Creamy Potato Soup

Serves 4

1 Small Onion - minced

2 Ribs of Celery - minced

2 Medium Carrots - minced

2 Tablespoons of Butter

2 Cubes Vegetable Bouillon

4 Cups of milk
4 Cups of water

3/4 Cups of Potato Pearls

Salt & Pepper to Taste

In a stock pot over medium heat, sauté onion, celery, and carrots in butter until soft and translucent. Smash bouillon cubes and stir them in with the veggies. Pour in water and milk and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and sprinkle in Potato Pearls. Once dissolved, add salt and pepper to taste. Soup will thicken upon standing. Add more liquid if necessary. Serve hot. 

I love to use Potato Pearls because they are super fast, you can buy them in bulk and they store perfectly, and they already have the buttery taste (yum!). One #10 can has 44 servings and you only need 3 for this soup. You can substitute real potatoes if you'd like, just cut them into 1/2 inch sized pieces and simmer the soup until the potatoes are fork tender, about 20 minutes. You can also add a little chicken or sausage to make it more hearty. 

Here is your shopping list:

Item	Have it	Need it	Budget
1 small onion			$0.38
1 bunch celery			$1.23
1 bag carrots			$1.49
1 gallon of milk			$2.50
1 box veg bouillon			$1.29
1 can potato pearls			$16.49
Total			$23.38

Even though the shopping budget is $23.38, the cost for the meal is only $2.95 for four! That is only $0.74 per person.