Howto scale back your Thanksgiving feast

2020 has been unique, to put it mildly. As the months pass, we’ve found ways to adapt, discovering fresh routines in this new normal. And with the holidays quickly approaching, we’re being challenged to adapt decades of traditions to suit scaled-down celebrations.

Thanksgiving is the Foodie Super Bowl, but this year, your celebration may be a little more Friday

Night Lights. Still exciting, but it’s not the big game we’re used to.

If you’re not sure how to scale down the biggest meal of the year, here are some tips for a petite Thanksgiving celebration that might be lighter on turkey, but not on tradition.

Despite being the centerpiece of the table, turkey is generally not the superstar of the Thanksgiving plate. In place of a huge, takes-all-day turkey, consider roasting a split turkey breast or even a chicken instead. If you’re more of a dark meat person, go right for the good stuff and pick up some turkey thighs and drumsticks. You can roast them, but they’re also ultratasty and quick-cooking on the grill or smoker. This is a good year to experiment, so don’t be afraid to think outside the roasting pan.

If you still want a showstopping centerpiece, roll it up. Use a meat tenderizer to flatten a boneless turkey breast and fill it with traditional bread stuffing, a sweet potato wild rice mixture, or even just some herbs and goat cheese. Roll it like a jelly roll and tie it with twine before roasting for a neat presentation.

For an easy sauce, deglaze the pan with a good quality cider vinegar and add a pat of butter at the end.

Everyone has their side-dish priorities, so pull back on those dishes that are typically the least popular (looking at you, salad), and make just a few can’t-miss recipes. For some, that might be stuffing and mashed potatoes or green beans and yams. One good way to decide is to close your eyes and imagine what leftover you’ll be most excited to dig into on Friday.

For dessert, we know it’s virtually impossible to choose between pumpkin, apple and pecan pie, but three pies is not scaling it back. Consider making little tartlets or hand pies, instead.

For tartlets, press pie dough or vanilla tart dough into a minimuffin tin and bake them without any filling. Make a batch of caramel and use that as a base to add pecans, apples and pumpkin and spices to re-create those classic pie flavors. Don’t forget the whipped cream.

The most important thing to remember is that even a Thanksgiving for one is still a reason to celebrate, so treat yourself to your favorite traditions and recipes. Besides, leftovers really are the best part.

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