Low Stress Sides...

Christmas is just around the corner…  You are going to be very happy with the Sides I am sharing with you this week.  They are fabulous accompaniments for our Ham Christmas Menu I posted last week! Low stress Sides… that’s what they are!  Easy… Easy… Easy. Every single one of them are divine and Holiday worthy.

And here we go…

·       Spinach Goat Cheese Salad

·       Pecan Orange Salad

·       Fluffy Strawberry Salad

·       To Die for Raspberry Salad

·       Cheesy Potatoes

·       Potatoes Supreme

Serve one… two… or all of them!  You will be a very popular host!  Christmas is busy.  Family. Friends. Parties. Decorating. Un-decorating. Gift buying. Gift returning. Keep the Menu simple and the Holidays a little less stressful!

Twenty Two days and counting…

To Die For Raspberry Salad

My friend Sandy Wood shared this recipe with me years ago and it is by far my favorite Jell-O salad.  So simple and I could eat the entire bowl all by myself!  Perfect Side for Christmas and I promise everyone will want this recipe!

·       1 small sugar free Raspberry Jell-O

·       1 cup boiling water

·       ½ bag of frozen raspberries

·       1 cup whipping cream- whipped

1.    In a glass salad bowl, dissolve Jell-O in boiling water. 

2.   Add raspberries and sugar.  Whip with an electric mixer. 

3.   Fold in whipped cream.  Refrigerate until set.  The end…

Fluffy Strawberry Salad
Let's talk Fluffy Strawberry Salad!  It is the perfect Holiday Side Dish... it comes together quickly... feeds a crowd... is delicious and very attractive on your table.

·       1 6 oz. box strawberry or raspberry Jell-O

·       1 C boiling water

·       1 C crushed ice (or 1 C cold water)

·       1 (5.1 oz.) box instant vanilla pudding

·       1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple

·       4 C mini marshmallows

·       1 (12 oz.) container cool whip, thawed

·       1 (16 oz.) container strawberries

Make it…

1.    Pour contents of Jell-O into a medium sized bowl.

2.   Heat one cup of water in microwave until boiling. Pour over the top of Jell-O.

3.   Stir it well, until all of the little Jell-O granules have dissolved.

4.   Pour 1 cup crushed ice into the bowl. If you don't have crushed ice easily accessible (like in your fridge) then use 1 cup cold water. It will just take a bit longer to set up.  Stir the ice (or cold water) until the ice has melted. Pop the bowl into the fridge for about 10 minutes or until Jell-O is slightly set up.

5.   While the Jell-O is setting… pour one can crushed pineapple and its juice into a large mixing bowl. Pour 1 large box of vanilla pudding over pineapple and stir to combine.

6.   Add 4 cups mini marshmallows, and one 12 ounce container of thawed cool whip. Stir together until combined.

7.   Stir Jell-O and pour into the cool whip/marshmallow mixture and stir to combine.

8.  Add sliced strawberries to bowl and gently mix… Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.  You can make this recipe up to 24 hours in advance.  (This salad can also be made into a Fluffy Orange Salad by trading the Strawberry Jell-O for Orange... omitting the fresh strawberries and adding Mandarin oranges!)

Pecan Orange Green Salad

    Just look at this Salad!  Does it not say... 

“Find me a place on your Holiday table.”

Pecan Orange Salad is perfect for any Holiday feast!  Easy to make and just three ingredients! The dressing makes this salad even more addictive.  Try to have only one serving… go ahead and try.

Salad

·       4 heads Bibb lettuce (or your favorite greens)

·       ¾ cup pecan halves- toasted

·       2 oranges- peeled and sliced

Place lettuce, pecans and oranges in a salad bowl.  Toss dressing with salad just before serving.  So Good!

Dressing

·       1/3 cup vinegar

·       ½ cup sugar

·       1 cup vegetable oil

·       ½ tsp. salt

·       ½ small onion- chopped

·       1 tsp. dry mustard

·       2 tbs. water

Combine dressing ingredients in a blender. You can make dressing ahead of time.  Keep refrigerated.

Spinach Goat Cheese Salad

The great thing about this Salad is… everything!  You can mix and match ingredients to suit your mood.  I keep it simple.  This gem is the one I serve most every Holiday!

It is really complicated…

·       Pre-washed Spinach

·       Goat cheese

·       Purple onion- sliced thin

Optional

·       Craisins

·       Toasted pecans or walnuts

·       Thinly sliced pickled beets-drained and dried with paper towel

·       Feta cheese

·       Candied pecans

I could go on and on… Toss together what you would like in your salad. Add your favorite dressing right before serving and mix gently. The end…

Cheesy Potatoes

Oh… these potatoes…The potato dish with so many names.

  Everyone knows what these are… they are...

The Best potato dish ever created!  The ultimate comfort food!  Hail to thee Cheesy Potatoes!

·      2 lb. pkg. frozen O’Brian potatoes

·       ½ cup melted butter

·       1 can cream of chicken soup

·       8 oz. carton sour cream

·      ½ cup chopped onion (optional)

·       2 cups shredded cheese

·       1 tsp. salt

·       ¼ tsp. pepper

·       2 cups crushed cornflakes

·       ¼ cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees...

In a large bowl, combine potatoes, ½ cup melted butter, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, chopped onion, cheese, salt and pepper.  Put in a 9 x 13 greased pan.  Sprinkle top with crushed cornflakes and drizzle with melted butter.  Bake about 50 minutes until it bubbles and cheese is melted.

** This recipe can be made up to 2 days ahead.

 Potatoes Supreme

My dear friend Penny told me to try this recipe.  I did.  They are divine!  Do not be alarmed by the heavy cream… these are the perfect Holiday Side.  I suggest you make 2 pans.

·       2 bags Simply Potatoes (shredded hash browns)

·       1 ½ large onions- finely chopped

·       1 ½ quarts heavy cream

·       paprika

1.    Preheat oven to 325.  Spray a 9 x 13 pan with Pam.  Layer one bag of potatoes in the bottom of pan…Salt and pepper potatoes.

2.   Add a layer of chopped onion.

3.   Pour cream over those two layers until covered.

4.   The next layer will be… ½ bag of potatoes and salt and pepper.  Add remaining onion.  Put the last ½ bag of potatoes on top.  Salt and pepper again and pour remaining cream to cover.

5.   Sprinkle with paprika.

6.   Bake for 2 hours… DO NOT cover while baking.