Thanksgiving Side Dishes

According to our kid testers, smashing and mushing the cooked potatoes with an old-fashioned potato masher is the best part of making this classic side dish. For a garnish, top each cloud of mashed potatoes with a homemade herbed butter pat.

A few Thanksgivings ago, Renee Z. replaced a richer dish traditionally served at her family's get-togethers with this lighter and healthier bean dish, and it was gobbled up.

As newlyweds, Robyn H. and her husband, Todd, were looking for a new dish to contribute to their family's rural Virginia Thanksgiving feast. "We brought this soufflé because it was one of the only things my grandmother did not serve in her yearly 25-side-

Tossed with a brown sugar and butter glaze, these carrots taste slightly sweet and look perfectly shiny.

This casserole of potatoes mashed with mozzarella, prosciutto, and salami and baked until the cheese melts and the top is crusty and brown is great as a side with chicken or a roast or on its own with a green salad.

Try this twist on the old pigs in blankets standby and fill your home with the aroma of fresh-baked dough. Gooey melted mozzarella counterbalances the tang of a tomato slice and the crunchy, salted asparagus.

While risotto does require your attention, it is really quite simple to prepare, especially if you enlist your kids to help stir the pot. This variety is full of sweet butternut squash, and makes for a cozy dinner when served with a salad and bread.

Sizzling green beans in a little oil helps to bring out their natural sweetness. Prosciutto, pine nuts and lemon zest dress up the flavor without adding a lot of fat - a nice alternative to full-fat, creamy green bean casseroles.

Though sweet potatoes might taste like dessert, they are actually packed with nutrients, including vitamins A and C, and most kids will readily gobble them up, especially when prepared this way.

This classic holiday side gets an update with the simple addition of slivered fennel. The mild hint of licorice in the fennel adds wonderful flavor and texture to the creamy potatoes, and breathes new life into an otherwise plain side dish.