Toaster Oven Thanksgiving Menu

In November, all across America thoughts turn to Thanksgiving and turkey, ham, stuffing and yams. But for many families, shrinking budgets and soaring prices have caused a change in lifestyle, with the toaster oven being the main means of cooking. Whether it is the lack of funds for cooking gas, or the need for oven repairs, many are cooking their meals using only a toaster oven. Being limited to a toaster oven doesn't mean you can't have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. It will require some advance planning and cooking but can be done. If you have a crock pot, you may use that as an additional source to cook items for your diner or use it as a place to keep your toaster oven food warm.

The size of your toaster oven will determine what you are able to cook. If you have a very small oven which handles only a small amount of height, you won't be able to cook an actual turkey in the oven. In place of the baked turkey breast, you can buy turkey cutlets, or turkey drumsticks, because those will lay flat in your small bread pan. If you have a larger toaster oven you may be able to do a turkey breast in the oven. The following menu and recipes can be prepared in the smaller oven.

Toaster Oven Thanksgiving Menu

Turkey Cutlets with Stuffing and Gravy
Oven Mashed Potatoes
Oven Candied Yams
Green Bean Casserole
Pumpkin Cobbler
Optional Appetizer - Veggies and Dip

Recipes are included for each of the above in this article.

Preparing to cook a Toaster Oven Thanksgiving Meal

Since you have limited cooking space, you will need to prepare items ahead in order to have a timely, less stressful Thanksgiving Day meal. Here's one possible breakdown of how you might approach the preparation.

Tuesday before Thanksgiving: Survey your dishes and cooking utensils. If you do not have multiple casserole type dishes that fit in your oven, you will need to buy some disposable ones. Small aluminum pans or loaf pans will be helpful in cooking your toaster oven Thanksgiving meal. If you can't buy them, try to borrow something from a neighbor. A loaf pan, a cake pan, a small glass casserole dish, any of these will work. The key will be to find something where you can put two dishes in the oven together. You will also need a cooler. The cooler will be used to insulate and keep dishes hot once they have cooked. It needs to be large enough to hold the largest casserole dish you are using.

Wednesday: Using your toaster oven, cook the potatoes for the Oven Mashed Potatoes. You can cut them in chunks and put in a small amt of water and cover with foil. Or you can bake them whole until they are very tender so you can mash them. Assemble the casserole as shown in the Oven Mashed Potatoes recipe. Put it in as large of a casserole dish as you can fit in the toaster oven. Refrigerate until Thursday. Make the Pumpkin Cobbler according to the recipe. Remove from oven when done, cool completely and cover with foil. Mix the Yogurt dip and put in the refrigerator. Chop the raw vegetables.

Thursday
You need an hour for your potatoes to cook, 30 to 45 minutes for the turkey, and allow an hour for the casserole and yams. This means you should start cooking at least three hours before you want to eat. Start with the potatoes. Remove from the refrigerator and cook according to the directions. When the potatoes are done, place them in the cooler covered in foil. Do not open the cooler until they are needed for the meal except to add more hot items. While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the stuffed cutlets. You may need to stack the packets on the pan if you have more than 4 or 5. Once these are in the oven, you can start preparing the green bean casserole and the oven candied yams. If you have two pans that fit side by side in the oven with each other, use those and make half of each recipe. Use two more of those pans for the second half which you will put in to bake while you are enjoying dinner. If you do not have two that will go side by side, prepare the yams first. They can be covered in foil after cooking and placed in the cooler with the mashed potatoes while the green bean casserole cooks. The turkey packets will be held in the cooler also waiting on the other casseroles to finish. While you are cooking the meal, place the raw veggies and yogurt dip out for the family for a snack. As the last casserole comes out, check each food item in the cooler to see if they are still warm. If not, you may need to pop that one back in the cooler for a few minutes but if the cooler has remained closed the majority of time, they should still be warm. Serve plates and be thankful for the toaster oven Thanksgiving Meal you are enjoying with your family.

Recipes for the menu items:

All recipes originated on Cooks.com but have had personal adaptations made to them to suit my families likes and dislikes.

Stuffed Cutlets

1 6 oz box Stove top Stuffing chicken flavor

4 thin sliced turkey cutlets (you may need more stuffing if you do more cutlets)
2 ribs celery cut into strips (we do not eat celery, but you may add it)
2 carrots cut into strips
4 tsp. water

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut four 12 inch square sheets of heavy duty foil. In medium size bowl toss stuffing mix with 1 1/4 cups water to moisten well. Place 1/2 cup stuffing on one side of parchment. Place turkey cutlet on portion of stuffing. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange celery and carrot strips over turkey. Sprinkle with water. Fold foil over filling sealing edges tightly. Place packets on pan. Bake 30 minutes until vegetables are tender and turkey is cooked through.

Oven Mashed Potatoes

6 med. potatoes
½ cup sour cream
3 oz. cream cheese, cut up
1 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. onion salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. milk
1 tbsp. butter

Cook potatoes until tender, do this the day before needed. Mash and mix well with other ingredients except 1 tablespoon butter. Put in greased casserole pan. Cover. Chill up to 24 hours. Dot with butter. Bake uncovered 45 minutes at 350 degrees, stirring once.

Green Bean Casserole

2 cans French Style Green Beans
10 3/4 ounces Cream of Mushroom Soup
3/4 cup milk
1 container French-fried onions
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Decide before you start if you are making one dish or two. Divide the onions into two parts. If you are making two, mix ingredients (green beans, soup, milk, pepper) except for the onions. Split the mix to two bowls and divide the one half of the onions among these two bowls in order to be sure each casserole has onions. Spread mixture in a dish. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Top with remaining onions. Bake 5 minutes more. Repeat for second casserole.

Oven Easy Candied Yams

3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. hot water
2 (18 oz.) can yams, drained
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. If you have a burner, heat the brown sugar with water, salt and butter until blended. If you do not have a burner, use hot water to dissolve, or stick the mixture in the oven for a few minutes. Meanwhile place yams in 12 x 8 x 2 inch baking dish, pour on brown sugar mixture. If you are splitting this into two pans, pour the sugar over one, but wait to add to the second one just before cooking. Bake uncovered, 30 minutes, basting once or twice during cooking.

Pumpkin Cobbler

1 lg. can pumpkin
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1 lg. can evaporated milk
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1 yellow cake in mix
1 1/2 sticks butter
1 c. nuts

Mix together pumpkin, brown sugar, evaporated milk, eggs, ginger, cinnamon and salt. Pour into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Then sprinkle cake mix over pumpkin. Cut butter into pats and place on top of the cake. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Last 10 minutes, sprinkle nuts over it.

Easy Yogurt Dip

1 large container plain yogurt
1 envelope Italian or Ranch Salad Dressing Mix
Mix together and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Serve with vegetable sticks or crackers.

Toaster Oven Thanksgiving grocery list:

Turkey Cutlets (enough for one per person)
Canned or jarred Turkey Gravy or 2 cans cream of chicken soup
Stuffing mix - 6 oz pack
6 Medium Potatoes
Sour Cream
Cream Cheese - 3 oz
Milk
Green Beans-2 cans French style
Cream of Mushroom soup
French Fried Onions
2 cans yams 18 oz
Brown sugar
Pumpkin, large can
Evaporated Milk, large can
Eggs
Yellow cake mix
Nuts
2 Sticks margarine
aluminum pans
aluminum foil

Optional items:
1 Pack Celery
1 Pack Carrots
Broccoli or Cauliflower
1 large plain yogurt
1 envelop Ranch or Italian dressing mix (powder packet)