For many people, religious or not, Easter Sunday dinner means ham.

Perhaps some potatoes and beans on the side.

We asked two area chefs to share some side-dish ideas for holiday meals like Easter or Christmas dinner.

Jeromy Kimple, executive chef of Aqua 103 in Hagerstown, shared a recipe for butternut squash gratin that he made for a Christmas meal about five years ago when visiting his in-laws in Kentucky. His in-laws were more accustomed to zucchini and yellow squash. However the butternut squash dish was a surprise success withthe family, KimplesaidJack Walker, executive chef of Firestone's Restaurant & Bar in Frederick, Md., shared another squash dish, roasted spaghetti squash, as well as a recipe for goat cheese gnocchi.

Or maybe you have a favorite family side dish.

For me, Easter ham isn't complete without a side of my mom's crunchy Napa cabbage salad. The crunch comes from ramen noodles, almonds and sesame seeds as well as the Napa cabbage. The dressing is sweet.

My mom got the recipe from a friend. Variations can be found online.

When you're shopping for the Napa cabbage, select a head that's fresh and doesn't have little brown spots on the leaves.

Butternut squash gratin

1 1/2 pounds butternut squash
Olive oil
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups whole milk
3 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
3 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the squash in half. Drizzle squash with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in oven 45 to 55 minutes. Remove the skin from the squash. Thinly slice the squash.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Grease an 8 cup rectangular baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter.

In a nonreactive saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cook until liquid is slightly thick and coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 4 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.

In a mixing bowl, toss the sliced squash with salt and pepper. Fold in the cream sauce and pour into the greased baking dish. Sprinkle the top of the squash with cheeses.

Place pan in the oven and bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for a couple of minutes before serving.

Serves 6.

Courtesy of Jeromy Kimple, executive chef of Aqua 103 in Hagerstown

Roasted spaghetti squash

1 large spaghetti squash
Olive oil to taste
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 bunch fresh tarragon
1 ounce sherry vinegar
1/4 cup grated hard Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut squash in half. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a piece of parchment paper placed on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour.

Remove and let cool 5 to 10 minutes.

Using a fork, pull the "spaghetti" strands from the squash flesh and place in a bowl.

In a large skillet, heat the butter. Add the squash, sauting for 1 minute. Add tarragon, sherry vinegar, salt and black pepper.

Put in a serving bowl and dust with grated cheese.

Courtesy of Jack Walker, executive chef of Firestone's Restaurant & Bar in Frederick, Md.

Goat cheese gnocchi

2 large baking potatoes (see cook's note)
1 cup goat cheese
1 large egg
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (see cook's note)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 quarts water
1/4 cup salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Generous pinch of fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Hard Parmesan cheese, grated

To prepare:

In 400-degree oven, bake potatoes for 45 minutes or until done.

Let cool. Baked potatoes may be done a day ahead of time.

Skin the potatoes. Grate the potatoes on a fine cheese grater or run them through a food mill. In a large bowl, combine the goat cheese and egg until thoroughly mixed. Add the potatoes, flour, salt, 2 tablespoons parsley and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Mix until dough forms, approximately 5 minutes. The dough should be a little sticky.

On a floured surface, roll out or pat down the dough to form a 2-inch thick disk - like a fat pizza dough. Using a dough cutter or the back of a knife, cut dough into 1-inch strips. Roll each strip into a "snake" about 3/4 inch wide. Then cut snakes into 3-inch segments, creating "pillows." Each pillow should be about the size of your index finger.

Lay out the gnocchi on a lightly floured surface.

Add 1/4 cup salt to 4 quarts of water and bring to a boil.

Drop the gnocchi into the pot and boil until they float, giving it a stir. This will take approximately 3 minutes. Strain and put in an ice bath immediately. Strain off ice, pat dry, and set aside.

Gnocchi can now be refrigerated and saved for a couple of days.

To serve:

In a large, nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Saut gnocchi over high heat until browned. Toss with salt, freshly ground black pepper, a generous pinch of chopped Italian flat leaf parsley and grated, hard Parmesan cheese.

Chef's note:

Baked sweet potatoes work well; just make sure to use about the same amount of potato. Gnocchi is a "feel" kind of recipe, so the more you make it, the easier it gets. Add flour bit by bit; it's easier to add flour than take it away. Serve the gnocchi like pasta and add whatever you would like.

Serves 4 to 6.

Courtesy of Jack Walker, executive chef of Firestone's Restaurant & Bar in Frederick, Md.

Napa cabbage salad

For salad:

1 medium head Napa cabbage, finely chopped
2 to 3 scallions, chopped
One small carrot, grated
2 to 3 tablespoons margarine
1 package Ramen Chicken Noodles
1 tablespoon sesame seed
Handful of slivered almonds

For dressing:

1/2 c up granulated sugar
1/4 cup vinegar (cider, herbed or white; cook uses cider)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil

To make the salad:

Crush noodles before removing from bag. Melt margarine in pan over medium heat. Add noodles, contents of flavor packet, sesame seeds and almonds. Cook until noodles are browned.

Drain on paper towels and cool.

In large bowl, toss cabbage, scallions and carrot.

Add the noodle mixture and toss.

To make the dressing:

Pour ingredients into a jar and screw on the lid. Shake well.

Before serving, toss the salad with the dressing. Start with 1/2 the dressing. You might not want to use more; the dressing is sweet.

Serves 6 to 8.

Cooks note: If you think you'll have leftovers, pour the dressing on each individual salad so leftover salad won't get soggy. Cover uneaten, undressed, leftover salad with a couple of paper towels in an airtight bag or cantainer. The paper towel will help keep the salad crisp. Refrigerate.

Courtesy of Victoria Greene