Interesting but easy side dishes for turkey?

one of my favorite dishes for thanksgiving/turkey is sweet potatoes.

I hate to say it beacuse i like stuff fresh but.

can of yams
butter
dark brown sugar
mini marshmallows

dump yams into dish, throw in some butter, throw in some brown sugar, cover with marshmallows. bake at 350 till marshmallows are toasted.

but a buddy saw this on food network i think its right up your alley.



Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Bananas with Honey Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence
Show: Tyler's Ultimate
Episode: Ultimate Thanksgiving







You can roast the potatoes and bananas ahead of time, then put it all together just before serving. Then heat it up in the oven.


5 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed
4 bananas, unpeeled
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup honey
Kosher salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork, put them in a roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes. Toss the bananas into the pan and continue roasting for 10 to 15 minutes, until both the bananas and potatoes are very soft. Remove the pan from the oven but don't turn the oven off.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh into a large mixing bowl. Peel the bananas and add them to the bowl along with 1 stick of the butter, and the honey. Season with salt and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until everything's well combined and the mixture is fluffy. Spoon into an oven-proof serving bowl and smooth the top.

In a separate mixing bowl, use your fingers to rub together the remaining stick of butter, the brown sugar, flour, and pecans until the mixture is the consistency of coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the sweet potatoes and return to the oven. Cook for about 20 minutes, until the crumbs are golden. Serve hot.

sweet potato latkes?

Here are two recipes:
Sweet Potato Latkes - Recipe :: Green Living at Care2

Sweet Potato Latkes - Allrecipes

I like the one from all recipes as you can see it has more of the "traditional" flavors

My favorite side for turkey is yams and white potatoes roasted in the drippings with the turkey and stewed belgian endives.
Take the endives, slice lengthwise in halves, and wash.
Heat a good lump of butter (a couple of tbsp) in a heavy frying pan that will hold all the halves in one layer. When melted add the endives, and squeeze a little lemon over it, and salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and cook very slowly (lowest flame) until they're soft through. Turn during the cooking. they get just barely browned.
The slight bitterness of the endives is great with a heavy dinner, because it makes you feel refreshed, and ready to tackle the deserts.

I slice sweet potatoes into 3/4 inch discs (peel left on) rub with a little olive oil, salt & pepper then roast, turning half way through so each side gets well caramelized. Sorry, but adding marshmallows, brown sugar and such is turning an already sweet product into a sickly, sweet dessert.
And the skin is the best bit!!!! :suprise::smiles:

I've had great success when I mix 3 or 4 types of potato (red, white, sweet and yams) and pan-fry together. I cut them into uniform batonnets, mix together and cook with some sliced onion and garlic, and lots of butter. Once they start to brown, I finish them in a hot oven. Really simple dish that looks fantastic with all the colour.
Just my opinion though....

OMG baked , skin on with olive oil is the best way to eat them..lol

Yes really! And if you can't bring yourself to eat them, keep 'em and crisp up in the oven the next day with a little cheese and bacon!:smiles:

Sweet potato roasties, cubed or sliced, with or without skin, are a favorite in our house.

I just went to refill my beverage, and passed a jar of saurkraut sitting on the table. There aren't very many cabbage based dishes associated with turkey. I wonder if some sort of braised red cabbage and cranberry concoction might work ....

mjb.

If you're set on roasting, try to stick with a savory profile and mix with some diced new potatoes. You can even add carrots, and other root vegetables to the mix. Tossed with olive oil or melted butter...add in a nice herb mixture, and you'd have a side that is second to none! Boiled or steamed taro, or jicama are also fine ingredients to add during the last half hour of roasting.

Sometimes the easiest recipes, make the best sides. Your guests will be more intrigued by the outcome of your turkey, than what varietal you used in cooking a side dish. Proper roasting produces the best carmelization of any type of cooking method. No need for added sugar or marshmallows (i love it this way too, btw)...just a simple roasted side dish that's big on flavor, and will keep most of the attention to the bird. :lips:

BTW, welcome to the forums Ms. Diaz...:lol: sherlock's been busy! (inside joke)

sides

If you do roast the sweets, I add a little fresh rosemary.. yummy!

If you do the sweet potato latkes, it is traditional to serve with apples sauce (and sour cream) so that gives you aother side really... esp if ou make the apple sauce which can be done ahead.

sides

OOOHH! Someone said sauer kraut... what about german hot sauer kraut with apples? yummy!

Hey how do you do the steamed taro? Steam first until cooked, then roast the last half hour?

I usually steam mines in a commecial steamer. I prick it with a fork a few times, to prevent from cracking open, and steam it for 45 minutes or longer if needed. It's very similar to steaming whole potatoes, but might require a longer cooking time due to its frmness. Cook to a little under fully cooked...as tested with a paring knife or prong. Let cool, cut into cubes, season, and add to your roast mixture. This is a similar twice cooked technique as in cooking Rissole Potatoes. It's pretty simple, actually...just don't overcook it!

garlic and 4-cheese scalloped potatoes!! who doesnt love potatoes?
k i'll admit im irish :lips:

I don't know if this recipe qualifies as interesting, but it does qualify as pretty **** good. I grabbed it off the food network site about 3 years ago and we've had it on the table pretty much every Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner since. My wife even won a couple bucks with it at a party thrown by some of her friends. Super easy and quick to make:

Sweet Potato Casserole

2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 large), scrubbed
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the preparing the pan
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecansPreheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and pierce each one 2 or 3 times with a fork. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until tender. Set aside to cool. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees F. Scoop the sweet potato out of their skins and into a medium bowl. Discard the skins. Mash the potatoes until smooth. Add the eggs, butter, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and the pepper to taste. Whisk the mixture until smooth.
Butter an 8-by-8-inch casserole. Pour the sweet potato mixture into the pan and sprinkle the top with the pecans. Bake until puffed, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.