Monday, November 2, 2009

A Holiday Menu Where Savings Are Gravy

(NAPSI)-Holiday entertaining doesn't have to cost a fortune. In fact, with some frugal finesse, the traditional holiday feast can be prepared for $3 per person. Follow these entertaining, menu and recipe tips, and you'll be anything but Scrooge.

• Plan your menu and stick to your shopping list.

• Save money by using produce that's in season, such as apples, squash, pumpkin and yams.

• Avoid disposable dishes, cutlery and napkins. Save money and go green.

• Think quality over quantity and downsize the number of side dishes.

• Be prepared with recipes to make use of leftovers. Soup is a great option, and you can freeze it for later.

• Potluck is cool again. And thrifty. If someone offers to bring something, say yes.

• Shop at stores that offer the most value for your dollar. For example, Grocery Outlet (for store locations: www.groceryoutlet.com) purchases overstocks and closeouts directly from manufacturers. That means prices on quality merchandise that are often up to 50 percent cheaper than conventional grocery stores.

In fact, by shopping at a value-oriented store like Grocery Outlet, families can host a traditional holiday feast for just $3 per person including:

Holiday Roast Turkey

$1.10 per serving

Serves 10-12

1 fresh turkey (16 to 18 lbs),

giblets removed, turkey brought to room temperature (no more than 2 hours)

1 stick butter, softened

salt and pepper

1 T. dried parsley

1 T. dried sage

5 cups stuffing

1. Preheat oven to 425° F, with rack in lower third.

2. Rinse turkey inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Place on a rack set in large roasting pan.

3. Blend 4 T. butter with 2 tsp. salt and dried herbs; season with pepper. Loosen skin of turkey and spread mixture under skin all over, reaching as far back as possible.

4. Rub skin of turkey with remaining 4 T. butter. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt; season with pepper. Loosely stuff body cavity with 4? cups stuffing, and next cavity with ? cup. Tie drumsticks together loosely with kitchen twine. Fold neck skin under body and secure with toothpicks. Tuck wing tips under wings.

5. Roast turkey 30 minutes. Baste turkey, reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Continue to roast (basting every 20 minutes with pan juices) until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (avoiding bone) registers 180°F and stuffing registers 165°F, 3-3? hours. If skin darkens too quickly during roasting, tent with foil.

6. Let turkey rest 30 minutes before carving. Leave juices in roasting pan to make gravy.

For the complete $3 holiday menu, recipes, shopping list and money-saving tips, visit www.groceryoutlet.com.

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