Let Anne Byrn's Side Dishes Rev Up Your Spread

Nov. 21, 2007 — -- Turkey always tries to steal the spotlight at the holiday dinner table. But the meal isn't a feast without a supporting cast of side dishes. Check out Anne Byrn's recipes for tempting sides, which would make a great addition to any Thanksgiving meal. Then top off the dinner with one of her desserts.

And if you want to see which side dish goes best with your astrological sign, click here.

You can find Anne Byrn's recipes below.

Serves 8 to 10
Prep: 20 to 25 minutes
Bake: 50 to 55 minutes

You can find all sorts of variations of corn pudding around -- some based on canned corn, some made with canned creamed corn -- but this one relies on fresh corn. It is best made in the summer when you can buy sweet corn grown close to home. Pick six nice big ears, peel back the husks and remove the silks. By scraping down close to the cobs with a sharp knife it's easy to trim off the kernels. You need about three cups of corn kernels for this recipe; you've probably got the rest of the ingredients on hand.

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Place 2 tablespoons of butter in a 13-by-9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish and place it in the oven while it preheats until the butter melts, then set the baking dish aside.

2. Hold an ear of corn upright on a rimmed baking sheet and, using a sharp knife, cut down close to the cob to slice off the kernels. Then run the knife down the cob again to extract the milk and any remaining bits of corn kernels. Repeat with the remaining ears of corn. When done, you will have about 3 cups of corn kernels. Set them aside. 3. Warm the milk in a small saucepan over low heat.

4. Meanwhile, separate the eggs, placing the whites in a large mixing bowl and the yolks in another large mixing bowl. Beat the egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Set the egg whites aside.

5. Place the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in a glass measuring cup and microwave on high power until melted, about 1 minute. Beat the egg yolks with a fork until lemon colored. Whisk in the flour and sugar until well combined. Whisk in the warm milk and the 4 tablespoons of melted butter and season with salt and black and cayenne pepper to taste.

6. Fold in the corn kernels, then fold in the egg whites until just combined. Spoon the corn mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake until the top is golden and the pudding is just set, 50 to 55 minutes.

Big batch: This recipe is not easy to double. Just make two batches and bake them in separate baking dishes.

Serves 8 (makes 41/2 cups)
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: about 12 minutes
Cool: 25 to 30 minutes

Tradition usually does not allow you to mess with the cranberry sauce. I know this from experience, as my requests to prepare a cranberry relish, gelatin salad or homemade sauce have been met with puzzlement. You can hear people thinking, "Why would anyone not want to serve cranberry sauce straight from the can? After all, it comes in both smooth and chunky." Well, the answer is that it's nice to cook fresh cranberries. They only come into season during the holidays, and it's fun to let your kids see them pop in the pan. This version is enlivened with cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. And it is to die for spooned onto a turkey sandwich.

Prep: 40 minutes
Bake: about 1 hour and 15 minutes
Cool: 20 minutes

Betty Bruce Collins, who lives in Nashville, Tenn., bakes this cake for her grown children's birthdays and ships the cakes overnight as far away as California. She said she began baking sweet potato cakes after the vegetable grew with abundance in her family's backyard garden. "We called our daughter Beth the sweet potato queen," Mrs. Collins admitted, because of Beth's prowess in growing so many sweet potatoes. No doubt she tended to the tubers in hopes that her mother would bake one of these stellar cakes. I enjoyed a slice of the cake while visiting Mrs. Collins after the Christmas holidays. It seemed deliciously glazed, and Mrs. Collins revealed the secret: If the confectioners' sugar is sprinkled on while the cake is warm, it forms a simple glaze. Tote this cake to parties all year long, especially in the fall and during the holidays.

1. Peel and quarter the sweet potatoes. Place them in a medium-size saucepan and add enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Let the sweet potatoes simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes, let them cool, and then mash them (you should have about 2 cups). Set the mashed sweet potatoes aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly mist a 12-cup Bundt pan with vegetable oil spray and dust it with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set the pan aside.

3. Spread out the pecans or walnuts, if using, in a small baking dish and lightly toast them in the oven while it preheats, 5 to 7 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger in a small mixing bowl and stir with a fork to combine. 5. If using nuts, remove them from the oven and set aside.

6. Place the oil and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until they come together, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until the mixture is thickened and smooth, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and add the mashed sweet potatoes and dry ingredients, and beat on low speed until all just combined and the batter is smooth, 45 seconds to 1 minute longer. Fold in the toasted nuts or the currants. Transfer the batter to the prepared Bundt pan, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula.

7. Bake the cake until it is golden brown and the top springs back when lightly pressed with a finger, 1 hour and 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 20 minutes. 8. Run a knife around the edge of the cake, give the pan a few good shakes to loosen it, and invert the cake onto a plate. Then, sprinkle the confectioners' sugar over it.

Prep: 35 to 40 minutes
Bake: 25 to 30 minutes

We often travel to Chattanooga to spend Thanksgiving with my husband's family. It's only two hours down the road, but the food is deliciously different from what my family serves. In Chattanooga, I fork into creamy scalloped oysters and this most spectacular sweet potato casserole from one of the cousins, Mike Patten. Mike took the best of two recipes from the much-loved Chattanooga cookbook by Helen Exum and turned them into this dish. The secret is using fresh mashed sweet potatoes. The "soufflé" is topped with big fat marshmallows that puff up in the oven and completely cover the top of the casserole like huge clouds. This is totally sixties retro cuisine, and I love it, but if you're in the mood for a simpler rendition, try sprinkling bread crumbs drizzled with melted butter on top of the casserole instead.

1. Peel and quarter the sweet potatoes, then place them in a 3-quart saucepan. Add cold water to cover and bring to a boil, covered, over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and let the potatoes simmer until they are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the sweet potatoes and let cool briefly.

2. Meanwhile, place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly mist a 13-by-9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with vegetable oil spray or rub it with softened butter. Set the baking dish aside.

3. Place the 4 tablespoons butter in a large mixing bowl with the sweet potatoes on top. Add the brown sugar, orange juice, sherry, salt, and cinnamon. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the potatoes are fluffy and the butter has melted, about 1 minute. Add the eggs and beat until incorporated, 30 to 45 seconds. Fold in the raisins. Transfer the sweet potato mixture to the prepared baking dish. 4. Arrange the marshmallows on top of the sweet potatoes; they can be placed 3 across and 6 down, or whatever pattern works for you. Bake the sweet potatoes until the marshmallows are well browned and the casserole is bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes.

Big batch: Doubled, the sweet potato "soufflé" can be baked in two baking dishes.