Thanksgiving side dishes

[I'dluv2]

Whether it's turkey or prime rib for dinner you need those side dishes to go with it. Here is a favorite of ours, every year there is none left. Most people grab some of this before even going for the main course.

 

[BoomerD]

That doesn't sound bad...

For us, the "must haves" include:
homemade turkey dressing (not stuffing)
mashed potatoes and turkey gravy
French's green bean casserole
candied yams or (at least) baked sweet potatoes. (for my wife)
cranberry sauce...either jellied or whole berry...a couple of years ago, we picked up some fresh cranberries from one of the local growers...made our own.

 

[deadlyapp]

Whether it's turkey or prime rib for dinner you need those side dishes to go with it. Here is a favorite of ours, every year there is none left. Most people grab some of this before even going for the main course.

View attachment 110893

Just an easy 25 g of fat per serving. Good lord lol.

 

[daveybrat]

I'm going to make the classic frozen Meatballs (Costco) and Grape Jelly (with Chili Sauce) in my crock pot for appetizers. I've heard that a good substitute for the grape jelly is the canned Cranberry Jelly. Anyone try this?

 

[mindless1]

I despise creamed corn, even without the added sugar which is especially disgusting to me, so you can have mine. It's not "as" bad if using fresh corn but I just don't appreciate frozen or even far, far worse, canned corn. I should mention that my aunt grows corn and green beans so we always get those as fresh as fresh can be. It sets a bar, but I try to hold back puking every time I taste canned corn.

My other aunt always used to do meatballs and little sausages in a tomato/chili gravy that had grape jelly in it, and every time I was thinking, this is not "bad" but the jelly would better be left out. IMO, anything that adds sugar besides tomato/sauce, does nothing positive for it.

After many years of excess leftovers, we've decided that we don't need so many options. If someone is dead set on bringing their favorite, we don't discourage it but don't encourage it either.

Even so, besides the basics, I like a meat, crackers, and some raw veggies as an appetizer, and some green bean or cheesy potato casserole on the side is welcome.

 

[Steltek]

Just an easy 25 g of fat per serving. Good lord lol.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

This is a lovely thread! I think I could put this together before leaving on the 400 mile trek to Reno to visit my brother. I could freeze it before the "roasting" stage, carry it up there, move it to the freezer on Sunday afternoon arrival and put it in the broiler on Thursday.

I'm diabetic type 2. I take my Metformin, avoid sugar-added fruit juice and sugar-based soft drinks. I moderate the carbs etc. But TG Holiday has to be a treat in which I can mildly violate the recommendations.

You're G**D**M Right I'm going to enjoy Turkey-day dinner! And I can appreciate Mindless1's aversion, but I love creamed corn. Yes! I"m going to do it! Posi-lutely, Abso-tively!

 

[Iron Woode]

there are so many side dishes.

I like making cheesy scalloped potatoes. Easy and very tasty.

homemade dressing is a great side dish.

cheesy garlic bread or perhaps with pizza toppings sounds great.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Whether it's turkey or prime rib for dinner you need those side dishes to go with it. Here is a favorite of ours, every year there is none left. Most people grab some of this before even going for the main course.

View attachment 110893

Not too far off of cornbread casserole or pudding.

 

[Steltek]

I'll let you in on a little secret about stress-free preparation of turkey dressing.

You can make it in bulk, enough for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, deep freeze it uncooked in aluminum half steamer pans, then pull it out and bake it. If you do it right, it will taste just like it was made the day it was cooked.

We always do this right after Halloween in early November when the first batch of very cheap frozen turkeys go on sale at the discount stores.

I've kept it as long as 5-6 months in the deep freeze and it always tastes fantastic. You just have to make sure it never thaws out before use since it contains raw eggs (something never at issue for me as I have an 18cu ft chest freezer).

We even did an experiment this year freezing it in a gallon ziplock slider bag that, while requiring a little more work to cook, produced results just as good as freezing it in the half steamer pans but allowing superior freezer storage.

I may have been forced to give up my baked sweet potatoes (and macaroni salad and baked beans) due to my Type II diabetes, but my turkey dressing is something I will never willingly give up as long as I can avoid it.

 

[Oyeve]

I loathe traditional TD dinner. The only thing i like is my woman makes Italian sausage stuffing outside of the bird for me. She still does internal stuffing which grosses me TF out and I hate turkey and especially cranberry. ug, I wish the pilgrims found a pig or a wild boar instead of turkey.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

I loathe traditional TD dinner. The only thing i like is my woman makes Italian sausage stuffing outside of the bird for me. She still does internal stuffing which grosses me TF out and I hate turkey and especially cranberry. ug, I wish the pilgrims found a pig or a wild boar instead of turkey.

My old biz partner was from Rome, and they would have like a 13 course Italian dinner.

BTW, the first Thanksgiving didn't even include turkey. More likely deer, duck, goose. I had an inlaw aunt that would make duck. I've had Snook, and standing rib roast too. I eat smoked turkey all year long, so get rekt.

 

[nisryus]

We don't do turkey ever. Instead, we do baby back ribs, corn bread dressing, candied yam, green bean casserole and pumpkin cake.

 

[Steltek]

We don't do turkey ever. Instead, we do baby back ribs, corn bread dressing, candied yam, green bean casserole and pumpkin cake.

We've done barbequed baby back ribs and chicken dressing a time or two. I prefer hickory smoked ham to turkey any day (usually only eat turkey in dressing). Homemade baked beans, macaroni salad, and baked sweet potatoes with marshmallows. Top it off with homemade banana pudding, pies or peach cobbler (or, if really lucky, dewberry cobbler -- haven't had one of those in years).

Maybe 10 years ago, we even did Japanese wagyu steaks once instead of turkey or ham. I must have paid like $500-$600 for those steaks from a meat wholesaler (even with a significant discount), but I think that might literally have been one of the finest meals I ever had in my entire life.

 

[balloonshark]

At family gatherings my family always made potatoes au gratin, gravy from bacon drippings and tomato, cucumber and onion salad.