Sometimes the holidays can mean Stress City. Slow down. Take a deep breath. Count your blessings. And whip up some QUICK and EASY Side Dishes to make your meal a little brighter and your load a little lighter.

Here are a couple of really easy oldies-but-goodies from The American Gourmet Collection:

Fluffy Five-Cup Salad
1 cup Sour Cream
1 can Pineapple Chunks
1 cup Miniature Marshmallows
1 can Mandarin Orange Sections
1 cup flaked Coconut

1. Drain fruits (give the juice to your favorite kid-of-any-age!).
2. Combine all ingredients. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate
overnight. Serves 8.

Here’s another quickie from the cookbook to lighten your Thanksgiving workload:

Cherry Chill Salad
1 8-oz. package softened Cream Cheese
1 8-oz. jar Maraschino Cherries (chopped, reserving juice)
4 drops Red Food Coloring
1 8-oz. can drained Pineapple Tidbits
3 cups Miniature Marshmallows
1 cup chopped Pecans
1 cup Whipping Cream, stiffly whipped

1. In a large mixing bowl, pour cherry juice over cream cheese; cream
together. Blend in food coloring. Stir in cherries, pineapple, pecans, and
marshmallows, mixing thoroughly.
2. Gently fold in whipped cream, turn into a mold, and chill. Serves 10-12.

Used canned & drained sweet potatoes for this one & you’ll be done in a flash! (Also from The American Gourmet Collection Cookbook at AmericanGourmet.org:

Pralined Sweet Potatoes
3 cups cooked, mashed Sweet Potatoes
1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, melted
1 cup packed Brown Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Ginger
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Allspice
1/3 cup Orange Juice

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine all ingredients, mixing thoroughly, and spread into a 2 quart
casserole dish. Sprinkle with praline topping (recipe follows) and bake at
350° for 45 minutes. Praline Topping: Combine 1 cup Brown Sugar, 1
teaspoon Cinnamon, 1/4 cup Butter and 1/2 cup chopped Pecans.
Serves 6.

Have a Happy Holiday!