Sometime between now and New Year's Day, a lot of us will hear the familiar phrase: ''Oh, just bring a side dish.'' We're embarking on the season of family dinners, holiday buffets and potluck parties.

But before you reach for the cream of mushroom soup and the French-fried onions, consider trying something different this year.

Most home cooks tend to rely on the few tried and true recipes they've been making for years. And while tradition is a good thing at the holidays, boring is not.

Missy Salmon, chef and market manager for Totally Cooked Catering in Cuyahoga Falls, said tradition doesn't have to mean same-old same-old.

''People need to play off of the favorites, maybe adding different flavors. Change it up a bit, or even substitute a vegetable that's similar,'' she said. For example, Salmon suggested, substitute broccoli raab for green beans.

But because the holidays are rooted in tradition, you may have to be careful if you start eliminating dishes the family holds dear — like the green bean casserole.

Salmon recalled the year her mother decided she wasn't making a broccoli-cheese casserole she makes every Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. ''There was quite an uproar,'' she said.

In her new book, What Can I Bring? Cookbook, Anne Byrn said Thanksgiving should be a blend of old traditions and something new — much like the guests around the table.

''Thanksgiving dinners have become multi-
generational. . . . In our family, we have some vegetarians, a lot of young children, baby boomers and a few older people.

''Keep a couple of traditional foods your family really looks forward to for nostalgia's sake,'' she said, adding that it's good to try something new as well.

Byrn said a salad is a great way to freshen up any holiday meal. At Thanksgiving, there is a tendency to get caught up in the turkey, stuffing and gravy, and a salad is easily forgotten, she said.

''Some people never include a salad and it gives you a break from the heavy food,'' she said.

Like Salmon, Byrn said cooks should look for new twists on familiar ingredients. She suggested turning the green bean casserole into a green bean salad, for example.

While a lot of cooks focus on pumpkins or sweet potatoes, there are plenty of other root vegetables that make great holiday side dishes. ''There's beautiful squashes, like a roasted butternut squash,'' Byrn said.

Salmon said something new may be as simple as looking at the same foods in a new way. ''Fruits can be used as a hot, savory item as opposed to always dessert,'' she said.

Salmon's recipe for Curried Fruit is served warm as a savory side dish, and goes great with turkey, chicken or pork because of the curry powder. It's especially easy because it's made with canned fruits.

One of the best parts of holiday cooking, Salmon said, is that most cooks are willing to make something extra special.

''They splurge a bit more, use better ingredients and seek out the things that are a bit more unusual,'' she said.

These recipes include examples of ways to take side dishes beyond the green bean casserole.

Some, like the Duo Tater Bake, rely on traditional ingredients like mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, but present them in a new way.

The Corn Casserole is a crowd pleaser, a variation on traditional corn custards and corn-bread stuffing.

Cabbage, Kale and Potato Gratin is a flavorful alternative to scalloped potatoes that would also work well as a stand-alone casserole supper.

One of Byrn's favorites, Spinach Salad With Curried Apple and Cashew Dressing, features traditional fall apples and dried cranberries, but with an Asian flair. Her Butternut Squash and Tomato Gratin is a side dish that travels and reheats well.

All of them will help get you through the holiday season without a single can of cream of mushroom soup.

CURRIED FRUIT
1 (12-oz.) can pineapple chunks
1 (15-oz.) can sliced peaches
1 (15-oz.) can black cherries
1 (15-oz.) can pear halves
1 (15-oz.) can peeled apricots
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. curry powder

Drain fruits. Gently toss fruits in a large ovenproof dish. Blend melted butter, brown sugar and curry together, and pour over fruit. Cover and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Serve hot.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Note: Can sizes are approximates.
— Chef Missy Salmon

SAUTEED BROCCOLI RAAB WITH
GARLIC AND CRUSHED PEPPER
3 lbs. broccoli raab
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp. thinly sliced garlic
1 to 2 anchovy fillets, optional
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper, as needed

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash the broccoli raab and remove any tough stems and very large leaves.

Blanch the broccoli raab in the boiling water until it is bright green, about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse the broccoli raab to stop the cooking. Squeeze dry and chop, if desired.

In a saute pan, heat the oil over low heat. Add the garlic and cook gently, stirring frequently, until the garlic is limp and barely golden, about 2 minutes. Keep the heat very low to avoid scorching the garlic.

Add the anchovy fillets, if using, and smash them into the olive oil with the back of a spoon. Cook until the anchovy is dissolved, about 1 minute. Add the red pepper flakes and stir into the oil.

Increase the heat to high, add the broccoli raab and saute quickly until the broccoli raab is very hot, about 3 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and Please see Dishes, D3

Continued from Page D2
pepper. Serve immediately on heated plates or in a heated serving bowl.

Makes 6 servings.
— The Culinary Institute
of America: Vegetables

SPINACH SALAD WITH CURRIED
APPLE AND CASHEW DRESSING
For the dressing:
2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tbsp. dry white wine
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. soy sauce
3 tbsp. sugar, or more to taste
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. salt or more to taste
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
1/2 cup vegetable oil
For the salad:
1 package (about 10 oz.) chopped romaine lettuce (about 8 loosely packed cups)
1 package (5 oz.) spinach leaves, rinsed and drained well, stems removed (4 to 5 loosely packed cups)
1 medium Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup cashews
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 scallions, green parts only, chopped
1 tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted

To toast sesame seeds, place them in a heavy skillet over medium heat and stir until they are golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Make the dressing: Place the white wine vinegar, wine, mustard, soy sauce, sugar, curry powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add the oil, a little at a time, whisking to combine until the dressing has thickened.

Taste for seasoning, adding a tablespoon of sugar and more salt and/or pepper as needed. Set the dressing aside.

Prepare the salad: Place the romaine and spinach in a large salad bowl and toss to combine. Top with the apple, cashews, cranberries, scallions and sesame seeds.

Stir the salad dressing to recombine, then pour half of it over the salad and toss to coat well. Taste for seasoning and add dressing if needed.

Any leftover dressing can be refrigerated for up to two weeks.

Serve at once.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.
— What Can I Bring? Cookbook,
by Anne Byrn

BUTTERNUT SQUASH
AND TOMATO GRATIN
1 large or 2 medium butternut squash
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 (141/2-oz.) cans diced tomatoes, plain or with basil, garlic and oregano, drained
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Place rack in center of oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Using a sharp knife, trim off and discard the ends of the squash, then slice it in half lengthwise.

Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and discard them. Place the squash halves, cut side up, in a microwave oven, cover them with a piece of waxed paper and cook on high power until soft, yet still firm enough to cut into cubes, about 8 to 9 minutes.

Place the squash on a large cutting board and let cool long enough to handle it, then peel and cut it into 1-inch cubes. Place the squash in a 13-by-9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish, drizzle the olive oil on it, then scatter the tomatoes, followed by the Cheddar cheese, evenly on top.

Bake the gratin until the cheese melts and the squash and tomatoes are heated through, 20 to 25 minutes.

Makes 12 servings.
— What Can I Bring? Cookbook,
by Anne Byrn

CABBAGE, KALE AND
POTATO GRATIN
3/4 lb. starchy potatoes, such as russets or Yukon golds, sliced
1 lb. cabbage, quartered, cored and cut into ribbons
1 lb. kale, stemmed
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil or butter, or 1 tbsp. of each
2 garlic cloves, minced or put through a press
2 tsp. fresh or 1 tsp. crumbled dried thyme
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese
3 large eggs
11/2 cups milk

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter or oil a 3-quart gratin dish.

Steam the potatoes for 5 to 10 minutes, until tender, and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add 1 tbsp. salt and the cabbage. Boil for 3 minutes, until the cabbage is just tender, and transfer with a spider or slotted spoon to a bowl of cold water. Drain and set aside.

Bring the water back to a boil and add the kale. Cook for about 4 minutes, until tender, and transfer to a bowl of cold water. Drain. Squeeze out water and cut into strips.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy, nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook for about a minute, just until fragrant and beginning to change color.

Stir in the cabbage, kale and thyme. Cook, stirring, until coated with oil and fragrant. Stir in the potatoes and season the mixture generously with salt and pepper.

Remove from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese. Scrape into the gratin dish.

Beat together the eggs and milk. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, some pepper, and the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese. Stir together and pour over the potato mixture.

Bake for 40 minutes, until nicely browned. Serve hot or warm.

The cabbage and kale can be blanched up to 3 days ahead and kept in a covered bowl in the refrigerator. Reheat leftovers in a microwave or a low oven.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.
— Mediterranean Harvest,
by Martha Rose Shulman

DUO TATER BAKE
4 lbs. russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cartons (8 oz. each) spreadable chive and onion cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
For the topping:
1 cup shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Place russet potatoes in a Dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender.

Meanwhile, place sweet potatoes in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain; mash with half of the cream cheese and sour cream and all of the Colby-Jack cheese.

Drain russet potatoes; mash with the remaining cream cheese and sour cream. Add the milk, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper; mix well.

Grease two 11-by-7-by-2-inch baking dishes. Starting with russet potato mixture on bottom, spread five alternating layers of russet potato and sweet potato mixtures in each dish, ending with russet potatoes.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until heated through.

Combine topping ingredients; divide and sprinkle over casseroles.

Bake 2 to 3 minutes longer, or until cheese is melted.

Makes 2 casseroles, 10 servings each.
— Taste of Home Magazine,
August/September 2007 issue

CORN CASSEROLE
1 (15-oz.) can corn, drained
1 (15-oz.) can creamed corn
1 stick butter or margarine, melted
2 eggs, beaten
8 oz. sour cream
1 box corn muffin mix

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased casserole dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, until center is set and top begins to brown.

Makes 8 servings.
— Lisa Abraham's recipe collection