Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle editor

Thanksgiving is nearly here, and most students are looking forward to their own Thanksgiving dinner with friends or family. For some, this means finding a way to contribute to the holiday meal. Fortunately, Thanksgiving dinner is about having an abundance of food and varieties of dishes, meaning there’s still time to find a quick and easy side or dish to bring to the celebration.

The following dishes are common staples to any Thanksgiving meal and do not require extensive culinary skill to make. Specific instructions and variations on recipes can be found online at websites such as Foodnetwork.com and Allrecipes.com.[fruitful_tabs type=”accordion” width=”100%” fit=”false”][fruitful_tab title=”Candied Yams or Sweet Potatoes”]This popular Thanksgiving side takes some time to cook, but the prep is fairly simple and only requires a few ingredients. Recipes vary, but the simple version can be made with only sweet potatoes, butter, brown sugar and marshmallows. The dish usually takes at least half an hour to cook if fresh sweet potatoes are used. [/fruitful_tab]
[fruitful_tab title=”Mashed Potatoes”]Another popular dish that will definitely go quickly is mashed potatoes. Simply boil the desired amount of potatoes, mash and add butter, salt and other dairy product, such as half and half, depending on the recipe. Optional additional ingredients include sour cream and shredded cheese. [/fruitful_tab]
[fruitful_tab title=”Cranberry Relish”]A classic side that will go with any Thanksgiving meal, cranberries are an easy dish that require only one main ingredient. This versatile dish requires just frozen cranberries warmed in a pan with a little water, sugar and citrus juice added. [/fruitful_tab][fruitful_tab title=”Green Beans with Bacon”]If all of the more traditional dishes have been made, cooked green beans sauteed with bacon and garlic is another easy — yet tasty — side to go with dinner. Add seasoning to taste, including red pepper flakes if desired. Some recipe add onions or pecans as well, so adjustments can be made based on preferred flavors and textures. [/fruitful_tab]
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Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis