Wren's bargain guide, fortnight beginning November 20th:

Fooducate's got a list of ways to reduce your reliance on salt and sugar.  An interesting tip is to eat regularly:  don't let yourself get so ravenous you make a desperate leap for those dangerous salt/sugar/fat combinations!  Also tips for making your grocery shopping both healthy and affordable, and a super-easy butternut squash recipe.  At The New Yorker, a video about how they turn cheese into powder.  Summer Tomato has a bit on cooking for one.  And from Lifehacker, a beginning-cook's guide to the basic language of cooking!  (What's the difference between broiling and baking?  How can you tell a chop from a dice from a mince?  A pinch from a dash from a smidgen?)

Recipes!  Chow.com has Hanukkah recipes, “Thanksgivukkah” recipes, Thanksgiving for beginners or non-cooks, a video of easy fixes for Thanksgiving-dinner emergencies (sweet potato marshmallow casserole ON FIRE!), and nineteen recipes for a “Vegetarian Thanksgiving menu” that will also serve to fill out an ordinary table:  they've got DIY tofurkey, but also a marshmallowless sweet potato dish and acorn squash with wild-rice stuffing that looks absolutely devastating.

More recipes!  From Simply Recipes, a Brussels-sprout gratinée and how to cut and de-seed a pomegranate.  Smitten Kitchen is piling on the autumnal recipes:  cauliflower with brown-butter crumbs, apple-herb stuffing (“I think if you're limiting your stuffing consumption to a single day in November, you are missing out”), green-bean casserole, and a mini-review of Sam Sifton's cookbook, Thanksgiving:  How To Cook It Well.  (“You can go your whole life and then wake up one morning and look in the refrigerator at this animal carcass the size of a toddler and think: I have to cook that today.”)  And Snack Girl offers a vegan stuffing loaded with mushrooms, an assortment of “lighter dishes that don't taste light” for the holiday table, turkey roasting bags, a review of Egg Beaters, and the recommendation, “First rule of Thanksgiving:  relax.  How many days off a year do you get?”

Tomorrow is National Stuffing Day.  (Noun, not verb!)  Friday is National Sardines Day:  good for you, loaded with calcium, and they don't accumulate mercury or other heavy metals the way big fish do.  We're heading into December, National Fruitcake Month and National Eggnog Month;  the first week of December is National Cookie Cutter Week.  And the day after tomorrow is Alice's Restaurant Massacree Day.




November 20th:  National Peanut Butter Fudge Day
November 21st:  National Stuffing Day
November 22nd:  National Cranberry Relish Day
November 23rd:  National Cashew Day, National Eat A Cranberry Day
November 24th:  National Espresso Day, National Sardine Day
November 25th:  National Parfait Day
November 26th:  National Cake Day
November 27th:  National Bavarian Cream Pie Day
November 28th:  Thanksgiving Day, first day of Hanukkah, National French Toast Day
November 29th:  National Chocolates Day (not to be confused with National Chocolate Day)
November 30th:  National Mousse Day
December 1st:  National Pie Day, National Eat A Red Apple Day
December 2nd:  National Fritters Day
December 3rd:  National Ice-Cream Box Day
December 4th:  National Cookie Day


Editing to add Connie's Meringue Madness.  Thank you so much, Connie!

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Lessons learned that you should know before you start!

1. Eggs crack and separate better cold but egg whites need to be at room temp to whip
2. Carton egg whites are perfect
3. Make doubly sure that beaters and large mixing bowl and measuring cup are glass or stainless and TOTALLY IMMACULATE!
4. DO NOT USE PLASTIC it harbors traces of fat and fat is a mortal enemy of Meringues
5. Bake on Parchment Lined pans and when cool the cookies come right off and you can flip the paper and bake more!
6. Bake in a very slow oven 250 to 275 for 20 to 30 minutes then shut off the oven and turn on the light they can stay there for a long time even 24 hours!
7. Experiment with your favorite flavors! The ones I shared with you last week had 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract and the zest from 1 lemon mixed in once the whipping was about done. Another good one is a rounded tsp of cocoa and 1/2 tsp of instant coffee powder. Peppermint Extract or finely crushed Candy Cane is tasty as is Orange Extract and Cocoa. Even chopped nuts and Mini-Chocolate Chips. YOUR CHOICE!
8. You can lightly brown them or keep them pure white or add a single drop or two of Food Color to match the flavorings.
9. It takes a long time to whip them and a blender or food processor DOES NOT WORK!
10. Cream of Tartar keeps them stable, fluffy and light.
11. A tiny bit of salt improves the recipes think a very small pinch.
12. Splenda can be substituted for sugar in any Meringue Recipe!
13. Make them whatever size you want by using 2 teaspoons, a pastry bag or my favorite plastic bag with tiny corner cut off.
14. They are actually easy to make if you understand the info above!

1st Recipe is with Splenda
 
Nutrition Information
NUTRITION FACTS
Servings Per Recipe: 36
Serving Size: 1 cookie

Amount Per Serving
    
Calories:
    35
Calories from Fat:
    15
Total Fat:
    2g
Saturated Fat:
    0.5g
Cholesterol:
    0mg
Sodium:
    5mg
Total Carbs:
    4g
Dietary Fiber:
    0g
Sugars:
    4g
Protein:
    1g

DIRECTIONS

    Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
    Bake walnuts in a shallow pan, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until toasted. Set aside.
    Beat egg whites and vanilla at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy then add cream of tartar.
    Add SPLENDA® Sugar Blend, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form; stir in walnuts and chocolate morsels.
    Spoon rounded teaspoons of mixture on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
    Bake 15 minutes. Drop oven temperature to 200 degrees F. Bake for one hour and 45 minutes. Cool slightly on cookie sheet. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight tin.

INGREDIENTS

    1/2 cup chopped walnuts
    2 egg whites
    1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1/2 cup SPLENDA® Sugar Blend
    1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
    1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

************************************************************************************************************************************************
2nd Recipe Pick YOUR Flavor


Ingredients:
Meringue Cookies Recipe:
3 large egg whites (3 ounces or 90 grams)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup (150 grams) superfine or caster sugar (if you don't have superfine sugar simply take granulated white sugar and process it for about 30-60 seconds in a food processor)
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Garnish:
1/4 cup shaved Almonds

Instructions:
Meringue Cookies: Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C) and place the rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. You can form the cookies with a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) plain tip, or I often just use two spoons to make the cookies.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on low-medium speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat the whites until they hold soft peaks. Add the sugar, a little at a time, and continue to beat, on medium-high speed, until the meringue holds very stiff peaks. Beat in the vanilla extract.
Note: The meringue is done when it holds stiff peaks and when you rub a little between your thumb and index finger it does not feel gritty. If it feels gritty the sugar has not fully dissolved so keep beating until it feels smooth between your fingers.
Before placing the cookies on the cookie sheet, place a little of the meringue on the underside of each corner of the parchment paper. This will prevent the paper from sliding. Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) tip. Pipe 2 1/2 inch (6 cm) rounds of meringue in rows on the prepared baking sheet. Alternatively, spoon mounds of meringue, using two spoons, onto the prepared sheets. Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with a few shaved almonds, if desired.
Bake the meringues for approximately 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, rotating the baking sheet from front to back (about half way through) to ensure even baking. The meringues are done when they are pale in color and fairly crisp. (The meringues will release easily from the parchment paper.) Turn off the oven, open the door a crack, and leave the meringues in the oven to finish drying several hours or overnight. The meringues can be covered and stored at room temperature for several days.
Makes about 10 - 2 1/2 inch (6 cm) meringues

People love them so plan to share!

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Albertson's:

    “We will match the price on our Premium (Frozen Grade A) Honeysuckle White Turkey to the lowest advertised Frozen Turkey Price offered by Fry's, Safeway, Bashas'.”
    Beef NY Strip holiday roast, bone in, “whole” $3.99/lb, “any size” $4.99/lb
    Beef standing rib roast, whole, $6.99/lb
    Beef chuck/crossrib/bottom round roast or family pack steaks, boneless, $3.99/lb
    93/7 ground beef, $2.97/lb
    Hormel “Cure 81” spiral cut ham, bone in, $1.79/lb
    Hormel “Cure 81” unsliced half hams, boneless, $2.99/lb
    Cook's hams, bone in, shank portion, $1.47/lb (butt portion 20¢/lb higher)
    Kentucky Farms spiral cut hams, boneless, $3.99/lb
    Honeysuckle White frozen turkeys, 79¢/lb with $25 purchase
    Honeysuckle White frozen turkey breast, $1.57/lb
    Jennie-O fresh turkeys, 12-22 lb, $1.69/lb
    Butterball fresh turkeys, 12-22 lb, $1.99/lb
    Boneless skinless chicken breast, $1.99/lb
    Sanderson Farms whole roasting chickens, $1.49/lb
    Oysters, 8 oz jars, $4.99/lb
    Sea scallops, 10-20 ct, $9.99/lb
    Atlantic salmon OR catfish fillets, farm raised, $6.99/lb
    Albertson's eggs, AA large, 18 ct, $1.88
    Challenge butter, $1.88
    Shedd's Country Crock spread, 45 oz tubs, $2.99 ea when you buy 2
    Dietz & Watson presliced cheeses, 7-8 oz pkg, $4.99
    Black Creek aged cheeses, 6-8 oz chunk, $3.99/lb
    Deli:    Signature turkey breast, roast beef, “double honey” ham”, $6.99/lb
        All Dietz & Watson ham, turkey, chicken breast, cheeses, $7.99/lb
    Green Giant Le Seuer peas, 15 oz cans, 4/$5
    Mezzetta pasta sauces, 24-25 oz jars, $4.99
    Pam cooking spray, 5-6 oz cans, 2/$4
    Libby's canned pumpkin, 15 oz cans, $1.99
    Princella or Bruce's yams, 29 oz cans, 3/$5
    Green Giant “Steamables” frozen veg, 10 oz bags, 88¢
    Green Giant “Valley Fresh Steamers”, 12 oz, OR boil-in-bag veggies, 9-10 oz, 3/$5
    PictSweet frozen veg, 14-16 oz cans, 88¢
    Rome or Granny Smith apples, 99¢/lb
    “Cuties” clementines, 3 lb bag, $3.99
    Navel oranges, $1.29/lb
    Bartlett or Anjou pears, $1.29/lb
    POM Wonderful pomegranates, 2/$5
    Russet potatoes, 10 lb bag, 97¢
    Red bell peppers, 2/$3
    Celery, 99¢ ea
    Winter squashes, acorn/butternut/spaghetti, 99¢/lb
    Yams or sweet potatoes, 99¢/lb


Bashas':

    Beef sirloin tip roast, $2.57/lb
    Beef crossrib or top/bottom/eye round roasts, $3.99/lb
    Beef standing rib roast, large end, $6.99/lb
    Beef t-bone steaks, value pack, $4.99/lb
    Ground beef sirloin, fat content not listed, value pack, $2.57/lb
    Cook's hams, shank portion, apparently bone in, 99¢/lb (butt portion, 40¢/lb higher)
    John Morrell spiral sliced ham, $1.99/lb
    Hormel Cure 81 hams, half/whole/quarter, boneless, $3.99/lb
    Hormel spiral sliced ham, $1.99/lb
    Norbest turkeys, tom or hen, 10-22 lb, 79¢/lb
    Jennie-O tom turkeys, 20-22 lb, 79¢/lb with $25 purchase
    Jennie-O fresh turkeys, tom or hen, $1.79/lb
    Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $5.99/lb
    Thresher shark fillets, wild caught, $4.99/lb
    Oysters, 8 oz jar, $3.99
    Bashas' milk, gallons, $1.87
    Challenge butter, $1.99
    Philadelphia OR Challenge cream cheese, 8 oz block, 4/$5
    Kraft “Cracker Barrel” cheeses, 8 oz blocks, $2.99
    Nature's Own “100% Whole Wheat” bread, 20 oz long loaves, $2.49
    Libby's pumpkin, 29 oz cans, $2.99
    Libby's veggies, 14-15 oz cans, 5/$3
    Flav-R-Pac frozen veggies, 12-16 oz bags, 77¢
    C&W or Birds Eye veggies, 10-16 oz pkg, 5/$10
    Russet potatoes, 10 lb bag, 87¢/lb
    Red or black seedless grapes, $1.99/lb
    Apples, Fuji/Granny Smith/Red Delicious, 99¢/lb
    Navel oranges, 99¢/lb
    Red or orange yams, 77¢/lb
    Green beans, 77¢/lb
    Organic winter squashes, acorn/butternut/spaghetti, 99¢/lb
    “Baby peeled” carrots, 1 lb bag, 99¢


Fry's:

    Beef “holiday roast” or NY strip steaks, bone in, family pack, $4.77/lb
    Beef rib roast, bone in, $5.99/lb
    Cook's unsliced ham, bone in, shank half, $1.47 (butt half 20¢/lb higher)
    Cook's spiral sliced ham, bone in, $1.67/lb
    Kroger boneless whole or half hams, $2.79
    Private Selection OR Hormel Cure 81 spiral sliced hams, bone in, $2.99/lb
    Hormel Cure 81 unsliced boneless hams, $2.99/lb
    Kroger frozen turkeys, 10 lbs and up, 79¢/lb with $25 purchase (limit 1)
    Foster Farms fresh turkeys, 10 lbs and up, $1.69/lb
    Honeysuckle frozen turkey breast, bone in, $1.49/lb
    Private Selection frozen turkeys, 99¢/lb
    Butterball frozen turkeys, 10 lbs and up, $1.49/lb
    Butterball fresh turkeys, 10 lbs and up, $1.99/lb
    Simple Truth fresh turkeys, “select sizes”, $1.99/lb
    Jennie-O fresh turkey breast, $2.60/lb
    Tyson boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs, $1.99/lb
    Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $7.99/lb
    Kroger butter, $1.99
    Kroger cheeses, 6-8 oz chunk or shreds, $1.79
    Kroger veggies, 11-15 oz cans, 5/$3
    Bruce's yams, 29 oz cans, 2/$4
    Kroger frozen veg, 10-12 oz bags, 67¢
    C&W OR Birds Eye OR Green Giant frozen veg, 10-16 oz bags, $1.99
    Navel oranges, 77¢/lb
    “Halos” clementines, 3 lb bag, $4.99
    Whole pineapples, 2/$5
    POM Wonderful pomegranates, 2/$5
    Apples, Gala/Granny Smith/Cameo/Fuji, 99¢/lb
    Bartlett pears, 99¢/lb
    Russet potatoes, 5 lb bag, 69¢
    Red or gold yams OR sweet potatoes, 79¢/lb
    Red or yellow bell peppers, 99¢ ea
    “Mini peeled” carrots, 1 lb bag, 99¢
    Organic winter squashes, acorn/butternut/spaghetti, 99¢/lb


Safeway:

    Beef ribeye, bone in, whole in bag, $4.99/lb (roast or steaks, value pack, $1/lb higher)
    Beef round tip roast, boneless, $3.99/lb
    Beef chuck pot roast, boneless, $2.99/lb
    Beef NY strip steak or roast, boneless, value pack, $5.99/lb
    Safeway smoked ham, bone in, shank half, $1.69/lb (butt half 20¢/lb higher)
    Safeway spiral sliced half ham, $2.29/lb
    Whole pork shoulder, bone in, whole in bag, $1.49/lb
    Half pork loin, boneless, whole in bag, $1.99/lb
    Safeway frozen turkeys, 8-24 lb, 79¢/lb with $25 purchase
    Butterball frozen turkeys, 10-24 lb, 99¢/lb with $50 purchase
    Safeway frozen turkeys, 8-16 lb, free with $100 purchase
    Safeway frozen turkeys, 8-24 lb, free with $150 purchase
    Butterball fresh turkeys, 10-24 lb, $1.79/lb
    Open Nature fresh free-range turkeys, 9-20 lb, $1.79/lb
    Jennie-O ground turkey, 20 oz pkg, $5
    Alaskan cod fillets, wild caught, $5/lb
    Lucerne cream cheese, 8 oz brick, 4/$5
    Daisy sour cream incl. Light, 16 oz tubs, $1.99
    Healthy Choice “Baked” frozen entrées, 5/$10
    Alaskan sockeye salmon fillets, wild caught, $9.99/lb
    S&W variety (non-baked) beans, 15 oz cans, 5/$5
    Safeway Kitchens tomatoes or tomato sauce, 14-15 oz cans, 79¢
    Mezzetta pasta sauces, 24-25 oz jars, buy 1 get 1 free
    Bertolli olive oil, 25 oz bottles, buy 1 get 1 free
    Birds Eye “Steamfresh” or C&W frozen veggies, 10-16 oz, buy 2 get 2 free
    O Organics frozen veg, 1 lb bags, $2.49
    “Cuties” clementines, 5 lb box, $4.99
    Red seedless grapes, $1.99/lb
    Fuji or Gala apples, $1.99/lb
    Navel oranges, $1.49/lb
    Vine or slicing tomatoes, $2.49/lb
    Red or orange yams, 79¢/lb


Sprouts:

    Beef standing rib roast, “Presidential cut”, bone in, $9.99/lb
    Beef sirloin tip roast or steak, $4.99/lb
    85/15 ground beef, value pack, $2.99/lb
    Sprouts fresh “all natural” turkeys, 10-24 lb, $1.49/lb
    Fresh turkey breast, bone in, $2.99/lb
    Whole or cut up chickens, $1.59/lb
    Boneless skinless chicken breast, value pack, $1.77/lb
    Atlantic salmon fillets, farm raised, $7.99/lb
    Napa Valley olive oil, 750 ml (~25 oz) bottles, $9.99
    Muir Glen tomatoes, 14-15 oz cans, 2/$3
    Better than Bouillon soup base, 8 oz jars, $3.99
    Seedless grapes, green/red/black, $1.98/lb
    Organic “mini seedless” watermelons, $1.98 ea
    Navel oranges, 3 lbs/$1
    Granny Smith or Jonagold apples, 88¢/lb
    Comice or D'Anjou pears, 88¢/lb
    Roma tomatoes, 88¢/lb
    Leaf lettuce, green/red/Romaine, 88¢