Delicious Thanksgiving Recipes for Limited Space
Small kitchen, big Thanksgiving? It’s possible! Discover our top tips and recipes to make the most of your small kitchen this Thanksgiving.
Main Course Magic: Turkey Alternatives for Tight Spaces
Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be all about a big, dry turkey. For those with limited oven space, a delicious ham can be the star of the show!
My family loves ham, and I’ve found that cooking it in my Ninja Foodi is a game-changer. Not only does it free up valuable oven space, but the Foodi’s locking lid also allows me to cook it outside on a picnic table, saving even more counter space.
My personal preference is to purchase an unsliced, smoked ham.
Our favorite ham is cooked in root beer and seasoned generously. Typically, I season the ham with salt, pepper, brown sugar, and the herbs my family likes.
I like to add more root beer by covering the entire ham about half way through the cooking time. This helps prevent any dryness of the ham that could occur.
Side Dish Smarts: Compact Cooking for Classic Flavors
Make the most of your small kitchen by preparing some sides ahead of time.
Mashed Potatoes are a quick and affordable side. Plus, you can make these the night before and then reheat them in the oven.
Another delicious side dish is bacon wrapped green beans. Again, this recipe can be made the day before.
Next, corn casserole is a tasty side to accompany your Thanksgiving meal.
This recipe uses the Jiffy Mix. I suggest just mixing all the ingredients in a greased 9×13 casserole dish. Any time I have less dishes to wash, it’s a win for me. Plus, my family loves this casserole!
Baking Brilliance in a Small Oven
While my family is not die-hard traditionalists when it comes to the Thanksgiving meal, I do make it a priority to prepare stuffing. Stuffing, or dressing as my Grandma calls it, is something that is reminiscent of my Grandma’s kitchen and cooking with her.
This stuffing recipe is as close to my grandma’s as I can find. Grandma measures with her heart and uses dry herbs.
Stuffing is very forgivable. Don’t be afraid to adjust to your likings! Grandma always makes two pans. One plain and one with oysters for my Grandpa.
You can bake this in cast iron frying pans, a 9×13 dish, or dutch ovens. We also have made stuffing in large roasting pans for church functions.
The beauty of serving stuffing is that left overs can be used in a simple casserole.
As a suggestion, toss any remaining cooked meat (ham, turkey, or ground) into a pan with the stuffing, mix well, and top with a sharp cheddar cheese. Then pop your dish into the oven. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until heated through.
Keep in mind, you can use Gluten Free bread in stuffing recipes!
Delicious Dishes Without the Oven
Next, let’s talk about Thanksgiving dishes you can make that do not require the oven.
You can always serve a lettuce salad, but my family refers to that as rabbit food. Here are some alternatives that are delicious!
Pickle Roll Ups
This Pickle Roll Up recipe is mouth-watering, easy, and tastes even better after its sits in the fridge overnight.
Candied Sweet Potatoes
Are you a sweet potato fan? This Candied Sweet Potato recipe only requires 4 ingredients and is made on the stovetop. As a note, we decrease the sweetness to our liking.
Small Kitchen Maximum Impact Dessert
Can it even be Thanksgiving without indulging in some sort of dessert?
My husband loves cheesecake. One of the Marine wives gave me this recipe over a decade ago and it’s always a hit. Again, this recipe does not require oven space, you can make it a day ahead of time, and it’s very easy to put together!
Make the Most of Your Small Kitchen
Remember, it’s more important to enjoy the company than to have a gourmet meal. You do not need to make several items for the Thanksgiving meal. These are ideas to help you make the most of the space you have. Prepare some items in advance. Utilize outdoor spaces to cook or host company. Cherish the ones around you and enjoy the good food.
For additional tips this holiday season, check out this blog post.
Make the most of your small kitchen and share your favorite space-saving Thanksgiving recipes in the comments below!
Hayley
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