Bargain guide, week beginning December 5th:

Disclaimer:  This blog, and the corresponding printed handout, are entirely my production.  This is a hobby.  It is in no way, shape, form, or fashion an official Weight Watchers production.  So VERY not.  Noop.

Lots of recipes this week and probably for the next couple.  Chow.com has a list of recipes for latkes and sufganiyot – not exactly PointPlus-friendly but traditional (although the traditionality of sufganiyot with ginger-lime-curd filling is questionable) – as well as, at this time of entertaining, recipes for “fancy toast” appetizers, cold appetizers, vegetarian appetizers, and (startlingly) healthy appetizers!  And for after the cocktail hour, when your guests want to buckle down for some serious (and shudderingly expensive) eating, there are “impressive, yet surprisingly easy” prime-rib and rib-roast ideas.

Weighthacker has the three reasons we tend to overeat during the holidays – abundance (food is EVERYWHERE), palatability (and it's the good stuff), and peer pressure (you're surrounded) – and how to deal with them.  The New Yorker has the history of peanut butter (“First created for sanitariums like John Harvey Kellogg’s Western Health Reform Institute, it satisfied the need for a protein-rich food that did not have to be chewed”).  And for your weekly dose of snark, Deadspin has a funny if somewhat (warning!) linguistically uninhibited commentary on the Williams-Sonoma catalog.  (“Item #02-496059, Bourbon Cranberry Relish.  Sauteed cranberries, bourbon, shallots, and herbs with a hint of orange.  16 oz.  Price, $40.  That's 40 bucks for a bowl of cranberry sauce that everyone will pass up because we all prefer the s*** that costs two bucks and comes plopping out of the can in the shape of the can.”)

More recipes!  Darya at Summer Tomato reprints her recipe for “Brussels Sprouts that aren't gross”.  Sprouted Kitchen provides what I can only describe as pumpkinblackbeanburgers – I know, I know, but they actually look good.  And Snack Girl supplies Lighter Latkes, as well as some truly adorable Santa hats made out of strawberries.



December 5th:  National Sachertorte Day;  1933, 21st Amendment to the United States Constitution ratified, repealing Prohibition
December 6th:  National Gazpacho Day, Microwave Oven Day;  feast of St. Nicholas of Myra
December 7th:  National Cotton Candy Day;  1863, Richard Warren Sears born (founder of Sears & Roebuck);  1904, Clarence “Ducky” Nash born (the original voice of Donald Duck)
December 8th:  National Chocolate Brownie Day
December 9th:  National Pastry Day, National Apple Pie Day;  1886, Clarence Birdseye born (founder of the General Seafood Corporation, now Birds Eye Frozen Foods)
December 10th:  National Lager Day
December 11th:  National Noodle Ring Day;  1874, James Lewis Kraft born (inventor of “process” cheese and founder of Kraft Foods)
December 12th:  National Cocoa Day, National Ambrosia Day, Gingerbread House Day


Albertson's:

    Beef petite sirloin steaks, boneless, $8.99/lb, buy 1 get 2 free
    Beef chuck, crossrib, bottom round steaks, boneless, 50% off
    Beef chuck, crossrib, bottom/eye round, sirloin tip roasts, boneless, 50% off
    Beef New York roast or steak, bone in, $4.99/lb
    Beef standing rib roast or steak, bone in, family pack, $7.99/lb
    85/15 ground beef, $2.49/lb (3 lbs or more)
    93/7 ground beef, $2.77/lb (3 lbs or more)
    Pork loin chops, boneless, $6.99/lb, buy 1 get 1 free
    Pork sirloin roast, boneless, whole in bag, $1.77/lb
    Pork shoulder butt roast, bone in, $1.99/lb
    Hormel Cure 81 spiral sliced half ham, bone in, $1.37/lb
    Sanders Farms boneless skinless chicken breast,  tray pack, $4.99/lb, buy 1 get 2 free
    Store (unbranded) boneless skinless chicken breast, $1.99/lb
    Atlantic salmon, farm raised, $4.99/lb
    Lobster tails, wild caught, 3 oz minimum, $4.99 ea
    Essential Everyday cream cheese, 8 oz brick, 4/$5
    Deli:    Jennie-O “Deli Style” turkey breast, $4.99/lb
        USA Gold Virginia ham, $4.99/lb
        Deitz & Watson bologna, beef or German, $4.99/lb
        Margherita hard/Genoa salami OR pepperoni, $4.99/lb
        Charlie's Pride pastrami OR corned beef, $4.99/lb
        Deli Fresh Provolone/pepperjack/Muenster/mild Cheddar, $4.99/lb
    Classico pasta sauces, 15-24 oz jars, 2/$4
    Barilla pasta, 12-16 oz boxes, 2/$3
    Bear Creek soup mixes, 9-11 oz envelopes, $3.49
    Navel oranges, 3 lb bag, $1
    Ambrosia or Pink Lady apples, $1.99/lb
    Broccoli crowns OR cauliflower, 88¢/lb
    Grape tomatoes, 12 oz boxes, 2/$3
    Earthbound Farms organic box salads, 1 lb, $3.99
    Bok choy OR nappa cabbage, 79¢/lb
    Green bell peppers, 2/$1


Bashas':

    Beef New York (steak? roast?  It doesn't SAY!), boneless, value pack, $4.77/lb
    Beef t-bone steak, $9.99/lb
    Beef London broil, $5.99/lb
    Beef chuck or crossrib roast, $4.99/lb
    Pork shoulder roast or value-pack steak, $2.49/lb
    Bashas' boneless skinless chicken breast, $1.77/lb
    Atlantic salmon fillets, $4.99/lb
    Mahi mahi fillets, wild caught, $5.99/lb
    Cod fillets, wild caught, $5.99/lb
    Bashas' milk, gallons, $1.67
    Bashas' sour cream OR cottage cheese, 16 oz tubs, 4/$5
    Challenge butter, $3.29
    Vlasic pickle spears, 24 oz jars, $2.69
    Full Circle organic olive oil, 17 oz bottles, $3.99
    Pictsweet frozen veg, 10-12 oz pkg, 4/$5
    Apples:  Gala, Fuji, Braeburn, Red/Golden Delicious, 10 lbs/$10
    Navel oranges, 10 lbs/$10
    Roma OR slicing tomatoes, 10 lbs/$10
    Asparagus, $1.77/lb
    Dole bag salads, buy 1 get 1 free
    Sweet onions, 10 lbs/$10
    Broccoli OR cauliflower, 10 lbs/$10
    Italian or yellow squashes, 10 lbs/$10
    Red or gold bell peppers, 10/$10




Fry's:

    Having another case sale:  check the last page.
   
    Beef top/bottom/eye round, sirloin tip, chuck, shoulder roasts, 50% off
    Beef t-bone steaks, family pack, $4.97/lb
    Beef top sirloin steaks, boneless, family pack, $4.97/lb
    Pork shoulder roast, bone in, whole in bag, $1.97/lb
    Foster Farms whole chickens, 98¢/lb
    Sockeye salmon fillets, wild caught, $9.99/lb
    Kroger cheeses, 12-16 oz chunk or shreds, $2.99
    Kroger cottage cheese, 24 oz tubs, $1.77
    Kroger butter, 2/$5
    Oroweat breads, 24 oz wide-pan loaves, $2.99
    Progresso soups incl Light (with the WW logo!), 8/$10
    Pam cooking spray, 5-6 oz cans, $3.29
    Chicken of the Sea chunk white tuna, 2/$3
    Hunt's tomatoes or sauce, 12-15 oz cans, 10/$10
    Prego pasta sauces, 23-24 oz jars, $1.99
    Smart Ones frozen entrees, 5/$11
    Lean Cuisine “Salad Additions”, $2.68
    Del Monte pineapples, $1
    Asian pears, 99¢ ea
    Mangos, 99¢ ea
    “Cuties” clementines, 3 lb bag, $4.99
    Bartlett or Anjou pears, $1.29
    Bananas, 57¢/lb
    Vine tomatoes, 88¢/lb


Safeway:

    Beef crossrib roast, boneless, $2.99/lb
    Beef top sirloin steaks, boneless, value pack, $3.99/lb
    Beef t-bone steaks, $7.99/lb
    Beef bottom round steaks, thin cut boneless, $3.99/lb
    Beef London broil, $4.99/lb
    80/20 ground beef, value pack, $2.49/lb
    Pork loin roast, boneless, whole in bag, $1.99/lb
    Pork sirloin chops, boneless, value pack, $2.49/lb
    Eating Right boneless skinless chicken breast, $2.99/lb
    Alaskan cod fillets, wild caught, $4.99/lb
    Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $6.99/lb
    Safeway Kitchens Pacific cod OR yellowfin sole fillets, 24 oz IQF, $7.99
    Land O Lakes butter, $2.99
    Safeway Kitchens variety breads, 24 oz wide-pan loaves, $1.99
    Nature's Own breads, 20 oz long loaves, 2/$4
    Del Monte veggies, 14-15 oz cans, 79¢
    Del Monte tomatoes, 14 oz cans, 79¢
    Safeway pickles, 24 oz jars, $2.29
    HoneyCrisp apples, $1.88/lb (organic, $2.49/lb)
    Pomegranates, 2/$5
    Navel oranges, 99¢/lb
    Vine tomatoes, $1.99/lb
    Broccoli crowns OR cauliflower, $1.49
    Cucumbers, 79¢/lb


Sprouts:

    Beef London broil, boneless, $2.99/lb
    Pork sirloin chops or roast, boneless, $1.99/lb
    Pork tenderloin, boneless, $3.99/lb
    Chicken breast tenders, $1.99/lb
    Boneless skinless chicken thighs, $2.99/lb
    Atlantic salmon steaks, bone in, farm raised, $4.99/lb
    Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $5.99/lb
    Alaskan sockeye salmon fillets, wild caught, $9.99/lb
    Apples, Braeburn/Cameo/Jonagold, 99¢/lb
    Navel oranges, 88¢/lb
    “Texas Star” grapefruit, 88¢ ea
    Pineapples, 99¢ ea
    Cuties clementines, 5 lb box, $4.99
    Roma tomatoes, 77¢/lb
    Leaf lettuce, green/red/Romaine, 99¢ ea
    Grape tomatoes, dry pint, 2/$5
    Summer squashes, Italian/yellow/grey, 99¢/lb


Fry's case sale:

    Fry's eggs, AA large, 30 ct, $2.99
    Kroger veggies, 11-15 oz cans, 24 ct, $12 (50¢ ea)
    Hunt's pasta sauce, 24 oz cans, 12 ct, $10.92 (91¢ ea)
    Kroger pineapple, 20 oz cans, 24 ct, $19.92 (83¢ ea)
    Kroger chicken or beef broth, 14 oz cans, 24 ct, $10.80 (45¢ ea)
    Maruchan ramen noodles, 3 oz pkg, 24 ct, $4.32 (18¢ ea)
    Kroger instant oatmeal, 11-15 oz boxes, 12 ct, $15.96 ($1.33 ea)