I developed this recipe a few years ago and it’s been a popular side dish for our guests ever since.

1/2 cup wild rice, cooked
2 1/2 cups white rice, cooked
2 Tbsp. butter
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 onion, coarsely chopped
8 oz chicken broth
1/8 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Melt butter in large saucepan. Add celery and onion; saute until tender. Add shredded carrot, chicken broth, cranberries and seasonings. Simmer gently until cranberries are plump, about 10 minutes. Stir in cooked white rice and wild rice. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until thoroughly heated. Taste; adjust seasonings if needed.

6 sweet and tart apples (I like using a mixture), peeled, cored and sliced
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, washed and sorted to discard any shriveled ones
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2-1 cup granulated sugar, depending on sweetness of your apples
1 cup water
1/2 tsp salt

Place all ingredients in large saucepan. Bring to boil; lower heat to simmer and cover. Cook for 20-30 minutes or until apples are soft enough to mash. Taste to check for sweetness/tartness and add sugar if desired. Cook until sugar is dissolved if you added more.
Remove from heat and mash with potato masher. Serve hot to accompany poultry or pork. Store in fridge for a week or two if it lasts that long, or freeze up to a year.

10 cups shredded hash browns
1/2 cup butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup chopped green onion
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt 1/4 c. butter and pour into 9×12-inch baking dish. Add 5 cups has browns (no need to thaw). In separate bowl, mix soup, sour cream, milk and green onions. Pour 1/2 of mixture over potatoes in dish. Salt and pepper to taste; sprinkle with 1 cup grated cheese. Add remaining hash browns; top with soup mixture, salt, pepper and shredded cheese. Bake for 55 minutes.

1/3 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 cup butter
2 cups water
1 cup uncooked white rice
2 tsp chicken bouillon
2 tsp grated lemon
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp dry mustard
dash of Tabasco
2-3 stalks celery, sliced
2 Tbsp parsley

Cook onion and garlic in butter in 3 qt. saucepan until onion is tender. Stir in remaining ingredients, except parsley. Heat to boiling, stirring once or twice; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 14 minutes. Do not lift cover or stir while simmering. Remove from heat; stir in parsley with a fork and let steam for 5-10 minutes. Great with chicken or turkey!

1 (14 ½ oz) can chicken broth
1 (14 ½ oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. basil
½ tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)
10 oz. quick-cooking couscous
1 (15 ½ oz) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained (or your favorite bean)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 green onions, sliced
½ cup diced green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 celery rib, diced
1 clove garlic, minced

Bring broth, tomatoes, salt, red pepper, basil, and oregano to a boil in a large saucepan. Remove from heat; stir in couscous. Let stand 10 minutes. Fluff with fork, and stir in remaining ingredients. Serve warm or slightly chilled.

(from America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook)

2 lbs. (3 medium) sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. heavy cream
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
pinch of pepper

Combine sweet potatoes, butter, cream, sugar, salt and pepper in large saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork, about 40 minutes. (At high altitude, I had to add a bit more cream.) Remove pan from heat and mash with potato masher until smooth.

The potatoes I used weren’t very sweet, so I tweaked this recipe a bit and added a bit of sweetness with a teaspoon or two of maple syrup. They were creamy and delicious. I served them as a side dish to pan grilled pork chops with glazed onions and apple slices. Mmmm.

6 large potatoes, cubed and cooked until fork tender
1/4 cup milk
8 oz cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp parsley flakes
1/2 tsp crushed garlic
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Place cooked potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Mash with potato masher until almost smooth. In separate bowl, mix milk, cream cheese, sour cream, parsley and garlic with electric mixer until smooth. Pour mixture over potatoes and mix until blended and as smooth as desired. Taste; add salt and pepper as needed.

Spoon mixture into a lightly greased casserole dish. Cover and bake at 325° for 30-40 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.