How to Choose Side Dishes for Christmas Dinner

So you're hosting a big Christmas dinner and don't know what to serve with that roast, turkey or ham? Relax. Picking side dishes is a snap.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Holiday Cookbooks
• Low-fat Cookbooks
• Recipes
• Fresh Vegetables
• Potatoes
• Seasonings
• Peelers
• Potato Mashers
• Serving Bowls

1. Decide what your main course will be. Your "big deal" entrée, whether it's a roast beef, ham, turkey or something else, will determine what side dishes you serve.

2. Determine how it will taste. Sounds like a simple question, and it is. Will it be sweet or salty, spicy or bland? Will it be mild or bold?

3. Plan on serving several side dishes with the meal. Some should complement the main course, others contrast it.

4. Accompany a ham, which is very salty, with a sweet side dish, such as roasted apple chunks, a sweet sauce or chopped pineapple. Oven-dried seasoned tomatoes and ginger-glazed carrots (see related eHow) go well with ham.

5. Pick mild vegetable dishes to accompany ham, which is already very well seasoned. Good choices include wilted spinach, dilled cucumber salad or steamed broccoli.

6. Pair a juicy, flavorful roast beef with at least one side dish that will absorb its juices. Mashed potatoes is the classic choice here, but other good side dishes for beef include sautéed mushrooms, wilted or creamed spinach, and steamed or roasted asparagus.

7. Match a boldly seasoned or spiced entrée, such as Cajun prime rib, with side dishes that both complement and temper the seasoning. Roasted peppers will complement the seasoning, and mashed potatoes and creamed spinach will temper it.

Tips & Warnings

• For all gatherings, especially larger ones, make sure to have a variety of dishes. The more options your guests have the more they'll enjoy the meal.

• Don't feel obligated to serve anything in particular. Choose according to your own personal tastes.

• Don't choose too many starchy side dishes. If serving turkey, for example, serve only one potato dish and one stuffing.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Read this Article in Portuguese
• Letter From Santa
• Christmas Recipes