RECIPES: Thanksgiving side dishes

Mashed potato tip

Connie Williams, Dickinson, N.D.

You know when you are getting dinner on the table, and everyone is in the kitchen and you need to get the potatoes mashed? Well, do them before everyone comes. Get the mess out of the way and put them in the crock-pot. When using the crock-pot, use crock-pot liners. They are slick and no mess!

Lefse

Doris Kraft, Williston, N.D.

10 pounds of potatoes, peeled

½ cup butter

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 T salt

1 T sugar

2 ½ cups flour

Cover potatoes with water and boil until tender. Drain potatoes. Run hot potatoes through a ricer. Beat in butter, cream, salt and sugar. Cool in the refrigerator, preferably overnight. Mix the flour in. Form dough into 60 walnut size balls. Roll out to 1/8” thickness on a pastry cloth or dishtowel using lots of flour to prevent sticking.

Cook on a hot griddle at 400 degrees until bubbles form, tap large bubbles with the lefse stick. Turn with a lefse stick or yardstick. Cook other side until bubbles and light brown spots appear. Place between cotton dish clothes to cool and absorb excess flour. Wipe excess flour off griddle constantly to prevent scorching. Lefse must be refrigerated. To serve: Spread with real butter and sugar or sugar/cinnamon and roll up.

Corn Casserole

Helen Kistler, Leonard, N.D.

Quick, easy to make and great for a potluck.

2 cups canned or fresh whole kernel corn, drained if canned.

1 can creamed corn

1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix

1 stick butter, melted

1 cup fat-free sour cream

1 beaten egg

Grease a 7x11 pan or an 8x8 pan. Mix all of the above together. Bake for about 50 minutes at 350 degrees until slightly brown and somewhat set.

White sauce

Chery Conner, Hazen, N.D.

Use for leftover turkey or veggies, even soups. Can serve with mashed potatoes or just over a slice of bread.

2 T. butter

2 T. flour

¼ tsp. salt

1 cup milk

Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, salt and a dash of pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook quickly, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and bubbles. Remove sauce from heat when it bubbles. Use a heavy saucepan.

Sweet potato casserole

Clarice Pollert Grubb, Grand Forks

A must-have at our Thanksgiving.

1 large can sweet potatoes, drained

1½ cups sugar

1 stick margarine

3 eggs

1 T. vanilla

Mash potatoes and add all of the other ingredients. Put in the casserole dish. Top with the brown sugar, butter, cornflake mixture.

3 cups crushed cornflakes

½ cup brown sugar

1 stick margarine, melted

½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Bake in casserole pan at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. I omit the nuts. Sometimes I make extra of the cornflake topping. Kids love it!

Carrot casserole

Marilyn Johnson, Park River, N.D.

The recipe is a family favorite and is great for leftovers in the microwave. Can prepare a day ahead.

12 medium carrots, sliced and parboiled

8 oz. Velveeta cheese

White sauce

¼ cup butter

¼ cup flour

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. dry mustard

2 cups milk

Cook first five ingredients of white sauce until thick. Stir in milk. Cook until thick. Place carrots and cheese in layers in casserole dish. Pour white sauce over carrots-cheese and poke down.

Brown ¼ cup butter and crushed soda crackers. Spread on top and bake.

Green rice

Marilyn Johnson, Park River, N.D.

This can be prepared a day ahead and kept in fridge.

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup minute rice (not cooked)

1 20-oz. bag chopped frozen broccoli

1/3 cup onions

1 stick melted butter

Salt and pepper to taste

1 small jar of cheese whiz

Mix all ingredients except cheese. Spread cheese on top. Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes.

Root Beer Carrots

Rochelle Wetsch, Grand Forks

I buy fresh baby carrots from our local farmers market, so I use simple ingredients to showcase them. Plus, even if your kids claim they don’t like carrots, they will eat this dish. The root beer seals the deal.

1 12-oz. bottle of root beer

1/3 cup light brown sugar

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. ground cloves

½ tsp. salt

About 2 pounds ready-peeled baby carrots

2 T. fresh thyme, chopped

In a large skillet, bring ½ cup water, the root beer, sugar, cinnamon, cumin, cloves and salt to a boil. Add the carrots. Return to a boil. Cover and cook for five minutes. Uncover and boil until tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 more minutes or so.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the thyme. Using a slotted spoon, place the carrots in a bowl.

7-Up Lefse

Beth Bakke Stenehjem, Bismarck

5+ cups potato flakes

1 tsp. salt

½ cup sugar

10 oz. (1¼ cup) cold 7-Up

2¼ cups cold water

1 cup evaporated milk (cold)

½ cup oil

Add ingredients in order. Stir well. It should be sticky. Add 2 cups of flour. Mix well and knead.

Form into two long rolls, and cut rolls into about 16 pieces (for a total of 32 pieces), depending on how large you want the lefse to be. Fry on lefse grill.

Sweet Potato Salad

Nelda Amundson, Jamestown, N.D.

Can be made a day ahead if you wish.

2 cans sweet potatoes or yams

4 finely cut green onions

½ cup finely cut celery

4 hard-boiled eggs, mashed

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup Durkee dressing

½ tsp. salt

Drain liquid from potatoes. With mixer, blend potatoes, onion, celery, eggs, dressings and salt. Refrigerate.

Baked rice

Florence Heier, Jamestown

Very good. Sprinkle a little cinnamon on top before you bake it.

1 cup rice

½ cup raisins

1 cup sugar

¼ tsp. salt

4 eggs, beaten

2 cups sweet cream

1 cup milk

Cook rice and raisins 10 minutes. Drain rice with cold water. Mix sugar, salt, eggs, cream and milk. Pour over rice. Bake in 9x13 cake pan at 325 degrees for one hour or until rice is firm. Do not overbake.

Cranberry sauce

Myrtle Hustad, Jamestown, N.D.

16 oz. fresh cranberries, rinsed

1¼ cups sugar

½ cup cranberry juice

½ cup orange juice

1 T. orange zest

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and stir well. Cook over medium heat until the berries pop, about 10 minutes. Skim the foam off the surface with a spoon and discard. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate, covered.

Good Fruit Salad

Emma Letcher, Jamestown, N.D.

1 small pkg. orange Jell-O

1 small pkg. vanilla pudding, not instant

2 cups water

8 oz. Cool Whip

1 can mandarin oranges, drained

1 can pineapple, crushed, drained

Nuts (optional)

Coconut (optional)

Combine Jell-O, pudding and water. Cook until clear. Let cool. Add Cool Whip and fruit. May add nuts and coconut.

Overnight Lettuce Salad

Kayla Allmendinger, Hazen, N.D.

1 large head lettuce, chopped

1 head cauliflower, chopped

2 cups mayonnaise

1 small onion, chopped

1 lb. bacon, fried, crisp and crumbled

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

½ cup sugar

Place in large bowl in the order listed. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. Mix just before serving. Can divide ingredients into two bowls and serve on different nights.

Tags: thanksgiving 2011, food, updates