Recipe(tried): Many Christmas Eve side dish ideas for (10 recipes) for Lamar

Hi Lamar:-) Here are some ideas from which you could pick and choose. I have tried many of these recipes but not all of them, as noted. I guess they are all sides one might have with ham but most have a little different a twist. Good luck deciding on your menu. Have a wonderful holiday!

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BAKED CORN WITH THYME
(I have tried this. You would need to increase the amounts since this recipe only serves 2 people.)

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

1 1/2 cups fresh corn (cut from about 3 ears) or thawed frozen
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
leaves
2 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs

In a bowl stir together the corn, the cream, the thyme, and salt and pepper or taste, spoon the mixture into a buttered 6-inch baking pan or gratin dish, and sprinkle the bread crumbs on top. Bake the corn mixture in the middle of a preheated 350 F. oven for 25 minutes, or until it is crusty around the edges. Broil the corn mixture under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat for 2 minutes, or until the bread crumbs are toasted.

Serves 2
Gourmet, July 1991

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CREAMED PEAS AND MUSHROOMS
(I have tried these. I used to always serve this with rib roast on Christmas.)

Cook peas according to package directions (We like Bird's Eye or Trader Joe's Petite peas)

Clean and slice white, button mushrooms. Saute in butter until cooked.

Make a medium white sauce:
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp balck or white pepper
1 cup milk

Melt butter over low heat; add flour, salt and pepper. Cook about 1 min. to cook the flour so your sauce doesn't taste floury. Remove from heat and whisk in milk. Return to heat. Cook, whisking constantly until thickened and smooth. Makes 1 cup.

Add the peas and mushrooms to the cream sauce. Sprinkle with paprika and serve. If the sauce gets too thick, just add a little milk, heating until it is of desired consistecy.

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GREEN BEANS A LA PEGGY
(I have tried these.)

1 #303 can whole green beans (I'm not really sure what sized can this is and can't remember if I used 1 or 2, 15 or 16 oz. cans)
1 Tbsp. bacon drippings
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 small onion finely chopped
1/4 stick butter (2 Tbl)
1/4 cup broken pecan pieces
1/4 cup bread crumbs

Saute chopped onions and garlic in bacon drippings. Add drained green beans reserving 1/2 can of juice from beans and add that also. Cook in saucepan over low heat for one hour. (The recipe actually says 1 hour! You could probably cook it way less. I just don't think that I cooke d them that long, though this is how they were always cooked in the south - a very long slow time so the bacon flavor gets in the beans). Make the topping from the melted butter, bread crumbs and pecans stirring constantly over low heat. Put beans in serving dish and sprinkle topping over the heated beans. The topping does not have to be hot when served. Serves 4. The topping can be used with other vegetables.

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GINGERED SWEET POTATOES
Adapted from: Blue Ginger: East Meets West Cooking with Ming Tsai

These are delicious. My girls love these! These can be made a day ahead of time or can also be frozen.

6 tbsp. butter
6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh ginger
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp. of the butter and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add garlic and ginger and saute, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is brown, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the cream and reduce by 1/3 over low heat, about 10 minutes. (Be careful when you reduce the cream since it will boil over really, really easily). Keep warm.

Meanwhile, combine the sweet potatoes in a large saucepan with enough water to cover them completely. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until they can be easily pierced with the tip of a knife, 20-30 minutes. (Mine only took about 11 minutes. Maybe I cut mine up smaller than he does). Drain, then evaporate all of the rest of the water from the pan by shaking it over low heat. Transfer to a food processor.

Add the cream (you might not need all of it...you don't want the potatoes to be too mushy) and process until well blended. Add the remaining butter, season with salt and pepper, and puree until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

I tried the cornmeal and green onion variation of these popovers. I did cut a slit in them and return them to the oven to make them extra crispy. We enjoyed them a lot. They are a nice change from cornbread and might be something different to try with ham. I used a muffin tin when I made these.

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HARVEST POPOVERS WITH VARIATIONS(I have tried these.)
From Sunset Magazine
Makes: 8

2 Eggs large
1 cup Flour
1/4 tsp Salt
1 cup Milk

Butter 8 muffin cups or 6 custard cups. In a blender mix eggs with flour, salt and milk until very smooth. Pour batter into cups, fill to no more then a 1/4 inch below the top. If using individual cups set them well apart on a cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for about 50 minutes, or until popovers are puffed, well browned and firm to touch. Run a knife around the edge of each popover to loosen. Serve hot.

For extra crispy popovers return to baking cups tilting the popover at an angle. Pierce side with paring knife and return to turned off oven for 5 to 10 minutes.

VARIATIONS:

Rice and Parmesan:
Cook 3 Tbsp of rice, drain, and let cool. Mix the rice with 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese. Add to popover batter while it is in the blender.

Bran and Cheddar:
Add to batter while it is in the blender: 1/3 cup bran cereal flakes and 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded.

Cornmeal and Green onion:
Add to batter while it is in the blender: 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal, 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onion, and 1 clove garlic, minced.

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CRANBERRY WALDORF SALAD
(I have not tried this but it sounds good!)

2 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup apples, peeled and diced
1 cup grape halves
1 cup orange sections
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Wash cranberries and chop coarsely. Add sugar and let set overnight in refrigerator. Combine cranberries, apples, grapes, oranges and nuts. Toss lightly. Top with a ribbon of Chantilly Dressing.

CHANTILLY DRESSING:
4 Tbsp. whipped cream
2 Tbsp. confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup mayonnaise

Mix thoroughly.

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AMBROSIA WALDORF SALAD
(I haven't tried this but it sounds good!)

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberry halves
1/2 cup sugar
3 cups miniature marshmallows
2 cups diced unpeeled apples
1 cup seedless green grape halves
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 can (20 ounces) pineapple tidbits, drained
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
Shredded or flaked coconut

combine cranberries and sugar. In a large bowl, combine the marshmallows, apples, grapes, pecans and pineapple. Add cranberries and mix well. Fold in whipped cream. Cover and chill. Sprinkle with coconut before serving.
Yield: 12-14 servings.

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CLASSIC WALDORF SALAD
(from Gina, FL - I have tried this. It's very good.)

1/2 cup Hellmann's or Best Foods Mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 medium red apples, cored and diced
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

In medium bowl combine mayonnaise, sugar, lemon juice and salt.

Add apples and celery; toss to coat.

Cover; chill to blend flavors.

Just before serving sprinkle with walnuts.

Serves 8

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BLOOD ORANGE, GRAPEFRUIT, AND POMEGRANATE COMPOTE
Source: Gourmet, January 1995
Servings: 6 (I have not tried this but it sounds good and very colorful.)

1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1/4 cup dry Sherry
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
6 pink grapefruits
3 blood oranges or 1 1/2 navel oranges
1 pomegranate

In a saucepan bring white wine, Sherry, honey, and sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Transfer syrup to a heatproof bowl and chill until cold.

Cut peel and pith from grapefruits and oranges and cut fruit into sections, discarding membranes. Halve pomegranate and squeeze gently to yield seeds with juice. Divide citrus sections, pomegranate seeds and juice, and wine syrup among 6 dessert bowls and chill, covered, at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour. Stir compote before serving.

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SPICED PEACHES
from manyhats (I have not tried these but I have tried other recipes that manyhats has posted and they are just great, along with so many others who post on this site.)

2 cans (29 oz. each) cling peach halves
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
4 sticks cinnamon
2 tsp. whole cloves

Drain peaches, reserving syrup.Combine peach syrup, sugar, vinegar, cinnamon sticks, and cloves in a saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil; then lower heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

Pour hot syrup over peach halves; let cool. Chill thoroughly before serving. Store in refrigerator.

Yield: about 4 pints