Vegetable Soup on a Budget

Sometimes we really have to stretch a dollar. Making homemade soups can really help you do that. A small amount of meat will go a long way in a pot of soup and feed a lot of people. Plus soups can easily be frozen for a quick and healthy meal down the road.
We make a lot of soup, but one of my favorites is the vegetable soup recipe listed below. Sometimes even vegetable soup can be one of the pricier soups to make by the time you buy the stew meat, but this recipe uses ground beef so it really cuts the cost down. If you'd like to cut costs even more, ground turkey is a great alternative. It's cheaper, lower in fat, and there are no growth hormones used in poultry like in beef.
So, put on a big pot of The Ultimate Comfort Food during one of the upcoming chilly afternoons ahead, reflect on the bucks you saved, and watch that smile creep onto your face! Enjoy!

1 pound ground beef or turkey
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
2 (1 ounce) packages dry onion soup mix
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables
3/4 cup elbow macaroni

In a saute pan, brown ground beef, over medium heat.
In a large stock pot, combine broth, water, onion soup mix, tomato sauce, celery, onion, frozen vegetables and macaroni. Bring to a boil and then simmer until macaroni is done.
Add browned ground beef, mix and serve.