Grilled Sausage Pattties

I have been dying to make my own sausage.  This week I came across this guy grilling really good tasting "burgers".  They all caught my eye but the one I got inspiration from was his grilled sausage patty with peppers and onion.  I didn't see the recipe, so I seasoned the ground pork to taste.  I will give you an idea of what I added but you may want to change it for your own palette.

To 2 Lbs Ground Pork (this made 7 patties) add seasoning such as these to taste.  1 1/2 Tbl Fennel Seeds, 1/2 tsp Paprika, 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper, 1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp Dried Oregano, Coursely Ground Pepper to taste and 1/2 tsp Onion Powder.  I would start with something like these quantities and make adjustments for the next time.  Remember the onions and peppers will give lots of flavor, too.  Mix together by hand and form into flat patties.  

Thinly slice 2 Banana Peppers, 1 Poblano Pepper and 1 Full Sized Onion.  Preheat a skillet over medium heat and add 2 Tbl Olive Oil.  Add Onions and Peppers and cook til slightly carmelized.  Place in a bowl.  Grill Sausage Patties so they are cooked thoroughly.  I turned them 3 times to get cross hatch grill marks.  Toast Buns or some sort of Crusty Roll.  Serve with Slices of Fresh Tomato  and Grated Mozerella Cheese.  If you have it, add Marinara.  Wonderful quick and flavorful dinner!

For Gluten free serve on toasted gluten free bun or without a bun.

Pineapple is in Season!

This week I bought a beautiful pineapple on sale, $1.99, but in general I see them for around $3.  If you want to stretch your budget, let your nose follow the seasonal fruits!  I have this handy dandy gadget that cores and cuts a spiral all at the same time.  The gadget cost around $20 and is available at Bed Bath & Beyond.  



It's now September 2011 and this gadget broke a few months ago.  I went to Simplee Gourmet on Hwy 21, Covington, LA and bought a stainless steel version.  This one should last a lifetime.  We eat a lot of pineapple because we make smoothies quite often.





 

Once the spiral is on the gadget, you remove the handle and slide all of the fruit off as 1 continuous spiral.  If you want chunks, keep the sprial on the gadget and cut downward from top to bottom making large stacks of chunks until the entire pineapple is cut.  Add berries for a nice colorful fruit bowl!

Fresh Tortellini with Spicy Alfredo

My son is a huge pasta lover, well so am I.  Whenever my husband goes out of town, pasta is on the menu.  I whipped this up after getting him home from an after school activity so dinner was filling and on the table in about 15 minutes, start to finish, no lie! 

Boil an 8 quart pot of water.  In the meantime, heat a large empty skillet over medium heat.  Mince 1 Large Shallot.  Mince Parsley or  1 Scallion green part only, for garnish. Get 1 Garlic Clove in press but don't press just yet.  To boiling water, add  1 Tbl Salt and Fresh Tortellini .  I bought the large pack, 1 Pound Fresh Tortellini, because in the past the 9oz is too small for the 2 of us.    Add 3 Tbl Butter to the skillet.  Add Shallot and sweat til softened, about 1 minute.  Press Garlic directly into the skillet and stir for 30 seconds.  Add 1 1/2 Tbl Flour and sitr to coat shallots.  Cook this for a few minutes, without browning.  Add 1/3 Cup 1/2 & 1/2.  Add 1 Cup Milk.  While stirring, let bubble very gently over medium/medium low heat til it thickens.  Turn off heat and add 1 Tbl Butter and Seasoning at this time.  I used Barbeque Shrimp Seasoning and a bit of S&P.  Swirl skillet to mix.  Add 1 Cup Parmesan Cheese.  Drain pasta and add directly to the skillet to coat.  Serve at once topped with Scallions and additional Parmesan Cheese!

Simple Potato Pancakes to go with our Grilled Burgers Tonight!

I have been making these for a long time.  You can use a food processor to grate the onion and potatoes but they will be more watery than if you use a grater box.  Either way, if they seem watery, squeeze the potatoes and disgard the water to make them drier.  Potato Pancake Recipe is as follows.  You can use most potatoes.  Pictured is large red potatoes with the skin left on.  I haven't used them in the past but frequently roast them because they get very crispy.  I think they turned out well.  This made 8 nice sized potato pancakes and the serving size seemed to be 2.  Preheat a large skillet empty over medium heat.  While the pan is heating, using a grater box, grate  a ratio of 3 Large Red Potatoes with skin on and 1/2 of a Large Yellow Onion and mix together in a bowl.  Coat the bottom of the skillet with 1/4" Canola Oil.  Preheat oven to 250.  To the potato mixture, add 1 Beaten Egg, 1 Tbl Flour, 1 tsp thyme, S&P to taste.  Mix well.  If it seems runny, add a bit more flour.  Use about a 1/4 - 1/3 cup of the mixture and form a patty in you hand and place in hot oil.  If it falls apart upon landing in the skillet, quickly use a  spoon or spatula to gather up the mixture.  Also use the back of the spoon or spatula to flatten the pancake slightly.  Let these cook without touching them until golden brown.  Turn once to brown the 2nd side. 

Add the cooked pancakes to a sheet pan lined with a cooling rack and place in the oven til ready to serve.  I normally season these more but kept it light on account of my 7 year old.  These can be seasoned a variety of ways using rosemary, oregano, chives, scallions, shallots, dill and parsley.  These flavors can be mixed to get you desired flavors.  Season them to compliment your meat choice.  We had these with grilled hamburgers but they go particularly well with sliced steak such as sirlion.

Blackend Redfish on the Grill

Our friend, J, went bow fishing and rod fishing last week and he and his guests limited out on Redfish.  They were all out of town guests, so he got to keep the catch.  He must have spent the better part of Saturday morning giving out the fish.  Some of the fish was "on the half shell" meaning the fillet was left on the scales, perfect for grilling!  I chose Blackend for my fish.  Butter lightly the rinsed Whole Redfish Fillet with 1 Tbl Soft Butter.  Add Blackening Seasoning to Taste.  Add to hot grill, scales side down, and close the lid.  When scales begin to roll gently around the edges and the fish feels slightly firm to the touch, it's done.  It should easily come up from the grill, scales and all.  This puffed up nicely and in the end was thicker than it appeared when it was raw.  Wow, spectacular!  Thanks J!

Fresh Croissants

This comes from my Gourmet Recipes cookbook.  I have never attempted this dough but in general I have become confident when making dough.
Last week for the Saints Victory Parade, we spent the night at the Ritz in New Orleans.  My son and I enjoyed breakfast together and he ordered an assortment of croissants.  He loved the apple filled croissants and yesterday asked me to make them.  I decided, why not? 

This is like no other dough, though, because it gets rolled and folded 4 times with an hour of refrigeration in between.  In other words, it's a lot of work!  But if good, will be worth the time.  It got folded, chilled, rolled, folded, chilled, rolled, folded (as pictured) a total of 4 times. 

As I worked, I began to see the distributed butter bits in the dough which will lend itself to creating the layers.  The dough is beautiful to work with and with each passing hour it puffs up nicely. 

It has taken all day to make these but I just baked the first dozen about an hour ago.  They are superb

This is the Gourmet's Buttery Croissants recipe!  It makes 24 Croissants. Stir together 1 1/2 Cup Warm Milk(105-110 degrees), 1/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar and 1 Tbl + 1/4 tsp Active Dry Yeast (this will require (2) 1/4 oz packages).  Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Add 3 3/4 Cups Flour and 1 Tbl Kosher Salt and on low speed, mix using the dough hook, mix for 7 minutes.  Transfer to a lightly floured surface (I like to use a pastry cloth) and knead for 2 minutes, adding flour if necessary, to make a soft sticky dough.  Form the dough into a rectangle about 1 1/2" thick, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
While dough is resting, Open and Arrange 3 sticks of Cold Unsalted Butter in a 1 Gallon plastic bag.  Using a rolling pin, pound the butter so you end up with a single rectangular shape slab about 8" x 5".  Refrigerate the slab.  Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until you get a shape that is 16" x 10".  Place butter as pictured.  Then fold up the bottom third and fold down upper third.
Rotate the dough so the short side is facing you.  Roll into a shape that is 15" x 10", keeping the thickness consistent by using equal pressure as you roll.  Brush off any extra flour.  Fold in thirds again into a 5" x 10" rectangle and refrigerate for an hour.  Repeat 3 more times, rolling into a 15" x 10" rectangle and folding.  Each time, wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate.  On the 4th time, refrigerate for 8-18 hours.
After 8-18 hours (hopefully overnight) remove dough from refrigerator.  Cut dough in half crosswise and wrap and refrigerate the 2nd half until you are ready for it.  Roll on a lightly floured surface, into a rectangle 16" x 12", stretch the corners to get the shape and trim edges.  Cut the dough in half, lengthwise so the 2 shapes are 16" x 6".  Cut each of these halves into thirds, so about 5" x 6".  Cut each rectangle diagonally into triangles.  (NOTE, it you want many, many layer, cut differently into long triangles with a narrower bottom.  This will take more layers to roll up.)
Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  Holding one end of the dough, stretch to elongate the triangle by 50%.  Begin with the point away from you and roll the dough toward the point.  Place on parchment with the point facing downward.  Curve the ends slightly to get a crescent shape.
Using an UNSCENTED garbage bag, place over the sheet pans.  Use glasses to prop up the bag so it doesn't touch the dough.  Let rise for 2 hours.  Nearing the end of the rising time, preheat over to 425.  Using a spritzer with water, spritz the inside of the oven, and close the door.  Place croissants in the oven and quickly spritz again and bake for 10 minutes without opening the door.  Reduce the temperature to 375 and bake for an additional 10 minutes until they are a deep golden.
Serve immediately with Raspberry Preserves and hot coffee! 

You can bake 2 sheet pans at once.  Place shelves in the lower and upper thirds and rotate the pans after the first 10 minutes.  I was worried the 1st batch got too dark and I can see in my closeup of the inside they should've baked for an additional minute.  For the first time though, very pleased!

Here is a quick time table.
1:30pm Make dough and let rise 1 hour in refrigerator.  
3pm Roll dough, add butter, and let rise 1 hour in refrigerator.
4pm Rolled and let rise 1 hour in refrigerator.
5pm Rolled and let rise 1 hour in refrigerator.
6pm Roll dough and let rise (between 8 and 18 hours) in refrigerator.
6:30am Shape and let Rise 2 Hours at room temperature.
8:30am Bake.

Valentine's Day Cookie Bouquet

Don't these look fun?  I love recipes my son can help me with and he loves to play with the extra dough!  I began making these cookies back in Dec 2001 when I did a cookie decorating day with my all of my friends little girls.  A few years ago at Easter, my sister-in-law, A, arrived at her mother's house with a bouquet of cookies she and her girls made.  I loved it and have copied her idea of adding sticks.  Thanks A! 

These heart cookies on a stick were made yesterday for a belated Valentine's Day exchange at my son's school.  I wrapped them individually in bags.

This is a Gale Gand's cookie dough recipe.  On medium speed, cream 1 Stick Cool UnSalted Butter.  Add 1 Cup Sugar and mix well.  Add 1 Egg, 1/4 Cup Milk and 1/4 tsp Vanilla.  Sift 2 tsp Baking Powder with 1 Cup Flour.  Add to batter.  Sift an additional 2 Cups Flour and add as needed til you have a nice dough, not sticky and not too dry.  Place on plastic wrap and form a disk.  Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours.  Preheat oven to 375.  Roll out dough 1/4" thick and cut out your desired shapes.  Insert a long lollipop stick to each cookie.  No matter what holiday, I always include the mini hearts for additional cookies.  Once you can cut no longer, quickly ball up dough to roll and cut 1 more time.  I don't go any further than that because overhandling the dough makes the cookies too tough.
I let my son play with the rest.  It keeps him busy while the cookies bake.  Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes.  Let cool for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.  Let them cool all the way before icing. 

I made this Cream Cheese Butter Cream recipe up.  Make the icing using a hand held mixer.  I like to blend 3 Tbl Softened Butter and 3 Tbl softened Cream Cheese in a bowl.  Add a Tbl or 2 of 1/2&1/2.  Add enough Confectioners Sugar to get a stiff icing that won't run.  This recipe is very forgiving, so you can make adjustments til you get it just so.  Always have enough sugar on hand because it you make it too runny, the only correction is more sugar.  Divide into separate bowls and color each bowl.  Ice cookies and decorate with sprinkles right away.
For a bouquet, get a peice on floral foam and add to the bottom of a clean pot.  Use 1 of your lollipop sticks to start holes.  Add cookies and deliver your bouquet in person!

HAPPY MARDI GRAS!

My annual cinnamon swirls for Mardi Gras.  Recipe already on the site in recipe file.

Chicken Breast In Mushroom Sauce Recipe

This recipe was given to me by a close family friend, TT, back when I first headed out on my own.  I used it a lot cause I was always broke and it didn't cost much.  If you want to save money further, get bone-in chicken breasts rather than boneless but you will have to bake for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350.  Butter a shallow baking dish.  In a bowl, mix 1 small can Cream of Mushroom Soup with 1 Cup of Sour Cream.  If your budget allows, buy 3-4 Loose Mushrooms, rinse, slice thinly and add them to the mixture.  Add S&P to taste.  If you want, you can add 1 1/2 Cups Frozen Peas at this time.  Spread a small amount of this mixture over the bottom of the baking dish.  Rinse 4 Boneless Chicken  Breasts and add them to the dish.  Top with remaining mushroom mixture.  Sprinkle with Paprika or Parsley or both.  Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until bubbly and chicken is just done.  It will be very tender.  Let rest for 5 minutes and serve.

How to Feed a Family of 4 for Around $100 (The Grocery List Week 2)

3 Gallons of Milk $10.50
1 Bottle of real Orange Juice, Calcium enriched $3.00
1 Pound Butter $3.50
16 Oz Sour Cream $2.00
1 Quart Buttermilk $1.75
2 Dozen Eggs $4.00
 Pork Loin $10.00
2 Pounds Ground Beef $7.00
4 Boneless Chicken Breasts $6.00
Italian Sausage Links $3.75
Rice $3.00
2 Pounds Spaghetti $3.00
2 Boxes of Cereal $6.00
12 Wheat Hamburger Buns $3.00
2 Loaves Nature's Own Bread $5.00
1 Boxed Brownie Mix $1.50
1 Small Can Cream of Mushroom Soup $1.50
2 Hunts Pasta Sauce $2.00
1 Mayonaise $3.00
1 Mustard $1.25
1 Heinz Ketchup $2.00
1 White Grape Juice $3.00
1 Tomato $.50
Sweet Potatoes $3.00
1 Pound Green Beans $2.50
1 Large Bag Carrots $1.75
1 Quart Strawberries $3.00
4 Baking Potatoes $3.50
4 Bananas $2

This week the bill totals just around $100.  For potatoes, if you prefer smaller baked potatoes, get a bag of Russets and you will have some to work with later in the week.  You can always substitute them for rice when you eat pork loin a 2nd night.  You can also make home fries to go with the Egg Salad Sandwiches. 
I would love to hear some feed back if you are trying this type of shopping and cooking.  You can leave a comment without signing in now.

Spicy Shrimp Alfredo Over Fettuccine

This recipe is very simple to make.  With the shrimp peeled and the ingredients layed out in advance, you can make the alfredo sauce in the time the pasta cooks.  Mince 1 Shallot.  Peel 1 1/2 Lbs Medium Shrimp (head on).  I think it netted around 22-25 shrimp.  I keep the tail on to help favor the sauce but you can remove all of the shell if you prefer.  Boil large pot of water for pasta.  Add 2 tsp Salt and 3/4 Lb Fettuccine to the boiling water.  Heat empty skillet over medium high heat.  Add 2 Tbls UnSalted Butter and the shallots.  Stir for about 1 minute til fragrant.  Add Shrimp and stir quickly to just begin the cooking process.  Dust with 1 Tbl Flour, keep stirring.  Reduce to medium heat.  Add 1/2 Cup Chicken Broth and stir for about 1 minute combining all the flavors. Add 1/2 Cup 1/2 & 1/2 stir about 30 seconds.  

Stir in 1 Tbls Barbeque Shrimp seasoning.  Stir 1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese.  Drain Pasta when it's done.  Add pasta to a plate and top with Shrimp Alfredo.  Can garish with Parsley or Green Onion.  Serve with warm crusty bread.  I plated this and we ate it, all of it, so I don't have any pictures of the plates!   

Valentines Day Breakfast

Show a little love with these yummy Manhole Eggs! I have been making these since I was a kid. I used either a a biscuit cutter or a glass to cut the hole. Many years ago, I began using a heart shaped mold and in one of Martha's recent issues, she used a heart shaped mold as well. Great minds think a like, lol!

Preheat skillet over medium heat. Butter both sides of 1 Slice of Bread. On a clean flat surface, cut out the shape of you choice. Butter the lower inside and outside edge of the cookie cutter and set aside. Brown the bread shape on both sides, turning once. Break open 1 Egg into a small dish and have it ready, the rest goes fast. Place bread in skillet and brown the first side. Turn over the bread so the brown side is up. Add your cookie cutter back into the hole. Add a 1/2 tsp Butter to hole and when melted, add the egg. When the egg appears firm enough to turn, remove mold and turn entire piece of bread in one careful motion. Cook for another minute or so. Serve at once!

How to Feed a Family of 4 for Around $100 a week. (The Menu Part 2)

This week will build on things you have left over from Week 1 and they won't be refreshed until my calculations show you don't have any left. Your money will be spent on other ingredients, building your pantry and increasing your meal options.
Monday
B- Pancakes with Fresh Strawberries / Juice & Milk
D- Hamburgers / Baked Potatoes /Milk
Tuesday
B- Cereal / Sliced Strawberries / Juice & Milk
D- Spaghetti / Italian Sausage / Milk
Wednesday
B- Scrambled Eggs / Peanut Butter Toast / Juice & Milk
D- Pork Loin / Sweet Potatoes / Green Beans / Milk
Thursday
B- Cheese Omelettes / Toast / Juice & Milk
D- Chicken Breast in Mushroom Sauce / Carrots /Rice / Milk
Friday
B- French Toast with Banana / Juice & Milk
D- Egg Salad Sandwiches / Lettuce & Tomato / Milk
Saturday
B- Manhole Eggs / Juice & Milk
D- Leftover Pork Roast / Rice / Broccoli / Milk
Sunday
B- Cereal with Sliced 1/2 Banana/ Juice & Milk
D- Leftovers / Milk

Budget Menu Chef's Salad

This salad revolves around using ingredients from the Week 1 grocery list. This Salad consists of Lettuce, Ham, Chicken, Grated Carrot, Tomato Wedges, Diced Hard Cooked Eggs and Grated Cheese.
Place eggs in sauce pan and cover by 1/2" with cold water. Place on stove, uncovered, over medium high heat. Once they simmer, cook for 15 minutes. Using cold water, cool eggs down until they can be handled. Peal and slice or chopped for salad.
In the meantime, slice Ham and cut into strips. Remove chicken from bone and cut up. On the night you cook the carrots, save one for this salad. Peel and grate the carrot. Cut Romas into 8ths resulting in little wedges.
Rinse, spin dry and tear lettuce leaves apart. Place on in a bowl. Add a few Tbl Ranch Dressing and toss to coat. Divide onto plates. Top with all ingredients keeping them separate from eachother so they can be indentified. Add 4-Cheese Mexican Cheese as well. Serve with bread and additional Ranch on the side.

Simple Marinara Sauce

In the time it takes to boil water and cook the pasta, this sauce should be done! For the purpose of the budget menus I suggest using a preseasoned sauce that you amend so you don't have to buy all of the herbs. Dice 1 Small Onion. Preheat sauce pan over medium heat. Add 1 TBL Olive Oil (or Canola if you don't have it). Saute onion quickly while stirring for about 2 minutes. Add 2 Cans Hunts Pasta Sauce. When buying these, pick whatever flavors you like, they can be but don't have to be alike. Stir until combined. Let sauce increase in heat until you get a slight bubble. Turn heat to low and let cook another 15 minutes. Add S&P and italian seasonings if you have them, using basil, oregano, red pepper flakes and parsly. Serve over hot pasta!
For a variaiton, roast vegetables in the oven. Toss peeled and cubed Eggplant, 1/2 " Sliced Zucinni and quartered Roma Tomatoes lightly in olive oil and S&P to taste. Preheat oven to 375 and roast for 50-60 miunutes. Immediately put vegetables in the sauce. Serve over pasta.

Peanut Butter Cookies

I have made this simple peanut butter cookie recipe before but this time my almost 8 year old just about made them by himself. I supervised the measuring and mixing speeds. I also scooped the dough for him and he rolled them and learned to scored them.

Sift together on waxed paper, 1 Cup flour, 1/2 tsp Baking Soda and 1/2 tsp Salt. Set aside. Cream 1 Stick UnSalted Butter and 3/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. On low speed, add 1 Egg and 1 tsp Vanilla. Mix for 1 minute. On low speed, add 1 Cup Crunchy Peanut Butter. Continue on low speed, add flour mixture and mix until combined. Refrigerate the dough in the bowl for 1 hour or it will melt in your hands as you handle it.

Preheat oven to 350. Measure out a consistant size dough portion and roll into a ball. (I used my smalled scoop.) Leave 2" between cookies for they will expand. Place on ungreased sheet pan. Flatten while scoring with the tines of a floured fork. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until fragrant. Let cool before removing from sheet pan. Good lunch box dessert!

Landriau Baked Chicken

This recipe goes back to as far as I remember. It's simple and your teen can help with dinner, but they must be mindful of cleaning the sink of raw chicken juice. I am fortunate enough to have 2 sinks. One is strictly used for vegetable prep and the other for meat and for clean up. Neither the twain shall meet. If you are using 1 sink, the sink must be throughly cleaned with hot water and soap of raw chicken juice.
For a real budget buster, cut up your own chicken. This works particularly well when fryers are on sale. Buy 3-4 Lb Fryers. Using a sharp boning knife, cut off legs and wings at the joint. Flip bird over and remove the back bone. Cut thighs away from the breast. If the breasts are large or you want 10 pieces, cut them in half.
Preheat oven to 400. Line a rimmed sheet pan with foil. Melt 3-4 Tbl Butter over very low heat. Place 1 Cup Seasoned Progresso Bread Crumbs in a flat rimmed dish (a pasta plate) or a dinner plate. While holding chicken, rinse under running cool water. Dredge skin side in bread crumbs and place in pan skin side up. When all chicken is in, brush lightly with melted butter. S&P to taste and place in oven for 1 hour. Half way through cooking you can rotate the sheet pan. Let rest for 5-8 minutes before serving. For a variation and more flavor, you can add 1 clove of pressed garlic to the butter before brushing onto the chicken. Great with any starch and vegetable. For a picnic or tailgate, wrap gently in clean foil without sealing all the way and place in a basket. Always moist!

Clove Infused Brown Sugar Baked Ham Recipe

Here is my own Clove Infused Brown Sugar Baked Ham recipe. I used a 5+ Pound Smithfield Virginia Smoked Picnic which cost under $8.50. We got several meals from it and had enough to make sandwiches and scrambled eggs with ham.
Preheat oven to 350. Place Ham, but not the juices in a roasting pan, fat side up. Using a very sharp knife, score the Ham in 2 directions. The first set of lines should be diagonal in 1 direction and the second set following the opposite diagonal line. You should wind up with a harlequin pattern. If you have 12-18 Cloves, which I like to use, add them now. On a budget though it is not necessary. Using a toothpick, make holes in the center of each diamond. Add a clove to each hole allowing the bulb end of the clove to be visable. Bake in the center of the oven for about an hour. Remove ham from oven and increase oven to 425. Carefully top the hot ham with 1/4 - 1/2 Cups Brown Sugar. It will only burn if it hits the pan, so try to get it between all of the cuts and it will melt in place. Return to oven for 8-10 minutes. Let rest for about 10 minutes before slicing thinly. Serve with Fresh Pineapple for a tasty compliment. Enjoy!

How to Feed a Family of 4 For Around $100 a Week (The Grocery List PART 1)

You will notice right off the bat you aren't buying soda, cookies and snacks. As the pantry builds you will have be more flexibility with your budget but I am assuming it's bare. If you have some items in your pantry already, then your budget will have money for these things you deem necessary.

I have not used store brands but rather name brands in my planning and I priced items based on our local Walmart Store. I have additionally not filled your stomach with things like rice, grits, oatmeal, dried beans, store bought Mac and Cheese or processed food. So in order to hone in on your specific budget you certainly have flexibility. It may be useful to get the Sunday paper each week and to clip the coupons for those items you use regularly or go online and get them there. 

Smoked 1/2 Picnic Ham $8.50
2 Fryer Chickens or Cut Up Chicken $9
3 Gallons Milk $10.50
1 Lb Butter $3.50
2 Dozen Eggs $3.75
8 Cups 4 Cheese Mexican Cheese $8.75
1 Quart Buttermilk $1.75
1 Lb Penne Pasta $1.25
2 Lbs Angel Hair Pasta $2.50
2 Cans Hunts Pasta Sauce $2.25
1 Canola Oil $3.25
5 Lbs All Purpose Flour $2.50
1 Box Light Brown Sugar $1.00
5 Lbs Sugar $3.50
Baking Powder $1.25
Baking Soda $.75
Salt $.55
Progresso Seasoned Bread Crumbs $2.00
3 Boxes Cereal $7.50
1 Peanut Butter $2.00
1 Grape Jelly $3.00
1 Small Ranch Dressing $2.00
3 Loaves Natures Own or Similar Bread $7.50
20 Flour Tortillas $2.00
1 Real Orange Juice (Calcium Enriched) $3.00
1 Apple Juice $3.00
1 5 Lb Bag Russet Potatoes $3.00
1 Lb Bag Carrots $.75
Fresh Broccoli Crowns $1.50
1 Yellow Onion $.50
Fresh Green Beans $2.50
2 Roma Tomatoes $.75
1 Ice Berg Lettuce $1.35
8 Bananas $1.50
2 Golden Delicious Apples $1.00

This first week totals $109.40 and it assumes nothing is on sale. (For example, I paid $.99 for the Potatoes, not the $3.00 listed) I also rounded up prices for the produce. When shopping at Walmart, if you bring the circular for another store with you, they will honor their price. You may also want to purchase the item at the other store if the location is convenient to you.
Pancakes and Buttermilk Biscuit recipes are on this site already. All others made from scratch will follow soon, then we'll move to week 2.

How to Feed a Family of 4 For Around $100 a Week (The Menu PART 1)

You will see that I have alternated the menus to keep from eating the same thing 2 days in a row. The order in which you cook these meals has been carefully thought out. You have some flexibility but if you begin to make changes, rearrange the entire week to make sure your changes don't effect other days. Lastly, if you are a user of paper napkins, find 8 or 12 cloth napkins on sale and wash them regularly. Same goes for plastic wrap, store food in reusable containers.

Monday
B- Cereal with Sliced 1/2 Banana / Juice & Milk
D-Baked Ham /Macaroni and Cheese /Broccoli /Milk
Tuesday
B-French Toast with Jelly & Banana / Juice & Milk
D- Spaghetti with Marinara / Bread and Butter / Milk
Wednesday
B- Fried Eggs / Toast with Jelly / Juice & Milk
D- Baked Chicken / Fresh Carrots / Mashed Potatoes / Milk
Thursday
B- Cereal with Sliced 1/2 Banana / Juice & Milk
D- Leftover Ham / Fresh Green Beans / Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits
Friday
B- Homemade Apple Buttermilk Pancakes / Juice & Milk
D- Chef's Salad / Bread / Homemade Peanut Butter Cookies
Saturday
B- Scrambled Eggs with Ham / Toast with Jelly / Juice & Milk
D- Ham and Cheese Quesadillas
Sunday
B- Cereal with 1/2 Banana / Juice & Milk
D- Buffet Dinner using all leftovers

Budget Conscious Families

I am going to do a multi-part menu planning and grocery list series of posts. The topic will be How to Feed a Family of 4 (breakfast and dinner) For Around $100 a Week. One thing I notice is that when things get tight people tend to lean on canned goods, convenience foods, and soda. Not only are these the least healthy but they are also more expensive than meals cooked from scratch.
A perfect example is Bisquick. I have never been a fan of Bisquick (sorry Bisquick) and the reason is because you can make a few things with it. In my case very few, biscuits and pancakes, and neither tastes good to me. I can buy flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar for around the same price and my options become endless.
Here is the perfect chance to revamp the way your kitchen works. Embrace it. When things turn around for you it'll be all the more sweeter and many habits will stick. During this time, hopefully you will add some new favorites to your go-to recipes your family loves.
I am not in a position to worry about all of this but I worry about it anyway and the reason is, it was the way I was raised. I have never been afraid of being broke and I have been broke many times in my life. The fact is, it's good for the soul. With some creativity, you can make you family really happy and your children will never know the pain. Your example will help them when they get older for they will follow in your footsteps.