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Thanksgiving side dishes that steal the spotlight

The turkey may be the mainstay of the Thanksgiving dinner, but these tasty side dishes can provide a variety of options that keep your guests full and happy this Thanksgiving. Recipes are courtesy of the Food Network Kitchen.

Crispy Potato Stacks
This delicious side dish is simple and quick to prepare. With its crispy edges, herby butter and easy portioning.

Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients:
1 pounds of russet potatoes
1 pound of sweet potatoes
12 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon of fresh sage
1 tablespoon of fresh thyme
Kosher salts and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.

Directions:
Slice the russets and sweet potatoes 1/16-inch thick using a mandoline slicer and place in a bowl. Toss the potato slices with the butter, herbs, garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper until the potatoes are evenly coated. Layer the potatoes evenly in the prepared muffin tin, stacking them one on top of the other until they are about 1 inch above the top of each muffin cup. Bake until the edges of the potatoes are golden and crispy, about 25 minutes.

Let cool 5 minutes, then run a butter knife around the edge of each stack to help them release. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with Parmesan and serve immediately.
Watch here.

Alton Brown’s Cranberry Sauce

Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients:
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
¼ cup 100 percent cranberry juice
1 cup honey
1 pound of fresh cranberries (about 4 cups)

Directions:
Wash the cranberries and discard any soft or wrinkled ones.

Combine the orange juice, cranberry juice and honey in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cranberries and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the mixture thickens. Do not cook for more than 15 minutes as the pectin will start to break down and the sauce will not set as well. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Carefully spoon the cranberry sauce into a 3 cup mold. Place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours and up to overnight. Remove from the refrigerator, overturn the mold and slide out the sauce. Slice and serve.
Watch here.

Barefoot Contessa’s Sauteed Carrots

Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
2 pounds of carrots
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 ½ tablespoons of chopped fresh dill or flat-left parsley

Directions:
Peel the carrots and cut them diagonally in 1/4-inch slices. You should have about 6 cups of carrots. Place the carrots, 1/3 cup water, the salt, and pepper in a large (10- to 12-inch) saute pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 8 minutes, until the carrots are just cooked through. Add the butter and saute for another minute, until the water evaporates and the carrots are coated with butter. Off the heat, toss with the dill or parsley. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.
Watch here.

Anne Burrell Sweet Potato Casserole

Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
Casserole
2 ½ pounds of sweet potatoes (about three)
1 orange, zested and juiced
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon of honey
½ cup milk
½ cup diced dried apricots
Topping:
½ cup oatmeal
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of butter cut into pea-sized pieces
½ cup of chopped walnuts

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Put the sweet potatoes on a sheet tray and roast for 35 to 40 minutes. The sweet potatoes might still be a little hard in the center- no problem!

While the sweet potatoes are baking make the topping. In a food processor, combine the oatmeal, brown sugar, olive oil, butter, and walnuts and pulse until mixture comes together.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and cut them into 1-inch chunks. Discard the skins. Put the potatoes into a large dish and add the remaining ingredients. Mash together with a potato masher until well combined. Transfer the mixture to a 2-quart casserole dish. Crumble the topping mixture over the potatoes. Bake until the mixture hot all the way through and the topping is brown and crispy, about 30 minutes.

That’s a hot sweet potato!
Watch here.

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