Sweet deals on desserts
Smart shoppers are always looking for ways to save money at the grocery store. A growing number of them are finding that one way to save money on everything from appetizers to desserts is to buy store brand items.
A November 2008 Nielson survey showed that 67 percent of shoppers said store brands provide "extremely good value" for their prices and a 2009 GfK Custom Research survey found that nearly 55 percent of shoppers say they buy private label items frequently.
Nearly three-fourths of shoppers in both surveys said that store brand quality is as good as the national brands.
According to The Private Label Manufacturer's Association (PLMA), these items are made by large national brand manufacturers, small, quality manufacturers, major retailers and wholesalers and regional brand manufacturers.
Because of this, says the PLMA report Store Brands Today, "Store brand items consist of the same or comparable ingredients as the national brands. Because the store's name or symbol is on the package, the consumer is assured that the product is manufactured to the store's quality standards and specifications."
Store brands let shoppers take advantage of high quality, lower-cost store brand items so that they can buy more and spend less. And that's a pretty sweet deal.
<b>Crust</b>9 whole graham crackers, crushed (about 1¼ cups crumbs)¼ cup sugar½ cup butter, melted<b>Filling</b>2 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk¾ cup creamy peanut butter¼ cup heavy whipping cream2 eggs½ cup chocolate syrupPreheat oven to 350°F. Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter together. Press crumbs into the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan.In large mixing bowl, blend cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, peanut butter and whipping cream until smooth and creamy. Add eggs one at a time until blended. Pour batter into spring form pan. Drizzle chocolate syrup over the top of batter. Run a knife through the batter to swirl the chocolate syrup. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen cake. Remove spring form pan. Allow to cool completely. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
1 bag (11 ounces) caramel bits2 tablespoons milk9 whole graham crackers1 cup roasted peanuts1 cup miniature marshmallows1 cup pretzels, broken into large pieces½ cup chocolate syrupIn a microwave safe bowl, microwave caramel bits and milk on high for 2 minutes; stirring every 30 seconds until melted.Line bottom of 13 x 9-inch baking pan with foil. Place graham crackers in bottom of pan, breaking into smaller pieces when necessary to completely cover pan. Pour caramel mixture over the top of the graham crackers. Layer with peanuts, marshmallows and pretzels. Drizzle chocolate sauce on top. Allow to cool before cutting into bars.
Half-gallon block vanilla ice cream, softened1½ cups raspberry preserves10 chocolate sandwich crème cookies, crumbled¾ cup chocolate syrup, divided1 8-oz. tub frozen nondairy whipped topping, thawedLine bottom of a 13 x 9-inch pan with foil. Remove paper carton from ice cream block. Using a knife dipped in hot water, cut slices of ice cream and place in bottom of pan. Spread ice cream into a smooth layer.Spread preserves over ice cream. Sprinkle cookie crumbles on top of preserves. Drizzle ½ cup chocolate syrup over cookie crumbles. Top with slices of remaining ice cream. Spread ice cream until smooth.Place in freezer for a minimum of 3 to 4 hours. Remove from freezer and turn out onto serving platter. Remove foil. Frost with whipped topping. Drizzle remaining Z\v cup chocolate syrup over top to decorate. Return to freezer until ready to serve.
