Hearty, Healthy And Cheap Vegetable Soup

I'm always looking for ways to save money. I have a few go-to meals that will feed my household for several days for very little money. Three of of favorites are: chili, spaghetti and vegetable soup! With the weather turning cooler, it is time to start thinking about hearty, warm meals. (I do the chili and vegetable soup in the crock pot when I'm pressed for time).

Ingredients: 1lb. Ground beef (I buy in bulk, separate to zip bags and freeze) 2 cans of mixed vegetables like Veg-all (make sure they have potatoes, unless you want to omit them) 1 can of tomatoes (I use diced) 1 medium onion 4 cloves of garlic (or substitute powdered garlic) Seasonings: salt, pepper, parsley, basil, sage. these are ones that I use. Feel free to experiment with the ones you like.

Add diced onions to the ground beef and they will sauté as you brown the meat. Drain we'll sprinkle with a 1/4 tsp sage, mix well. In a boiler, add meat/onion combo, vegetables, two veggie cans-full of water, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, add diced garlic. Cover and summer until vegetables are tender to your liking. If you like their tenderness right out if the can, you may add the seasonings as soon as it come to a boil and forgo the simmering. .

Otherwise, after simmering for about 20 minutes (which is the length of time I prefer) add 1/4 tsp basil and 1/4 tsp parsley, salt/pepper to taste. Stir well and serve while it is hot. Lasts a week or two refrigerated. You may freeze after cooking if you like. Also, this makes a great, inexpensive meal to take to a friend who may need a break from cooking. *My husband likes his with saltines, my son prefers garlic toast and I like buttered cheese toast with mine! I hope your family loves this as much as mine does! Thanks for looking! :)