HOLIDAY SIDES FROM GRANDMA JU-JU

Grandma’s Green Beans

Ingredients

¼ Pound Peppered Bacon, Chopped And Crisped

1 Medium Onion, Chopped

6 Cups Fresh Green Beans, Trimmed

1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

½ Teaspoon Seasoned Salt

Water As Needed

Directions

Step 1 Place chopped bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until crisp. Add onion; cook until bacon just starts to brown a bit, 4 to 5 minutes. Add green beans and stir until coated in bacon grease. Add salt, seasoned salt, and just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil.

Step 2 Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until beans are soft, about 45 minutes. Serves 4

One can never do fabulous sides without a green bean casserole. Here’s some in time for the holidays.

Ya Ya’s Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons Butter

2 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour

1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

½ Cup Onion, Diced

1 Cup Sour Cream

3 (14.5 Ounce) Cans French Style Green Beans, Drained

3 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 Cup Crumbled Buttery Round Crackers

1 Tablespoon Butter, Melted

Directions

Step 1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2 Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth, and cook for one minute. Stir in the salt, onion, and sour cream. Add green beans, ½ cup of crackers and stir to coat.

Step 3 Transfer the mixture to a 9×13 baking pan. Spread shredded cheese over the top. In a small bowl, toss together remaining cracker crumbs and remaining butter, and sprinkle over the cheese.

Step 4 Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is golden and cheese is bubbly.

Nana’s Cheesy Creamy Potatoes

Ingredients

Cooking Spray

1 Pound Medium Yellow-Flesh Potatoes, Scrubbed And Chopped Into 1-Inch Cubes

1 Pound Red Potatoes, Scrubbed And Chopped Into 1-Inch Cubes

1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

½ Cup Sour Cream

½ Cup Mayonnaise

6 Tablespoons Salted Butter, Cut Into Small Pieces

Directions

Step 1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a deep 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Step 2 Place yellow and red potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain.

Step 3 Combine mozzarella cheese, Cheddar cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise in a large bowl; mix well. Slowly add potatoes and toss; use a wooden spoon or flat spatula to avoid mashing the potatoes.

Step 4 Pour potatoes into the prepared pan. Dot butter over the top and cover with foil.

Step 5 Bake in the preheated oven, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and uncover. Preheat the oven’s broiler. Return to the oven and broil until top is browned, about 5 minutes.

Aunt Pearl’s Mack N. Cheese

Ingredients

1 Pound Elbow Macaroni

5 Cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Shredded

1 Cups Half n Half

5 Eggs, Or More To Taste

1 Tablespoon Yellow Mustard

Ground Black Pepper To Taste

Directions

Step 1 Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).

Step 2 Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, 8 minutes. Drain.

Step 3 Pour Cooked Pasta in a large mixing bowl and toss with the shredded cheese until melted.

Step 4 Beat milk, eggs, and mustard together in a bowl; pour over macaroni mixture, mix to blend, ensuring milk mixture gets to all of the macaroni.

Step 5 Pour into a 9×13 in baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and just before cheese around the sides gets crisp, 20 to 25 minutes. Season with black pepper.

Serves 16-20

With the Fall Harvest comes corn pudding. Comfort food with a twist.

Corn Pudding

Ingredients

5 Eggs

⅓ Cup Butter, Melted

¼ Cup White Sugar

2 Cups Milk

4 Tablespoons Cornstarch

1 (14 Ounce) Can Corn Kernels, Drained

2 (14.75 Ounce) Cans Cream-Style Corn

1 Box Quick White Corn Bread Mix

Directions

Step 1 Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 9×13 baking dish.

Step 2 In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add melted butter, sugar, and milk. Whisk in cornstarch. Stir in corn and creamed corn, fold in corn bread mix. Blend well. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish.

Step 3 Bake for 1 hour.