Wiregrass Seniors Magazine November Issue NOVEMBER ISSUE | Page 4

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WiregrassSeniorsMagazine.com
Smart Ways to Enjoy a
Thanksgiving for Two
by Kelli Foster http://www.thekitchn.com
Last year I learned first hand that cooking Thanks-
giving dinner for two, while very enjoyable, comes
with its challenges. For starters, while a 10-pound
turkey seems small compared to those 25-pound
birds, it's still a lot of meat for two people. Perhaps,
there are more suitable choices than a whole turkey.
From side dishes and desserts, to non-turkey main
courses and leftovers, we get a lot of questions about
hosting holiday dinners for a cozier gathering. We
collected our readers' best tips on cooking Thanks-
giving dinner for a party of two.
So, is it worth cooking such a big meal just for two
people? There's really no right or wrong answer, it
all depends on you. For me, the answer is undoubt-
edly yes. I love the planning, prep, and cooking, as
well as having a special meal, not to mention the 5. Consider pre-made foods.
leftovers.
If putting together a feast isn't quite your thing, that's
okay! Use this as an excuse to try some of the pre-
1. You don't have to cook a whole turkey.
made foods from your local gourmet market. Not
The smallest turkey you'll likely find is still 10 to 12 only will this save you time, but you won't have to
pounds. That's a lot of meat for two people. Con- buy a lot of ingredients that you may not use again.
sider cooking turkey breasts or legs. Or, if you really If there’s time, order sides from Zack’s Restaurant
want a whole bird, opt for something smaller, like a and only make your favorite part of the meat from
chicken or cornish hen.
scratch.
2. Make a plan for your leftovers.
Expect to have a lot of leftovers, more than if you
were cooking for a larger group. To limit food waste,
make a plan for your leftovers ahead of time. I love
using some of the meat to make stock, soup, and
chili, then stash it in the freezer for cold winter nights. 6. Celebrate with a Thanksgiving breakfast or
brunch instead.
Take a non-traditional route and celebrate with a
special home-cooked breakfast or brunch. You won't
spend the whole day in the kitchen and you might
still get leftovers.
3. Cut down on the number of sides.
It pains me to say that because the side dishes are
arguably the best part of Thanksgiving dinner. But,
when you're cooking for just two, a table full of side
dishes are a bit much. Instead, each pick a couple of
your most favorite sides. It will make the leftovers
more manageable. 7. Seize the chance to get really experimental.
Since you're not cooking for a crowd with varying
tastes and food preferences, cook the foods that
you like to eat. If you love spicy foods, add some
heat to your meal. If you love Thai food and flavors,
make a meal that reflects that.
8. Go out for Thanksgiving dinner.
And, if you're just not up for cooking a big meal,
4. Keep things simple.
You don't have to have a traditional Thanksgiving that's just fine too. Treat yourselves to a dinner out!
dinner. Consider keeping the day simple, and cook A lot of restaurants are open and serve quite a nice
Thanksgiving dinner.
things that you love.