My Thanksgiving table setting and an easy, simple Thanksgiving menu for four.
Since living in Texas, <3M and I have typically spent Thanksgiving alone or with a single friend, Punit, who would join us for the long weekend. I always cooked a Thanksgiving meal but it was usually non-traditional, a few years I actually served Indian dosas.
This year, however, my parents are visiting <3M and I from New York f which means I have more motivation to cook a big meal and decorate for the holiday. One of my favorite parts about hosting a dinner for friends or family is putting together a beautiful tablescape. Below, I share my tablescape plans and our Thanksgiving menu fit for four.
The Table
A pretty table doesn’t have to be complicated. I created this year’s Thanksgiving table with a few small purchases from Michael’s and added in Fall items I already had around the house. I like a good mix of high and low items in my tablescape and prefer to add in little details to make the setting interesting to the eye. These small touches are what make the tablescape special.
Here are the supplies I used
- boxwood garland
- assorted ball jars
- electric tea lights
- dry lentils (to hold the tea lights)
- decorative antlers
- pinecones
- ornamental corn cobs
- golden mini pumpkins
- fresh flowers
Fresh Flowers Tips
If you have a Trader Joe’s near you then hit it up for budget-friendly bouquets! TJ’s flowers are always beautiful and seasonally on trend! The two bouquets I purchased were $3.99 each and were more than enough to fill the vases. I love the bright pops of red and orange color the flowers add to the table.
The Menu
Since it’s just the four of us, our menu won’t be as extravagant as a large family Thanksgiving meal but I tried to hit on the important holiday menu items.
Cheese Plate
Every good meal starts with a cheese plate. I chose three small cuts of cheese for the family to enjoy and plan to pair it with some crusty Easy Tiger bread, nuts, and jam as a midafternoon snack.
Savory Sweet Potato Tarts
My Dad loves sweet potatoes and since I’m not baking them for the main meal, I thought I’d serve sweet potatoes as an appetizer. I’m modifying this recipe by Half Baked Harvest for Bourbon Pecan Sweet Potato Phyllo Casserole and baking the filling in 
Kale Harvest Salad
This is another Half Baked Harvest recipe and it’s a salad I’ve been making for lunch on the regular. I know kale salad may not be traditional for Thanksgiving but I need fresh greens with a heavy meal. I love the Fall flavors — honeycrisp apples, pomegranates, apple cider vinegar, and salty feta cheese. It’s a delicious salad and many of the components can be prepped in advance to make Thanksgiving day assembly quick and easy.
Cornish Hens
For years my Dad has hinted at wanting cornish hens for Thanksgiving dinner in place of traditional turkey, so for his holiday visit, I agreed to hens! I haven’t settled on a specific Cornish hen recipe but am going between this herb-encrusted smoked recipe and a traditional herb & garlic roasted cornish hen option. Either way, I know we’ll be brining the hens to ensure they’re extra juicy.
Herbed Mashed Potatoes
I made a similar recipe for my office’s Thanksgiving potluck last week and they’re delicious! I know some may want straight up traditional mashed potatoes but I prefer a little boost of flavor. These are made with heavy cream and an herb-infused butter using thyme and sage. Deliciously addictive.
White Wine Gravy
Every Thanksgiving dinner needs gravy. I’ve made this white wine gravy in the past and I love the subtle flavor the wine adds. This will be lovely paired atop the herby mashed potatoes and if I accidentally dry out the Cornish hens, at least we can smother them in the gravy.
Cranberry Sauce
I love, love, love fresh, homemade cranberry sauce and Martha Stewart’s recipe is seriously the best. Martha’s recipe results in a sauce that’s not too tart with a fresh citrus note and lots of cozy spices from cloves and cinnamon. I love using the leftover sauce in the morning on top of Greek yogurt or pancakes.
Autumn Pavlova
Rather than a traditional pie, I’ll be making my Autumn Pavlova with roasted apples, maple whipped cream, and a salted caramel drizzle. I’ve been craving this dessert since I first made it so I’m excited to make it again and share it with family.
Our menu is small this year but it covers all the traditional Thanksgiving dishes. It’s also a meal that I’m excited to make for my Mom & Dad.
What’s on your Thanksgiving menu?
