Side Dish

If you saw my family’s Thanksgiving grocery haul, you’d be within reason to guess that we were having some 15 or 20 people over to feast — but the reality? More like five. I don’t have much in the way of extended family members, so our Turkey Day is usually just my brother, my parents, myself, and my husband (who graciously agrees to ditch his large family so that my family doesn’t have to eat alone).

Mild-mannered green beans are fine on their own, but just wait and taste what happens when you dress them up with a couple pantry staples. You know them as green beans, string beans, or snap beans, terms used interchangeably to refer to the long, green-hued beans that flood the markets every year in early fall. Once you’ve had your fill of plain beans, let us help you give this side dish the upgrade it deserves.

Slice up a peak-season tomato, eat it plain, and it will be a glorious thing. But tomatoes play extra well with others. Toss two more ingredients in the ring and you’ve got the kind of salad that only summer can bring. Take, for example, the caprese: Pair fresh mozzarella and basil with those tomatoes and everyone is happy. Here are 11 ways to mix up your tomato salad routine.

Arguably the best part of cooking in the summer is that you can toss just about anything on the grill and call it dinner. Grilled meat, fish, and veggies don’t need much to make them taste great, thanks to the smoky flavor the grill imparts. But a ridiculously quick and easy sauce that works with just about anything — from eggplant to chicken thighs — wouldn’t hurt to have in your back pocket. Luckily, you came to the right place.

Stuck in a green bean rut? This versatile vegetable can do so much more than the classic green bean casserole. When fresh green beans are in season, you can find them on my plate almost every day of the week. Their quick cooking time and mild flavor make them the perfect blank canvas for all types of cuisines. While I could eat them every day sautéed with garlic and finished with a squeeze of lemon juice, here are five other ways to mix up your routine.

For weeknight dinners I’m all about super-simple sides. That usually translates to roasted veggies, with broccoli leading the pack. On its own, even the crowd-pleaser roasted broccoli can get a little boring and repetitive, but it certainly doesn’t have to be that way. The easiest way to switch things up? Change the seasoning. When I say seasoning, I’m not just talking about salt and pepper — this is deeper and way more flavorful.

I’ve long had a love-hate relationship with steamed artichokes. I love the taste, but given the tedious preparation they require, I really hate cooking them at home … or at least I did, until I learned this speedy method. To be fair, there’s nothing particularly difficult or fussy about steaming artichokes on the stovetop. Although, if it’s your first time tackling these green globes, it might feel that way. Really, it just takes time and patience.

The other day my mom asked me where I learned to cook (because we both know it certainly wasn’t from her). I didn’t have to think too long for an answer: “From PBS and cookbooks,” I said. One of my favorite PBS shows, which I later had the chance to work on, was Ming Tsai’s Simply Ming. That’s where I learned how to tea-smoke fish, braise short ribs, and make Ming’s house 50-50 rice.

Q: We are a family living abroad, and want to invite local friends to celebrate Thanksgiving with a traditional dinner. I can find most ingredients, but there are no fresh cranberries for the relish. Any ideas on what I can substitute for the cranberries or another relish? Sent by Elizabeth Editor: That’s too bad that you can’t find fresh cranberries where you live.

Piled high, topped with a pat of butter or savory gravy, mashed potatoes are hard to resist. But this Thanksgiving essential has the power to go way beyond just a comforting side dish — we’ve got five ways to prove it. The key to making any of these dishes shine, of course, is making a really great batch of mashed potatoes.

When it comes to eating my vegetables, I have a habit of repeating myself. Roasted Brussels sprouts? Check. Salad? Check. Sautéed greens? Check. Now repeat. Can you relate? But there are a few vegetables that, once remembered, lift the boredom and remind me how vibrant, exciting, and delicious they can be. My favorite? Radishes — specifically, roasted radishes. If you are missing something fresh in your vegetable routine, let this be your habit-breaker.

While I don’t know anyone who considers leftover sweet potatoes a problem, I want to share a tip for giving them a spectacular second life. Three words: whipped sweet potatoes. Here’s what to do: Peel and puree any leftover cooked sweet potatoes and whisk them in a pan over medium heat with a generous amount of butter and a splash of heavy cream. Sprinkle in a couple pinches of salt and you’ve got whipped sweet potatoes.

Most recipes use flour or cornstarch to thicken gravy, but a number of years ago there was an interview on NPR with cooking guru Shirley Corriher who mentioned that her mother used to thicken their Thanksgiving gravy with uncooked stuffing. And not only that, it was also the best gravy she remembered eating. Is it really possible to use stuffing to thicken gravy? And, does it taste good? We decided to test it and find out!

Did I miss the turkey? Nope! Here's why.

I’m a member of a Facebook group where people share what they’re making in the kitchen: the trials, the tribulations, the recipes. It’s a fun group, and most of the cooks are southern like me. Recently, a member posted this, “I made really good rice!!!!!!! yeah 2014.” I responded to the post, asking what brand she used, prepared to hear about her amazing rice cooker. Her answer surprised me, though it shouldn’t have.

In a recent piece about frittatas for The Washington Post, food writer Joe Yonan discussed deciding which cheese to use for his spring frittata. He favors a salty feta, although he recognizes that not everyone agrees. For instance, he mentions that chef and cookbook writer Lidia Bastianich reaches for a rich, whole-milk ricotta (which I’d never thought to do).

Leeks are a staple in my household. They are a sturdy, versatile, flavorsome vegetable with many uses, and you will always find a few lurking in my produce drawer. A real kitchen workhorse, they can be blanched, steamed, braised, or grilled and then used in soups, stews, omelet fillings, or even confit. But sometimes it can be confusing to encounter a leek. How much of the greens should one cut off? What’s with all that grit?

Irio [eer-ee-o], noun: In the Kenyan tribal language of Kikuyu, irio just means food. But it usually refers to a simple, plain dish of mashed potatoes, maize, and peas or greens.A couple years ago I spent a week in Kenya, in the highlands of the Rift Valley about an hour away from Nairobi. I really enjoyed the good food of this agricultural region. Here’s a very typical dinner dish: bright green irio!We ate plain Kenyan food all week, prepared by wonderful cooks.

Ugali [oo-gahl-ee] noun: In Kenya, ugali is the name for the most common mealtime starch: a thick, stiff porridge made from white cornmeal or red millet.In Kenya, ugali is one of the most common dishes you can find. Served with meat or mashed vegetables, it’s practically the national dish. It’s found throughout Africa, in fact; in South Africa it may be called pap, and in Zimbabwe you can find it by the name of sadza.

I picked up two prepared side salads at the store the other day, thinking they’d help round out the meal I was planning. They looked beautiful in the case and beautiful when I transferred them to serving dishes, but after one bland and disappointing spoonful, I was done. Should you find yourself in a similar situation, I have a few easy tricks for turning a boring side salad into something tasty with none the wiser.

Chive blossoms have been the prettiest thing at the farmers’ market for two weekends in a row, and both neighbors on either side of me here in Seattle are growing them in the front yard. I’m seeing them everywhere I turn! But what are chive blossoms? Simply put, they’re wild chives with beautiful purple flowering blossoms. You’re probably familiar with chives.

I received several questions and comments during Dinner Week asking for discussion and help on pairing side dishes with main dishes. This left me scratching my head a bit, as I think it’s hard to discuss this generally, without a specific menu in hand.

We’re offering you a few fresh ideas for your Thanksgiving leftovers today and tomorrow, anticipating that you have some turkey or cranberry sauce sitting around in your fridge.