
All three of these stuffing recipes are made in your crockpot. Half an hour before your meal, check the stuffing for moistness. If you like your stuffing a bit moister, add ¼ cup water or chicken stock.
Stuffing with Apple and Sausage
Ingredients
12 cups cubed bread
8 oz ground pork sausage browned and drained
3 T. butter, melted
1 ½ cup granny smith apples chopped
1 ½ cup chopped onion
1 ½ t. salt
½ t. pepper
½ cup chicken broth
Preparation
Combine ingredients and place in crockpot on medium high to high for 60 minutes.
Traditional Stuffing with Egg and Mushrooms
Ingredients
1 cup butter
2 cups chopped celery
¼ cup chopped parsley
16 oz canned mushrooms
12 cups cubed white bread
1 t. poultry seasoning
1 t. dried thyme
1 ½ t. pepper
1 ½ t. salt
½ t. marjoram
two eggs, beaten
4 cups chicken broth
Preparation
Combine ingredients in crockpot for 65 minutes.
Cornbread Stuffing
Ingredients
8 x 8 pan of baked cornbread
4 slices wheat or white bread toasted and cubed
2 cups chopped celery
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 beaten eggs
¼ cup butter, melted
1 T. poultry seasoning
½ t. salt
½ t. pepper
2 cups chicken broth
Preparation
Combine ingredients in crockpot and cook for 80 minutes.
Three Vegetable Recipes with Flair
Roasted Asparagus
Ingredients
asparagus spears
olive oil
minced garlic
minced fresh rosemary
salt and pepper
bacon, one piece for each 3-4 asparagus spears
Preparation
Toss asparagus spears in olive oil, garlic and rosemary.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Wrap 3-4 spears with bacon, leaving top and bottom exposed.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
One wrap per guest.
Brown Butter Green Beans with Hazelnuts
Ingredients
2 pounds green beans, trimmed
1 T. salt
¾ cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts
3T. butter
1 large shallot, chopped
1 t. sherry vinegar
¼ t. pepper
1 t. salt
1 t. oil (olive or hazelnut oil)
Preparation
Blanch the beans in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Drain.
Toast hazelnuts in a frying pan for 3-5 minutes, remove and save.
Melt butter in same pan and cook one minute until brown.
Add shallots and cook 3 minutes.
Add beans and cook 1 minute.
Stir in vinegar and nuts, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place in serving dish and sprinkle with oil.
Sweet Potatoes with Bananas and Honey
Ingredients
5 medium sweet potatoes
4 bananas
1 cup butter
¼ cup honey
½ cup flour
¾ cup pecans, chopped
Pinch of salt
Preparation
Prick and bake sweet potatoes at 375 degrees for thirty minutes.
Add the bananas to the pan and bake for 10-15 minutes more.
Discard skins and mash together.
Add ½ cup butter and a pinch of salt.
Place in baking dish and top with crumble made with the remaining ingredients.
Bake at 375 for twenty minutes.
