The Best Holiday Side Dishes

The Best Holiday Side Dishes

It's not all about the turkey and pie.
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The Holidays are upon us and it seems that it is the one meal where the sides matter more than the actual main course. Every family has their own traditions for the holiday season, but here are the sides that I think deserve some recognition.

Mashed Potatoes


Get your starch on! I am usually a huge fan of mashed potatoes on a normal day, but it seems to pair perfectly with turkey and gravy. This always seems to be the side dish that goes the fastest and it is ALWAYS acceptable to dish up seconds on this one.


Turkey Stuffing

I have become a bigger fan of this over the past few years and now I cannot imagine this holiday without it. When eaten within moderation in regards to the rest of your meal, it pairs well with the other sides.


Green Bean Casserole

This side seems to be a tradition but is not necessarily appealing. Though it is not healthy, you can maybe consider this your veggie for the day because it is green!


Rolls

Who doesn't love rich and buttery rolls? These are always a must have at Thanksgiving because they go with anything and just happen to make it better.


Corn

Creamed corn is another side that can seem to be considered a veggie with your huge dinner. It is also really good when mixed with the mashed potatoes and rolls!


Relish Trays

This may not be typical at this kind of dinner, but it provides a little more variety from the "norms" of the table. These trays include pickles, olives, and deviled eggs and can serve as a great appetizer.


All of these sound absolutely delish....but make sure you save some room for that pumpkin pie. Happy Holidays!

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How To Play 'New Girl's' True American Drinking Game

"It's 75% drinking, 20% Candy Land, and the floor is molten lava."
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I think it's fair to say that anyone who watches New Girl knows about True American. This crazy, non-sense drinking game which pops up every so often throughout the seasons and first introduced in Season 1 Episode 20.

The game, as described by New Girl character and fan-favorite Schmidt, is 75% drinking game and 20% Candy Land with a floor of molten lava.

The point of the game is for players to navigate through the Candy Land-like spaces to the "castle," which is a table in the center of the room that holds beer "pawns" and the "king" bottle. The first person to reach and sip from the bottle wins.

SEE ALSO: 15 Things "New Girl" Fans Know to Be True

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Here's how to play:

Step #1: Prepare the "castle"

First, set up your "castle." The castle is made up of beer "pawns" and the "king," a bottle filled with the alcohol of your choice.

The bottle should be in the middle of the table, surrounded by four lines of beer pawns. There is no exact number of beers necessary for each line of beer pawns. Choose any amount of beers that seems appropriate for the amount of players.

Step #2: Set up spaces

Set up spaces using pillows, chairs or any other objects players will be able to stand on. Place an equal amount of spaces around the table. You'll want about 5-8 spaces on each side, depending on the size of the room you're playing in.

Only four of these spaces should reach the castle, lining up with the parade of beer "pawns" and allowing players to take a beer pawn from the castle. For example, in the photo above, each of the chairs touch a corner of the table at the end of the line of beer pawns. Therefore, these are two of the four special spaces that allow players to take a beer. Unlike the pillows pictured, which are just regular spaces that the players can use to move around.

Step #3: Pick teams

Teams are optional. To pick teams, all of the players will place a certain number (1-5) of fingers against their forehead on the count of three.

Any players who hold up the same number are a team. Unmatched players can team up as needed or simply pair up with the person standing closest to them.

Step #4: Begin

Begin with a shotgun "tip-off" to determine which player goes first.

The winner of this shotgunning contest will yell, "One, two, three...JFK!" to announce the official beginning of the game. All players will enthusiastically respond, "FDR!" then quickly grab a beer pawn from the castle and run to any space they wish to start at, excluding for the four special spaces that reach the castle.

Step #5: Make moves

The winner of the shotgunning contest has earned the first turn. From then on, the order of turns will move in a clockwise rotation. During each turn, the player will move one space toward the castle and choose to play one of the following mini-games.

Mini-game number one: the player whose turn it is will count to three then all players will place a certain number (1-5) of fingers on their forehead. Any player who selects a number no one else selected can move ONE space.

Mini-game number two: the player whose turn it is will recite the beginning of a famous American quote. The first player to complete the quote can move TWO spaces.

Mini-game number three: the player whose turn it is will name two famous American people, places or things. The first player to identify what the two have in common can move THREE spaces.

For example, say it's your turn. You will move one space then choose one of the three mini-games. You and all of the players will participate in that game, and the winner will move accordingly. After this, your turn is over and it's the next player's turn (in the original clockwise rotation).

Step #6: "Play on, playa."



Continue playing by these rules until one lucky winner reaches the bottle and sips from its royal glass.

The bottle cannot be opened until every last pawn is removed from the castle. Any players who fail to keep at least one beer in hand, who accidentally end up with more than three beers in hand, or who touch the lava are immediately disqualified. Disqualified players can rejoin the game by shotgunning a beer.

Congratulations!

You are now able to impress all of your New Girl-loving friends with knowledge of the workings of the epic True American drinking game. Know your limits, drink responsibly and enjoy!

Cover Image Credit: i.amz.mshcdn.com

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6 vegetarian myths that need you Need To Stop Spreading

The BS I've heard since I turned Vegetarian is ridiculous.

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I've been a vegetarian for almost eight months, and it is perhaps one of the best decisions that I've ever made before in my life. For one, I'm not sluggish after I eat anymore, I always seem to be energized, and so many more splendid benefits.

For some reason, though, my friends and family have a difficult time grasping my diet choice. From my grandmother always offering me meat because she doesn't think I eat anything at all to my coach who thinks I lack proper protein because I don't have any meat in my diet. And yet, these myths and accusations hardly scratch the surface, so I'm here to prove them wrong.

1. No, I am not losing weight rapidly.

For some reason, when I tell anyone that I'm a vegetarian, they think that I've lost this substantial amount of weight. False. Since I've become a vegetarian, I've actually gained about 10-15 pounds. This is primarily because of my athletic background; being a thrower requires that I eat and lift a lot to gain muscle. I've gained nothing but muscle. This brings me to my next point.

2. Yes, as an athlete I do receive all of my necessary protein.

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As I stated before, being a thrower means that I have to lift frequently and heavily, so to get stronger and receive the proper nutrients needed to become a She-Hulk, I have to eat a lot of protein. Where am I getting my protein might you ask? Why, my lovely vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes of course. Bet you didn't know that broccoli has 4.7 more grams of protein per 100 calories than beef does.

I rest my case.

3. No, I don't eat a plate of vegetables everyday.

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I cannot explain the reaction I get from people when they ask me if I eat a plate of vegetables every day. Essentially, yes, all of my meals have vegetables in them, but I don't just eat a plate of broccoli, spinach, carrots, and bell pepper and call it a wholesome meal. I make plenty of pasta and black bean burgers, and I incorporate some soy products in my diet, veggie tacos, and so many more delicious recipes that if you tried them, you might actually have some type of hope of becoming a vegetarian yourself.

4. Vegan and Vegetarian are two separate entities.

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A vegan is someone who does not eat or use animal products. A vegetarian is someone who does not eat meat and sometimes other animal products. I am considered a vegetarian because I eat eggs and still consume some dairy products such as ice cream and butter.

The conflict comes into play when people say I am not a vegetarian because of my consumption of dairy products, which also brings me to my next point.

5. Me consuming dairy doesn't make me non-vegetarian.

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For some reason, people think that eggs, butter and ice cream is considered meat because when I tell them that my vegetarianism has these exceptions, they try to tell me that I'm not a vegetarian. Yes, dairy comes from an animal, but the last time I checked, dairy, in its original liquid form, does not contain flesh from that animal.

6. Yes, fish is considered meat, and no, I do not eat it.

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There is a word for a person that does not eat any form of meat but fish; that is called a pescetarian. I am not a pescetarian because I do not eat any kind of flesh from an animal. It's that simple. When people try to tell me that fish isn't meat, I get beside myself because fish are living, breathing, organisms.

Because of this, it correctly falls into the category of "things I can't eat because I'm vegetarian."

It's normal for people to be confused on this topic because it's quite taboo, but to pretend you know what you're talking about is quite embarrassing. Being a vegetarian isn't what people imagine it is, and the only way to become knowledgeable about it is to do your research, folks.

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