Thanksgiving Dinner for Two: Cozy Menu Ideas for a Small Holiday

Already written for two, so there's no math involved! The hens get a simple parsley butter and roast for about an hour, then go to the table with a homemade low carb cranberry sauce. All the Thanksgiving flavor, none of the giant bird.

These roast with lemon, fresh rosemary and a pile of whole garlic cloves, then the pan juices simmer down into a rich red wine sauce. They look so elegant on the plate, and they're really not much work.

To halve it: The recipe uses two hens and says it serves four. For two people, I'd still roast both hens (one each) with the full sauce. For lighter appetites, roast one hen with half the stock and wine and split it.

A single pork tenderloin is butterflied, spread with a sage, thyme and parsley paste and rolled up around fresh mozzarella. All those sage notes make it taste like Thanksgiving, and it serves two exactly as written.

Crispy-skinned chicken thighs rubbed with a homemade sage butter and roasted on a bed of celery root, then topped with fried sage leaves. It's cozy, a little fancy and a lot easier than a turkey.

To halve it: The recipe makes six thighs. For two, roast 2 or 3 thighs with 1 celery root and 2 tablespoons of the sage butter (about half the butter recipe).

A tender pork loin coated in Dijon and whole grain mustard, roasted alongside tri-color carrots tossed with balsamic, garlic and fresh thyme. Your main and a side, all from one oven.

To halve it: Use a 1-pound pork loin (or a pork tenderloin, which will cook faster) and half a pound of carrots, and halve the rest. Start checking the pork with a thermometer about 15 minutes early.

Roasted acorn squash rings stuffed with quinoa, apple, dried cranberries, walnuts, sharp cheddar and sage. They're so pretty on a holiday table, and they work as a meatless main or a side dish.

To halve it: The recipe serves six. Use 1 large or 2 small squash, ¼ cup quinoa, ½ cup broth and half of the apple, cheese, cranberries and walnuts. Beat the egg and use half of it.

A sweet-and-savory meatless main: roasted acorn squash halves filled with mushrooms, chickpeas, onion, tamari and fresh sage. It's hearty enough that nobody will miss the turkey.

To halve it: The recipe uses two squash for four people. For two, roast 1 squash and use 1 ½ cups mushrooms, half a can of chickpeas and about 2 teaspoons of tamari.

Tender delicata squash boats stuffed with herbed wild rice, lentils and dried cranberries. Delicata skin is thin enough to eat, so there's no peeling involved.

To halve it: Use 1 delicata squash, ¼ cup wild rice, 2 tablespoons lentils and 1 cup broth, and halve everything else.

Whole portobello mushrooms layered with spinach, caramelized onions, thyme and Dijon, all wrapped up in flaky puff pastry. It's a real showstopper of a meatless centerpiece.

To halve it: Use 2 portobellos and half the filling, and wrap them in half a sheet of puff pastry. It bakes a little faster, so start checking a few minutes early.

A tart-and-savory stuffing packed with fresh cranberries, sage and celery. The full recipe bakes in a bundt pan for a big crowd, but it's just as good baked in a small dish.

To halve it: The recipe serves ten, so make a quarter batch: 2 tablespoons butter, ¼ red onion, ½ cup celery, about ⅓ cup cranberries, 1 cup stock and 6 ounces of stuffing cubes. Bake it in a small buttered baking dish.

Crusty bread cubes baked in a savory pumpkin custard with sautéed apple, onion, sage, thyme and sharp cheddar until golden and crisp on top. It's vegetarian, and it's completely different from the usual stuffing.

To halve it: Use 5 ounces of bread, 1 small apple, about ⅓ cup each of pumpkin puree and cheddar, and ¼ cup broth. Beat the egg and use half. A small loaf pan works well.

Savory sausage, celery and fresh sage mixed with cubes of low carb bread and baked until crisp on top. It tastes like the real thing, and it's perfect next to roast chicken or pork.

To halve it: Use ½ pound sausage, 1 stalk of celery, 2 slices of low carb bread and ¼ cup broth. Beat the egg and use half of it.

Creamy russet potatoes mashed with garlic, sour cream and butter. Simple, classic and the side dish I'd never skip.

To halve it: Use 1 pound of potatoes (about 2 medium russets), 2 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon milk, 2 tablespoons sour cream and 1 tablespoon butter.

Baked potatoes scooped out, mashed with butter, sour cream and ranch seasoning, then piled back in with cheddar, bacon and a little jalapeño. You can stuff them the day before and bake them right before dinner.

To halve it: Each potato makes two halves, so one big potato is a side for two. Use 2 potatoes if you'd like leftovers, and divide everything else by four or two to match.

Creamy sweet potatoes spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg under a crunchy brown sugar and pecan topping. It's practically dessert, and that's exactly why everyone loves it.

To halve it: The recipe serves ten. Make a third of it: about 11 ounces of sweet potatoes, ½ cup sugar, 1 egg and 2 tablespoons cream, with ½ cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons butter and ½ cup pecans for the topping. Bake it in a small loaf pan or two ramekins.

Mashed sweet potatoes made holiday-worthy with nutty browned butter and maple syrup, then topped with a quick stovetop oat and pecan granola. It's sweet without being sugary.

To halve it: Use 1 pound of sweet potatoes, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 to 3 tablespoons milk and 2 teaspoons maple syrup. Make the full batch of granola: it keeps for days and is great on yogurt.

The classic, made easier: frozen green beans go straight from the freezer into the pot, then bake in a creamy mushroom sauce with cheddar and crispy French fried onions.

To halve it: Use 8 ounces of green beans, 1 cup broth, half a can of cream of mushroom soup, ¼ cup milk and half the cheese and onions. Bake it in a small baking dish.

Fresh green beans roasted with garlic and olive oil and finished with freshly grated Parmesan. A lighter option if you'd rather skip the casserole.

To halve it: Use ½ pound of green beans, about 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, 1 or 2 garlic cloves and a heaping tablespoon of Parmesan.

Fresh green beans and mushrooms in a creamy white wine and garlic sauce, topped with crunchy pork rind crumbs and Parmesan. All the comfort of the classic, without the canned soup.

To halve it: Use ½ pound of green beans, 2 ounces of mushrooms, a scant ½ cup cream and 2 tablespoons wine, and halve the topping.

Oven-roasted Brussels sprouts and apples with dried cranberries, toasted walnuts and a drizzle of maple syrup. Sweet, savory and so festive.

To halve it: Use ½ pound of Brussels sprouts, half an apple, 2 tablespoons each of cranberries and walnuts, and about ½ tablespoon maple syrup.

Brussels sprouts browned in a cast iron skillet, roasted until tender, then drizzled with a sticky balsamic and maple glaze. If you have a Brussels sprouts skeptic at your table, start here.

To halve it: Use ½ pound of Brussels sprouts and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Make the full glaze, since it's hard to reduce a tiny amount, and save the extra for roasted vegetables later in the week.

Acorn squash halves roasted with butter, brown sugar and chopped pecans until caramelized and tender. One squash makes two perfect halves, so it's naturally sized for a dinner for two.

A creamy low carb swap for mashed potatoes, made in the Instant Pot with cream cheese and Parmesan. Top it with a pat of butter and fresh thyme.

To halve it: Use half a head of cauliflower, ½ cup broth, ¼ cup cream cheese and ¼ cup Parmesan. It also reheats well, so the full batch isn't a bad idea.

Fresh cranberries, orange juice and sugar simmered for about 10 minutes. That's it! Once you make it from scratch, you'll never go back to the can.

To halve it: Use 6 ounces of cranberries, ½ cup orange juice and ½ cup sugar. Or make the full batch: it keeps in the fridge for about two weeks and is wonderful on turkey sandwiches.

Homemade cranberry sauce with a little zing from ginger beer, fresh orange juice and orange zest. It's a fun twist on the classic.

To halve it: Use 4 ounces of cranberries, ¼ cup each of sugar and ginger beer, 2 tablespoons orange juice and ½ tablespoon zest.

A rich, creamy vegetarian gravy made with oyster mushrooms, sherry and thyme. Pour it over mashed potatoes, stuffing or a stuffed squash.

To halve it: Use 4 ounces of mushrooms, 2 tablespoons sherry, 1 ½ cups stock and half of everything else.

Soft, fluffy homemade yeast rolls that are much easier than they look. Warm rolls make any dinner feel like a holiday.

To halve it: The full recipe makes four dozen rolls, so I'd skip halving this one. Bake them all, keep out a few for dinner and freeze the rest in a zip-top bag. Warm them in the oven for a few minutes whenever you want one.

Tender buttermilk cornbread muffins with a touch of honey and brown sugar. They're great with dinner and just as good with butter the next morning.

To halve it: A half batch with 1 egg makes 6 muffins. That's dinner for two plus breakfast, and extras freeze well.

Silky pumpkin-spiced custard with a crackly caramelized top, made in two ramekins. It's written for two, it can be made the day before, and it's low carb, too.

Cinnamon-sugar apples wrapped up in crescent roll dough and baked until golden. All the flavor of apple pie in a few bites, with none of the leftover pie.

To halve it: One can of crescent dough makes eight bites. Since the can doesn't keep once it's open, I'd just make them all. Four each is very reasonable on Thanksgiving!

A rich, fudgy chocolate cake with pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice, made in the microwave in about five minutes. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you've got a cozy little Thanksgiving dessert.

To halve it: This one makes a single serving, so just make two mugs.

Tart apple slices tucked into a tender, crumbly dough and baked in a buttery cinnamon syrup until golden and bubbly. This recipe comes straight out of a vintage Tennessee church cookbook, and it's one of our favorite fall desserts here on Midlife Rambler.

Gooey apples under a crunchy oat, brown sugar and cinnamon topping, made quick and easy with canned apple pie filling. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream.

To halve it: Use one can of apple pie filling and half the topping, and bake it in a small baking dish or a few ramekins. That serves three, so someone gets seconds.

Classic pumpkin pie with a creamy, cinnamon-spiced filling and a flaky homemade crust. Because it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie!

To halve it: Halve the filling (about 1 cup pumpkin puree, ½ cup sugar, 1 egg and ¾ cup half and half) and bake it in a 6-inch pie pan or four ramekins. The crust recipe makes plenty, so freeze the extra dough for Christmas.