Hosting the classic Thanksgiving dinner will cost 13 percent more this year

Putting a traditional turkey dinner on the table is going to be pricier this Thanksgiving.

The American Farm Bureau Federation reported Thursday that a meal with turkey and all the trimmings will cost about 13 percent more this year.

The trade group estimates a classic meal for 10 will cost $49.20 on average. That is $5.73 more than last year’s $43.47 average.

The meal will cost less than $5 a person, but it’s still much more expensive than in years past. The jump results from food makers and grocers raising their prices to cover higher commodity costs.

Nearly everything from cranberries to pumpkin pie is pricier this year, but the biggest hike is for the main course: A 16-pound turkey costs almost $4 more this year, at $21.57, according to the trade group.

The group surveyed prices in stores nationwide. But grocers often discount key items as the holiday approaches and that could reduce the cost of Thanksgiving dinner.

John Anderson, senior economist for the Farm Bureau, said it’s important to remember that Americans spend a smaller percentage of their income on food than most people around the world.

Here is an unusual, but popular, Thanksgiving dish. Very
rich, and even kids like it.

Asparagus, Egg and Cheese Casserole

6 tbsp butter
3 tbsp chopped green pepper
2 tbsp grated onion
4 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Saute green pepper and onion in butter until tender in top of
double boiler, then put over hot water, add flour and blend.
Gradually add milk and cook until smooth and thick. Add salt
and pepper.

3-15 oz drained cans of asparagus
6 sliced hard boiled eggs
American cheese slices
3/4 cup buttered crumbs

Alternate layers of asparagus, egg slices and cheese slices,
and sauce in a large, square baking dish. Top with final layer
of sauce and buttered crumbs.

Bake, covered in a 350F oven for 20 minutes.

Three good side dishes for the Thanksgiving table. Make the
beets at least 2 weeks early, fruit compote 1 week early,
cranberry jelly a day ahead.

Pickled Beets

3 cans sliced beets, drained
4 hard boiled, peeled eggs
1 thick sliced onion
1 tbsp pickling spice
1 heaping tsp sea salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 bay leaf

Add ingredients to jar then pour over them a 50/50
mix of cider vinegar and water, boiling.

Seal and refrigerate. Pickling time is a minimum of
two weeks.

*******************
Fruit Compote

Very easy. In a 2 quart container add frozen, canned
and fresh fruits and berries such as:

Strawberries
Blackberries
Black Cherries
Sliced Peaches
Sliced Pears
Chunk Pineapple
Mandarin Orange Segments
Sliced Banana

Generally it’s a good idea to avoid melons and
blueberries. Refrigerate for a week or so before serving.

************
Easy Cranberry Jelly

Use a meat grinder to grind up a bag of cranberries
(1-1/2 cups), as well as a stemmed but unpeeled green
apple and an unpeeled orange. Mix and add 1 cup sugar
and 1/8th tsp salt.

Make either two small or one large Cherry Jello, then when
semi-firm, add the mix, stir and chill. Top with whipped
cream.

You might want to rethink Cool Whip on your menu. That stuff is vile.

De-constructing: The ingredient panel lists the cool whip ingredients as: WATER, CORN SYRUP, HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL (COCONUT AND PALM KERNEL OILS), HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, LESS THAN 2% OF SODIUM CASEINATE (FROM MILK), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, XANTHAN AND GUAR GUMS, POLYSORBATE 60, SORBITAN MONOSTEARATE, BETA CAROTENE (COLOR).

Makes you want to go hmmmmmmm. Ingredients are listed in quantity levels, meaning that the largest ingredient is listed first and then down from there.

1. Water. Well we all know what water is so I’ll leave that alone.
2. Corn Syrup. Sugar, but not just sugar, genetically altered sugar.
3. Hydrogenated Vegetable oil (coconut and palm kernel). Hydrogenated means that the oil has been converted with hydrogen at a rapid rate to assist in solidification. It also gives the oil a creamy mouth feel. The biggest advantage for large corporations who hydrogenate oils is that is allows the oil to be shelf stable for a very long time. Oils won’t go rancid quickly after being hydrogenated. If done incorrectly the result is a trans-fat. Cool whip is not a trans fat. However, the process of hydrogenation turns an oil in to a type of cellulose which in other terms is called plastic. Do you really want to eat plastic?
4. High Fructose Corn syrup. This syrup is adulterated by combining enzymes such as amylase with the glucose. This allows it to be converted to fructose. Fructose is quickly turned to fat in your system.
5. Sodium Caseinate less than 2% (from Milk). Sodium Caseinate is a protein found in cows milk that assists the oil and water to mix together. (kind of like when you used the excuse “he’s really a nice guy” when explaining to your parents why your dating what seemed to them to be the spawn of satan.) It is also an animal product for those of you avoiding them.
6. Natural and artificial flavorings. Pretty self explanatory on the natural flavorings front. Artificial flavorings are simply chemical mixtures to replace a natural flavor.
7. Xanthan and Guar gums. These babies are natural thickeners that work together really well. The guar gum helps avoid the creation of ice crystals which helps keep the cool whip creamy when frozen.
8.Polysorbate 60. Wow you should see the other 59! Just kidding. Polysorbate is basically an oil. That’s what Kraft will tell you. What they don’t tell you is that it is flammable. heh. This product is a mixture of stearate and palmitate esters of Sorbitol and its anhydrides copolymerized with approximately 20 moles of Ethylene Oxide for each mole of Sorbitol and Sorbitol anhydrides. Wow easy for you to say. Just know the Ethylene Oxide is a common ingredient in detergents and anti-freeze. Sorbitol is a sweetener.
9. Sorbitan Monostearate. Its nickname is span 60. It is wax like and has a white creamy texture. It is an ester of Sorbital and Stearic acid. It is sometimes known as a synthetic wax.
10. Beta Carotene. Most people are familiar with Carotenes as the part of the carrot that makes it orange. Beta Carotene is converted to vitamin A in your system.

I am loathe to eat this stuff. There isn’t a bit of anything that says food there. I know so many people that have never had fresh whipped cream. Do yourselves a favor: go buy a pint or even a half pint of heavy whipping cream. Pour it into a bowl, whip it to stiff peaks with your mixer. Add a tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla whip it some more and then serve with fresh berries a pie or mix it with some pudding. You’ll be amazed at the flavor and won’t ever want to go back to the freezer case ever again for the other stuff.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.