After this past Thanksgiving weekend, you probably swore off mashed potatoes and cheesy potatoes for the rest of the year. Well, Christmas is coming up in a few weeks and a potato side dish is unavoidable. If you’re hosting, you’re probably serving some kind of protein, and you’ll most likely serve a starchy potato dish along with it. It’s just the way it is. If you’re tired of the usual potato dishes you make every year, I have three simple recipes that will help get you out of your potato rut. Although a couple of these require a couple of extra steps, they’re very easy-to-follow recipes and you won’t regret taking the time to try them out.

The first recipe is one of my girls’ favorite potato dishes, not only because it’s yummy but also because they get to have fun helping out. The original recipe can be found here. I modified it slightly to suit the girls’ palates.

Individual Potato Gratins

Ingredients

• Vegetable spray
• 2 large russet potatoes, roughly peeled and thinly sliced (use a mandolin)
• 1/2 cup grated cheese (I use Colby-Jack)
• 2 green onions, finely chopped (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup heavy cream

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2) Spray 8 muffin tins with vegetable spray.
3) Layer potato slices, cheese, and onions into each muffin cup. I do about three of these layers.
4) Season with salt and pepper and top each gratin with 1 or 2 tablespoons of heavy cream.
5) Cover with foil and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, removing the foil halfway through cooking time.
6) Invert gratins onto plate and serve.

The next recipe is a recent find. I was intrigued by the name, Sweet Potato Spoon Bread. If you’re tired of the old sweet potato casserole, you need to give this recipe a try. I’m so glad I did because it’s decadently delicious. I remember reading a comment describing the texture as a cross between a mousse and a soufflé.

Sweet Potato Spoon Bread Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 large sweet potatoes
• 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 cups milk
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup light-brown sugar (I used dark brown sugar)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (I omitted this)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup honey
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream

Directions
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake sweet potatoes until soft when pierced with a knife, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool. Peel, and discard skins. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat combine cornmeal, milk, butter, brown sugar, spices, salt, and 1 cup water. Cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
3. Butter a 2-quart baking dish.
4. Working in batches if necessary, place cornmeal mixture, sweet potatoes, flour, honey, eggs, and cream in a food processor. Process until smooth; pour into dish.
5. Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Serve.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy recipe, this last potato recipe is for you. It only requires 3 ingredients other than salt and pepper. The original recipe can be found here.

Dill Fingerling Potatoes Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 pounds fingerling potatoes, rinsed but not peeled
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Directions
1) Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot. Add the whole potatoes, salt, and pepper, and toss well.
2) Cover the pot tightly and cook over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender when tested with a small knife.
3) From time to time, shake the pot without removing the lid to prevent the bottom potatoes from burning.
4) Turn off the heat and allow the potatoes to steam for another 5 minutes. Don’t overcook.
5) Toss with the dill, and serve hot.

If you like this post, I would really appreciate it if you could vote for me for Top Mommy Blogs by simply clicking here. Thanks!!

P.S. There’s till time to enter the $650 Express Gift Card Giveaway. You can enter here or click on the badge below.

Linking up with these lovelies: Let Your Light Shine with I’m Perfectly Human and Made with Zeal | Thursday Favorite Things | Be.You.Tiful | Thriving Thursday | Fab Favorites | Anything Goes | Let It Shine with Still Being Molly & Lipgloss and Crayons | Creative Mondays