We asked you, our readers, to share the recipes for your must-have Thanksgiving dinner side dishes. You responded to our plea, and now we all can enjoy your favorites as our own. Thanks for sharing a taste of your holiday traditions, and happy Thanksgiving!
Ham Glaze
From Lynn Meharg
Our family recipes are tried and true. We use the same ones every year, because we have to have the same exact meal. We always have a ham and a turkey, to make Momma happy. She is 86, so she gets what she wants. We use the bone in (not sliced) butt end of the ham, but any kind is fine to use.
• 6 garlic cloves
• 4 ½ ounces dried mangoes
• Small jar of orange marmalade
• ½ cup Dijon mustard
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• Zest from 1 large navel orange
• ¼ cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger from tube
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dehydrated onions, reconstituted in the vinegar
Directions
Put everything in a blender and blend well. Simmer in small saucepan until thickened. Spoon over ham about 30 minutes before you are ready to take it out of the oven, and again about 15 minutes later. Reserve some sauce for the table.
Cook the ham for about 1 ½ hours, at 350 degrees, inside a large oven roasting bag.
Cranberry Oatmeal Delight
From Ashley Velez
Here’s a recipe that my Mom makes every year at Thanksgiving. It’s one of my favorites!
• 1 16-ounce can whole-cranberry sauce
• 1 ½ cups chopped Granny Smith apples (with peels)
• 1 cup quick cooking oatmeal
• ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup flour
Directions
Combine cranberry sauce and apples in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Stir together remaining ingredients and spread over fruit. (This can be done a day in advance, and covered and stored in the refrigerator until ready to bake.) Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes. Great served the next day for breakfast or as a dessert with vanilla ice cream.
Gooey Butter Cake
From Tiffany Hughes
No holiday meal is complete without dessert. Desserts usually have their own table, because there are so many of them. You always should consider the amount of food that will require refrigeration versus how big your refrigerator is. It’s a good idea to have a few dishes that do not require refrigeration, such as gooey butter cake.
Family recipes are important and should be preserved, so if you’re asking folks to bring dishes to your get-togethers, why not ask them to jot down their recipe so you can save it. Another great idea is to photograph each person holding the dish they made, and save it in your holiday photos.
• One box yellow cake mix
• 3 eggs
• One stick butter, melted
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• One pound powdered sugar (or 3 ¾ cups)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the cake mix with the melted butter and one egg, then press into the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan coated with cooking spray. In a separate bowl, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar and two remaining eggs, and beat with a hand mixer until well blended. Spread across the cake mix and bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Note: The middle still will wiggle, but it is done when golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving.
Wanda’s Creamed Corn
From Jen Bixler
When my husband and I got married, my mother-in-law gave me a stack of favorite family recipes. Creamed corn is my husband’s favorite Thanksgiving side. It is now one of our children’s favorite dishes.
• 6 ears of fresh corn
• 1 stick of butter
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1/4 cup of milk, if needed (very fresh corn often has enough liquid in it)
• Cornstarch, if needed to thicken
• Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Use a large bowl to catch all the kernels and juice from the corn cobs. Using a very sharp paring knife, cut the very tips of the kernels off the cob. Then use a fork to scrape what remains of the kernels plus all the juice. Place corn and other ingredients in a pan and cook over medium to low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Serves six to eight people.
Broccoli Casserole
From Tammy Cobb
If you were to ask my family which side dish is a must for Thanksgiving, they’d tell you broccoli casserole — like, I would be disowned if it’s not on the table. (Kidding, kinda.) They even suggest that I make a double batch, so there will be more leftovers.
• 20-ounce bag frozen broccoli
• 2 eggs (beaten)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup Miracle Whip
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 sleeve Town House crackers, crushed
Directions
Cook broccoli in a small amount of salted water until tender; drain. Mix remaining ingredients together, add cooked broccoli. Pour into casserole dish and top with cracker crumbs. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.
Note: You can assemble the casserole the day before, and add the cracker crumbs right before baking, Add 5-10 minutes to the cooking time if it is refrigerator-cold.
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