Selection of side dishes for the Thanksgiving buffet

Every Thanksgiving I am asked about side dishes to serve on the Thanksgiving buffet. Most people know what they plan to do for the meat and dessert, but sometimes side dish recipes are hard to decide on. Today I am sharing a few side dish recipes to get your thought process going as to what to serve at your own Thanksgiving meal. Be creative and change up the vegetables from ordinary mashed potatoes and corn.

Whatever you serve on Thanksgiving, I hope you are able to share it with lots of family and friends. That alone is much to be thankful for.

Swiss Chard Gratin

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs, from crustless French bread

1 cup grated Gruyere cheese, or aged hard goat cheese

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped mixed fresh herbs (preferably chives, tarragon and flat-leaf parsley)

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, divided

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 1/2 pounds Swiss chard, leaves and stems separated and both cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 pound spinach, coarse stems discarded, leaves coarsely chopped

* Melt 2 tablespoons butter and toss with breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic, mixed herbs, half of the nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl; set aside. Boil broth in a small saucepan until reduced by half. Add cream and keep warm.

* Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat and stir in flour. Cook roux, whisking, 1 minute, then whisk in broth mixture and increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil, whisking, for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.

* Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook onion in remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a wide, 8-quart heavy pot over medium-low heat, stirring, until softened. Add chard stems and remaining nutmeg; cook, stirring, until vegetables are tender but not browned, about 8 minutes. Increase heat to medium high and add chard leaves and spinach by large handfuls, stirring, until all greens are wilted. Cover and cook until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

* Transfer vegetables to a colander to drain well, and press out liquid with back of a large spoon (see note). Toss vegetables with cream sauce and transfer to a buttered 12-inch oval gratin dish or 2-quart shallow baking dish, spreading evenly. Top vegetables with breadcrumbs and bake in middle of oven until bubbling and topping is golden, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Notes: Gratin may be prepared, without baking, 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before baking. Be sure to drain as much liquid as possible from vegetables so gratin isn't wet.

Baked Kale Gruyère

1 quart salted water

2 1/2 pounds kale, ribs removed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

1/2 cup shredded Gruyère cheese, divided

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon melted butter

* Bring the salted water to a boil in a large pot. Meanwhile, wash the kale several times in cool water; drain well. Add kale to boiling water, cover tightly and boil steadily for 20 minutes, or until the kale is tender. Drain, cool and chop finely.

* Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Butter a 9-by-7-inch baking dish. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add the flour to make a paste. Cook, stirring, until lightly colored, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk, a little a time, waiting until the roux absorbs the milk before adding more. Add 1/4 cup of the shredded Gruyère, and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.

* Toss the breadcrumbs with the butter and the remaining 1/4 cup cheese; set aside. Combine the sauce with the kale and transfer to the baking dish. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs. Bake in the oven until the cheese is bubbly and breadcrumbs are browned. Yields 8 servings.

Sweet Potato Casserole

4 cups sweet potato, cubed

1/2 cup white sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup chopped pecans

* Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Put sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with water to cover. Cook over medium high heat until tender; drain and mash. In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, white sugar, eggs, salt, butter, milk and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.

* Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish. In medium bowl, mix the brown sugar and flour. Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potato mixture. Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until the topping is lightly brown.

Turnip and Sweet Potato Gratin

1 1/2 pounds turnips (about 3 medium), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 pound sweet potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

3/4 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1/4 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc

1 cup grated Gruyere cheese (4 ounces)

* Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In an 8-inch square baking dish, arrange a single layer of turnips and sweet potatoes, overlapping slightly. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with one-third of the flour. Repeat to make three more layers, sprinkling with salt, pepper, and flour between layers. Dot top layer with butter, then slowly pour broth and wine into dish, keeping layers intact.

* Cover with foil and bake until vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife, 45 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Remove foil and sprinkle cheese over dish. Bake until cheese is golden and bubbling, 12 to 15 minutes. Let gratin sit 10 minutes before serving.

Roasted Potatoes and Carrots with Dill

1 pound carrots, halved lengthwise if large and crosswise if long

1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes, halved if large

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh dill

* Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack in lower third. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss carrots and potatoes with oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer and cook until vegetables are browned in spots and tender when pierced with a knife, 40 minutes, tossing halfway through. Toss with lemon juice and dill. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving and happy coking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at news@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by Southeast Missourian staff.