8 Easy Ways To Ramp Up Your Thanksgiving Side Dishes
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Thanksgiving has a way of sneaking up on us. One minute you’re carving a pumpkin and the next minute it’s the week before the big day and you’re thinking about what you need to make for your dinner spread. Depending on what kind of crowd you’ll be with for Thanksgiving this year, you may want to step up your game, especially with the sides (which everyone knows are actually the best part). Here are some classic but ramped-up Thanksgiving sides for when you’re looking for an easy way to impress your friends and family.
1. Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Your classic sweet potato casserole usually has sweet potatoes, butter, a little milk, brown sugar, vanilla and a nutty crumb topping. If you’re looking for a way to make your go-to sweet potato dish even better, add chili-infused honey like Mike’s Hot Honey or Bees Knees Spicy Honey to your sweet potato mash before you bake it. You could also add a chili honey butter instead of regular butter and some red pepper flakes for a sweet and spicy twist.
2. Carrots
If you were planning on just roasting some carrots for your Thanksgiving side, try adding some spices like cumin and turmeric. You should also add a cooling contrast like whole-milk Greek yogurt, labneh or tahini on top and then sprinkle some nuts to finish. Trust us — it’ll work.
3. Creamy Corn
If you’ve already committed to your love for all things corn this holiday season and you’ve made fresh creamed corn with a little cream and butter, try giving it a Mexican street corn twist. Add a few sprinkles of cotija cheese, sliced scallion, chopped cilantro leaves, some chili powder and fresh lime juice.
4. Brussels Sprouts
Roasted Brussels sprouts with olive oil are a healthy Thanksgiving side, but you can cut the bitterness by tossing them with maple syrup, red pepper flakes and pancetta (Italian bacon). If you’ve already roasted your Brussels sprouts, the rest is easy. Dice up some pancetta, put some oil in a hot pan and sauté the Italian bacon until it’s cooked and golden brown. Add some maple syrup to the pan — and maybe a little red wine vinegar for acidity — and bring it to a simmer. Toss your already roasted Brussels sprouts in the sweet mixture and you’re good to go.
5. Cranberry Sauce
Take your cranberry sauce and put it in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in a little lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and grated fresh ginger. You’ll want to let the sauce sit on the heat for about five minutes to let all of the spices infuse into the sauce. A spiced cranberry sauce will always be a hit.
6. Stuffed Mushrooms
Volunteering to make the stuffed mushrooms is always a fun project. Let’s say you already have your recipe in mind and you just want to make your mushrooms stand out a little more. Whip up some butter parmesan mashed potatoes and stuff your mushrooms with a spoonful of those mashed potatoes before you bake them in the oven with a little cheese on top. You’re combining two of the best Thanksgiving sides into one and everyone will think you’re a genius.
7. Dinner Rolls
If you’re in charge of the rolls this Thanksgiving, slather them with an herbed butter for a change. Herbed butter is insanely easy to make. Take one stick of butter and let it thaw to room temperature. Chop up your herbs of choice — try a variety of thyme, sage, parsley, dill, chives, basil, rosemary, tarragon and oregano. Combine all of the herbs with the softened butter and dump the mixture onto a piece of wax paper. Roll it into a cylinder shape, twist the ends and chill it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve with your warm rolls.
8. Mac ‘N’ Cheese
What’s one of the most comforting foods someone can eat? That would probably be grilled cheese with tomato soup. This year, if you plan on tackling the mac ‘n’ cheese, add roasted tomatoes on top for a healthy-ish twist. Slice up some tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle on some herbs and bake them in the oven (450 degrees Fahrenheit) until they’re slightly crisp. Add your roasted tomato slices on top of your mac ‘n’ cheese and bake it in the oven until it’s bubbly.
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