Mom's Menu: Pumpkin Pie Dessert

It’s time to talk Turkey!

Last Saturday I was watching the cooking channel on TV—(watching while cooking, which my husband always finds humorous for some reason), and all the shows were demonstrating various ways to make Thanksgiving Dinner.  Oh my goodness, there are some interesting traditions out there when it comes to this holiday.  Someone even showed how to make her family’s favorite recipe for turkey gravy, to which she added the secret ingredient of . . . chopped boiled eggs!  Imagine how surprised your family would be to see eggs floating in the gravy.  She claimed it was delicious though, and I’m not one to throw stones at the comfort foods of others.

On another show, the host raved about the merits of cooking your turkey all night at a low heat, claiming how easy it was and how moist it turned out and all.  That’s all fine and good, except that after removing it from the oven, she spent the next few hours (in TV time that is) making all her side dishes, while the warm cooked turkey sat covered in the roaster pan waiting for dinner.  It was driving me crazy! I kept hollering at the TV—“Why the heck is the turkey already out of the oven?”  I know I’m over reacting—I’m sure no one was harmed in the filming of this Turkey Horror Show.  At least I hope not! But the point is, some people may watch and not realize it isn’t OK to leave cooked poultry at room temperature for hours.  Please note that the Utah State University Extension Agent states: “Perishable foods, such as turkey, casseroles, and cream pies should never be left out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours.”

Wow, there are some great bargains out there this week!  Whether you are serving a crowd or just the immediate family, there is no excuse to overspend.  From turkey to dessert—all the ingredients you need are priced right this week.  In fact, the ads go from now right through November 30, so why not plan one big shopping trip and get everything you need at once to avoid running to the store every five minutes during the holiday weekend.

One part of Thanksgiving dinner that can be a bit intimidating is Pumpkin Pie, especially if you aren’t comfortable making the crust.  Because of this, I wanted to share my favorite Pumpkin Pie Dessert, which I think is just as delicious as pumpkin pie, but much simpler to make.  See recipe below.

Tip of the Week

When shopping for a large quantity of food, it’s a good idea to load your basket with non-perishables first.  I’ve been known to spend over an hour in one store, especially when trying to match coupons with sale items. (Don’t scoff!  Last week my Smith’s bill went from $126.00 down to $52.00 once my coupons and “What a Deal” promo discounts were applied).  Anyway, on a long shopping trip like that, if you shop haphazardly, your frozen items could be pretty thawed by the time you get home.  So for food safety and best quality, pick up the ice cream and frozen peas last.

Jan’s top picks for the week of November 18 - 30, 2013: (Note that because of the extended ad time for Thanksgiving, I will not be posting Mom's Menu next week).

My favorite deals are highlighted in green—and there are lots this week!

Maceys

Swanson 14-14.5 oz Broth $.50 ($0.25 each when you buy four with $1/4 coupon)
Ocean Spray 12 oz Cranberries $1.98 ($1.50 with $1/1 coupon)
Dole 20 oz Pineapple $.99 ($0.67 each when you buy three with $1/3 coupon)
Western Family 32 oz Powdered or Brown Sugar $.88
Western Family 16 oz Sour Cream $.79
Western Family 29 oz Yams $.88 - Not quite like fresh, but if you dump a can in a baking dish (discard ½ the juice), add butter and brown sugar, then bake for 45 minutes, they are a tasty and healthy addition to any meal and a great high-fiber storage item.  This is about half the usual price).
Western Family 12 oz Evaporated Milk $.50
Western Family 4 lb Granulated Sugar $1.25 – This comes to $6.25 for 20 lbs.  Also, it’s nice to have the small bags to refill your sugar canister, instead of dumping out of a big bag.
Western Family 14 oz Jellied or Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce $.50 – Awesome price—cheapest you’ll see all year.  I love cranberries in any form, so I’m stocking up for the year.
Nabisco 5.5-9 oz Crackers $1.67
Libby’s 11-15.25 oz Canned Peas, Corn or Green Beans $.50
Coke, Pepsi or 7-Up 2 Liter Bottle Products $.79 – If you buy soft drinks for holiday parties, this is the price you want to pay.
Simply Potatoes 20 oz Sliced Home Fries or Hash Browns $1.79 ($1.04 with $0.75/1 coupon)
Meadow Gold Quart Egg Nog $1.59 – Remember to mix it with regular milk to turn it “light” and get more for your money.  Two parts egg nog to one part milk.
Western Family 64 oz Chilled Orange Juice $1.99
General Mills 12.8-14.25 oz Chex Cereals $2
Western Family Dozen Large Eggs $1.25
2 lb Bag Mini Carrots $1.98
Yams $.79 a lb
15 lb Bag Russet Potatoes $2.88
Cuties 3 lb Bag Clementines $3.88
Coke 12 pk Cans Products  
Use the in-Store Coupon: 4 for $11 with purchase of 4
Total cost $2.75
Please note that there is an additional $5.00 off any ham or turkey when you purchase soda at this price.  See coupon in ad.
Pepsi, 7-Up or A&W 12 pk Cans or 6 pk 24 oz Bottles or 8 pk 12 oz Bottles  
Use the in-Store Coupon: 4 for $11 with purchase of 4
Total cost $2.75
Marie Callenders 28-46 oz Frozen Pies $4.99
Macey’s 5 qt Ice Cream $4.88
Norbest Frozen Turkey $.99 a lb
Cool Whip 8 oz Whipped Topping $.99 – Great stock-up price
Mrs. Cubbison’s 10-12 oz Dressing or Stuffing $1.67
Meadow Gold Half Pint Whipping Cream $.69 – Only at Thanksgiving and Easter do we get to buy real whipping cream for this price!  About half the usual price. 
Western Family 12 oz Deep Dish or 10 oz Regular Pie Crusts $1.67
Guittard 11.5-12 oz Baking Chips $1.67
Blue Bonnet 16 oz Quarters Regular or Light Spread $.79
Western Family 1 lb Salted or Unsalted Butter $1.99
Western Family 8 oz Light or Regular Cream Cheese $.98
Western Family 32 oz Cheese Loaves $5.99
Western Family 8 oz Shredded Cheese $1.49
Western Family 10.5-11 oz Mandarin Oranges $.50
Western Family 11.5-12 oz Milk Chocolate or Semi Sweet Baking Chips $1.67
Keebler 8-13.8 oz Snack Crackers $1.50
Jell-O 5-5.9 oz Chocolate or Vanilla Pudding or 6 oz Strawberry or Lime Gelatin $.79
Bubbas 6-10 ct Bag Bagels $1.25
Lays 9.5-10 oz Potato Chips Buy One, Get One FREE
Western Family 12 oz Frozen Orange Juice $1.25
Western Family 16 oz Frozen Vegetables $.79
Western Family 4 qt Ice Cream or Sherbet $4.99
Western Family 8 oz Whipped Topping $.79
TJ Farms 20-24 oz Frozen Potatoes $.99
Ziploc 20 ct Quart or Gallon Storage or Freezer Bags $2 ($1.50 each when you buy two with $1/2 coupon)
Hefty 17 ct Gallon or 22 ct Quart Storage Bags $1.50
Western Family 40 ct Cough Drops $.88
Weekend Savings – The weekend specials are “while supplies last,” so it’s best to shop on Friday or early on Saturday.
Buy the following 4 items, and dinner is on the table!
Michael Angelo’s 80 oz Meat Lasagna $8.99 (Friday & Saturday Only- Limit 4) I checked these out at Maceys yesterday, and this really seems to be a great deal.  This is a huge box of frozen Lasagna (enough to serve like 10 people) that is normally $12.99.  In addition, I went to the website below and printed off two coupons for an additional $1.00 off (you have to leave the site then go back to it to do it twice).  So for $7.99 each I plan to buy two of these on Friday – before they run out – and have some easy meals in the freezer for the holidays. That’s 79 cents a serving!  
Dole 12 oz Iceberg Lettuce Salad $.99 (Friday & Saturday Only)
Bakery Fresh French Bread $.99 (Friday & Saturday Only)
10 count Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies - $3.49 (Friday and Saturday Only)
Please note that the Weekend specials require signing up for the Maceys Perks Program, which only involves stopping by the service desk and giving them your phone number.  After that, all you do is tell the checkers your number (they should ask you, but tell them if they forget) before you slide your card each time.

Lee’s

Wednesday ONLY Traffic Stopper - Shur Saving Milk - $1.98

Except for their usual Wednesday milk special, I don’t see anything going on at Lee’s that you can’t buy as for as good or better a price at Maceys between now and Nov. 30^th.  So I’d say pick your favorite store—the savings are pretty comparable. 

Harmon's

$5 off any turkey when you buy four Coke 12 pack cans at 4 for $11

- fresh Norbest turkeys $1.59/lb.

- frozen Norbest turkeys $0.99/lb.

- fresh Norbest turkey breast $2.19/lb.

Ocean Spray Cranberries $2.50 ($1.50 with $1/1 coupon)

Tillamook butter 2 for $4

Swanson broth 2 for $1 ($0.25 each when you buy four with $1/4 coupon)

Stove top stuffing 4 for $5

Dole canned pineapple $1 each ($0.67 each when you buy three with $1/3 coupon)

C&H brown or powdered sugar 3 for $5 ($1.30 each when you buy two with $0.75/2 coupon)

Betty Crocker cake mixes $1.25 each ($0.88 each when you buy two with $0.75/2 coupon)

Nabisco crackers 3 for $5

Keebler crackers 2 for $3

Lay's Potato chips Buy one get one Free

Coke two liter bottles $1 each

Pepsi two liter bottles $0.99 each

Pepsi twelve pack cans or 8 pack bottles 4 for $11 when you buy four

Smith’s 

**If you spend $25.00 at Smith’s this week, you can get a Private Selection Turkey for $.69/lb.

Philadelphia Cream Cheese - $1.00 a package when you buy 4
Kroger Vegetables – 3/$1.00
Lay’s Potato Chips - $2.00
Kroger Deluxe Ice Cream - $2.50
10# bag Idaho Russet Potatoes - $1.89
Please note that these prices were published in the Herald Journal on Sunday.  I’m sure a larger ad will come in the mail tomorrow, but I wanted to get the letter out to you as early as possible this week so you can shop for Thanksgiving.  So check out the ad when it arrives this afternoon, in case there are some additional deals you don’t want to miss.

Fresh Market

Lately I haven’t been including Fresh Market in the letter, because their ad is usually pretty identical to Macey’s and Lee’s.  However, you may want to note that this week if you spend $50.00 at Fresh Market, you can buy a Norbest Turkey for $.69/lb plus get an extra $1.00 off with the in-ad coupon, PLUS an additional $5.00 off if you purchase four 12-packs of Coke Products at the already low sale price of 4 boxes for $11.  That would mean (assuming soda is already something you would be buying anyway) a 22 pound turkey could cost you only $9.18.  A 15 lb turkey would cost $4.35—and so on.  If you plan on buying a ham for Christmas, this would be a good time to do it as part of the $50.00 you need to spend to get this great Turkey deal.

Sprouts
Fresh boneless, skinless chicken breasts $1.69/lb.
Naval oranges 3 lbs. for $1
Golden ripe pineapples $0.49/lb.

Pumpkin Pie Dessert

First take . . .

1 box yellow cake mix (I prefer Duncan Hines for this, but other brands will do).

Open the box, take out one cup of the mix and set aside.

1 cube softened butter (that has been left out to get soft at room temp)

1 extra large egg (or one large egg plus an additional yolk)

Mix together the cake mix (except for the 1 cup that has been put aside), the butter, and the egg.  Press into the bottom of an extra large Pyrex glass cake pan (10 by 15) that has been greased with shortening.

. . . Then mix the following together:

1 large can Libbys (no other brand) pumpkin

2 extra large eggs (or 3 medium or large)

1 ½ cups sugar

1 teas. salt

1 teas. cinnamon

1 teas. ginger

½ teas. cloves

1 (13 oz) can of evaporated (not sweetened condensed) milk

Mix this well and pour over first mixture in pan.

Then . . .

Mix up the following:  1 cup of cake mix, ¼ cup sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, and ½ cube of softened butter.  Mix with fork until crumbly and sprinkle over pumpkin mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool at room temperature.  Do not refrigerate before serving (if served that day), but refrigerate any leftovers.   

Served topped with whipped cream.  Makes about 15 servings.

Questions? Leave a comment and Mom will answer!

See you in two weeks!