Christmas Dinner Side Dishes
Twice-Baked Potatoes and Jeweled Winter Salad Complete Holiday Menu
Dec 9, 2007
Whether you're serving ham or turkey this Christmas, you can't forget about your side dishes. In fact, they're what completes a holiday menu. Vegetables always seem to be on the menu, but this year, forgo the green-bean casserole in favor of Supreme Twice-Baked Potatoes. These rich and buttery-tasting potatoes offer an interesting alternative to traditional baked potatoes.
Looking for a way to add sparkle and shine to your holiday table? With the colors of a Jeweled Winter Salad (featuring an assortment of red and green grapes, grapefruit, oranges and grated red cabbage) in front of your guests, it'll practically compete with the ornaments hanging on your Christmas tree.
Supreme Twice-Baked Potatoes Recipe
Be sure to use large baking potatoes for this recipe; their thick skin will hold their shape, allowing you to stuff them with the fluffy filling.
Makes 8 Side-Dish Servings
Ingredients:
- 8 large baking potatoes, such as russet, white or yellow varieties
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup finely chopped scallions, green parts only
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Prick the potatoes in several places on the skins with a fork. Place the potatoes in a medium baking pan and bake, uncovered, for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours. (The baking time depends on the size of the potatoes.) The potatoes are done when a knife can be inserted easily into the centers of the potatoes.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Slice each potato in half lengthwise. With a sharp spoon, remove the baked flesh from each potato half and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Reserve the potato skins.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Combine the potato flesh with the butter, milk and cheese. Beat until the mixture is smooth and all large lumps are removed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Carefully fill the reserved potato halves evenly with the potato mixture. Transfer the stuffed potatoes to a baking pan and cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are heated through.
- When ready to serve, remove the potatoes from the oven and garnish each potato half with a sprinkling of chopped scallions. Serve.
Jeweled Winter Salad Recipe
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients:
- 3 Valencia oranges, sectioned and finely chopped
- 3 ruby red grapefruit, sectioned and finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped dates
- 1 medium bunch seedless red grapes, stems removed, halved
- 1 medium bunch seedless green grapes, stems removed, halved
- 2 Granny Smith apples, chopped
- 3 large celery stalks, chopped
- 1 head red cabbage, cored, thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 2 pinches sugar
- 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
Directions:
- Place each variety of chopped fruit and vegetables in a separate bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, orange juice, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and 1 pinch of sugar. Divide the dressing among the oranges, grapefruit, dates, grapes and apples. Toss the fruit in each bowl with the dressing.
- In another small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, 1 pinch of sugar and the red-wine vinegar. Toss the celery and cabbage separately with the dressing.
- Spread a bed of dressed red cabbage on a large serving platter. Add additional layers of fruits and vegetables, alternating ingredients as you desire, and gradually build up the salad in a vertical mound. Allow the ingredients to spill down the sides of the mound. Serve immediately.
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