Help me with a side for Xmas dinner.

[Anonymous]

Am making some kind of meat roast, but my 9-year old does not eat meat (except maybe a little bacon). She asked for pasta salad as a side, but that seems very un-Christmas-y. She doesn't like my macaroni and cheese, and does not like potatoes in any form. Is there some kind of warm pasta side I could make that would pair well with meat? Or maybe like some kind of bread/cheese thing that would be moderately substantial and a little more special than just a grilled cheese sandwich? I tried noodle kugel once and she wasn't a big fan -- she doesn't like cottage cheese.
I know I've eliminated most of the known food groups, but if anyone has a bright idea of something that I've forgotten, please share! I don't normally cater this much to her restrictions, but it is Christmas, and I'd like everyone to have something that they are happy eating.

[Anonymous]

What about meatless lasagne?

[Anonymous]

Why not make what she wants ? No reason to waste food she won't eat.

As for the Christmas feel, that's not important. We're having green salad, barbecue ribs, hamburgers, sausage , potato salad, baked beans, garlic bread and some apple pie tarts.

Why ?

Because it's what we like.

[Anonymous]

Maybe something like Parmesan orzo with roasted vegetables mixed in? It's essentially a warm pasta salad, but fancier.

[Anonymous]

I'd make the grilled cheese but use a tree or snowflake cookie cutter. Tasty and festive.

[Anonymous]

I would holiday the crap out of a pasta salad if my kid wanted it for Christmas.

pasta
red peppers
cherry tomatoes
green peppers
green olives
green peas
basil, parsley
pepper jack cheese
whatever dressing you do

Get some of those yellow/orange/purple carrots from Trader Joe's. Look for ones with big yellow ones in the bag. Cut rounds of yellow carrot and then make them into stars.

Boom. Christmas.

[Anonymous]

How about Pasta Carbonara? Tasty, easy, and get some meat into her.

or this:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/69226/bacon-ranch-pasta-salad/

make it pretty with red and green veggies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about meatless lasagne?

That's what I as going to suggest. Red sauce and green spinach. Perfect.

[Anonymous]

Tortellini with pesto. Good warm or room temp. Add something red to make it more festive.

[Anonymous]

I would just make the kid pasta salad.

[Anonymous]

Pasta salad sounds good to me!

[Anonymous]

What about gnocchi, maybe in a brown butter sauce? You could even get sweet potato or pumpkin gnocchi, maybe?

Although, if it were me, I'd probably make a little pasta salad and a lot of mashed potatoes and people could choose what they wanted.

[Anonymous]

Fresh ravioli with butter and herbs. Oven baked risotto. Israeli couscous. Dressing/stuffing.

My kid won't eat potatoes with and these are some of my solutions when we have company over.

[Anonymous]

I wish my kid would make pasta salad. Mine requested salmon, so I am making turkey for everyone else and salmon for her.

I vote to make the pasta salad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish my kid would make pasta salad. Mine requested salmon, so I am making turkey for everyone else and salmon for her.

I vote to make the pasta salad.

I meant that I wish my kid would eat pasta salad because I love it.