What a crazy year. For people across America, November brings with it the excitement of Thanksgiving ~ delicious foods, family, and football. But things are drastically different this year. And what is royally pissing me off is how many food bloggers out there are acting like this year isn’t any different than any other year. Talking about desserts for your desserts table and party punch. It just feels so irresponsible to not treat this head on.

My Thanksgiving this year will be myself, my husband, and my son. That’s it. We wish we could have the same boisterous Thanksgiving we had last year, but we won’t. And I urge you all, dear readers, to either have a small Thanksgiving of just your household or ask that everyone quarantine for two weeks and get tested for COVID-19 before meeting for Thanksgiving festivities. It is the best way to protect yourselves and your loved ones.

Over the next few days, I’m going to offer you some Thanksgiving dish ideas to make during this crisis for a four to six person meal. Ways to enjoy all the flavors you love at Thanksgiving reduced to a manageable yet versatile dinner!

So of course, we’ve got to start with the bird! I opted for a legless turkey of about 8 to 9 pounds. This is enough for four to six people, and enough for leftovers if originally serving it for four. I chose legless because the turkey breast offers so much more meat, and I wanted leftovers! If you want dark meat, though, go ahead and get a bird with the legs! The turkey breast still had the bones in, providing a cavity for stuffing, if you choose, and the moisture and flavor that the bones naturally provide when cooking!

I like to use citruses for my seasoning. They’re flavors that compliment the turkey and keep it feeling light. So orange and lemon zest mixed with fresh herbs of sage, rosemary, and thyme. Like my Sunday roast chicken, I mix the herbs and zest with softened butter and spread that under the skin of the bird. This keeps the meat moist and flavorful!

But, the trick to the BEST turkey is cheesecloth! And you’ll find a lot of food bloggers swear by it. Cheesecloth soaked in butter and wine and then wrapped around the bird will give you remarkable results. I baste the bird every 20 to 25 minutes, making sure to fully saturate the cheesecloth. Then I remove the cheesecloth for the last 45 minutes so that skin gets crispy and golden brown. This will be the prettiest bird you’ve served!

Stay safe and stay satiated! And join me tomorrow for more pandemic Thanksgiving recipes!