How To Cook a Quarantine Thanksgiving For Two That Tastes Like Home
If you asked me in March if I thought we would still be quarantining by Thanksgiving I would have told you that you were crazy.
But, here we are.
So many of us will be spending this tradition-clad, family-centered holiday alone or with the person we’ve decided to ride out this storm with. That makes cooking this monster of a feast challenging, stress inducing, and likely forcing many of us to look at what’s available on Caviar and Grubhub.
You’re probably thinking, “It’s impossible to cook this meal for just two people and have it taste someone like home.” I’m here to tell you it is.
And, you can do it (with leftovers) for under $30.
So, here we go — I am going to walk you through how I made this meal from start to finish, for under $30, and in under 2 hours.
Pour yourself your drink of choice and let’s do this. I promise we will get through this recipe with very little commentary about my life, the weather, or what I was thinking about while I prepared this meal. You’re here for a reason and I am going to get to it.
Let’s start with the shopping list/things you need.
- Turkey Breast Steaks
- Can of Chicken Stock
- 1 Onion
- Celery
- 1 Apple
- White Potatoes
- Frozen Green Beans
- Italian Bread Loaf
- Orange Juice
- Whole Cranberries
Make sure you have these items in stock:
- Butter
- Cooking Oil (Preferably Canola)
- Thyme
- Sage
- Rosemary
- Parsley
- Flour
- Salt and Pepper
- Sugar
- Milk
- Sour Cream
Now, for the most dreaded part — the turkey.
Let’s be honest, cooking a full size turkey is down right stressful, a day-long project, and no easy feat for someone who has never cooked this monster of a bird before. To save time, money, and reduce the likelihood of adding more stress to our lives, I opted for turkey breast steaks.
Yes, they exist. Yes, they taste the same. Yes, they are incredibly easy to cook.
I picked up a pound and a half of turkey breast steaks, already sliced, from Wegmans, for $6.97. This yields 4 servings.
Here’s what you will need:
- Turkey Breast Steaks
- 3/4 Stick of butter (I’ll explain)
- 3 Sage Leaves
- 3 Sprigs of Thyme
- 1 tsp of Rosemary
- 1/2 cup of chicken stock
- Salt and Pepper
First, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once it is warm, melt 2 TBS of butter in the pan (it should be nicely coated).
While the pan is heating, salt and pepper both sides of the turkey steaks and set aside. (Be a bit generous with the seasoning but don’t go crazy)
Next, brown each side of the turkey steaks — about 4 minutes or so on each side. Remove from pan and set aside.
Now, we deglaze the pan to make our gravy. Start by lowering the heat to a simmer and adding another 3 TBS of butter. Allow the butter to melt and mix in just under a tablespoon of flour to make a basic rue (this helps thicken the gravy). You’ll want to whisk this together until it is well incorporated.
Next, slowly add 1/2 cup of chicken stock and whisk it together. As the sauce thickens, add in the rosemary, sage, and thyme. Continue to stir.
Lastly, once the sauce is well incorporated and passes a taste test, add the turkey back in for 2 minutes. Lightly coat the turkey steaks with the sauce.
And there you go — turkey and gravy in under 15 minutes.
Now, for the stuffing.
Did it taste just like my mom’s? No. Was it pretty damn close? Yes.
Here’s what you will need:
- 1 Loaf of Sliced Italian Bread (get the cheap kind — think of the basic white bread you use for PB&J)
- 1/2 onion
- 2 Celery Stalks (buy the full thing of celery, rip off two pieces)
- 1 Apple
- 1 cup of chicken broth
- 1 Egg
- 1/2 tbsp of minced parsley (dry is fine)
- 1/2 tbsp of Thyme
- Salt and Pepper
- Canola oil
First things first…you’ve got to rapid-stale the bread. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Cube the loves of bread (you can leave to pieces for open faced turkey sandwiches and be fine). Pour the cubes onto a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 45 mins.
While the bread is toasting, chop up all your vegetables/apple into small cubes. Heat up a large skillet with 1 tbsp of canola oil. Once the oil is hot, drop the chopped up veggies and apple into the pan. Add in the thyme, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until tender.
In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and chicken stock. Set aside.
Once the bread has become stale in texture, toss all of the ingredients together (egg mixture, bread, and veggies/apple). After the mixture is fully incorporated, pour into a lightly greased casserole dish and cook for 40–45 minutes at 375 degrees.
Tip: At the end, lightly toast the top under the broiler for extra crunch.
The Cranberry Sauce
My family uses a recipe passed down from my great-grandmother. It’s not written anywhere so I had to wing it.
Here’s what you will need:
- 1 12oz bag of cranberries
- 1/2 cup of Orange Juice
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 1/2 cup of Water
-Pinch of salt
Bring the cranberries, water, OJ, sugar, and salt to a boil. Once the cranberries begin to pop (they will split open after about 7–10 minutes), reduce the heat to a simmer and begin pressing down on the berries to break them apart.
Pour into a dish and set aside to thicken.
The Masked Potatoes
The semi-perfect ratio for enough mashed potatoes for two people plus leftovers is this recipe.
Here’s what you will need:
- 5 White Potatoes
- 1/2 Cup of Sour Cream
- 4 TBS of Butter
- 1/4 Cup of Milk
- Salt and Pepper
Peel and quarter the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a large soup pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. (I add a pinch of salt to season the water)
Once the potatoes pass the fork test ( If a fork goes through easy, they are done). drain the water from the pot. I like to leave a little bit of the water in the pot to help blend the potatoes.
Mash the potatoes. Add in the sour cream, butter, milk, salt and pepper (to taste), and blend with a hand held mixer. Enjoy!
Green Beans
This is where I gave up. I bought frozen and microwaved them. Tossed in some salt, pepper, and garlic, with a smidge of butter, and called it a day.
Will this thanksgiving feast be the same? No. Will it taste like home while safely socially distancing to keep your loved ones safe? I think it just might.
Enjoy!
