Thanksgiving Menu (and a Giveaway!)
I usually don’t worry much about Thanksgiving. Between my sister-in-law hosting one gathering and Doug’s extended family hosting another I usually make an item or two to contribute and call it “good”. This year, however, Doug’s father and step-mother are visiting from Texas and I am hosting the big event. People are bringing a few things and I am handling the rest. Here’s what I’m making:
- Rolls- from scratch, thankyouverymuch.
- Gouda Mashed Potato Casserole (recipe here)
- Greenbean casserole
- Cheesy corn bake
- Artichoke Dip (recipe here)
- Baked Brie
- Macaroni & Cheese (recipe here)
- 2 pumpkin pies
- Mulled apple cider
I had only a limited budget to work with and am happy to report that I came in at $1.13 under budget! Woo Hoo! Thanks goodness for sales and coupons!
The only thing missing from my list? Meat. Doug’s cousin is supposed to bring ham and his grandmother is bringing ham balls. And we are having turkey. I’m just not making it. I have an issue with poultry (if you don’t remember, click here, it’s a rather funny story) so I am ordering a tasty smoked turkey breast from Lambert & Ewers in Valley Junction (they ship, too). They slice it any way I want it and it’s amazing.
So, what’s on your menu? You may have noticed quite a few of my recipes had something in common: dairy. Be it cheese, milk, cream cheese or yogurt, you can usually find it in every meal we have. Not only is it good and good for you, but dairy is really an affordable, delicious & healthy addition to your diet.
The Midwest Dairy Council passed on a few money saving tips for me to share as you prepare for holiday gatherings:
· To save money, buy cheese in block form and slice or cube it yourself. Or use holiday cookie cutters to create festive shapes, and save the scraps for casseroles.
· Expecting overnight company? Serve a berry breakfast smoothie instead of empty-calorie gourmet pastries to maximize nutrition without breaking the bank.
· Plain, low-fat yogurt makes a great, calcium-rich base for holiday dips! Buy yogurt by the quart and save, then flavor with dry ranch seasoning or soup mixes and serve with veggies.
· Remember to serve milk with every meal, not just holiday cookies. At about 25 cents a glass, it packs a lot of nutrients for the money.
You’ll also find money saving dairy coupons on the front page of the website DairyMakesSense.com.
I also have two prize packs to give away. Each contains this super cute Dairy Makes Sense apron, a coupon holder, cheese knife, measuring spoons, grocery pad, refrigerator magnet, recipe booklet, and coupons from Crystal Farms for a free package of cheese (exp. 3/31/11 – good in Iowa and ND, SD, MN, IL, MO, AR, KS, eastern OK).
AND a $25 gift card good at Hy Vee to stock up on all those dairy goodies!
To enter leave a comment telling me what you’re making this Thanksgiving.
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- Blog this giveaway. Leave the link in the comments so I can verify.
- Tweet this giveaway. Tweet as often as you like, just be sure to leave a comment each time with your twitter id or the individual link. (Copy & paste: RT @iatraveler: My Thanksgiving menu + two $25 Hy Vee gift cards to giveaway! http://bit.ly/5bYdvO )
- Link this giveaway on Facebook. Leave the individual link in the comments.
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The fine print:
Make sure I can easily find an email to contact you; I will not search for one. Contest ends Sunday, November 29 at 11:59 pm. I will draw the winners Monday, November 30.. The winner will be contacted via email and will have 3 days to respond. If I do not hear back from the winner within that time another winner will be drawn.
Disclosure: I was given the same prize pack in exchange for including the information about the Midwest Dairy Council.
For Local Blog
Broccoli salad and a fruit salad. My brother is serving duck that he raises.
Sounds like you have a plan, so your hosting should go well!
Well, since we are going to my mom’s, we are in charge of making the green bean casserole and the sweet potatoes. Everyone else is contributing the rest of the meal.
I’m a subscriber.
Your button is on my blog.
Tweeted. ajbeede
Hello, Our family is going to my sister’s home to celebrate Thanksgiving. We are taking
a tasty jello salad, peanut butter frozen dessert and pecan chocolate pie.
Many thanks, Cindi
I subscribe to your site via my Yahoo Reader Page and via email.!
Again, many thanks for such a delightful prize giveaway drawing…..
Cindi
“Tweet!”
http://twitter.com/cmh512/status/5966503155.
Thanks very much…..
Happy Thanksgiving! Cindi
I posted your giveaway on Facebook…..
http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iowageekonline.com%2Findex.php%2F2009%2F11%2F22%2Ffrugal%2Fthanksgiving-menu-giveaw.
All is appreciated!
Cindi
You are favored on my Techorati Page…..
Many thanks to you!
Cindi
We go to a huge dinner with extended family every Thanksgiving, which means I usually only make one or two things. Works for me! This year, I bought a pie voucher from Village Inn from my niece for a fundraiser, so I may just pick that up. I have a package of Beer Bread from Pampered Chef in my pantry, so I think I’ll make that, cut it up into cubes, and make a dip to go with. It’s nice to have appetizers so we can munch all day long!
Ooh, that Gouda mashed potato casserole will be gone in NO time. I love that recipe!!
Well, my mom is hosting Turkey Day down the street, and I bought the turkey. She said that’s all I had to do. Nice mom, huh? =) I was going to make homemade rolls, but we’re leaving town Friday morning, and the real reason we make homemade rolls is to have extra dough for cinnamon rolls the next day…so we’re going for easy this year.
Oh, I almost forgot – I’m in charge of snacks, so lots of crackers, cheese, salsa, chips, and maybe some veggies.
Have a great Thanksgiving!
I’m a subscriber!
We are having the typical Thanksgiving dinner. It’s just us … no family or friends this year. So … turkey, stuffing, mashed taters, cranberries, green beans, rolls, pies … ya know … the norm.
I subscribed to receive your blog updates by email.
That way I don’t miss anything.
Me again … I blogged your giveaway:
http://www.aniowamom.com/an_iowa_mom/2009/11/four-in-one-deal.html
Did you see my “tweet”? It’s there.
Okay … I suppose I’ll stop for now … and then add my other entries later on … so I break up where I am in the list. HA!
My ‘assigned’ food item this year is dessert so I’m making banana cream pie (a family favorite) and Turtle Pumpkin pie.
Oh – I also subscribed by email to your blog. Thanks for the give-a-way!
We’re hosting a community wide Thanksgiving meal at church at noon on Thanksgiving Day for the folks in the area who don’t have any where to go. I’m baking 2 hams, making 200 dinner rolls, baking 4 pies and making mashed potatoes for 75 people. I’m looking forward to it – I think!!
I am making ham!
http://twitter.com/saramomof2/status/6055970282
I tweeted!
I actually don’t have to cook this year as we decided to travel for Thanksgiving. So, we are hoping to find a good restaurant that is open and serving turkey and pie! That is all I need! What a great prize pack! Sign me up! Staciele(at)netins(dot)net
http://twitter.com/aka_Hadley/status/6111529735
twittered
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope that everything turned out awesome!! CUTE APRON! Love it, so cute
Really like all your food ideas too! Wish I would have read this one day ago.. I would have used your gouda mashed potato recipe.. anyways I will try it someday. We were boring and din’t really do anything, we had turkey, green beans, mashed potatoes, & french bread.
I subscribe through email
likned throught facebook
http://twitter.com/aka_Hadley/status/6193823117
Twitterd