Thanksgiving in a tiny house doesn’t mean a tiny holiday.  A well designed small kitchen is fully capable of creating fluffy mashed potatoes, juicy turkey and all the fixin’s in a space the size of Martha Stewart’s stove top. Here are Tumbleweed’s holiday tips, for a fabulous Thanksgiving in your tiny space!

The Menu
What is your “must have” Thanksgiving dish? Mashed potatoes? Homemade pumpkin pie? Make this decision first and then build the rest of your menu around it. For example, my stuffing will use the oven until show time which, in turn, informs my decisions about turkey and sides.

Refrigeration
Small refrigerators, like those in most of Tumbleweed models, CAN hold a 20 lb turkey. Unfortunately, there will not be room for anything else. Instead select turkey breasts (ask butcher to pound to one-inch thick for even cooking) or turkey cutlets utilizes your space wisely.

Items like green beans, brussel sprouts and new potatoes have been living happily outdoors their entire life so, if the climate in your area is cool, feel free to keep them there prior to cooking. Certain cheeses also do not need refrigeration.

Save more space by placing your beverages outside in a tin pail or small cooler with ice the day before and, in many parts of the United States in November, you won’t have to worry about them again until party time. Please note, if you place the pail on your wooden porch, you need to place something under it to protect the wood.

The Table
Although Tumbleweeds vary in size, the Linden, in which I spent a great deal of time this past summer, sits four comfortably with plenty of space to move around.

For serving, I prefer family style. This method eliminates the issue of traffic to a “buffet area.” Another low traffic option would be to plate the food yourself in the kitchen. This is simple with a first course like soup but a bit more complicated with a full plate of dinner for each guest and various appetites and/or eating restrictions. This method will also require you, or your guests, to get up if they want seconds or thirds! Best to stick with family style service if possible.

Semi-Homemade
Another time and space saving option is to decide what dishes simply HAVE to be homemade (like your world’s most perfect lump-free gravy) and order those items that appear in supporting roles. Visit your local market and pre-order the dishes you would prefer not to make at home. This also leaves you more time to enjoy preparing those items you do. In situations where you may not have a particular appliance, pre-ordering can save the day. For example, if you do not have an oven, then order your stuffing.