How to Cook Thanksgiving for a Small Crowd
Need some inspiration to cook thanksgiving for 2-4 people? Fear not, I’ve got you covered.
Regardless of how many people we may be spending Thanksgiving with this year, its still calls for a celebration (and epic dinner…c’mon). If your table is going to be a little less crowded this year, take it as an opportunity to enjoy a little more intimacy and a little less work in the kitchen. Let’s not let a little pandemic get in the way of a great Thanksgiving 2020 (all positive vibes here, friends).
Whether you are a seasoned home cook or this will be your first time making a Thanksgiving day dinner, I’ve got a few tips on how you can easily make Thanksgiving dinner for 2-4 people this year.
Skip the Turkey and Roast Cornish Hens Instead
For some people, this could be considered blasphemy...and for you turkey lovers out there, make the turkey anyway even if 2 people will be eating it. It’ll give you plenty of leftovers so you can enjoy Turkey for weeks! However, since I’m embracing the fact that I’ll be feeding a small crowd this year, why not do something a little more exciting?
Cornish game hens are the perfect, slightly-fancier alternative to turkey for a small Thanksgiving crowd. These little birds are bigger than a quail but smaller than a standard chicken, so each guest will get their own. Its pretty spectacular when guests see that they’ve got their own individual bird on the table. The presentation is greater and they’ll assume you had to put in a lot of work for each hen...even though it is MUCH easier (no carving!).
Seriously, roasting cornish hens is easy enough for even the most beginner cook. I’ve got a recipe below for you which took about 5 minutes of prep time and I had them on the table in less than 2 hours.
Keep Side Dishes Simple
If you’re looking to keep things easy on the big day, don’t worry about breaking out all the traditional Thanksgiving side dishes. Opt for just a few that you couldn’t imagine Thanksgiving without and skip the rest. For my Cornish Hen dinner in the photos, I just made mashed potatoes, brussels sprouts, and cranberry sauce. It was just festive enough without going overboard, and I had it all done start to finish in under 2 hours.
Or...Just Split Your Favorite Recipes in Half
Casseroles, stuffing, homemade cranberry sauce...all of these recipes are actually very easy to make smaller portions from. Just divide recipes that serve 8-10 by half and reduce the cooking time just a bit. I would still opt for just 3-4 side dishes rather than your typical 8-9 though, just because there’s no reason to overwhelm yourself on the big day. This Thanksgiving, its all about spending that quality time with just a few people, so I’d rather see you pop open some bubbly while dinner cooks and have great conversation instead.
Recipe: Easy Roasted Cornish Game Hens
Takes about 1.5 hours start to finish
Ingredients
2-4 Cornish Game Hens (1 per person)
2 yellow or white onions
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 lemon, sliced
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tsp kosher salt
3 Tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
Note: Depending on how many Cornish hens you are making, ingredients may be less or more. If hens are too big to fit into one baking dish, separate into two dishes.
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Quarter the onions and place In the bottom of an ovenproof baking dish. Add the garlic cloves and lemon slices Top with sprigs of rosemary and thyme.
In a small bowl, add the dijon, salt, pepper, and paprika and stir together.
Pat each hen dry inside and out with paper towels and place on top of the onion mixture in the baking dish. Using a brush or your fingers, coat the skin of each hen thoroughly with the dijon mixture.
Place the roasting dishes into the oven and roast for about 1 hour 15 minutes. Depending on the size of your hens, you may need to cook a little longer. Remove when the internal temperature has reached at least 165 F (be sure to check in the thickest part of the thigh, away from any bones)
Serve hens on individual plates for each guest. Discard the onion and lemon mixture.
Need More Help Planning Out Your Thanksgiving Dinner?
If planning Thanksgiving is giving you a little anxiety and overwhelm, I’ve got you covered--I created the Thanksgiving Food and Wine Blueprint so anyone can cook a homemade Thanksgiving dinner from scratch. It includes 8 recipes I made every year, a cooking timeline to keep you on track, grocery shopping list and wine pairings for a stress-free turkey day. Plus, a special modified menu for a small crowd is included!
