If you like, you can add 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions when you season the potatoes in this recipe from American Home Cooking by Cheryl and Bill Jamison.
Mashed Idaho Russets
Ingredients:
3 lbs. russet or other large baking potatoes, peeled 1-1/2 Tbs. salt 1-1/4 cups milk 3/4 cup sour cream 6-10 Tbs. softened, unsalted butter pepper salt as desired
Preparation:
Put potatoes into a large pan. Add 1-1/2 tablespoons salt and water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until quite tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, warm milk over low heat. When hot, remove from heat and stir in sour cream. When the potatoes' exteriors are crumbly, drain them and return them to the cooking pan.
Cover the pan with a clean, folded dish towel and the pan lid. The towel absorbs steam, making the potatoes drier. After they sit for 5 minutes, rice the potatoes or mash them. Stir in the warm milk mixture and add butter, a few tablespoons at a time. Season with pepper and, if needed, additional salt.
Now, save time with some easy-to-prepare side dishes.
Nantucket Corn Pudding
This recipe from American Home Cooking is a dish that can be traced back to colonial Indian or Hasty Pudding. In the summer, make it with fresh corn. This time of year, make it with frozen corn kernels.
Ingredients:
2 large eggs
1 cup half-and-half (fat-free is fine)
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground white pepper
pinch of nutmeg
4-1/2 to 5 cups frozen corn kernels, divided
3/4 cup crushed oyster crackers
3 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted, divided
2 to 3 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (1/4 to 1/3 cup)
paprika
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a medium baking dish.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, salt, white pepper and nutmeg. Mix in corn, 1/2 cup of crackers and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Spoon pudding into prepared baking dish and scatter cheese over it. Mix together remaining crackers and butter and sprinkle over the cheese. Dust with paprika.
Bake the pudding for 45 to 50 minutes, until puffed and golden brown, with crusty edges, but a soft center. Serve hot.
Yield: 6 servings
Sweet Potatoes Au Gratin
If you are having a go-for-broke meal, consider cream-laden Sweet Potatoes Au Gratin, from 1999 Taste of Home Annual Recipes.
Ingredients:
2 large uncooked sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 egg
2 cups heavy or whipping cream
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
pinch pepper
3 Tbs. grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Preparation:
Place potatoes in a greased 8-inch square baking dish. Beat egg, then add cream, salt, nutmeg and pepper and mix well. Pour over potatoes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Yield: 6-8 servings
Baked String Beans
So much of traditional holiday dinners is in the brown-orange palette, so add this green dish, from 1999 Taste of Home Annual Recipes.
Ingredients:
1 package (16 oz.) frozen French-style green beans, thawed
2 bacon strips
1 beef bouillon cube
1 cup hot water
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
pinch pepper
Preparation:
Place beans in ungreased 1-1/2 quart baking dish. Set aside. Cook bacon until crisp; drain, crumble and set aside. Stir 1 tablespoon of drippings into beans. Dissolve bouillon cube in water; add garlic salt and pepper. Pour over beans. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Top with crumbled bacon.
Yield: 6 servings
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)
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