Holiday Dinner Sides - What Works

Yesterday I wrote about what roasts to grace your holiday table. Today it's another important component to your Christmas or New Year's dinner- the sides. Although they're not as important as the main course, they still have to figure heavily in the dinner menu. The question is here what to serve and how many sides make the perfect meal.


The perfect dinner should have just two sides. If you want more then just stick with a third and only three. Most chefs would agree to have a potato dish of some kind. The most obvious is a bowl of homemade mashed potatoes (no instant - it is the holidays). They go well with gravy , whether from a roast beef or turkey. Another bonus is that they can be turned into fryable puffs the next day. You can have them plain or lightly herbed for some variation. Another good and easy potato dish is scalloped.Again these are easy to prepare, with just slicing the taters and then layering with butter and milk last .Sometimes the simplest is best as in the case with new potatoes. These are tiny , red skinned ones that can be just drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt and rosemary. These go well with nay meat from crown rib to goose to ham to turkey.

Of course there should be one green side.Brussels sprouts are an interesting and elegant choice They can sliced and grilled or parboiled and then baked with melted butter and Parmesan cheese. Spinach is tasty as well. it can be made with just the simple addition of oil and garlic or creamed. Of course you can make that modern American classic, green bean casserole. This is an odd yet surprisingly tasty combo of cream of mushroom soup mixed with soy sauce and milk.It is then poured over green beans and baked ,A layer of crunchy onions is then put over and under the bake.It''s a sure favorite with kids and definite do make if you have little ones over for the holidays.

Making sides for a holiday meal is a pretty easy task.It just takes potatoes and greens to finish off a holiday roast. Anything you make will go perfect with your meat of choice.

Gearing Up For Fall

Thanks to the late summer heat you may feel like just eating a quick sandwich followed by an ice for dessert. However fall is just around the corner and with it comes chills and cold stormy weather. If you want to maintain that summery glow and good health,it's important to eat right. Take advantage of the harvests right now and rethink your eating habits.

Already doctors and chain drug stores are pushing for flu shots. You can also boost your immunity by eating some of the bounties our gardens and farms are offering right now.Broccoli and spinach are excellent sources of iron and calcium.These can be bought at any stand and can be made into all sorts of yummy dishes. Try them in omelets (eggs are also good immune boosters too) or in a flavorful quiche . Tomatoes are a must too. They are loaded with vital antioxidants and important vitamins and minerals . Again fresh tomatoes are excellent in sauces but also try them sliced on toasted Italian or French bread. Drizzle with olive oil , another very good for you food.

Desserts can also be healthy. Blueberries and raspberries, the last in full harvest right now can provide you with manganese and fiber. Raspberries are surprisingly chock full of Vitamin C and you can have them fresh right now or better yet, atop chocolate ice cream with chocolate syrup. Apples, that fall standard, is another good flu fighter.Eat them just a a snack with caramel or in pies or galettes.They also are good in a Waldorf salad and add a certain tartness in grilled chicken salads.Dark chocolate is another diet must have. The candy is full of antioxidants which help the body Have it in moderation from a simple candy bar to shaving it over ice cream (for a yummy stratichella) or over puddings and cupcakes.

It may still be summer but it's time to start eating for fall and winter. The more good food you consume the healthier you 'll be during flu season. Eat right now , fell better later on.

Cook It Right

Summer is a time for good food and good eating. Sometimes though certain factors can creep in and spoil a wonderful dish. namely salmonella and food poisoning. What may look delicious may be hiding something dangerous- and deadly. What to do? Be aware and prepared.

Salmonella is a chef's biggest nightmare during these warm weather days. How can you get and where? It usually is found in everything from fresh meats to processed fruits and veggies. Mostly it comes from underpar sanitary conditions in larger farms and meat processing plants. Usually lettuce and spinach are the worst hit thanks to these places having not enough bathrooms or clean facilities for the workers. Always make sure your salads are washed thoroughly. There are even washes you can use if you want to be super safe. As for meats it's a gamble . The best bet is to cook everything well but still that's no guarantee.Luckily local news stations always have the first bit of news about damaged meats .

Cream products and mayonnaise also suffer during these times. Try to keep cream products in the fridge . The heat is a breeding ground for the bacteria spores and they thrive in high temps . If you want a creamy birthday cake, think more about ice cream cake or decorating plain cake with just powdered sugar. Mayonnaise long blamed, for scores of people getting sick over the years, is actually not the culprit. The stuff is fine on its' own however becomes a germ bomb when mixed with pasta and potatoes. Try to use olive oil for mayo in summer salads.

This is the season to go out and enjoy summer's bounty. However it's also the time to be wary about what you're eating. Be careful, be choosy and you can navigate through to still have a fun warm weather feast.

Secret Ingredients

Every chef and baker has an arsenal f secret ingredients. These are what makes dishes snap and sweets pop. They add more than just flavor, they bring out the other flavors as well. What are they though? Some special culinary fairy dust or potion that's just sprinkled in? No. They're just everyday foodstuffs that manage to give extra fillip to dishes.

Sometimes the sneaked in stuff is good for you. That was the premise of a cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld, Jerry's wife. She managed to sneak healthy greens into brownies and cookies making them not only tasty but finally nutritional as well. This idea is great for moms of picky eaters. For more a more grown up version you can sneak healthier greens along with veggies in a nice grilled chicken or Cobb salad. Sometimes it's not to make a food better for you but better tasting. Melissa Clark of the Times Dining section swears by anchovies. Slip one into saucepan and you have a better than ever dish. the anchovy fillet melts and then creates a more improved taste for the dish.

if you don't want to experiment whole hog as it were you can start off with spices. tarragon is a wonderful addition to eggs or any chicken salad. It rescues the dish from the chicken's sometimes blandness, giving it a spark. Celery seed is a flavor enhancer too. Just sprinkle some in to any pork dish and it creates a wonderful and fresh taste. Cumin is also good in a dry rub mix for steaks and chops. it gives an exotic air to ordinary barbecued meat. You could also add spices to baked goodas a swell. Some bakers add saffron to yellow cake recipes to give the cake color and taste. Candied ginger is great not only in muffins and cookies but also amps up butter cream icicng.

Secret ingredients are what makes recipes pop. They give dishes that special taste that makes them unique. Add a little something here and there to your next meal for surprising yet fun results!