Potato Soup Cost Breakdown

Cheap, easy and delish. Every cook's dream dinner.

Cost Breakdown:

• 1 tsp olive oil (4 cents)
  
• 1 small onion, chopped (32 cents)
• 4 slices turkey bacon, chopped (63 cents)
• 6 potatoes, peeled, diced & rinsed (50 cents)
• water (basically free)
• garlic powder, salt, pepper, to taste (10 cents)
• 1/4 cup half-n-half cream (12 cents; you can use milk if you prefer)
• 1/8 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (32 cents)
• 1/4 shredded cheddar cheese (25 cents)
• 6 slices turkey bacon, chopped (95 cents)
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (25 cents)

Total Cost: $3.48

This made enough for 1 meal for us. Admittedly, I used potatoes of varying sizes. I bought a 10lb. bag about 2 weeks ago and some were going soft. They were stored well, but stuff happens. This was a good way to use up the softies. $1.16 per person and there were no leftovers in my family of 3!

How I Made It:

1. In a soup pot heat olive oil over med-high heat. Add onion and saute for a couple minutes. Then add bacon. When onions are translucent and soft, add potatoes and add water. I don't even fully cover my potatoes. Lots of ends are sticking out here and there.
2. Season with garlic powder, pepper and salt. Turn heat to high and allow potatoes to boil for about 8-10 minutes, until soft.
3. While the potatoes are boiling go ahead and saute the other 6 slices of chopped bacon. When thoroughly heated through and crispy to your liking, set aside.
   
4. When potatoes are soft, turn heat to low and, using a potato masher, mash up some of the potatoes. I only mash up about 2/3 of mine and not too much either. I like it chunky.
5. In a small bowl add the cream and a ladle-ful of the hot soup. Then pour this mixture into soup pot. Do not allow the soup to boil from this point on! Add 1/8 cup Parmesan and 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and blend until melted and mixed through.
6. Serve hot with extra cheddar cheese and bacon to garnish.

Mexican Chicken Hodge Podge Cost Breakdown

This recipe came from another recipe that has been modified to include the black beans & rice and the extra salsa and sour cream for garnishment, because I think it takes the meal another notch up. It's just a whole bunch of food all mixed up together in a bowl with Mexican-style spices.

Cost Breakdown:

• 2 large chicken breasts (about 1lb.) -- $2.00
• 1 T extra virgin olive oil, divided -- 10 cents
• 1 tsp. each chili powder, cumin and garlic powder -- 9 cents
• 1 bell pepper, chopped -- 80 cents
• 1 small onion, chopped -- 32 cents
• 1 C black beans -- 17 cents
  
• 1 C corn, thawed from freezer or canned -- 25 cents
• 1 C instant brown rice, cooked -- 18 cents There will be leftover rice as you are only using 1 C of the rice once it's cooked.
  
• 1 C salsa -- 50 cents
• 1/2 C salsa for garnish -- 25 cents
• 1/4 C sour cream for garnish -- 13 cents

Total Cost: $4.79

This made about 5 servings, but you could easily stretch it by adding more black beans & brown rice. Three servings were eaten that night for dinner. Two 1/2 sized servings were served up with other foods on leftovers night. And a final serving was my lunch one day. That brings each serving to 96 cents.

How I Made It:

1. Trim both chicken breasts if necessary and cut into bite size pieces. Chicken cuts more easily when partially frozen.
2. Heat up 1/2 of the oil in a large skillet and brown chicken. Add in spices and continue cooking until done.
3. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside. Heat remaining oil and cook bell pepper & onion until tender crisp. Add chicken back to skillet. Add in black beans and corn and let heat for a minute.
4. Now add the brown rice and salsa. Mix well and cook until everything is heated through.
5. Serve in bowls and top with additional salsa and sour cream.
6. Enjoy!

Notes:

• I freeze my black beans in 2 C increments and I only used 1 C in this recipe. With my leftover black beans and corn and rice, I'll make quesadillas with some cheese and top them with sour cream and salsa.
• My green bell pepper was also in the freezer. I pulled it out ahead of time and thawed it. To equal 1 bell pepper I used 1 cup chopped.
• To increase the chicken and spices add an additional 1/2 tsp of each spice for each piece of chicken you add. So 3 pieces of chicken would mean using 1 1/2 tsp each chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin.
• To increase the spice use medium or hot salsa. I used mild in the recipe so the whole family can enjoy it. I used medium salsa in my garnish to give me the kick I like.
  
• I think my favorite thing about this recipe is that it's so easy to add more of the stuff you like and less of the stuff you don't like. It's really about the mixture and the spices that get used and less about the exact specifics. If you have 1/2 cup of leftover rice from another meal and don't want to cook more, then don't. The flavor won't change. If you're a vegetarian, skip the chicken altogether and use more black beans and extra veggies. Just add the spices to the black beans and mix well to evenly distribute.
  

Tangy Slow Cooker Pork Roast Cost Breakdown

I have a bunch of pork roasts sitting in my freezer after scoring such good deals on them. I've been looking for a recipe that would really hit the WOW factor here at home with everyone. I think I found it with this one. I followed some suggestions from various reviews and I thought I would share my final recipe. I've also got ways this can be turned into 3 additional unique meals, so while you may make the same pork roast it can taste slightly different each time or you can make the leftovers a whole new meal with one of the variations. My husband *loves* this meal and I'm glad because I'll be making it about every 3 or 4 weeks!

Cost Breakdown:

• 1/2 large onion sliced -- 20 cents
• 2 lbs boneless pork roast -- $2.94 Using the median price range of all roasts I purchased.
• 2 C chicken broth -- 64 cents
• 1/4 C brown sugar -- 7 cents
• 6 T apple cider vinegar -- 10 cents
• 4 T low sodium soy sauce -- 10 cents
• 2 T bbq sauce -- free
• 1/2 t black pepper -- 1 cents
• 1 t salt -- 2 cents
• 1 t garlic powder -- 3 cents
• 1 t hot pepper sauce -- 5 cents
• 3 C egg noodles -- 50 cents
• 1 T butter -- 6 cents
  
• 1 C broccoli -- 50 cents

Total Cost: $5.22

There is enough meat that we will eat twice from the roast, making the total cost more than reasonable. I doubled the broth mixture from the original recipe and I'm really glad I did. There was more than enough for us to pour broth over the noodles on the plate and for me to save for sandwiches the next day.

How I did it:

1. Slice onion and layer on bottom of slow cooker. Optional: Brown roast on all sides using a tablespoon or so of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Slice deep gashes into the roast; I did 5 gashes giving me 6 slices. Place roast on top of onion.
2. In a bowl mix together broth, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, bbq sauce, pepper, salt, garlic powder and hot pepper sauce. Pour over roast.
3. Cook on low 6-8 hours.
4. Serve over hot buttered egg noodles with broccoli on the side.

Notes:

• Another way to prepare the roast and get a different type of meal is to add potatoes and carrots in the space around the roast. This gives you almost a traditional pot roast, but with pork instead. I would probably use red potatoes since they seem to hold their shape better when cooked.
  
• My husband said that the dish looked like pork stroganoff which got me thinking of another meal option. Simply take some broth after the cooking is done and add it to the egg noodles along with some sour cream. Place pork on top of the noodles or chunk it up and mix it in.
• One of the reader comments mentioned pork bbq sandwiches with the leftovers. The reader shredded the pork and mixed in some of the broth and additional bbq sauce. We are doing that, simmering it on the stove for about 20 minutes to really blend the flavors, and pairing it with seasoned baked potato wedges and some mixed veggies. Since the pork, broth, and bbq sauce are free/leftover that leaves me a minimal cost for about 4 buns, 1 1/2 cups of mixed veggies and 4 red potatoes (maybe $1.50).
  

Goulash Cost Breakdown

I recently learned from my husband, who is 1/2 German and who's mother immigrated to America from Germany, that Goulash is a very regional dish. Depending on where you visit Goulash can take on a number of forms. In his 20s my husband visited Germany and tasted several different regional Goulash dishes. When we were dating and I learned my husband could make Goulash I asked him to make it one night for dinner and he obliged me. It was just like my mother's and I adored my mother's Goulash growing up; it was something we had for dinner normally once a month or so.

Now if Goulash is a regional thing and my husband's Goulash, which he learned to make from his mother, and my mom's Goulash, which has been passed down from my German great-grandparents, tastes the same, then does that mean they are from the same area of Germany? So maybe our relatives know each other.

This recipe is the epitome of comfort food. It doesn't have a lot of spices the way we make it, but sometimes my husband will use Italian Diced Tomatoes and my mom has been known to add garlic and those simple changes make a big impact on the flavor.

Cost Breakdown:

• 1lb box of elbow macaroni -- $1
• 1lb of ground beef -- $1.49
• Salt & pepper to taste -- 6 cents
  
• 1 large can of crushed tomatoes -- 89 cents
• 1 standard can of diced tomatoes -- 49 cents
• 1/2 loaf scratch bread -- 50 cents
  

Total Cost: $4.43

We normally eat 2 dinners off 1 pot of Goulash and often a lunch or 2 as well. It pairs beautifully with salad though we skipped that this time around.

How My Husband Made It:

1. Boil noodles according to directions.
2. Meanwhile, brown ground beef until done in a large skillet. Salt & pepper beef to taste. We don't use much salt as the canned tomatoes normally have plenty, but many people feel the need to salt ground beef. I would also like to add that if you want garlic in your Goulash, saute it lightly just before adding the beef.
   
3. After noodles are done, drain and add to beef in skillet along with both cans of tomatoes. Heat everything until it's nice and hot.
4. Serve generous portions with fresh, warm bread. Butter is optional, but oh so yummy!

Homemade Pizza Cost Breakdown

Can anything please a family more than pizza?

Cost Breakdown:

• 2 C water -- 3 cents (??? Big time guessing on this one!)
  
• 2 T brown sugar -- 5 cents
• 2 T yeast -- 60 cents
  
• 2 T EVOO -- 20 cents
• 1 1/2 t salt -- 3 cents
• 5 C bread flour -- $1.46
• Homemade Pizza Sauce -- 40 cents
• 1 C shredded mozzerella cheese -- 63 cents
  

Total Cost: $3.40

The crust portion of the recipe makes 2 crusts. The pizza sauce is for 1 pizza. I froze 1/2 the dough since I only need 1 pizza. So for the actual meal that night the cost was $2.19.

How I Made It:

1. Combine warm water, brown sugar, and yeast in a bowl and allow to become bubbly, about 10 minutes.
2. Add to your "proofed" yeast the oil, salt, and flour. Knead for about 5 minutes if doing by hand or about 2-3 minutes in a stand mixer.
3. Cover and allow to rise -- about an hour, depending on the temps in your house, humidity levels, etc. Keep an eye on it.
4. While the dough is rising make up your pizza sauce so the flavors can blend while you wait.
   
5. Once the dough is about twice it's starting size, divide into 2 parts. I froze 1 part of my dough, but you don't have to. Roll out, using a bit of flour and a rolling pin, to about the size of a 12 inch pie and place on a pizza pan or stone.
   
6. Top with sauce and cheese.
   
7. Bake at 350* for about 15 minutes.
   

Notes:

• If you have time, use less yeast and give the dough more time to rise. But if you're pressed for time using more yeast will help everything rise faster.
• I don't quite use the whole can of sauce when I make it. I just dump the extra in a bowl and use it for dipping. I like a lot of sauce with my pizza, so it's a good compromise to dip my pizza in the extra sauce.
• Pizza can have very varying costs when you enter the world of toppings. I do buy pepperoni (the Kroger brand turkey kind) and I make one package last through about 3-4 pizzas, but it does raise the cost of 1 pizza about 75 cents. Personally, I love cheese pizza; sprinkle a little basil on top of the cheese and I'm a happy camper. But if you need toppings leftover sausage, crumbled hamburger, veggies that need using up all make great toppings and keep the price minimal.
• This dough is a bit thicker, more like a pan pizza. You can roll it thinner and use a bit less dough to get a thin crust; this will also stretch the dough into a possible 3rd pizza.
• If you like breadsticks, simply shape accordingly, brush with butter (and garlic!!!) and bake. But watch them because they will cook up a lot faster! Enjoy them by simply dipping into the sauce.

Turkey Pie Cost Breakdown

Sorry about the delays this week and about the lack of pictures!

Cost Breakdown:

• 1 lb ground turkey -- $1 Found it marked down for quick sale!
• 2 carrots -- 10 cents
• 3/4 C breadcrumbs, Italian seasoned -- 25 cents
• 1 egg -- 6 cents
• 1/2 small onion -- 16 cents
• 1 t. garlic powder -- 3 cents
  
• 3 russet potatoes -- 30 cents
• 1 C shredded cheddar cheese -- 63 cents
• 1 C broccoli -- 50 cents
  

Total Cost: $3.03

The pie component makes 6 servings and cost $2.53 or 42 cents a serving. The broccoli is a side item that I don't eat. (And you won't convince me to eat it. Ever.) It added an additional 25 cents per serving to both my husband's and daughter's dinners, bringing the total per serving to 67 cents for each of them. Still, a very inexpensive meal altogether.

How I made it:

1. Preheat oven to 350* and grease a pie pan.
2. Mix together in a bowl the ground turkey, 2 carrots (shredded), breadcrumbs, egg, and chopped onion. (The onion is best when you chop it quite fine.)
3. Press mixture into the pie pan bring it up on the sides, much like a pie shell.
4. In the hollow add the russet potatoes that you have shredded. Use frozen if you have them! Fresh works, but frozen works *so* much better in this recipe. You can use shredded or cubed if you buy frozen. Use about 1 lb's worth.
   
5. Bake about 45 mintues or until meat mixture is cooked through.
6. Top with cheese and bake another 5 minutes or so.
7. Steam broccoli -- in the bag, in a microwave cooker, on the stove top, or whichever other method works for you.
8. Cut pie like a... well, like a pie! Serve with broccoli on the side and enjoy!

Notes:

• The garlic powder is not necessary. I just happen to love garlic. If you don't, then omit it.
• Another way to cook this if you don't have a pie pan is to press it into a cake pan. Or use a different shape altogether. I've pressed the mixture evenly into the bottom of an 8x8 square pan, layered on the potatoes and then cut into square-ish portions. Really, just go with what you've got on hand.
• The carrots will add a nice sweetness to this dish. If sweet is not your thing, you may want to skip this recipe. The carrot-y-ness is pretty obvious in the flavor. We love it and I love that it's another way to bring a veggie to the table, but it might not be your thing.
• If you don't have Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, just use plain and add about a tablespoon or so of Italian seasoning to the mix.
• I'll say it again -- frozen potatoes work better! I used fresh b/c I was out of frozen and forgot to buy them and it did work in a pinch, but I prefer it with frozen. Frozen potatoes have a different texture that in this case works better.
• Ground chicken is a good substitute for ground turkey; usually ground chicken is what see marked down. I got lucky with the turkey. I don't recommend ground beef; it's just me, but I don't think the carrots go as well with the ground beef as they do the ground turkey or chicken.
  

Honey Mustard Salmon Cost Breakdown

Well, there will be no pictures this time as my camera batteries went kaput and I just picked some up new batteries last night. However, you don't really need pictures as this meal is super simple and very fast. Actually the ease of cooking of salmon is part of the reason I like it so much. Sure it's tasty and all that, but where else are going to find a meat that cooks in 10 minutes so your whole dinner is ready in 15 minutes?

Cost Breakdown:

• 3 salmon fillets (4oz each) -- $3
• 2 T dijon mustard -- 10 cents
• 2 T honey -- 10 cents
• 1 C brown rice -- 13 cents Purchased a clearance box that was mildly dented; only 79 cents!
• 1 1/2 C mixed vegetables -- 50 cents

Total Cost: $3.83

Made exactly 3 servings as my daughter generally eats an entire fillet on her own. That means each meal was about $1.28.

A lot of people don't eat salmon because of the expense and they're right that it can be a big hindrance. I buy my salmon fillets from Aldi. They are individually packaged, boneless and skinless. A bag of 4 fillets costs $3.99. Each time I open a bag I put 1 fillet aside in my freezer, so every 3 bags I open generates another meal's worth of salmon. Since we eat salmon once a week on average, I spend $12 a month for 4 meals of salmon.

When I lived in Virginia there was no Aldi. Instead I would wait until a sale and then buy 10 packages of fish. The sale price was a bit less than what I pay now, so I can imagine that if Aldi ever has a sale on salmon I'm likely to but at least a 2 month supply in one swoop, if not more. I feel I can justify the cost of using salmon if I keep the sides inexpensive. Brown rice is generally inexpensive and goes nicely with salmon; using frozen veggies is also pretty inexpensive.

How I made it:

1. Preheat oven to 350*. Lightly spray a small pan of your choice.
   
2. In a small bowl mix the dijon mustard and honey.
3. Place fillets in pan and spoon mustard mixture over fillets -- about 1 T per fillet.
4. Place fish in oven and prepare rice and mixed vegetables.
   
5. When everything is done cooking, place rice and vegetables on plate and place a fillet over the rice. It looks fancier this way, but if you don't like your food to touch, just divy your plate into thirds.
   
6. Enjoy!

Notes:

• I will buy those veggies that steam in the bag if there's a good sale. Generally though I just buy the family size bags when they're running about $1 to $1.50, dump what I need into my micro-cooker, add a splash of water, and nuke for 4 minutes. Way cheaper than the steamer bags, but they do require the extra steps of pouring and adding water!
  
• I use instant brown rice that takes 10 minutes, which is about how long it takes my fish to cook -- so convenient!
  

Jambalaya with Pork Cost Breakdown

This is an older recipe from a cookbook that I modified to fit in with my family's spiciness restrictions. It's extremely easy to double or even triple and freezes well, so feel free to let your slow cooker do the work and make some freezer meals.




Cost Breakdown:

• 1 T EVOO -- 10 cents
• 1 lb pork chops -- $2.81
• 1/4 t celery salt -- 1 cent
• pepper to taste -- 2 cents
• 1/2 lb smoked sausage (no kielbasa on hand) -- 89 cents
• 1 can (about 15 oz) diced tomatoes -- 49 cents
• 1/2 red bell pepper -- 50 cents
• 1/2 C chicken broth -- 16 cents
• 1 t oregano -- 3 cents
• 1 t Cajun seasoning -- 3 cents**
  
• 1/2 onion -- 16 cents
• 2 C instant brown rice -- 36 cents

**I made this myself in order to control the cayenne (red pepper) and that controlled the spice level. To make this mix up equal parts of each white pepper, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Add to your mix 1/2 part of cayenne. Making it myself keeps us from having all the added salt or MSG that many manufacturers will use. Don't let the look of this fool you -- it's very authentic tasting. And if you like spicy (and I don't blame you!), just up the cayenne to a full part equal with the other ingredients. A lot of people add the oregano to their Cajun seasoning; I don't because it's not the same texture as the other ingredients and doesn't seem to mix well when I add it. This way works for me.



Total cost: $5.56

Makes 4 servings, but we only got 3 out of it. It was garage sale day and it was chilly out; I think we were hungrier than normal, but it was a filling meal and well worth it. Per person this works out to $1.85.

How I made it:

1. Cut pork chop into 1/2 to 1 inch pieces. Sprinkle with celery salt and pepper. Brown in skillet with EVOO. They don't have to be cooked through; they will finish up in the slow cooker.
   
2. Add pork chops to slow cooker along with all your other ingredients. Cook on low 7-8 hours. Making the recipe this way (with 4 servings) doesn't yield a lot so watch your crock size; crocks should be at least 1/2 full during cooking.
   
3. Cook brown rice according to directions. Place brown rice in the bottom of your bowls and scoop jambalaya on top.
4. Enjoy!

Notes:

• We were supposed to have fruit with this. Instead we had the fruit later as a snack.
• I use celery salt because my family, and especially me, isn't into celery a whole lot. This way we get the flavor but within our control. It's not the exact same, but it works for us. If you like celery, by all means just use regular salt and add some chopped celery to your list of ingredients!
• I did not double the recipe this time around because I'm low on freezer space. By mid-October this should not be a problem. (Good problem to have though, right?) Really though, if you can, at least double it and freeze the extra. The next time you need a 15-minute meal all you have to do is heat the jambalaya and cook up some fresh rice. Easy-peasy.
  

Garlic Pork Roast Cost Breakdown

Here's a link to the original recipe. I made modifications to suit my family's preferences. Also, because I'm feeling blog-y, here's a picture of the leftovers -- in my pretty blue pyrex to boot! The recipe came out more lemon-y than garlic-y for me, but that's easily resolvable for the next time I make this dish -- just use less lemon.

We ate this for leftovers Tuesday night and like most recipes it just got better with sittin'! It was still too lemon-y, but I think the flavors blended more. Definitely worth waiting for!

Cost Breakdown:

1/2 Boneless Pork Loin (about 2 lbs.) -- $2.87
1 T EVOO -- 10 cents
1 t salt -- 3 cents
1 t pepper -- 3 cents
1 C chicken broth -- 32 cents
1/2 a medium onion -- 16 cents
2 T garlic -- 10 cents
8 slices fresh lemon peel (from 2 lemons) -- 55 cents*
1 1/2 lbs. red potatoes -- $1.20
1 small bag of baby carrots -- $2
1/2 t dried thyme -- 5 cents
1 dozen drop biscuits -- $1 These, I'm certain, cost much less, but it's just an estimate.

*I had to use 2 lemons at 55 cents each to get enough lemon peel. However, I'm using the lemon juice in another recipe, so nothing will get wasted. Because of that I'm only counting 1/2 the cost of the 2 lemons.

Total cost: $8.41

This meal made 6 servings, which gives my family 2 meals -- one on Sunday night and another for a leftovers night. Each serving will cost about $1.40. Each meal will cost about $4.21.

How I made it:

I pretty much followed the directions from the original recipe.

1. Brown the pork on all sides in a skillet with the EVOO.
2. Transfer pork to a slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and then add the broth, onion, garlic, lemon peel, potatoes and carrots.
3. Sprinkle everything with the thyme.
4. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Notes:

• By looking at the original recipe and looking at mine you can see some minor differences. I almost always use EVOO as opposed to vegetable oil. I cut down the onion as none of us are huge fans. I used a smaller roast.
• The big change I'll make next time is to place all the veggies and whatnot at the bottom of the crock, sprinkle with thyme and put the pork on top. Usually when I do a roast this is what I do, but the instructions for this recipe call for the roast to go in first and everything else around it or somewhat on top as it all can't fit in the moat around the meat. The first time I make something I follow the recipe exactly, unless I know it's a mistake, and make notes for the second time around.
• I use garlic in a jar. Even with a garlic press getting it from a jar is so much faster!
• My baby carrots are expensive because I buy them organic. It's the only thing I consistently buy organic. Why? Because non-organic baby carrots are dipped in bleach before being packaged and shipped to the store. I don't want to be ingesting a chemical that was originally developed for chemical war-fare. Yes, LOTS of non-organic produce has something bad done to it, but it's all about the baby steps for me. My budget doesn't allow me to buy all organic or I would, but it's one small thing.
• The pork loin roast (boneless) was purchased when there was a sale at Kroger for $1.47/lb. I bought 2 roasts, both just shy of 4 lbs. One roast was cut in half so we will get 2 meals out of it, plus 2 meals of leftovers. The other roast was frozen whole and is being saved for when my parents come to visit in December. Any meat you can still get around $1.50/lb is a good deal and you need to scoop it up.
  
• In my original meal plan I had a salad and fruit both paired to go with this meal. I ran rather late with putting dinner on the table that night and since the meal had plenty of veggies, I skipped making a salad. I did slice 2 apples and placed those on the table for snacking after the meal was done. And I added the drop biscuits, because you just can't have a roast without some sort of fresh bread!
  

Triple Bean Soup Cost Breakdown

I find deep satisfaction in knowing how much a meal costs me. There are some great blogs out there that do this regularly, like 5dollardinners. I'm not necessarily trying to get my meals down to $5, but I do aim for inexpensive healthy meals. Today I'm breaking down the cost of my Triple Bean Soup, which is a good basic soup that you can make many simple modifications on for a whole new creation.

We use a good amount of kidney and black beans, so those I cook up myself from bags of dried beans. Anything else I need from time to time is purchased in a can. After I cook my beans I store them in the freezer in 2 cup increments, which is about how much you get when you purchase canned beans. (To be honest though there's been a lot of package shrinking lately, so with my method I think I'm actually getting more beans than if I used a can. Another bonus: canned beans often have salt added; home-cooked does not.)

Cost Breakdown:

1/2 onion -- 16 cents
1 T garlic -- 5 cents
1 T EVOO -- 10 cents
2 C kidney beans -- 66 cents
2 C black beans -- 66 cents
1 can of other beans -- 74 cents*
2 C chicken broth -- 63 cents
1 can diced tomatoes -- 49 cents
2 t basil -- 5 cents
1 dz scratch corn muffins -- $1

*This time around I used white kidney beans. Sometimes I use cannellini beans. It really depends on my mood when I go to make dinner.

Total cost: $4.54

Makes 6 servings, so that's 76 cents per serving. There are usually leftover muffins which are snacked on, but all dozen are included in the cost of the meal. Keep in mind that we are a 3-person family, so this is 2 meals for us.

How I make it:

1. Chop and saute onion with garlic in EVOO.
2. Rinse off beans.
3. Add beans, broth, tomatoes and basil. Heat until the soup is hot all the way through.
4. Serve with corn muffins on the side.

Notes:

• Use more or less onion and garlic depending on your family's preferences.
• Vegetarian? Use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.
  
• Not into vegetarian? Add some sliced kielbasa to the soup. On leftovers night I remembered that there were some chopped hot dogs needing to be used up, so I added those. It was a hit with the kid as hot dogs only come around once a month typically.
  
• Play with your tomatoes! There are all kinds of tomatoes out there with seasonings. See if you'd prefer one of those in place of plain diced tomatoes.
• If you need something green with your meal, add a side salad.
• My daughter loves the basic soup simply topped with Romano or Parmesan cheese; so do I.