I wrote this years ago but was recently asked how I keep Christmas as a single adult and basically this still holds true. I started my own traditions that are just for me and do them every year without fail, even last year when it was such a mess with moving and building my house (although I didn't put up a large tree) the spirit of the tradition is always kept.
Last year I found myself facing a new predicament in life. For the first time in my 32 years I was alone for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Now I had friends who had me over for meals and the like but for the season and for Christmas day I was alone.
This is a situation that more Americans are finding themselves in every day. In his wonderful book, Living Alone, Eric Klinenberg says that "In 1950, 22 percent of American adults were single. Now that number is almost 50 percent. One in seven adults lives alone". One in 7 and yet our society is still built on the assumption of companionship. When I venture out to say a movie or a nice restaurant by myself it is a near social pariah. I do it anyway but it is still definitely outside the norm.
So, where does that leave the single who is alone for even more family-centric moments such as birthdays or holidays? If they cannot find an urban tribe, quasi-family to associate with then they are left to celebrate alone, a depressing prospect for most of us.
Well, last year I decided to change that. I was going to be spending the holidays alone and I would make the best of it. I did pretty well through Halloween and even Christmas but Thanksgiving proved particularly difficult. I had a friend invite me to her place for the actual day which was lovely but it wasn't the meal I was used to and I found myself feeling nostalgic for the flavors of my family.
The logical solution was to make Thanksgiving for myself but how can one make a feast for one? It seems impossible? Fortunately I am not the type who is left undaunted by challenges and I decided to give it a try and you know what I learned- you can do Thanksgiving for One! It is not only possible but very enjoyable.
Plan ahead so you don't have all the cooking in one day. Both years I have done thanksgiving for one I have made the desserts the day before. You could also do the rolls the day before if that is important to you. Since it saves well I make the cranberry relish or sauce in advance also.
Pick 2 sides and make them really well. It is impossible to duplicate a huge thanksgiving meal for one person and if you did how would you eat it all (and let's be honest you will be a little sad so tons of food and lonely person probably not good combo). I chose to make mashed potatoes and stuffing. Sweet potatoes are an everyday item and not that special for me, so I will leave them out.
There's no reason to make everything yourself. I used canned rolls because rolls aren't that important to my Thanksgiving but you could certainly buy them from a good bakery or your local market. You could even buy the turkey already cooked (or a rotisserie chicken) and focus on sides.
Pick a veggie that you can buy in small amounts. For example a head of lettuce is often too much for me and goes bad. Green beans are great because I can buy just a handful and not waste. One ear of corn, a couple carrots, things like that save on time and money.
Don't forget little details like real whipped cream and cranberry relish. If your family always has a pickle platter have pickles. Or if you secretly hate the family jello salad don't make it! That's the great thing about cooking for yourself you can do whatever you want. If you want to make turkey curry go for it. Want to try sugar free recipe, go for it. Want to make collard greens or eat ham instead of turkey do it!
Because you are cooking for 1 live a little. Buy lobster or mussels, get the good french butter or be like me and get a massage while on break! There will be plenty of your life when you are scrimping and saving every cent to pay for kids and retirement. An occasional treat for a single's dinner is highly worth it! Plus, you can afford to go organic, get grass-fed meat, artisan bread. Whatever excites you!
Plan on ways to save meals and use components for 2nd and 3rd meals. Like having turkey sandwiches or potato soup after thanksgiving dinner. I make up these little TV dinners so they are ready to go when I'm in the mood for a little home cooking.To quote the amazing Judith Jones "Some say Why would I want to go to all that trouble just for me? My answer is: If you like good food, why not HONOR YOURSELF enough to make a pleasing meal and relish every mouthful." Cheers to me!
Thaw bird completely before cooking. Make a paste with fresh herbs and butter then rub the bird with it and put underneath the skin. Check the label but it usually ends up being about 30 minutes for every pound at 350.
It should get to a temperature of 160 to be done.
Cook 4 yukon gold potatoes in the crock-pot under high for 6 hours (which saves time) and then mash with skins on.
Add 1/4 cup of cream/milk and 1/2 stick of butter and mix until most of the clumps are gone.
You can make it with as many potatoes as you like or just one if you want.
or you could just cook them regular on the stove.
Cook onion, celery, maple sausage until onions soft, sausage cooked.
Add cornbread stuffing cubes and 2-4 cups of chicken broth.
In food processor pulsing blade finely ground 1 bag of fresh cranberries, 2 tbsp agave nectar or sugar, a whole orange cut into segments and a cup of nuts (I've made it with almonds, walnuts and pecans all good). Add more sweetener to taste.
Green beans with bacon vinaigrette. Cook bacon into bite sized pieces. Remove most of the bacon fat from the pan leaving a couple of tablespoons inside.
2 cups heavy cream whipped.
Mix together all ingredients press into bottom of molds or spring-form pan. You can then bake it for 5 minutes to create a more solid crust but I don't think that is even necessary.
For filling mix together cream cheese, sour cream, pumpkin, and sugar. Heat up marshmallows and butter until cooked and bubbling. Add to rest of wet filling mix. Beat vigorously. Add to molds. Set overnight. Top with whipped cream.
So those are the recipes I used. Have fun cooking for one. It will be a great journey for you! Good luck and let me know how things go and what strategies work for you.
Thaw bird completely before cooking.
Cook onion, celery and maple sausage until onions soft, sausage cooked.
Add diced dried apricots and then put in oven at 350 for 45 minutes.
Take pan drippings and skim off excessive oil.
Then mix together a little water and flour until smooth in a separate bowl. My Mom even uses the blender for hers but I prefer minimal dishes. Then you add the flour-water to the drippings and stir until the mixture thickens up. Then add salt to taste.
Cook bacon into bite sized pieces.
Remove most of the bacon fat from the pan leaving a couple of tablespoons inside.
Cook beans in boiling water (I've actually found the microwave does this quite well).
Add red onion, 1 tbsp of sugar to the bacon fat and then ¼ cup balsamic vinegar (you could use any vinegar you like.
Combine beans with sauce and stir.
In a food processor, add the cranberries, agave, sugar, nuts and orange.
Add more sweetener to taste.
Cook potatoes in the crock-pot under high for 6 hours (which saves time) and then mash with skins on.
For crust- mix together all ingredients press into bottom of molds or spring-form pan. You can then bake it for 5 minutes to create a more solid crust but I don't think that is even necessary.
For filling mix together cream cheese, sour cream, pumpkin, and sugar.
Heat up marshmallows and butter until cooked and bubbling.
Add to rest of wet filling mix. Beat vigorously. Add to molds. Set overnight.
All of the food made can be up-sized or downsized. If you would like less turkey buy a smaller breast or only 2 potatoes instead of 4. Use half the cranberries and make less relish.
First I will start out this post by letting you all know that I have recovered from my night of no sleep on Sunday. I slept for 10 hours last night and hopefully broke the 2 am trend I've been allowing myself to get into. Thank you for all your thoughts and concern my way. Its a scary experience getting no sleep. Your mind starts to spin and you feel almost like the insane people you see in the movies- unglued. It's very weird.
So I have some exciting news for all of you faithful readers. I am going to get the chance to guest blog for my friend Samantha Ferraro on her food blog http://littleferrarokitchen.com/ I am going to be doing a more professional version of my post from last year Thanksgiving for One and I'm really excited! I have gotten a new camera (something I've wanted to do for some time) and am going to work with my Dad to take some great food photos and give tips for cooking for 1. I figure if I can show people how to cook thanksgiving for 1 they can extrapolate the skills and cook any meal for 1.
On that note, are there any of you that might be interested in guest posting on my blog in November? I am going to be doing nanowrimo and will be be posting but probably not as frequently as I have been doing in the last few months (I've been on a role lately!).
Speaking of Nanowrio I am really excited for my next book. I'll give you the basic summary. It is a Christmas chick lit book about 2 women, life long, friends- one a stay at home army Mom and the other a single career woman- who love but envy each other's lives. One day they wish to Santa that they could live the other person's life and through his magic he makes them switch places, freaky friday style. Hilarity ensues. Think Hallmark movies with maybe a touch more edge. I'm going to have Santa as the narrator and he is a bit sarcastic and funny. What do you think? Would you read that?
So, I was kind of sad today. I found out that they are only going to have current members on my old singles ward facebook page so I won't find out about activities any more. My last tenuous tie cut…I only have one friend there anyway. Most of my other friends from the ward are on missions or going on missions (which is awesome!). Anyway, its silly thing because I hardly went to any activities but I guess it just said to me 'that part of your life is over. Move on'. That made me cry.
I know life isn't fair but it's not fair. I shouldn't be allowed to live my faith one way for 14 years and then bam its all pulled out from under me in a week. Do you know how shocking that is? I've always been more comfortable in the majority than minority and in the family ward I'm a definite minority.
I feel like I've tried hard but I haven't made any friends in the family ward. Everyone is too busy and you don't get a chance to meet anyone because there aren't any activities, or hardly any. I miss FHE. I miss firesides and activities. I need to go to institute in Lehi for the midsingles but I haven't had great luck with the midsingles functions. It's so different every time you go that you can't really get to know anyone.
Yes, I'm complaining but this is my blog and I can do that from time to time. It just made me sad that's all. I'll get over it.
On happy news I have all of my Christmas shopping done except for my roommate! Crazy right. I got some cute stuff. I kept stumbling on stuff I think they will really love and I didn't spend a ton of money.
Also, I got a ring from my box of happies last month that I liked but the band was cheap so I had the local jeweler make me a new band. I just love it so much!
I got a new sign from the great etsy shop The Sign Post. Love them both. They were a great company to work with because I had originally spelled TS Eliot's name with two Ts and they caught it and corrected it. I think they are pretty great.
I also got to try these cookies from Cheryls bakery and they were delicious. They have a service on their website where you can send a cookie-gram. I think that is super cute and seriously one of the best baked goods I've tried.