5 Thanksgiving Side Twists

Tired of the mashed potatoes, stuffing, rolls and the dreaded canned cranberry sauce that continue to make an annual appearance on your Thanksgiving table? Break out of your holiday rut and bring some Latin flair to the fare! We’ve taken the basic ingredients — potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, corn bread, and veggies — and spiced them up with a bit more oomph! We’re sure you’ll love the result just as much as your guests.

Papas Verdes Picantes tosses the masher out the window, and brings roasted back to your holiday potatoes with an added spicy twist. Diced potatoes laced with cayenne, ancho chile, flaked sea salt, and fresh cracked black pepper are roasted until crisp, then drizzled with a fiery chimichurri. Toss the can and make fresh Spiced Cranberry Sauce. In this incarnation, cranberries are paired with cayenne, ancho chile and panela for a fruity sauce that is finally worthy of your table and your tastebuds.

No Thanksgiving is complete without stuffing. Break out a crusty old loaf for Sweet and Spicy Stuffing, a recipe that calls on golden raisins, stuffed olives, and agave for a tangy and sweet combination that turns the original on its head. Veggies often lose their place on the Thanksgiving table with all those carbs begging for a sample. However, this year, we can almost guarantee our Cayenne Cauliflower — roasted cauliflower, tossed in a mixture of cayenne, black pepper and red chili flakes — will make some memories. And the rolls? Try Jalapeño Cotija Corn Bread, instead. Mixing fresh minced jalapeño, corn, cotija cheese and blue agave into a moist, spicy and sweet cornbread is our way to really top things off.

Pick a side, any side, for the perfect accompaniment to your Thanksgiving table. [pagebreak]

Green Spicy Potatoes (Papas Verdes Picantes)

• 2 pounds potatoes (skin on, cubed)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon ground ancho chile
• 3/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped without stems

Get the full recipe.

Spiced Cranberry Sauce

• 1 package fresh cranberries (12 ounces)
• 3/4 cup grated panela (or 1/2 cup sugar)
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ancho chile
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon chopped mint

Get the full recipe.

Next, more delicious sides to get you cooking… [pagebreak]

Sweet and Spicy Stuffing

• 1/4 stick unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup parsley
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup olives, diced
• 1 loaf day old bread (1/2 to 1 inch per dice)
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 teaspoons fresh cracked black pepper
• Salt to taste

Get the full recipe.

Jalapeño Cotija Corn Bread

• 1/2 cup jalapeno, minced
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup corn
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup soy milk
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 3/4 cup crumbled cotija
• 1/4 cup blue agave

Get the full recipe.

Cayenne Cauliflower

• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes

Get the full recipe.