News4 Today's Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes

Need a Thanksgiving side dish? Our anchors have you covered!

After you have a taste of turkey, make room for the real stars of the Thanksgiving table: delicious side dishes and desserts. From pecan pie to Brussels sprouts and "Toilet Taters," we asked our News4 Today anchors to share some of their favorite Thanksgiving recipes. (Don't worry, we'll explain those "Toilet Taters.")

Eun Yang: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

News4 Today’s Eun Yang shares one of her favorite Thanksgiving recipes.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound of Brussels spouts
  • ¼-½ pound of pancetta (or substitute thick cut bacon)
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Trim ends off sprouts and take off any brown leaves. Cut them in half lengthwise. Set aside.

Cook pancetta on medium high heat in ovenproof pan. Remove from pan and set aside.

Reserve about 1 tablespoon of leftover oil from pancetta. Add a little olive oil.

Add Brussels sprouts in a single layer, season with salt and pepper, then cook untouched for about 5 minutes.

Put the pan in the oven. After 5 minutes, shake the pan or gently stir the sprouts.

Roast for another 5 fives and shake again. After 5 more minutes, remove from oven.

Serve right away.

Variation:

Add garlic or shallots to the pan before sautéing spouts.

Toss with thick balsamic vinegar add the end.

Toss with balsamic vinegar and honey at the end.

For vegetarians, add sweet potatoes or butternut squash instead of pancetta.

Melissa Mollet: Toilet Taters

How does something called "Toilet Taters" end up on the Thanksgiving table?

"Years ago, there were so many people cooking Thanksgiving dinner in the kitchen that we couldn't find an outlet to mix our mashed potatoes," Melissa Mollet explains. So they mixed those potatoes in the bathroom --; and the "Toilet Taters" legend was born! "Every year our mashed potatoes get their final mixing in a bathroom."

Melissa Mollet shares one of her favorite (and quirkiest!) Thanksgiving recipes.

Ingredients:

  • 5 pounds potatoes
  • Heavy whipping cream (pour it in slowly until you reach desired consistency)
  • 2 sticks of butter
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Directions:

Wash, peel and boil the potatoes until soft.

Drain the potatoes and then mash them with a hand-masher or an electric mixer.

Add heavy cream, butter, salt and pepper as desired while you continue to mix and stir. (Note: Melissa likes a LOT of butter!)

For the final stir, take the potatoes to a (very clean) bathroom and put the pot on the sink.

Aaron Gilchrist: John Legend's Macaroni and Cheese

News4 Today’s Aaron Gilchrist shares one of his favorite Thanksgiving sides.

Ingredients:

  • 2 (8-ounce) packages extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 (8-ounce) package Monterey Jack cheese, grated
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish
  • 3 cups elbow macaroni
  • 2 (12-ounce) cans evaporated milk
  • ⅓ cup skim milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Paprika, for sprinkling
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Cooking Directions

Get the full recipe here 

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Chuck Bell: Banana Bread with Nutella Swirls

News4 Today’s Chuck Bell shares one of his favorite Thanksgiving sides.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups flour, plus more for dusting pan
  • ½ cup shredded coconut
  • ¾ cups sugar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 3 ripe, dark brown bananas
  • ¼ cup yogurt
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 6 tbs. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup slivered almonds or chopped walnuts
  • ½ cup Nutella

Cooking Directions:

Get the full recipe here

Barbara Harrison: Pecan Pie

News4’s Barbara Harrison shares one of her favorite Thanksgiving recipes.

Ingredients:

One homemade 9" pie crust (unbaked) 

Filling:

  • 1 cup Karo Dark Syrup
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 2 TBSP melted butter
  • 1 TSP vanilla extract and/or 1 TBSP bourbon
  • 1 ½ cup whole pecans

Cooking Directions:

Stir together the first five ingredients with a mixer.

Add the pecans.

Bake at 350 degrees on center rack of oven for 60 minutes.

Pie is done when the top center surface springs back from touch.

Serve after two hours.

If you have a little more time on hand, Barbara has another version of her pecan pie: 

Ingredients:

  • One home-made 9" pie crust (unbaked)

Filling:

  • ½ cup light or dark corn syrup
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • ½ stick of unsalted melted butter
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tbsp bourbon
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp grated orange rind
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2½ cups pecans

Cooking Directions: 

Bake 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes.

Pie is done when the center is soft, not liquid. (It will continue to cook and harden as it cools.)

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