A Small Kitchen Thanksgiving

If you’re living in a different city from your family (something we know nothing about), and can’t make it home for the holiday, you run the risk of becoming a Thanksgiving orphan. There are two ways to deal with this predicament. 1) Try to mooch off of one of your friends’ families in the area and score an invite, or 2) make your very own small kitchen Thanksgiving and scrounge up some other stranded friends to attend.

Cooking Thanksgiving dinner start to finish for the first time can be extremely daunting, especially when, for your whole life, you’ve watched the matriarch of your family cook for days and put ten dishes on the table. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take on the full burden yourself (there are plenty of other times for a Thanksgiving potluck). Still, our first piece of advice is: don’t bite off more than you can chew (that’s only acceptable during the actual meal). Trying to make all of your favorite dishes from your family’s holiday table might be setting yourself up for failure. Instead, we’ve put together a totally manageable five-dish Thanksgiving dinner that’s perfect for a smaller group, and easy to execute in a tiny kitchen. We’ve subbed chicken for turkey for the main course, but if you feel up for the task, feel free to go traditional. The rest of the table is rounded out by Phoebe’s killer stuffing, a simple side of spinach and bacon, and Cara’s mom’s famous (and classic) apple pie. Who knows, perhaps this is the beginning of your very own Thanksgiving tradition.

Roasted Butternut Squash Crostini with Thyme Creme Fraiche

Alex’s Roast Chicken with Roasted Potatoes

Pumpkin Leek Stuffing with Turkey Sausage

Spinach with Bacon Bits

Mom’s Famous Apple Pie