5 Easy Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes

Okay, so you've got your turkey, but have you given any thought to what 5 easy Thanksgiving side dish recipes to serve with it? Often, so much attention is paid to the turkey as the center of the Thanksgiving Day feast that it is easy to briefly overlook those equally important side dishes. Sure, it's called Turkey Day, but what meal is complete without a delicious selection of side dishes? Here are 5 easy Thanksgiving side dishes recipes:

Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

• 3 15-ounce cans of French cut green beans, drained
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 10-ounce can of cream of mushroom soup
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup crackers, crushed
• 1 tablespoon salted butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. Combine green beans, milk, soup, salt and pepper, stirring thoroughly.
3. Transfer to 2-quart casserole dish.  
4. Coat crushed crackers in melted butter and spread over top of casserole.
5. Bake for 30 minutes.
6. Optional: in the last 5 minutes of cook time, top with slices of Swiss cheese.

Easy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 1 10-ounce can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
• 1 10-ounce can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon  Lowery's seasoning salt
• 5 large Russet potatoes, scrubbed
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375º F.
2. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.
3. Combine soup, onion, black pepper and Lowery's, stirring thoroughly.
4. Slice potatoes into ¼-inch slices, and create a single layer in the casserole dish.
5. Pour some soup over layer. Create another layer of potatoes and soup.
6. Continue layering until ingredients are used.
7. Top with cheddar cheese.
8. Bake for 45 minutes.

Thanksgiving Apricot Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 6 large sweet potatoes
• 1 15-ounce jar of apricot halves
• 4 baking apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds
• ½ cup cran raisins
• 2 tablespoons salted butter, cut up

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. Boil sweet potatoes until soft.
3. 5 minutes before removing potatoes from heat, add apples to boiling water.
4. Remove pot from heat and drain water.
5. Transfer potatoes and apples to a 2-quart casserole dish.
6. Dot mixture with butter.
7. Sprinkle potatoes and apples with brown sugar, almonds, and cran raisins.
8. Pour apricots over top of mixture.
9. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Three Cheese Pasta Easy Bake

Ingredients:

• 1 10-ounce can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 cups Rotini pasta, cooked al dente
• ¼ cup peas, shelled
• ¼ cup celery, chopped
• ¼  cup onions, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400º F.
2. Combine soup, cheeses, milk, and black pepper, stirring thoroughly.
3. Transfer to 2-quart casserole dish.
4. Stir in pasta, and peas, celery and onions.
5. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes.

Cheddar Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 16-ounce jar cheddar pasta sauce
• 4 cups fresh broccoli florets, chopped
• 1/4 cup Italian seasoning bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon salted butter, cut up

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. In 2-quart casserole dish, combine cheddar sauce and broccoli, stirring thoroughly.
3. Top evenly with bread crumbs and dot with butter
4. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
5. Fork test broccoli for doneness.