By Conni Attwell

How about some "'sides" for comfort food and /or to accompany your Christmas dinner?

Here are three I thought were a little different.

CRUMB STUFFED TOMATOES

4 fresh tomatoes 1 tsp sugar

1 cup fine breadcrumbs 1/½ tsp salt

1 tbsp minced onion Dash of pepper

3 tbsps melted butter 1 tbsp grated cheese

Wash tomatoes and cut off thin slices from top: scoop out pulp and reserve. Cut tomato pulp into small pieces and combine with juice from tomatoes and bread crumbs. Saute onion in 2 tbsp of butter until soft and add to crumb mixture with sugar, salt & pepper. Stuff tomatoes with this mixture; sprinkle tops with grated cheese and pieces of butter. Place in shallow baking dish and bake at 375° for 20 mins or until crumbs appear brown.

 

CANDIED SWEET POTATOES

6 sweet potatoes salt & pepper to taste

1 cup brown sugar 1 tbsp butter

1/4 cup butter

Wash sweet potatoes and cook in boiling water until tender -about 30 to 35 mins. Drain and peel off skin. Make a syrup of boiling together the brown sugar and water. Cut potatoes in half and dip each piece into the syrup. Place potatoes in a greased 9" square baking dish. Dot with butter and season to taste with salt & pepper.  Pour remaining syrup on top. Bake in a hot oven (450 deg) for 20 mins, or until slightly brown.

 

FLUFFY TURNIPS

2 tbsp butter 1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp chopped onion 1/8 tsp pepper

4 cups mashed turnip 1/8 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp salt 2 eggs, separated

Melt butter in medium saucepan: saute onion. Add turnip, salt, sugar, pepper, and paprika: mix well. Beat egg yolks and add to turnip mixture. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold into mixture. Place in a greased 8" pie plate and bake in moderate oven for 20 to 25 mins.