Thanksgiving and Christmas Menu Ideas for Small Families

published by lanne on Nov 1, 2008

Every Holiday season, families count down the days until they can sit down to a feast of Baked Ham or Roast Turkey with all of the trimmings. But what about households where there are no children or visiting relatives to feed? Is there really a need to prepare a large meal in order to enjoy the tastes and smells of a traditional Thanksgiving or Christmas? Of course not. The following are some small scale menu ideas that are sure to please.

Instead of preparing an entire turkey with stuffing, buy just a breast.

De-bone and remove skin from a large turkey breast
Butterfly the breast
Cover with plastic wrap and pound lightly to ensure that meat is an even thickness
Remove plastic wrap and cover butterflied breast with your favorite stuffing (leaving aprox. 1 inch around the edges uncovered)
Roll breast up and tie securely with butchers twine
Cook covered in a 375* oven on low rack for aprox. 1 hour per pound , basting frequently with melted butter
Uncover and cook an additional 10-15 min
Let stand 10 minutes before removing twine and slicing

The roast turkey breast will not leave adequate drippings for making gravy, but Sage Scalloped Potatoes are a delicious alternative to mashed potatoes and gravy.

Sage Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients

4 cups potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
3/4 cup finely minced onion
2 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 ½ tbsp chopped fresh sage
2 tbsp. butter
1 ½ cups hot milk/cream

Method

Grease a 2 quart casserole dish
Layer ½ potatoes and ½ onions
Sprinkle salt and pepper and ½ the Sage and ½ flour mixture on onion and potato layer and dot with ½ the butter
Repeat layers and pour the cream/milk over top
Sprinkle with salt and pepper
Cover and bake at 375° for 40-50 minute
Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes

Cornish Hens

Ingredients

1 cup Chopped Fresh Cranberries
1/4 cup minced Onions
1/8 cup Sugar
1/4 cup chopped Celery
2 Tbsp. Parsley
1/4 tsp chopped Fresh Rosemary
1/4 cup melted Butter
4 cups dried Bread cut into cubes
Salt and Pepper

Method

Combine berries and sugar and let set for half an hour
Saute onions, celery and parsley
Add crumbs and seasonings
Add cranberry and sugar mixture and stuff into hens
Cook Hens according to package directions

Mashed Parsnip and Potato Bake

Peel and chop equal amounts of potatoes and parsnip and 3 cloves of garlic and boil in salted water until fork tender
Drain and mash as you would making mashed potatoes adding butter and salt and pepper to taste
Place mixture into a buttered casserole dish and dot with butter
Bake in very hot oven until top is golden brown

Pineapple Baked Loin of Pork

When cooking for only a few people, a boneless Pork Loin with Pineapple is a simple alternative.

Ingredients

Boneless loin of Pork
1 can crushed Pineapple undrained
1/4 cup light Soy sauce
1 tbsp crushed garlic
2 tbsp liquid Honey
Salt and pepper

Method

Combine all ingredients and pour over pork in a roasting pan
Cook pork uncovered according to package directions, basting frequently
Cover with as many pineapple chunks as possible and broil for the last 5 minutes of cook time

French Fried Sweet Potatoes

Be sure to use sweet potatoes and not yams as they are much firmer and will not break as easily while cooking. These fries can be made sweet or savoury.

Cut sweet potatoes as you would cut regular potatoes for french fries
Soak in cold water for aprox 10 min
Rinse and pat dry
Deep fry in light oil until crispy and browned
Season hot fries with garlic salt and pepper, or cinnamon sugar
Serve hot

17 Responses so far | Have Your Say!

# 1 by Michael Degenhardt
November 1st, 2008 at 10:12 am #

You really got on my good side with these recipes. I love food and the Irish in me loves potatoes. Excellent recipes that I’ll have to try. MIchael
# 2 by valli
November 1st, 2008 at 11:19 am #

Nice recipes.
# 3 by BC Doan
November 1st, 2008 at 11:40 am #

I love the cornish hens cranberry stuffing! Definitely will try to do this recipe for Thanksgiving! Thanks Lanne!
# 4 by Anne Lyken Garner
November 1st, 2008 at 12:35 pm #

Your recipes always sound lovely, and they’re so simple to follow.
# 5 by Glynis Smy
November 1st, 2008 at 1:11 pm #

You hit the spot again lanne, these are great ideas and as there is only DH and me this year I will be referring to these!
# 6 by Jaison
November 1st, 2008 at 10:18 pm #

Excellent article and came at the right time.
# 7 by Darlene McFarlane
November 1st, 2008 at 10:24 pm #

These sound really good. I have never had French Fried Sweet Potato and will have to try it. The scalloped potatoes sound good too.
# 8 by lanne
November 1st, 2008 at 10:31 pm #

Thanks for your comments everyone.I`ll get you all fattened up yet
# 9 by Lauren Axelrod
November 1st, 2008 at 11:44 pm #

These all sound wonderful. When’s dinner?
# 10 by Judy Sheldon
November 1st, 2008 at 11:54 pm #

Lanne, you gave us such a nice bonus by including so many recipes in one article. You are too kind.

Thanks and God bless.
# 11 by Joshua Miguel
November 1st, 2008 at 11:56 pm #

your recipe is making me hungry, yum yum
# 12 by Chambo
November 2nd, 2008 at 3:50 am #

I have to print this article. Easy to follow steps. Thanks Lanne.
# 13 by CHAN LEE PENG
November 2nd, 2008 at 7:21 am #

Many thanks for your recipe here! Take care!
# 14 by evleroux
November 2nd, 2008 at 9:17 am #

This year there will only be three for “Thanksgiving Dinner” and you reminded me that there are lots of alternatives for small families. I am copying this page and putting it in my cook book for future use as well. The recipes are wonderful and easy.

Thank You

eileen
# 15 by palestineismail
November 2nd, 2008 at 12:16 pm #

Nice recipes,

Not really going to use it for Christmas but has good recipes for special meals!
Thanx. =P’ can’t wait to taste!
# 16 by Redburn
November 2nd, 2008 at 5:53 pm #

I am not a cook but I can’t wait to taste it!
# 17 by Kay
November 2nd, 2008 at 10:35 pm #

Great recipes, not just for Thanksgiving !

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