Least and Most Favorite Thanksgiving Side Dishes

[noboundaries]

There were two dishes I thoroughly despised as a kid but had to eat EVERY Thanksgiving: candied yams, and green bean casserole made with Campbell's cream of mushroom soup. To this day I cannot eat anything made with that canned soup. I do love sweet potatoes, but not candied.

Two dishes I loved were au gratin potatoes, and cornbread dressing smothered in turkey gravy. Although canned jellied cranberry sauce was served as a side dish, to me it was a condiment that went on the fork with just about anything on my plate.

Pumpkin pie is kinda middle of the road to me, but homemade sweet potato pie is an absolute favorite of mine I only seem inspired to make around the holidays. I use a combination of yams and sweet potatoes to make it look like a pumpkin pie but have a different flavor and texture.

What are your least and most favorite side dishes?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Ray

 

[Marknmd]

Favorites - My mom was a great cook. But creamed pearl onions with bread crumbs on top were introduced to me from my wife's side of the family and they became an instant favorite. Also Ocean Spray jellied cranberry sauce - especially on a turkey sandwich the next day with toasted sourdough bread. It's important that it's on the plate laying on its side positioned in a manner that you can see the little lines from the can still embedded on the side of the jellied sauce. That way you know it's legit. ;-)



Least favorite - as a kid I despised peas and I despised sweet potato. As an adult, I can deal with them but they're still not something I'd want on my birthday.

 

[Smoke-Chem BBQ]

I actually like candied yams and green bean casserole, ranking them just behind mashed potatoes and a really good stuffing recipe as essentials on the Thanksgiving table. My stuffing recipe includes lots of andouille sausage, dried apricots and cranberries, and pecans. And once I discovered homemade cranberry relish made with orange zest, we've not served canned cranberry sauce again. We have a few other sides that come and go in the rotation, a spinach casserole we recently discovered may show up this year. My wife likes roasted Brussel sprouts, but I'm not a fan.

I think pumpkin pie is essential for reasons of tradition, but I kinda prefer pecan pie for the taste, so we'll often have both.

 

[cutplug]

Gravy baby, it's all about the gravy!
Well at least it is going to be!
I was never a real picky eater so I liked it all as a kid.
Now a few (hundred) years later I too will skip any candied yams and over cooked green
beans.
Is it too early for a turkey sammy?

 

[JCAP]

Favorite: a really good stuffing that must include pumpernickel bread. I grew up with a lot of Stove-Top on thanksgiving. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy a Stove-Top stuffing but not on t-day! And pumpkin pie. There has to be pumpkin pie or it's not Thanksgiving.

Least favorite: Green bean casserole. No amount of fried onions makes it good.

 

[bill ace 350]

Favorite: Stuffing
Least Favorite: Green Beans

Dessert must have: Pumpkin Pie, Mincemeat Pie

 

[kilo charlie]

I too detest cream of mushroom soup so many years ago I switched the green bean casserole recipe to use cream of potato soup. I also added bacon to the recipe and it's acceptable now.

One dish that I do enjoy a lot is a hash brown casserole and over the years there have been many variations of that too. Probably my most popular has been my Smoked Cheesy Hash Browns with Crawfish and Andouille Sausage .

I have never been a fan of any variation of stuffing.

 

[clifish]

I detest cranberry sauce of any kind, be it fresh made or the jello type as well as sweet potatoes of any kind.

Love the mashed potatoes (always put the corn in the middle) and smothered with gravy. Then there are the flaky biscuits...oh my A1C is going up already!

 

[noboundaries]

All great posts! Keep 'em coming!

 

[JLeonard]

Favorite.....Dressing (not stuffing) with chicken and turkey gravy.
Lest favorite.....Green bean casserole.

Jim

 

[Gonna Smoke]

Favorite would be cornbread dressing with giblet gravy.
I can't stand watergate salad.

 

[noboundaries]

creamed pearl onions with bread crumbs on top

I'm definitely going to research that dish. Never heard of it and it sounds delicious.

My stuffing recipe includes lots of andouille sausage, dried apricots and cranberries, and pecans. And once I discovered homemade cranberry relish made with orange zest, we've not served canned cranberry sauce again.

I'll shig those stuffing ingredients into a dressing recipe. Made my mouth water. And we love the relish you mentioned. Thanks for the reminder. We haven't had it in a while.

Is it too early for a turkey sammy?

Left over turkey Sammies with cranberry sauce and fresh baked bread smothered in homemade mayo are the BEST!

Favorite: a really good stuffing that must include pumpernickel bread.

Another ingredient I've never heard of but am now curious to try. Thanks!

Mincemeat Pie

Haven't had one in years. Now I want one!

One dish that I do enjoy a lot is a hash brown casserole and over the years there have been many variations of that too. Probably my most popular has been my Smoked Cheesy Hash Browns with Crawfish and Andouille Sausage .

My mouth literally started watering.

Then there are the flaky biscuits...oh my A1C is going up already!

Flaky biscuits, dripping with butter and honey. Mmmm...mmm. A1C through the roof!

Least favorite.....Green bean casserole.

I've actually made my own scratch mushroom soup that I love, but I can't bring myself to make that casserole just yet. Maybe someday soon.

Favorite would be cornbread dressing with giblet gravy.
I can't stand watergate salad.

Ya gotta love cornbread dressing. I usually smoke the giblets and eat them as a smoker's privilege. They never make it into the gravy.

And Watergate salad? That's a bit "tricky."

 

[clifish]

I'm definitely going to research that dish. Never heard of it and it sounds delicious.



I'll shig those stuffing ingredients into a dressing recipe. Made my mouth water. And we love the relish you mentioned. Thanks for the reminder. We haven't had it in a while.



Left over turkey Sammies with cranberry sauce and fresh baked bread smothered in homemade mayo are the BEST!



Another ingredient I've never heard of but am now curious to try. Thanks!


Haven't had one in years. Now I want one!



My mouth literally started watering.



Flaky biscuits, dripping with butter and honey. Mmmm...mmm. A1C through the roof!



I've actually made my own scratch mushroom soup that I love, but I can't bring myself to make that casserole just yet. Maybe someday soon.



Ya gotta love cornbread dressing. I usually smoke the giblets and eat them as a smoker's privilege. They never make it into the gravy.

And Watergate salad? That's a bit "tricky."

Pearl Onions in cream sauce, my mother always makes that....mmmm

 

[Brokenhandle]

Well I do like green bean casserole but not so much for Thanksgiving...green beans with bacon added...you bet!

I too am interested in creamed pearl onions!

But turkey, mashed taters, gravy, and yes the corn is getting mixed in as well! Ya'all can have my cranberry sauce and yams or sweet taters!

Forgot to mention stuffing with gravy!
For dessert...more of the above...no room for pie!

Ryan

 

[noboundaries]

Pearl Onions in cream sauce, my mother always makes that....mmmm

That dish is popping up a lot. Did some Googling. Definitely going to make it sometime soon. Seems pretty easy.

 

[clifish]

For dessert...more of the above...no room for pie!

Ryan

Totally agree no room for it, need the space for more alcohol anyway.....although when my mother makes her rum cake it is so saturated with light and dark rum that it qualifies as alcohol.

 

[BB-que]

There were two dishes I thoroughly despised as a kid but had to eat EVERY Thanksgiving: candied yams, and green bean casserole made with Campbell's cream of mushroom soup. To this day I cannot eat anything made with that canned soup. I do love sweet potatoes, but not candied.

Two dishes I loved were au gratin potatoes, and cornbread dressing smothered in turkey gravy. Although canned jellied cranberry sauce was served as a side dish, to me it was a condiment that went on the fork with just about anything on my plate.

Pumpkin pie is kinda middle of the road to me, but homemade sweet potato pie is an absolute favorite of mine I only seem inspired to make around the holidays. I use a combination of yams and sweet potatoes to make it look like a pumpkin pie but have a different flavor and texture.

What are your least and most favorite side dishes?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Ray

Oyster dressing

 

[JLeonard]

For dessert...more of the above...no room for pie!

Ryan

You obviously have not developed the dessert stomach which is separate from the food stomach!
Jim

 

[tallbm]

Least Favorite: Candied Yams and anything Pumpkin Spice, yuck!

Most Favorite: my aunt's Giblet Gravy (makes everything better) and Deep Fried Turkey! (my cousin's Cheddar and Broccoli Rice is honorable mention along with my aunt's Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes)

 

[noboundaries]

Oyster dressing

Like, or dislike?

I've never had it. I love oysters but can't imagine them in dressing. I'm open to suggestions, though.

my aunt's Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes)

Every word of that sentence is perfect.