Two Sure to Please Holiday Side Dish Recipes

The holidays are coming, and with them arrive family, friends, presents and good times together. There is just so much to do with all of the stores and events, who has time to plan really good meals
for the many holiday parties around the corner?

For lots of folks, the main dishes are the simplest to plan. Get a turkey or ham and cook it. Simple. Same thing with desserts, there's tons of holiday dessert recipes, and everyone likes dessert.

But side dishes recipes are a whole other problem. Side dishes can be hard for families with picky eaters. One of the main concerns with side dishes are the vegetables and talking kids into eating them. Well, avoid the drama this holiday with some delicious side dish recipes that are sure to please.

Crispy Baked Potato Skins

Ingredients:
2 Idaho potatoes, scrubbed and patted dry
2 tsp butter, unsalted
Black pepper

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and prick them all over with a fork. Bake in the oven for about 1 ½ hours or until the skin is beautifully crisp.

Take them out of the oven and cut a long oval shape out of the top of the potatoes. Scoop out the flesh and set aside for another use. Add 1 tsp of butter to each potato skin and bake in the oven for a further 5 minutes. Sprinkle with pepper and serve immediately.

Weekend Flavor in Weeknight Time: Think Sides!

(ARA) - While it may appear seamless, delivering a fulfilling and delicious dinner to the table in a short amount of time can be a challenge. You can ease the process by having a few quick and delicious side dish recipes on hand that can compliment any meat entree -- from chicken to meatloaf and everything in between. Twists on traditional side dishes like potatoes and rice can deliver weekend taste in weeknight time.

The Ultra Creamy Mashed Potatoes recipe builds on deliciously rich and creamy traditional mashed potatoes. A secret ingredient, Swanson chicken broth, adds a richness in flavor, making these potatoes a weeknight favorite that is sure to please.

To incorporate veggies into your meal, try your hand at Tri-Color Vegetable Risotto. This dinnertime favorite takes the average rice dish and adds spinach, mushrooms and tomatoes along with Swanson chicken broth for a scrumptious side dish that will enliven any wintertime meal.

No matter what night of the week it is, a wholesome and tasty meal is possible. Simply think sides!

* Ultimate Mashed Potatoes

Preparation: 5 minutes. Cooking time: 20 minutes. Makes about six servings.

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups Swanson Chicken Broth (Regular, Natural Goodness or Certified
Organic)

5 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

3 slices bacon

1/2 cup light cream

2 tablespoons butter

Generous dash ground black pepper

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Directions:

Heat broth and potatoes in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain, reserving broth. Cook bacon in 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Crumble and reserve two tablespoons.

Mash potatoes with 1/4 cup broth, cream, butter and black pepper. Add additional broth, if needed, until desired consistency. Stir in remaining bacon, sour cream, chives and remaining bacon into potatoes. Sprinkle with reserved bacon.

* Tri-Color Vegetable Risotto

Preparation: 10 minutes. Cooking time: 25 minutes. Makes six servings.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 large Portobello mushrooms, cut up

6 sun-dried tomatoes cut into strips

2 cups firmly packed chopped fresh spinach leaves

1 1/3 cups uncooked regular long-grain white rice

3 1/2 cups Swanson Chicken Broth (Regular, Natural Goodness or Certified Organic)

1/4 cup grated Romano cheese

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions:

Heat two tablespoons of oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until tender. Add tomatoes and spinach and cook until spinach wilts. Heat remaining oil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add rice. Cook and stir for two minutes. Add 1/2 cup broth and cook until broth is absorbed. Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until all broth is absorbed before adding more. Stir in mushroom mixture, cheese and basil. Heat through.

For more quick sides and helpful cooking tips, visit www.swansonbroth.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Baked Vegetable Side Dishes for Holiday Meals

I am not personally a big fan of cooked vegetables. Give me a fresh salad any day! There are a lot of ways you can disquise vegetables so that your family will eat them, however, and baked vegetable casseroles are an easy way to add vegetables to your holiday meal in a way that your whole family will enjoy. These recipes are probably too high in calories for everyday meals, but make a great treat for the holidays.

Baked Corn

1 c. bread crumbs
2 tbsp. butter
1 c. corn, canned or frozen (cooked)
2 eggs
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Brown crumbs in butter, add drained corn, slightly beaten eggs, soup, onion, and seasonings. Pour into buttered baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until inserted knife comes out clean.

Cheese Scalloped Carrots

12 medium carrots, sliced
1 small onion, minced
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. flour
1 t. salt
1/4 t. dry mustard
2 c. milk
1/8 t. pepper
3/4 c. chopped celery
1/2 lb. shredded cheddar cheese
3 c. buttered fresh bread, cut in small pieces

Early in the day, cook carrots until tender. Meanwhile, gently cook onions and celery in butter. Stir in flour, salt, mustard and pepper. Add milk and cook until smooth. In a 2-qt. casserole, arrange a layer of carrots, a layer of cheddar cheese, and repeat until all are used, ending with carrots. Pour mustard-onion sauce over, then top with bread. Refrigerate until ready. About 45
minutes before serving, bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes.

Green Bean Casserole

2 cans French style green beans
1 can mushrooms
1 can mixed Chinese vegetables
1 can water chestnuts, sliced thin
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
3/4 pound grated cheese
1 can french-fried onion rings

Drain vegetables. Saute onion and celery in small amount of margarine. Combine all ingredients (except onion rings) and place in casserole. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes. Cover with onion rings and bake 10 minutes at 300 degrees.

Cheesy Baked Onions

4 yellow onions, peeled, sliced
1/2 c. margarine
25 Ritz crackers, crushed
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook onions in margarine until transparent. Spread 1/2 of the onions in a 2-quart buttered casserole dish. Top with 1/2 of the crackers, 1/2 of the cheese. Repeat layers. Bake uncovered at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.

Squash Casserole

3 pounds yellow squash
2 carrots, grated
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
1/2 pkg. seasoned bread crumbs
1 (6 oz.) carton sour cream with chives
1/2 c. margarine or butter

Boil squash. Drain and mash. Mix all ingredients except bread crumbs and margarine. Melt 1/4 cup margarine in 3-quart casserole before adding ingredients. Mix 1/4 cup margarine with bread crumbs. Sprinkle over top. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What's for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For more recipes, gardening, organizing tips, home decorating, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative

Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com. 

Easy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

The trick to this yummy and easy side dish is cooking the garlic with the potatoes, then mashing them up together.

Preparation time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces
8 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1/4 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Add potatoes and garlic to a large saucepan; cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well and put back in pan. Add milk, butter, salt and pepper; mash with a potato masher until creamy. Serve immediately.

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Rice, Bacon, Asparagus Side Dish

Ingredients:

6 strips peppered bacon, diced
3 cups cooked rice
1/4 cup white wine
2 cups cooked asparagus, cut in 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

Instructions:

Cook bacon for about 5 minutes over medium high heat. Once browned, drain all but 1 tablespoon of grease. Add rice, wine and asparagus to skillet with the 1 tablespoon of grease. Heat completely through (approximately 5-6 minutes). Once cooked, remove and toss with pine nuts and serve. Servings: 4

Roasted Red Potatoes

8 cups washed and halved small red potatoes
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350F. In a large pot boil the potatoes for 5 minutes, just until tender (do not overboil). Drain and set aside. In a roasting pan combine the olive oil and butter. Place in the oven for a quick 2 to 3 minutes, just until the butter melts and tray is hot. Add the potatoes to the baking tray and toss well with the butter/olive oil mixture. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper to taste and roast for approximately 50 minutes. Basting and tossing half way through cooking.