Columbus Ledger-Enquirer Logo

Save by balancing ease, cost | Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Customer Service
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Archives
    • Buy Photos and Pages
    • Special Sections
    • Contact Us
    • Plus
    • Newsletters
    • Newspaper in Education
    • Subscribe
    • Subscriber Services

    • News
    • Local News
    • Photos
    • Crime
    • Databases
    • Education
    • Job Spotlight
    • Georgia
    • Business
    • Nation/World
    • Lottery
    • Sports
    • Alabama
    • Auburn
    • Braves
    • Columbus State University
    • Cottonmouths
    • Falcons
    • Hawks
    • High Schools
    • UGA
    • Blogs & Columns
    • War Eagle Extra
    • Bulldogs Blog
    • Valley Preps
    • Guerry Clegg
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • ToDo
    • Living
    • Dining
    • Celebrations
    • Outdoors
    • Faith
    • Comics
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Horoscopes
    • Blogs & Columns
    • War Eagle Extra
    • Bulldogs Blog
    • Guerry Clegg
    • Tim Chitwood
    • Richard Hyatt
    • Ledger Inquirer
    • Valley Preps
    • Chuck Williams
    • Dimon Kendrick-Holmes
    • Alva James-Johnson
    • Natalia Naman Temesgen
    • Chris Johnson
    • Opinion
    • Forum
    • Letters
    • Dusty Nix
    • Sound Off
  • Obituaries
  • Readers' Choice

  • Classifieds
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Cars
  • Homes
  • Place An Ad

  • About Us
  • Mobile & Apps

Food & Drink

Save by balancing ease, cost

By JIM ROMANOFF - The Associated Press

    ORDER REPRINT →

November 10, 2009 02:40 PM

The sour economy has done wonders for improving home cooking skills, prompting many of us to cook from scratch to save a little scratch. But for a big holiday meal such as Thanksgiving, doing it yourself isn’t always the most practical or cost effective way to go.

For one thing, says cookbook author Barbara Kafka, there is only so much oven and stovetop space in most kitchens, which makes it difficult to prepare the whole meal without creating a traffic jam.

Also, while some holiday dishes undoubtedly are better made from scratch, the quality and cost of many ready-made items has improved, says Kate Merker, associate food editor for Real Simple magazine.

The trick of balancing economy and good taste is knowing what to do and what to buy.

SIGN UP

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to the Ledger-Enquirer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

When in comes to the turkey, Kafka says she always roasts her own because it’s relatively easy to do, it’s generally inexpensive, and the meat is more likely to be moist so long as no reheating is involved.

Merker feels the same about the gravy.

“Store-bought gravy just doesn’t quite cut it for my family and me,” she says. “There is something about using all of the pan drippings that really ties everything together.”

But there are many parts of the meal that can be bought inexpensively and that you would be hard-pressed to do better on your own.

Baking is one thing that you can definitely leave to the professionals, says Kafka, especially since there’s so much good bread out there. Baking also is time consuming and easier to mess up.

If you do want to bake, Kafka recommends cornbread. It’s easy, fast, inexpensive and stays moist even when made ahead.

Merker adds that for dessert, purchased pies can be quite good. Plus a trip into town certainly beats chilling and rolling out pie crust. Or for semi-homemade feel, pick up frozen pie crust.

An apple pie can be made with five or six large apples, a little butter and a few spices, all of which are pretty inexpensive, especially if you buy bagged apples, which usually cost considerably less than those sold by the pound.

Pumpkin pie is easy as well if you use a pre-made crust and buy pre-seasoned canned pumpkin pie mix.

For some of the other dishes in the Thanksgiving meal, Merker suggests using inexpensive and convenient store-bought items as a starting point, then fixing them up with fresh ingredients at home.

Stuffing mixes, which usually go on sale around Thanksgiving, are perfect for doctoring up.

“They’re not all that bad,” Merker said. “Extra sauteed onions and a whole lot of chopped fresh herbs can lift up many packaged varieties. And if you have dried fruit, such as apricots or cranberries, already in the house,

those are great additions as well.”

Kate Hays, chef and owner of Dish Catering in Burlington, Vt., says that while vegetable sides are inexpensive, quick and easy to prepare at home, she loves sprucing up prepared items by adding a few key ingredients.

Frozen vegetables are excellent quality and usually much cheaper (and quicker to cook) than fresh.

Hays likes to elevate thawed, frozen Brussels sprouts by sauteing them in butter until heated through, then tossing them with crushed fennel seeds and lemon zest.

Season with salt and pepper just before serving.

And heavy cream, says Hays, can perform miracles on most frozen vegetables.

To make an easy and luxurious creamed corn, add reduced heavy cream to thawed corn niblets, then season with salt and pepper, top with shredded cheddar or pepper Jack cheese, and broil until golden-brown and bubbling.

As for starchy vegetable sides, Merker says she would always vote for making them from scratch.

Potatoes are inexpensive and can go a long way.

Plus, she says, for convenience, mashed potatoes can be made ahead and reheated. Roasted potatoes usually are just as good at room temperature.

As for cranberry sauce, though it’s easy to make, Kafka says forget about it.

“Ninety-five percent of Americans were brought up on canned, and in my family, they won’t accept anything else!”

  Comments  

Videos

Order Up!: Learn to prepare fresh Chicken Tikka Masala from Ria’s

We treat our customers like family, says chef at Ria’s Ethnic Foods

View More Video

Trending Stories

Live-in girlfriend charged with murder in Tip Top Drive shooting, police say

February 20, 2019 04:56 PM

More than $11,000 in ecstasy, meth and cash seized on Macon Road, police say

February 20, 2019 11:03 AM

Efforts under way to add 25-mile bicycle trail to Standing Boy Creek wildlife area

February 20, 2019 06:07 PM

Columbus police, coroner on scene of fatal shooting

February 20, 2019 05:05 PM

Judge to rule if grand jury list valid in Kirby Smith cold murder case

February 21, 2019 06:14 PM

Read Next

Local favorite among those named to Food Network’s list of best barbecue

Food & Drink

Local favorite among those named to Food Network’s list of best barbecue

By Justin Baxley

    ORDER REPRINT →

January 16, 2019 01:12 PM

Macon’s own Fincher’s Bar-B-Q is a local favorite that was recently named to Food Network’s list of best barbecue places from coast to coast.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to the Ledger-Enquirer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE FOOD & DRINK

Falcon store ready to open in north Columbus with The Chicken Lady’s country cooking

Business

Falcon store ready to open in north Columbus with The Chicken Lady’s country cooking

January 09, 2019 05:40 PM
Former Logan’s Roadhouse property in Columbus is getting a flavorful new restaurant

Business

Former Logan’s Roadhouse property in Columbus is getting a flavorful new restaurant

December 17, 2018 06:14 PM
Trevioli Italian Kitchen partners find scenic downtown spot for their new restaurant

Business

Trevioli Italian Kitchen partners find scenic downtown spot for their new restaurant

December 10, 2018 02:19 PM
W.C. Bradley Company planning indoor food court near the river in downtown Columbus

Business

W.C. Bradley Company planning indoor food court near the river in downtown Columbus

December 10, 2018 02:20 PM
Steeplechase at Callaway celebrates 34 years of food, fun, socializing and horse racing

Entertainment

Steeplechase at Callaway celebrates 34 years of food, fun, socializing and horse racing

November 01, 2018 02:48 PM

Food & Drink

Cancer stole Columbus woman’s appetite but inspired an Indian restaurant ‘for my soul’

October 16, 2018 05:55 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Columbus Ledger-Enquirer App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
Advertising
  • Digital Solutions
  • Niche Solutions
  • Print Solutions
  • Place a Classified
  • Local Deals
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story