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2 carrots, cut into ¼-inch pieces

¼ cup golden raisins

1 cup homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken broth

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the Brussels sprouts and carrots; sauté until the sprouts start to turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add the raisins and chicken broth; continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the sprouts are tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 12 minutes. If the skillet becomes too dry before the sprouts are tender, add up to 3 tablespoons water, and continue cooking. Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

home fries

SERVES 6

We used small potatoes for this recipe. If your potatoes are larger, adjust the cooking time.

2½ pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes Coarse salt

¾ pound thick-sliced bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces

1 small red bell pepper, cut into ½-inch dice

1 small yellow bell pepper, cut into ½-inch dice

1 red onion (about 10 ounces), cut into ½-inch dice

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Freshly ground black pepper

1. Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan. Cover with water; bring to a boil over high heat. Salt the water. Reduce heat to medium-high; cook until the potatoes have softened but are still slightly firm, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain in a colander. When cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes; cut into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.

2. Cook the bacon in a large skillet set over medium heat until all the fat has been rendered and the bacon is crisp and brown, about 15 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon; set aside on a paper towel to drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Add the reserved potatoes; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden on all sides, about 10 minutes. Add the reserved bacon, peppers, onion, and thyme; cook until the vegetables have softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, and serve.

mashed plantains

SERVES 4

You will need sweet, fully ripened plantains (plátanos maduros, in Spanish) for this Cuban-inspired side dish. They are soft, with peels that are mostly brown or black, and are available in Latin-American markets and many grocery stores.

2 fully ripe plantains, peeled and halved lengthwise

½ teaspoon coarse salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper, or more to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

Juice of ½ lime

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Sprinkle the plantains with salt and cayenne; drizzle with the oil to coat. Arrange, cut sides down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until the cut sides of the plantains begin to caramelize, about 20 minutes. Turn the plantains; roast 10 minutes more.

2. Mash the hot plantains on the baking sheet with a potato masher until somewhat smooth (some large chunks should remain). Transfer to a serving bowl, and drizzle with the lime juice.

apple charoset

MAKE ABOUT 3½ CUPS

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and quartered

2 Gala apples, peeled, cored, and quartered

1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon honey

¼ cup kosher sweet red wine

Chop the apples in a food processor. Stir with the remaining ingredients in a bowl. The charoset can be refrigerated, covered, up to 4 hours.

southern green beans

SERVES 8 TO 10

1 large or 2 small ham hocks

1 large onion, cut into quarters

1 small dried red chile (optional)

8 cups water

1 tablespoon sugar

2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Place the ham, onion, and dried pepper, if using, in a medium saucepan; add the water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and reduce to a gentle simmer; cover, and cook 2 hours.

2. Using a slotted spoon or spatula, transfer the ham and onion to a plate, and set aside; discard the dried pepper. Return the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced to 2 cups, about 45 minutes.

3. Meanwhile,