Thanksgiving on a budget: How to make a feast for $30

HOUSTON - Many grocery stores are offering holiday meal deals with all the fixin's for a turkey dinner.

Heather Sullivan of Sullivan's Smart Sense and Allison Gargaro of Allison's Cooking Diary teamed up to show you how to utilize a meal deal to make a family feast.

We purchased the ingredients of Target's $20 Thanksgiving meal deal, which included a turkey, stuffing mix, potatoes, green beans, cream of mushroom soup, gravy, and cranberry sauce.  Then we spent an additional $12 on some seasonings and other ingredients to cook the dinner, which serves four people.

Check out Allison's recipes below!

Target Thanksgiving Deal Ingredients:

• Turkey Breast
• 5 lb. sack Russet Potatoes
• Stovetop Stuffing
• Green Beans
• Cream of Mushroom Soup
• Gravy
• Canned Cranberries

Extra Ingredients:

• Butter
• Fresh Herbs (Rosemary, Thyme, Sage)
• Heavy Cream
• Onions
• Celery
• Garlic
• Lemon
• Orange
• Crispy Onions
• Parmesan

Turkey

Ingredients- 

• Turkey, thawed
• 2 sticks of butter, softened
• Fresh rosemary, thyme, sage (or use dried herbs)
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 lemon, zest & juice

Method- 

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Make the compound butter: Combine the softened butter, 1 tbsp. minced fresh rosemary, thyme and sage, zest of ½ lemon, salt and pepper. Mix until combined.
3. Rub the compound butter all over the skin of the turkey and under the skin near the turkey breast.
4. Place the lemon and onion on the bottom of the roasting dish.  Pour enough water or chicken stock to cover the bottom of the pan.
5. Depending on how big your turkey is, bake for 14 minutes per pound, or until the chicken breasts reach 165 degrees. *Place the thermometer in the thickest part of the breast to get a correct temperature reading.
6. Take the turkey out of the oven and cover with foil to finish cooking.
7. Carve and enjoy!

Gravy

Ingredients-

• Gravy from the jar

Method:

1. Heat the gravy in a small saucepan until warm.
2. Pour into a gravy boat to serve.

Stuffing:

Ingredients

• Box of Stove Top stuffing
• 1 ¼ cups water
• 4 tablespoons butter
• ½ onion
• 3 celery stocks

Method:

1. Sautee the diced onion and celery in a little bit of butter. Cook until soft.
2. Add in 1 ¼ cups water and 4 tablespoons butter and boil.
3. Once boiled, add in the entire packet of Stove Top stuffing mix.
4. Stir until combined and take off the heat.
5. Let it sit for 5 minutes and enjoy!

Mashed potatoes:

Ingredients

• 5 lb. bag of russet potatoes
• 1 stick butter
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt & pepper
• ¼ to 1 cup of heavy cream (substitute with half & half or milk)

Method:

1. Peel and dice your potatoes into 2-inch cubes.
2. Rinse the diced potatoes in water.
3. Add the potatoes to a large pot with cold water and several tablespoons of salt. (Do not be afraid to heavily salt the water, it makes for the best flavor!)
4. Boil for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
5. Drain the potatoes and add them back into the same pot.
6. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until there are no longer lumps.
7. In a small saucepan, add the butter, minced garlic, and salt & pepper. Heat on low for a few minutes until the butter is completely melted.
8. Add the warmed butter to the potatoes and stir. The potatoes will become velvety.
9. Lastly, add in the cream. If you like a thicker potato, don’t add as much cream, but if you like it softer, then add more cream.
10. Enjoy!

Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients- 

• 1 can green beans, drained
• 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
• ½ cup grated Parmesan
• Crispy Onions

Method-

1. In a medium baking dish, add the green beans and mushroom soup. Mix until combined.
2. Sprinkle the Parmesan in a thin layer on top.
3. Add the crispy onions on top of the cheese.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30–25 minutes.
5. Enjoy!

Cranberries

Ingredients

• Canned cranberries
• 1 orange, zest and juice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Method

1. In a saucepan, add the canned cranberries. Break up into a jam-like consistency.
2. Add in the cinnamon, the zest of ½ an orange and the juice of ½ an orange.
3. Warm and serve!