For the rookie, a guide to turkey for just a few

Thanksgiving in normal times means getting together with family and friends to celebrate the many blessings of the past year. Tradition calls for a giant turkey with all the fixings, spirited conversation around the dinner table and a fight over leftovers.

These are not normal times, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is advising small in-person gatherings this year to protect individuals and families from the virus.

That means a lot of young adults and others who might otherwise have gone home or to a friend’s house to enjoy home cooking on Thanksgiving will instead be preparing dinner for themselves this year — even if they aren’t particularly wellversed in the kitchen.

It’s perfectly OK to serve your homemade turkey with Pepperidge Farm stuffing and instant or frozen mashed potatoes.

But for the dishes you insist on making from scratch, prepare whatever you can a few days in advance. Brussels sprouts and potatoes, for example, can be blanched beforehand and stored in the fridge, so all you have to do is throw them in hot water on Thursday. Also, if you’re tackling a new recipe, practice it beforehand until you’ve got it down pat.

If you want turkey, go with a more manageable whole or split turkey breast. They take up less space, cook in a flash (15 minutes per pound) and are much easier to carve. Plan on 1 to 1 ¼ pounds of turkey and ¾ cup of stuffing per guest.

This might also be the time to ask Grandma about that recipe you’ve always wanted to learn to make. For moral support, you could even ask her to cook along with you virtually on Thanksgiving day via Zoom or Facebook Live.

If this is your first time preparing Thanksgiving, keep it simple: a pan-roasted turkey breast slathered in herb butter, Brussels sprouts roasted with Craisins and balsamic vinegar, and for dessert, a flaky apple tart made with frozen puff pastry.

For sides, go with packaged stuffing and instant mashed potatoes, or with any of the recipes in this issue.

Homemade cranberry sauce is easy and can be made a day or two in advance. Simply combine a 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries with 1 cup of orange juice, 1 cup of sugar and a pinch of cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until cranberries start to pop, about 10 minutes, then remove from heat and place sauce in a bowl. It will thicken as it cools.

The goal of this year’s Thanksgiving dinner should not be perfection. Settle for the joy of safely gathering for a meal with people who love you and whatever you serve.

Gretchen McKay / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Create traditional holiday dishes, including roast turkey, without heapings of stress.