Best Side Dishes for Thanksgiving Dinner

Best Side Dishes for Thanksgiving Dinner
photo by Christian Lemus

Broccoli Cheese Casserole and uncooked Cranberry Orange Relish are fabulous side dishes to go with a Thanksgiving turkey dinner. Some recipes become family traditions at holidays, like Cranberry Orange relish. This simple to make, wonderful chutney is tangy and sweet at the same time, and so much better than canned cranberry sauce. Once a host or hostess serves this recipe, it will become an annual event.

Cranberry Orange Relish Recipe

Besides the taste, the best thing about this side dish is that it needs to be made two days ahead of time, freeing up precious time the day of the dinner party for other things, like entertaining guests.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups or 1 pound of cranberries
• 1 whole orange
• 2 cups sugar

Directions:

1. Grind the cranberries in a food processor or finely chop with a knife.
2. Remove the seeds from the orange. Also remove the white stringy portion, if preferred, as it can taste bitter, and use only the yellow portion.
3. Stir the orange and sugar into the cranberries.
4. Place the relish in a covered jar and refrigerate for two days to ripen. Serve as a compote with meat or fowl. This recipe serves about eight to twelve people.

Broccoli Cheese Casserole Recipe

Party givers are always on the lookout for a casserole to use as a side dish, and adding vegetables to a meal is a must. Green bean casserole is so commonly served at holiday dinners it is almost boring. Why not try another casserole that uses nutrient-rich broccoli? This is a recipe sure to become a family favorite, its appearance required at all holiday dinners.

Ingredients:

• 1 stick of butter
• 1/2 cup of chopped celery (113.4 grams)
• 1/3 cup chopped onion (75.6 grams)
• 16 oz. package (453.6 grams) of frozen broccoli flowerettes
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 8 oz. (126.8 grams) jar of Cheez Whiz
• 3/4 cup (170 grams) INSTANT Minute Rice (Cannot be regular or long grain rice; it must be Instant)

Directions:

1. Place the butter, celery and onion in a saucepan and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside.
2. Cook the frozen broccoli according to the package directions, usually on a stove with a little water. Drain the water when it is done.
3. In a 3 quart (2.84 liters) casserole dish, gently stir together the celery and onion mixture, broccoli, soups, Cheez Whiz and rice.
4. Bake uncovered in an oven that has been preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176°C) for 50 minutes, until the top is browned. Serves about eight.

Read more:

• Best Turkey Recipes From Thanksgiving Leftovers