Holiday Side Dishes

Here are some quick fire sides that don’t take to much space up in the kitchen and look amazing on the table, they are also in keeping with tradition so you won’t freak to many people out with mixing things up a little!

And here’s a little secret, this is what I will be serving at my famous” plan B” Thanksgiving dinner.

Happy Holidays

Danny

Roasted Parsnips in Honey

Ingredients

• 1 pound carrots

• 1 pound parsnips

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons honey

• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 6 sprigs fresh thyme

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

• Peel the carrots and parsnips and cut them in half lengthwise, larger ones can be quartered. Place them on a large rimmed baking sheet.

• Drizzle the carrots and parsnips with the olive oil and honey. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Scatter the thyme sprigs on top. Place them in the preheated oven.

• After 10 minutes, give the veggies a toss and put back in the oven for another 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft and slightly caramelized. Serve warm.

Brussels Sprouts Red Cabbage and Bacon

Ingredients

• 1 pound Brussels sprouts

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 small red cabbage or 1/2 large cabbage, finely sliced

• 11/2 Bacon

• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Prepare a large bowl of ice water. Set aside.

• Trim the Brussels sprouts and peel off 1 outer layer of leaves. Cut the sprouts in half lengthwise, larger sprouts can be quartered. Place the sprouts in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and add about 2 tablespoons of salt. Bring the sprouts to a boil and drain immediately. Transfer the sprouts to the bowl of ice water. (This will stop the cooking and preserve their color.) Drain well.

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the butter. When the butter is melted, add the Brussels sprouts. Cook for 1 minute then add the sliced cabbage. Cook until the cabbage has softened and the sprouts are warmed through. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm.

• Tip: To easily drain vegetables from an ice bath, place a small colander over a bowl of ice water. Place the cooked vegetables into the colander and dunk into the water. Remove the colander and drain the veggies, leaving the ice and water behind.

Cauliflower and turnip mash

Ingredients

• 3 large turnips

• 1 large Cauliflower

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, from about 4 sprigs

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Peel and slice the turnips thinly, and quarter the cauliflower (cutting the vegetables small and thin will help speed up cooking time).

• Add the sliced and diced vegetables to a large saucepan and cover them with cold water. Add salt to the water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil the vegetables for about 8 to 10 minutes until quite soft. Vegetables are cooked when you can easily insert the tip of a knife.

• Drain the vegetables and place them back into the saucepan. Add the butter and thyme. With a potato masher, mash all ingredients together. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve warm.

Butternut Squash and Pear mash

Ingredients

• 1 large butternut squash, about 1 pound

• 2 Bosc or Anjou pears

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 vanilla bean

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons ground ginger

• Course salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

• Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Peel the pears, cut in half and remove the core. Place the pears and squash, cut side up, on a foil-lined baking sheet.

• In a small saucepan, over low heat, melt the butter. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds off of each side with a paring knife. Add the seeds to the butter. Reserve the pod for another use. Whisk the brown sugar and ginger into the melted butter and remove from the heat.

• Brush the butter mixture onto the cut sides of the squash and pears. Season with salt and pepper. Set the remaining butter mixture aside and keep it warm. Roast the squash and pears until soft, about 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on the size of the squash. The squash is cooked when a knife can be inserted easily into the flesh.

• Scoop flesh out of the squash and discard the skin. Place the squash and pears in a large bowl and mash with a fork or a potato masher. Stir in the remaining melted butter mixture. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve warm.