Holiday Dinner Menus for Smaller Gatherings

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Two Holiday Dinner Menus for small gatherings complete with the main course, side dishes, dessert, and a little extra!

This year is obviously much different and the need for scaling back the festivities is unavoidable. A whole turkey for a family of four just may be too much. I’m here to share two awesome Holiday Dinner Menus that are perfect for 4-6 people with a little leftover.

Traditional Holiday Dinner Menu

platter of baked turkey wings

The first menu is a traditional style Thanksgiving meal with turkey wings to replace the whole bird. Not a turkey fan? Try some crispy Herb-Roasted Chicken instead. I suggest serving either with the most amazing sage gravy on the planet. No Thanksgiving menu would be complete without baked mac and cheese, collard greens, or sweet potato pie! I also asked a few friends for some drink and appetizer options that you all will love.

Baked Turkey Wings
Baked Turkey Wings — tender turkey wings with crispy sticky skin, seasoned to perfection and oven-baked; perfect with gravy.
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garnished turkey wings on a plate with white rice and gravy
Sage Butter Turkey Gravy
Sage Butter Turkey Gravy —an amazing turkey gravy made with drippings and a delicious roasted garlic sage butter.
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pouring sage butter turkey gravy over baked turkey wings
Ginger Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Ginger Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes—oven-roasted sweet potatoes whipped with butter, ginger, maple syrup, and a touch of brown sugar.
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buttery mashed sweet potaotes
Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese—a bubbling baked macaroni casserole made with a blend of sharp cheeses, salty butter, and luscious cream.
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baked macaroni and cheese in cast iron
Southern Smoked Turkey Collard Greens
Southern Smoked Turkey Collard Greens— smoky flavorful Southern-style collard greens made in minutes using the Instant Pot pressure cooker.
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smoked turkey collard greens
Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Cornbread
Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Cornbread—a cross between a warm corn muffin and a slice of sweet potato pie. Perfect for casual and holiday meals.
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sweet potato cornbread in a skillet with butter close up
Deep Dish Sweet Potato Pie
Deep Dish Sweet Potato Pie — fresh roasted sweet potatoes whipped smooth with brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk, and fragrant fall spices.
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sweet potato pie

A little extra!

Orange Cranberry Sauce |Christian’s Cucina
Mulled Apple Cider | That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Mini Cranberry Cheese Ball | Cooking with Carlee

Less Traditional Holiday Dinner Menu

platter of sliced top round roast with roasted vegetables

This next menu is a spin on the traditional Christmas prime rib replacing it with a tender top round roast as the main course. However, this is a wonderful menu for those who don’t care for turkey. Both of these holiday dinner menus include recipes that are relatively quick and easy to prepare for a deliciously satisfying smaller holiday feast.

Top Round Roast with Brown Gravy
This Top Round Roast recipe uses the reverse sear method for a tender juicy oven roast. Served with sheet pan vegetables and delicious brown gravy.
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platter of sliced top round roast with roasted vegetables
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Make creamy Mashed Potatoes under 30-minutes using the Instant Pot pressure cooker. Pure comfort food in minutes.
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mashed potatoes
Garlic Bacon Butternut Squash
Garlic Bacon Butternut Squash—butternut squash sautéed in bacon drippings with fresh garlic and red peppers then oven-roasted to tender perfection.
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bacon garlic butternut squash
Southern Green Beans and Potatoes
A satisfying vegetarian version of Southern Green Beans and Potatoes. It is the perfect side dish for a country fish-fry or a traditional holiday supper.
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green beans and potatoes in a bowl close up
1-Hour Dinner Rolls
Make soft fluffy Dinner Rolls from scratch in 1-hour. This is a quick and easy fail-proof recipe for bakers of all levels.
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1 hour dinner rolls on a plate
Caramel Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
Caramel Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls—soft sweet roll dough stuffed with apple pie filling topped with cinnamon caramel frosting.
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apple pie sweet rolls

Those little extras!

15-Minute Cranberry Sauce | Persnickety Plates
Party Punch | In Fine Taste
Holiday Harvest Spread | In Fine Taste

LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THE RECIPE. SUGGESTIONS AND HONEST OPINIONS ALWAYS APPRECIATED. LEAVE A REVIEW IN THE COMMENTS, RATE THE RECIPE, AND SAVE IT FOR LATER!

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2 Comments

  1. The wings turned out so flavorful. I would just highly recommend doing 15 minutes on each side of the turkey wings for the last 25 minutes of cooking time with the foil removed so that both sides of your wings have the skin crisp up. You can see what I mean in the pictures. The side I left exposed to the vegetables and stock while cooking didn’t crisp and felt like a boiled texture. I also made the gravy which was more of a challenge. More instructions is necessary for non experienced gravy makers. I couldn’t get the texture of it straight. //:0

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