Getting the Kids Involved: Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Cooking with your children is a great way to spend quality family time, and, above all, it's fun! Here are some fun and delicious Thanksgiving side dish recipes to help you get started cooking with your children, courtesy of Michelle Stern, owner of What's Cooking. What's Cooking is a Marin-based business that offers exciting, fun, and educational cooking workshops in home or school for kids aged 2 1/2 through 19.

Cranberry Sauce with Dried Cherries

   
3.5 cups cranberries (1 12 ounce bag)  
1/4 cup dried cherries  
1/2 cup shallots, finely chopped  
2 Tbs red-wine vinegar  
Zest and juice of one orange  
2 Tsp grated ginger, peeled  
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed  
 
1. Combine cranberries, cherries, shallots, vinegar, orange zest and juice, ginger and brown sugar in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until cranberries pop.
2. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally until cranberries release their juices, about 15 minutes.
3. If the sauce becomes too thick, add water until the desired consistency is reached.
4. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
 
Yield: 3 cups
 
Tip: You can substitute dried cranberries or raisins for the dried cherries in this recipe.

CALL THE KIDS:

• Measure cranberries and cherries
• Juice the orange
• Scoop the brown sugar and pack it into the measuring cup tightly.
• Add the ingredients to the sauce pan

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Apples

In this sweet potato recipe, caramelized apples replace the traditional marshmallows, adding a delicious twist on an old favorite.

4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks  
1 cup whole milk or half-and-half  
6 Tbs butter  
4 Tbs light-brown sugar 
3 Macintosh or Gala apples
3 Tbs brown sugar
3 Tbs butter
Coarse salt and ground pepper  

1. Set a steamer basket in a large saucepan. Fill with enough water to come just below basket; bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Place sweet potatoes in steamer basket and cover; steam until tender, 15 to 25 minutes. Drain, and return to saucepan.
2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring half-and-half, butter, and brown sugar to a simmer, stirring to combine; remove from heat. Add to drained sweet potatoes, and mash just until smooth; season with salt and pepper.
3. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add apple wedges and brown sugar; cook about 10 minutes, turning apples occasionally, until lightly browned on both sides.
4. Place on top of sweet potatoes and bake 30 minutes, until heated through. (Note: If refrigerating before baking, cook an additional 15 minutes, or until heated through.)
 
Servings: 8

Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!