52 Weeks Of Sunday Dinner - Week 5: The Side Dish Edition

On most holidays, our main course is meat . . . turkey on Thanksgiving, ham on Easter and Christmas, and steak on Memorial Day and Independence Day.  I always eat some of the meat, but on those particular days, I reserve the bulk of my appetite for the side dishes that go with it.  I have a serious love for all things side-dishy.  Easter this year included ham, CrockPot Cinnamon Glazed Carrots, Deviled Eggs (which I need to find my recipe for) and the following:

Hash Brown Potato Casserole

2 pounds frozen hash browns, thawed
¼ cup melted butter
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ chopped onion
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 pint sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups crushed cornflakes

Mix all ingredients and pour into a 9-inch x 13-inch casserole dish.  Sprinkle cornflakes on top and drizzle with ¼ cup melted butter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes.

(My Mom makes this every year and brings it with her when she and my Dad come over.  It is one of my favorite comfort-type foods, and is awesome reheated and served along with leftover ham and scrambled eggs for breakfast the next morning.)

Cardamom Braid

1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1 ½ cups warm milk (110 to 115 degrees), divided
1 cup sugar, divided
3 egg yolks, beaten
½ cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon salt
5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons milk

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in ½ cup warm milk.  Add ¾ cup sugar, egg yolks, butter, cardamom, salt, 3 cups of flour and remaining warm milk; beat until smooth.  Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.  Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes.  Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 ¼ hours.

Punch down dough; divide into six pieces.  Shape each piece into a 16-inch rope.  Place three ropes on a greased baking sheet; braid.  Pinch ends firmly and tuck under.  Repeat with remaining three ropes on another baking sheet.  Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Brush braids with milk and sprinkle with remaining sugar.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: 2 loaves.

(I wish I had taken a picture of these, because they came out really fancy looking this year!  The flavor is sweet and mild and is a nice compliment to the ham and other veggies.)

 

Dirt Cake

 

3 ½ cups cold milk

2 packages (4-serving size) instant chocolate pudding
1 tub (12 ounces) Cool Whip
1 package (16 ounces) chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed

Pour milk into a large bowl. Add pudding mixes. Beat with a wire whisk or electric mixer on lowest speed 2 minutes or until blended. Gently stir in whipped topping and ½ of the crushed cookies. Spoon into desired container* and cover with remaining cookie crumbs. Refrigerate 1 hour or until ready to serve.

*I have served this in a 9-inch x 13-inch casserole dish decorated with candy pumpkins and Milano cookies decorated like tombstones, in the back of a dumptruck with a shovel for serving, and in a flowerpot with a silk flower and Gummi worms. You can also use vanilla pudding and vanilla sandwich cookies and serve in pails and shovels with Gummi fish for a beach-themed party.

(We celebrated The Kindergartner’s birthday on Easter and for the second year in a row he chose a Dirt Cake for his special day!)