Whether you are cooking a Thanksgiving dinner or just a regular family meal putting together all of the components to make that meal special can be difficult. It can be all too easy just to roast some potatoes or mash them up and serve alongside your roasted meat. That said there are plenty of alternatives that with just a little effort can completely transform your meal and make them even more special. Here are some inspirational dishes to jazz up your family dinner.
Candied pecan sweet potato casserole
This sweet potato casserole recipe isn’t just any sweet potato casserole it is one that is bound to have your guests talking for years to come. It is akin to many sweet potato casserole dishes but with the added bonus of candied pecans layered on the top. The nuts add texture that helps to perfectly balance out the sweetness and softness of the potatoes and marshmallows. Go ahead and try it for yourself, you won’t want to cook your casserole any other way again.
Green bean casserole
To help get more veggies on your plate this casserole includes mushrooms and, of course, green beans. You will also need butter, flour, milk, and crispy onions. You cook the mushrooms and beans in butter and make a buttery flour paste over low heat, both of which are combined with the veg. You then put the fish into the oven to bake for twenty to thirty minutes. For the last ten to fifteen minutes scatter the crispy onions on top of the dish to crisp up.
Creamed corn
Creamed corn is an American classic and must-have side dish to make any meal stand out. Cream corn needs just 6 ingredients, butter, onion, corn on the cob, sugar, cream, and cheese. To make this recipe you cook the onion and corn in the butter and water for around 10 minutes. You then add the sugar and cream and cook for a further five minutes. At this point, you add the grated cheese and leave it to melt for just a few minutes.
Do it yourself Cranberry sauce
Yes, you can buy your cranberry sauce off the shelf but if you want your dinner to stand out then why not make it yourself? The best part is, it is incredibly simple and you only need three ingredients, cranberries (frozen works best), sugar, and orange juice. All you have to do is bring the orange juice and sugar to the boil in a pan at which point you add the cranberries. Let the cranberries cook and soften over the heat for around 5 minutes, et voila, there you have your own cranberry sauce.
Sprouts with bacon
Although sprouts can be the great dividing factor over the dinner table even those who typically don’t like sprouts will be tempted by this side dish. All you do is cook your sprouts as you would normally, fry up some smoked bacon or lardons so they are nice and crispy, and then combine the two with ample amounts of seasoning. It’s so simple even the kids could cook it.