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Baked Vegetable Side Dishes for Holiday Meals
by Rachel Paxton

Description: Easy baked vegetable side dishes that are perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.

I am not personally a big fan of cooked vegetables. Give me a fresh salad any day! There are a lot of ways you can disquise vegetables so that your family will eat them, however, and baked vegetable casseroles are an easy way to add vegetables to your holiday meal in a way that your whole family will enjoy. These recipes are probably too high in calories for everyday meals, but make a great treat for the holidays.

Baked Corn

1 c. bread crumbs
2 tbsp. butter
1 c. corn, canned or frozen (cooked)
2 eggs
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Brown crumbs in butter, add drained corn, slightly beaten eggs, soup, onion, and seasonings. Pour into buttered baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until inserted knife comes out clean.

Cheese Scalloped Carrots

12 medium carrots, sliced
1 small onion, minced
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. flour
1 t. salt
1/4 t. dry mustard
2 c. milk
1/8 t. pepper
3/4 c. chopped celery
1/2 lb. shredded cheddar cheese
3 c. buttered fresh bread, cut in small pieces

Early in the day, cook carrots until tender. Meanwhile, gently cook onions and celery in butter. Stir in flour, salt, mustard and pepper. Add milk and cook until smooth. In a 2-qt. casserole, arrange a layer of carrots, a layer of cheddar cheese, and repeat until all are used, ending with carrots. Pour mustard-onion sauce over, then top with bread. Refrigerate until ready. About 45 minutes before serving, bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes.

Green Bean Casserole

2 cans French style green beans
1 can mushrooms
1 can mixed Chinese vegetables
1 can water chestnuts, sliced thin
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
3/4 pound grated cheese
1 can french-fried onion rings

Drain vegetables. Saute onion and celery in small amount of margarine. Combine all ingredients (except onion rings) and place in casserole. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes. Cover with onion rings and bake 10 minutes at 300 degrees.

Cheesy Baked Onions

4 yellow onions, peeled, sliced
1/2 c. margarine
25 Ritz crackers, crushed
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook onions in margarine until transparent. Spread 1/2 of the onions in a 2-quart buttered casserole dish. Top with 1/2 of the crackers, 1/2 of the cheese. Repeat layers. Bake uncovered at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.

Squash Casserole

3 pounds yellow squash
2 carrots, grated
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
1/2 pkg. seasoned bread crumbs
1 (6 oz.) carton sour cream with chives
1/2 c. margarine or butter

Boil squash. Drain and mash. Mix all ingredients except bread crumbs and margarine. Melt 1/4 cup margarine in 3-quart casserole before adding ingredients. Mix 1/4 cup margarine with bread crumbs. Sprinkle over top. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What's for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For more recipes, gardening, organizing tips, home decorating, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com.