Can You Feed 5 for $50 a Week?
 Greetings!
 
Would you like to spend less at the grocery store and still eat healthy?

Are you looking to learn cooking tips to make your meals more flavorful?

We are celebrating nine months of showing savvy customers how to stretch those grocery dollars.  I consistently feed our family for roughly $50.00 a week.  How do I do it?  Tip #1.  Never take a grocery list for dinners to the grocery store.  This is the number one way people ruin their budget and overspend!

For April we are going to have virtual classes.  On Thursdays I will send you one recipe based upon the deals of the week at no charge.  I will also share how much I spend in a week at the grocery store and any helpful tips to get you through the recipe.  In May we will return to our 45 minute Thursday classes in our store where I supply participants with dinner recipes and ideas for tantalizing desserts, all based on that weeks grocery finds. 

So here we go!  This week I spent $42.59.  This included cereal for the kids and snacks for their school treats.  The savings for the groceries was 33%.  That being said I still need to run by the butcher where I will drop about $20 to $30 on red meat, however the meat will keep us going for about 3 weeks. 
The following recipe is based upon savings at Safeway.  However, the brick and mortar classes take into account all grocery stores. 
Chicken and Red Bell Pepper Braise
All Clad Saute Pan
5-6 chicken thighs (or the whole chicken, butchered)-bone in, gives the most flavor and moisture, try not to use a boneless chicken breast you have stashed in your freezer.
1 T. olive oil
¾ cup chicken broth or white wine
½ jar of fire roasted red bell peppers (8 oz)
Heat over medium heat a 3-4 quart sauté pan.  Add olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.  Add chicken pieces and brown, approx. 4 minutes each side.  Add the liquid and reduce the temperature to low, cover the pan.  Let the meat gently cook for about 15 minutes.  Add the fire roasted red bell peppers add more liquid if needed to maintain ¾ cup.  Keep the pan uncovered, and simmer to reduce the liquid to approx. ½ cup (you are intensifying flavors in this step.)  Salt and pepper to taste.
 Variation:  prior to salt and pepper add 4 oz. cream cheese to make a creamy, rich sauce. 

Extra Recipe
Irish clover
O.K.  Being potatoes and onions are also on sale this week here is a quick recipe to go with the chicken. 

1 T. olive oil
1 T. butter
1 onion sliced very thin (use your mandolin)
2-3 potatoes sliced very thin (again, use your mandolin)
 
Heat a large fry pan on medium high heat, add the olive oil and butter to the pan (the combination of olive oil and butter increases the temperature butter can handle and intensifies flavor.)  Once the butter has melted add the onions and sauté quickly at medium high heat (this kills off nasty little critters like salmonella.)  Add the potatoes and reduce the temperature to medium.  Gently fry the potatoes and onions until cooked through.  Let the potatoes brown for that wonderful flavor; be careful not to break too many of the slices of potatoes.   Serve hot with the chicken. 

 
Deals to make these recipes happen:
 
 
Chicken (whole) $0.69/lb -I sure am glad my mother taught me how to butcher a chicken!  If you don't know how or don't want to spend the time, they also have drumsticks and thighs for $1.29/lb
Mezzetta Fire Roasted Red Bell Peppers- 16oz $3.55.  Great deal being there is 3 or more peppers in the jar compared to paying $1.99 each for fresh.  You need them roasted for this recipe anyway. 
Russet Potatoes- $0.88/lb
Sweet Onions- $0.88/lb
Butter is on sale; use the coupon in the Wednesday circular to get the pound for $0.99 (generally I don't clip coupons,however, this is a good one!)
Safeway chicken broth is also on sale.
Organic salads $1.99 each.  I grab these whenever they are on sale just for the pure ease of not having to chop the lettuce myself...boy doesn't that sound lazy, and yes, I can be very lazy!
 

Go create something in your kitchen!  Have questions?  Need help?  Contact me at mycopperkettle@yahoo.com, or 307-742-1800
 

Cyndi and the Kettle Crew
The Copper Kettle  209 South Second Street, Laramie Wy 82070, 307-742-1800
April Hours:  Mon-Sat 9:00am to 6:00pm, closed on Sundays through April.