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From comforting classics to flavorful favorites, these side dishes are the perfect companions to any meal, adding love and warmth to your table.
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  • Twice Baked Potato Casserole
Twice Baked Potato Casserole
⏰ Prep Time: 20 mins. | 🍳 Cook: 20-25 mins. | 🔥 Method: Oven: 400°F
Ingredients
  • ½ lb. bacon
  • 8 medium russet potatoes
  • 3 tbsp canola oil
  • 2 sticks soft butter
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup shredded cheese
  • 2 tsp salt
Cooking Instructions
1
Prep Oven & Potatoes
Preheat to 400°F. Scrub potatoes, dry them, and rub with oil
2
Initial Bake
Bake potatoes for 40 minutes while cooking bacon until crispy
3
Prepare Mixture
Remove potatoes and decrease temp to 350. Leave the skins on 2 potatoes and discard the other. Cut each potato into 1/3s and add to the mixing bowl. Combine with bacon, butter, sour cream, milk, cheese, and salt
4
Final Bake
Transfer to casserole dish, top with cheese and bacon, bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes
👩‍🍳 Recipe by Jessica Peaden | Originally entered October 8th, 2019
Cinnamon-Pecan Apple Dumplings
⏰ Prep Time: 20 mins. | 🍳 Cook: 23-28 mins. | 🔥 Method: Oven: 350°F
Ingredients:
  • 1 tube crescent rolls
  • 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled and halved
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¾ cup orange juice
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup butter, cubed
  • 2 tbsp chopped toasted pecans (optional)
Wrap the Apples
Unroll crescent dough into triangles and wrap each apple half. In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon, place on a greased pan, then sprinkle this mixture over the wrapped apple dumplings.
Bake to Golden Brown
Bake at 350°F for 23-28 minutes until dumplings are perfectly golden. While the dumplings are baking, combine the orange juice and ½ cup sugar in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the liquid reduces to about ½ cup.
Serve & Enjoy
Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the butter until melted. Drizzle warm dumplings with orange syrup and top with toasted pecans. Serve immediately while warm.
👩‍🍳 Recipe by Mammy, Lillie Dean Moots | Originally entered December 1st, 2020
Cranberry Celebration
⏰ Prep Time: 20 mins. | 🍳 Cook: None | 🔥 Method: Stovetop
Main Ingredients
  • 1 package cherry Jell-O
  • ½ cup boiling water
  • ½ cup boiling orange juice
  • 1¾ cups jellied cranberry sauce with whole cranberries
Mix-Ins
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts
  • ¾ cup crushed pineapple
  • ½ cup diced celery (optional)
1
Prepare Base
Dissolve the cherry Jell-O in the boiling water and boiling orange juice
2
Add Cranberry
Stir in the cranberry sauce until well blended
3
Initial Set
Refrigerate the mixture until it begins to set
4
Mix & Finish
Add walnuts, pineapple, and celery (if using). Stir and refrigerate until fully set
Mammy fell in love with this originally from Kroger. But when Kroger shut down in Greenville, I would drive to Raleigh to get her some for Thanksgiving and Christmas, until she found this recipe. She's been using it ever since.
👩‍🍳 Recipe by Mammy, Lillie Dean Moots | Originally entered December 1st, 2020
Sweet Potato Casserole
⏰ Prep Time: 15 mins. | 🍳 Cook: 45 mins. | 🔥 Method: Oven: 350°F
Ingredients
  • 3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ⅓ cup butter
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar (for topping)
  • 1 cup chopped pecans (for topping)
  • ⅓ cup softened butter (for topping)
  • Allspice (12-17 dashes, to taste)
Prepare the Sweet Potatoes
Boil sweet potatoes until tender, then peel and mash them once cooled. Mix with sugar, butter, salt, milk, and allspice to create the creamy base.
Create the Topping
Mix brown sugar, chopped pecans, and softened butter to make the delicious crunchy topping that will become golden brown during baking.
Layer and Bake
Pour the sweet potato mixture into a buttered baking dish, top with the pecan mixture, and bake at 350°F - covered for 30 minutes, then uncovered for 15 minutes until golden.
👩‍🍳 Recipe by Mammy, Lillie Dean Moots | Originally entered December 1st, 2020
Mammy's Tip: Can be made ahead - just wait to add topping until ready to bake. If using a glass dish, let it come to room temperature before baking to prevent cracking. Double the recipe for holiday gatherings!
Memory to pass down: Mammy never does the same number of dashes of All Spice. For years I’ve watched and counted and every year it’s different. So, I’m going to go off the range she does 12-17 dashes.
Broccoli Casserole
⏰ Prep Time: 15 mins. | 🍳 Cook: 45 mins. | 🔥 Method: Oven: 350°F
Ingredients
  • 2-3 cups broccoli
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • 2½ cups shredded cheese (divided)
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 box cheese nips (crushed, divided)
Mix the Base
Combine broccoli, soup, mayo, 1½ cups cheese, and half the crushed cheese nips in a large bowl
Add the Topping
Transfer to baking dish, top with remaining cheese and cheese nips
Bake to Perfection
Bake covered 30 mins at 350°F, then uncovered 15 mins until golden
👩‍🍳 Recipe by Linda Powell | Originally entered October 8th, 2019
Advice to pass down: This can be made in advance but don't put the topping on it until you are ready to cook. You should also set out a few minutes before putting in stove (if you are using a glass dish, you may want to leave out a little longer). Double this recipe for an Extra Large. This is what we do for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
WARNING: Cold glass dishes may crack or explode if they are put in the oven.
You Are My Sunshine Family Recipes
You Are My Sunshine Recipes is a celebration of love, laughter, and the joy of cooking together. These recipes are crafted with heart and meant to be shared across generations.
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