How to host a small Thanksgiving
Q. I normally fly home for Thanksgiving for a big dinner. This year, I am staying put, so it will just be me and two close friends in my “pod.” I love the traditional dinner, but a whole turkey with trimmings seems too much. Options?
A. We are in the same place this year. Forget the Norman Rockwell imagery. You could investigate a “dinner in a box” option, particularly from a local restaurant. If you decide to cook, don’t feel compelled to make the usual big meal. Ask yourself what foods you love most on a traditional holiday table. Focus on that and build your meal around it.
This is 2020. People day drink and they do video calls for work wearing pajama bottoms. Do what you want, no one will judge you. No one says you can’t have a cheesy, gooey mac and cheese casserole in place of turkey.
One good option is to gussy up a side up enough to feel like a main. If you look forward to the Brussels sprouts, maybe opt for a Brussels sprouts gratin like this one from SimplyRecipes?
Back when my whole family went vegetarian for a couple years, we made Kim O’Donnel’s veggie pot pies. Round out with your two favorite sides and voila, dinner. (I love these little porcelain tart/pie molds for pot pies.)
If roasted turkey is a must, consider getting a whole bird and cutting it up. This will be more economical and you’ll get the neck for stock and giblets for gravy. (If you buy one from an proper butcher, they may do this for you.) For three to five people, roasting a half breast and one leg should be plenty. Freeze the extra pieces for later. (See my tips on freezing meat.)
Alternately, for a no-cook turkey solution, hit a deli counter and just ask for extra-thick sliced roasted turkey. A half-pound per person should be plenty. To reheat, put it into a pan with a bit of chicken stock. Cover with foil and put into an oven for a few minutes until warmed through to replicate that just-from-the-oven juiciness.
One thing to remember: Zoom will be eliminating its 40-minute limit on Thanksgiving this year. So plan some calls, set up a schedule. If you have no one to call, then I’ll chat with you. Drop me a line.
More Thanksgiving
Sick of Cooking: Get Thanksgiving in a Box
Homemade Mashed Potatoes vs. Instant
Homemade Green Beans vs. Canned
Conventional Turkey vs. Organic
19 Ideas for Holiday Leftovers
This page may contain affiliate links. Images: Turkey plate by Ezume Images; Brussels sprouts by Algus; pot pie by Madele; carved turkey by Bochkarev Photography. Page created November 2020 by Kathleen Flinn.
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