The Prudent Pantry: Thanksgiving Recipes to Spice Up Side Dishes

Look, I'm not knocking traditional Thanksgiving side dishes. Like most traditions, they've remained popular for a reason! But sometimes I just want something a little different.

If you're making mashed potatoes, why not try a variation? I like to mix in horseradish or roasted garlic, and substitute sour cream for the milk or heavy cream. (I also always leave the skins on!) Top them off with chives for extra oomph. Or try this Yukon gold and fennel recipe, with rosemary and crème fraiche.

Like sweet potatoes? Instead of topping them with marshmallows and baking them within an inch of their lives, why not try this Honey-whiskey Sweet Potato recipe? It's delicious and different.

Green vegetables can be so dreadfully dull (green bean casserole, anyone?) but they are my favorite part of the meal. Here are a few ideas for exciting ways to get your greens on Thanksgiving:

• Fennel with garlic & olives


• Creamed spinach


• Butternut squash and caramelized onion galette


• Chipotle creamed corn


• Roasted asparagus with garlic risotto (the risotto would be lovely in place of mashed potatoes if you wanted to really change things up)


• And of course, my favorite thing to make is baked macaroni and cheese Martha Stewart's Marcaroni & Cheese recipe--she's published several varieties, but the "perfect" version is my favorite.

What are your favorite Thanksgiving side dishes?

Annika Barranti is a writer living in Los Angeles and blogging for the Savings.com personal finance blog as well as her personal blog, Through the Looking Glass. She and her husband are raising two children and trying to eat well on a tiny budget.