You don’t have to go big to enjoy the holiday season! These Easy Holiday Recipes for Four will help make your dinner just the right size!
When it comes to easy holiday recipes a whole turkey or ham does not spring to my mind first. Yes, they’re delicious and a mainstay for any holiday menu, but they’re a task to take on. But this year I’ve got it all figured out.
I’m taking our favorite holiday recipes and sizing them down to feed four. We’re planning an intimate dinner for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but my family still wants all their favorite foods. These recipes will have you serving up dinner in no time without a fridge filled with leftovers afterward.
EASY HOLIDAY RECIPES FOR FOUR
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I love a big holiday meal with our whole family. Usually, we house hop for Thanksgiving and then have everyone to our house for Christmas. But this year, we’re keeping things small. Just my husband, the boys, and me.
No house hopping. No having everyone over. A nice quiet day without any time constraint pressures because everyone’s showing up in 10 minutes and then mashed potatoes are still boiling! *ahhhhhh*
As I’ve been planning out our Thanksgiving recipes, I realized I needed some new options to make sure I wasn’t staring at a fridge full of leftovers for weeks.
And I bet I’m not the only one…
Today I’m sharing with you some holiday recipes you can easily size down to feed four, freeze half for another night, and swap from big to smaller sized turkey and ham to make just the right amount for your family. (Or for you and your roommates or for friends-giving… like we used to do in college.)
Thanksgiving Dinner
Let’s talk turkey! Normally I would make a big 12-pound brined and roasted turkey to feed everyone. This year I’m thinking small and easy.
Turkey tenderloins are a great option to size down your Thanksgiving turkey. They usually come in a pack with two 12-ounce tenderloins, giving everyone at your table 6 ounces of turkey… plus all the sides.
All you have to do is decide how you want to cook your turkey!
Crock Pot Turkey Tenderloin and Potatoes
Free up room in your oven with this countertop turkey recipe! So easy to make AND your potatoes are taken of too!
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Roasted Turkey Tenderloin with Stuffing
Love stuffed turkey? This stuffed turkey tenderloin will have your tastebuds doing the happy dance! Top with gravy or cranberry sauce for a holiday meal win!
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Instant Pot Turkey Tenderloin
Full of bright fresh flavors, this citrus and rosemary turkey tenderloin will be your new holiday tradition. It all cooks in you Instant Pot for an easy countertop option!
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Thanksgiving Side Dishes
While turkey might be the star of Thanksgiving, we all know that what everyone really cares about are the side dishes!
These classic Thanksgiving sides are so tasty and delicious. You can easily size down these recipes or plan for leftovers to have the next day! Leftovers are always my favorite part of Thanksgiving.
Turkey Gravy
Smooth and full of Thanksgiving flavors, this 10-minute Turkey Gravy is the perfect topping for all of your holiday dinner side dishes!
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Cornbead Dressing
Super flavorful and easy to make, Cornbread Dressing will have your family will be begging for more! Save on prep time on Thanksgiving by making and toasting your cornbread in the morning or the day before!
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Green Beans with Bacon
Crispy bacon and sautéed onions pair with fresh green beans is so good even your kids will be asking for seconds! I love that I can make only as much as we need. AND that this is a stovetop recipe, freeing up oven space!
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Mom's Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Mom’s Mashed Potatoes are light, fluffy, and bursting with comforting flavor. Her secret ingredients and special mixing tip will blow your taste buds away! And you can make potato pancakes for breakfast with the leftovers!
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Mini Sweet Potato Casserole
My family ADORES these sweet potatoes! I love how easy they are to make. I'm cutting the recipe in half so there's just enough for dinner. You can make a full recipe for next leftovers though!
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Mamaw's Rolls
My Mamaw's rolls are THE dinner roll recipe for my family! I'm making a full recipe for Thanksgiving and then freezing half of the dough for Christmas dinner!
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Cranberry Sauce with Orange and Cinnamon
My family loves this classic cranberry sauce. Orange and cranberry are best friends! Cut this recipe in half to serve four OR make a full batch and use the leftovers to make Cranberry Sauce Muffins!
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Thanksgiving Dessert
Keep things simple with these easy recipes. One is the traditional pumpkin pie and the other is a fun variation of two dessert favorites.
Both can be served in individual portions making sure everyone gets a little something sweet at the end of their meal!
The Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Even though there are only four of us for Thanksgiving this year, Pumpkin Pie is a must in our house. My husband can eat an entire pie himself! This pie recipe is a holiday staple your family will love!
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Mini Chocolate Pecan Pie Cheesecake
These bite-sized cheesecakes are the perfect dessert combo! Creamy cheesecake with a pecan crust and chocolate pecan pie filling. They're a delicious way to serve dessert for your small holiday meal!
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Thanksgiving Drinks
I love tasty holiday punch recipes, and these two drinks are perfect for Thanksgiving.
They start with cranberry and get paired with two different juice options to fit your menu plans!
Crock Pot Cranberry Apple Cider
My family loves a warm drink on a cold night. I like to have a crock pot of this simmering during dinner and then we can sip some from mugs on the patio by the fire. It's the best way to end our meal! BONUS: You can add a little booze for the adults if you want.
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Orange Cranberry Party Punch
This non-alcoholic punch is a great addition to your dinner table. It goes great with all your favorite Thanksgiving dishes! Perfect for kids and adults alike!
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Christmas Dinner
Each year I think to myself, “what should I serve on Christmas day?” and ham is the name of the game at our house! My husband would be so sad if we didn’t have a holiday ham recipe on Christmas.
These glaze recipes can be used with any size ham – fromboneless smoked ham tobone-in spiral-cut hams. You just need to decide if you want a half ham or a whole ham. (Yay for leftover ham sandwiches!)
Cranberry-Glazed Spiral Ham Recipe
Cranberry Glazed Ham is a little sweet, a little tart, and a whole lot of yummy! A spiced cranberry and orange sauce gives this spiral ham recipe a tangy, caramelized taste that is perfect for your next holiday feast!
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Riesling Peach Glazed Ham
Riesling-Peach Glazed Ham is the most delectable glazed spiral ham recipe! It’s brushed with a mouthwatering homemade ham glaze made with a combination of sweet Riesling wine and peach preserves, with tangy ground mustard. This baked ham glaze was so good that I had to put the peach glaze on some meatballs too!
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Honey Glazed Crock Pot Ham
Free up space in your oven and spend time with your family! This ham cooks on your countertop on LOW over 4 hours, and your house is going to smell amazing!
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Christmas Side Dishes
I like to break away from our Thanksgiving side dish staples and Christmas time and make things a little more special. These recipes are super easy to make and taste absolutely amazing!
Pearl Onion and Cheese Gratin
Crunchy on top, cheesy on the inside – Pearl Onion and Cheese Gratin is a side dish bursting with flavor that your family will love! Save on prep by buying frozen onions and giving them a quick blanch in some hot water.
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Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts
This recipe is a great swap out for green bean casserole. The tangy, sweet balsamic caramelized while the Brussels sprouts roast, and OMG they are just so good! You only have to make as much as you need!
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Grandma's Potatoes
These potatoes are a holiday must-have for our family. We make them for every holiday meal! They're crazy easy to whip up and you can prep them ahead of time and bake when you're ready!
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Syrian Rice
This recipe is a traditional holiday food in my family. It’s butter, rice, pine nuts, and cinnamon... but it’s not a sweet dish. It’ll be a favorite holiday recipe in your family from the first bite! I make a full recipe because we love the leftovers, but a half batch is perfect for four!
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Parmesan Corn Casserole
Corn casserole is one of those side dishes I have to have at holiday time. Make a half recipe in a square baking dish, and you'll have a crazy good small meal side!
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Christmas Dessert
When you think of holiday dessert recipes for Christmas, most people think Christmas cookies. I get it, but we’ll be munching on Christmas cookies for weeks for our Christmas dinner. I wanted to stick with a classic dessert that we can enjoy for the night. Maybe around the first pit outside with some hot chocolate.
French Apple Cobbler
The name might sound fancy, but this recipe is pure comfort food! So easy to make and you can prep it ahead of time and bake while everyone east dinner so it's nice and warm when you're ready for dessert!
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No Bake Cherry Cheesecake
This creamy, dreamy dessert is great for Christmas! Make it the day before and then add a sprig of mint to each slice for classic red and green vibes!
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Christmas Drinks
I love love love holiday drink recipes! From co*cktails to punch to warm simmered drinks made for sipping, they all have a place in my heart this time of year. These two drinks beg to be served at Christmas. You can make them in small batches or go big and keep the extras to sip on later.
Slow Cooker Candy Can White Hot Chocolate
Your family is going to love this warm, minty after-dinner treat! Cut the recipe in half for a cup each or make a full recipe that you can reheat on the stove later.
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Pomegranate Champagne co*cktail
The perfect combination of bubbly champagne and tart pomegranate, this champagne co*cktail is my go-to drink for the holidays!
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