Thanksgiving Holiday Money Saving Tips for Large Families

Holidays can be expensive and Thanksgiving is no exception. The dinner usually consists of multiple menu items and a turkey with trimmings. When out of town family members come to stay, the costs can be much higher still. Here are some ways to save money when planning for the dinner or the Holiday Weekend and still make it a special dinner for all. Here are many ideas for items made in advance, made in bulk and made with canned vegetables and fruits along with easy staples. Nine recipes are below from side dishes, desserts, breakfast ideas for the morning after and quick breads for the dinner.

1. Biscuit Mix Made In Advance

Biscuits made at home from a few staple ingredients is cost-saving and time friendly. Biscuits can be rolled out and cut, and placed in the freezer for later. The mix can be made up and rolled out into a large rectangle and spread with strawberry jam and rolled up for easy and inexpensive breakfast or dessert rolls. They can be made into quick drop biscuits or dropped into Turkey or Chicken Soup for dumplings. Below is a recipe for a master mix for a large quantity batch. Make ahead and keep in the pantry.

Biscuit Mix Recipe

8 c flour, all purpose - 1/4 c baking powder - 4 tsp salt - 2 c shortening. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together. Cut in the shortening. Cover and store in the refrigerator or a cool place until needed.

For Rolled Biscuits: Measure 3 c Biscuit Mix with 2/3 c milk. Roll, cut and bake.

For Drop Biscuits: Measure 3 c Biscuit Mix with 1 c milk. Mix, drop and bake.

2. Quick Breakfast Ideas for Company Spending the Night

The next day doesn't have to be a challenge. Make some biscuit dough from the above recipe and serve with coffee or tea.

For Strawberry Jam Rolls: Make rolled biscuits, roll out into a large rectangle and spread with strawberry jam. Roll up and slice. Place on a greased oven sheet almost touching and sprinkle with a little cinnamon sugar. Bake until browned.

3. Large Sheet Cakes for Dessert

Instead of making two or three cakes or pies, make a large sheet cake with inexpensive applesauce, nuts and raisins.

Applesauce Nut Cake Recipe

2 c margarine - 4 c sugar - 4 eggs - 3 c applesauce - 2 T baking soda - 1 T water - 1 T vanilla - 6 c flour - 2 T cinnamon - 1 tsp ginger - 1 tsp nutmeg - 1 tsp cloves - 1 tsp allspice - 1 tsp salt - 2 c walnuts - 2 c raisins

Melt margarine. Add in sugar, eggs, applesauce, baking soda, water and vanilla. Stir until combined. Mix dry ingredients. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together and bake at 350 until done. Can be made into a large sheet cake or several smaller cakes.

4. Canned Vegetables Served in New Ways

Canned vegetables are an inexpensive alternative to fresh or frozen, and can be purchased in bulk when sales arise for easy prep for later meals. Here are a couple of ways to used canned vegetables as beautiful side dishes. Carrots provide color and also can easily be mixed with many flavors while pineapple lends a light and sweet flavor to the table. Canned asparagus goes a long way and is served scalloped style with cream of mushroom soup.

Pineapple Glazed Carrots

2 cans sliced carrots, reserve 2/3 c liquid - 1 small can pineapple chunks, reserve 1/2 c liquid - 2 tsp cornstarch - 1/2 tsp salt - 1 T margarine. Drain canned items, reserving liquid and measure. If not enough liquid measures, add water. Reserve carrots and pineapple. Add the liquid to a sauce pan and mix in cornstarch and salt. Boil until the mixture is clear and thickened. Add in carrots, pineapple and margarine. Mix until combined and serve.

Sweet Corn Baked Pudding

2 eggs - 2 T flour - 2 T sugar - 1 can creamed corn - 1/2 tsp baking powder - 1/4 tsp salt. Beat all ingredients together and pour into a greased casserole dish. Bake at 350 for about 20 to 30 minutes until the center is set. Serve warm.

Scalloped Asparagus and Mushrooms

1 can asparagus - 1 can cream of mushroom soup - 1 small can sliced mushrooms - 1 c crushed soda crackers - 1 c grated cheese - 1 c nuts - 2 T margarine. Drain asparagus and mushrooms, reserving the juice. Mix the juice with canned mushroom soup. Layer in a casserole the asparagus, cheese, crackers, nuts and soup mixture. Dot the top the bits of the margarine, and bake in a 375 degree oven until bubbly and done, about 20 to 30 minutes. Serve hot.

5. Using Jello and Evaporated Milk for Cream Pies

Instead of using whole cream, fresh fruit or expensive and exotic nuts and ingredients, use Jell-o, canned milk and crushed pineapple for a pie filling.

Cherry Pineapple Cream Pie

1 3oz box Cherry Jello - 1 1/2 c boiling water - 1 c sugar - 1/8 tsp salt - 1 can evaporated milk chilled- 2 T lemon juice - 1/2 c crushed pineapple. Line a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with a graham or cookie crust, or use prebaked pie shells. Place evaporated milk in a mixing bowl and place in the freezer until ice crystal form. Dissolve jello in boiling water and add sugar and salt. Stir until dissolved and set aside until cooled, and thickened like a syrup. Whip the ice cold canned milk until peaks form, and fold in lemon juice, pineapple and jello. Pour into pie crusts and chill before serving.

6. Canned Evaporated Milk as a Substitute for Whipped Cream

Whole whipping cream is much more expensive than evaporated milk, and canned milk can be purchased in bulk quantities as sales permit. Here is a quick and easy basic recipe for whipping evaporated milk and sweetening it to be used as a dessert topping for pies, cobblers, cakes and more.

Canned Evaporated Milk Whipped Topping

1 cup canned milk - 1/4 c powdered sugar - 1 tsp vanilla extract. Put the canned milk in a mixing bowl and place in the freezer until ice crystals form around the edges. Remove from the freezer begin beating. Gradually add in the powdered sugar and vanilla. When whipped up, serve immediately on dessert.