Soup is a budget's best friend.

Times are tough all over and no where is that more evident then when you make your way to the grocery store. So I thought I would share with you one of my favorite ways to make my grocery dollar stretch just a little bit further. It comes down to one word SOUP! Soup has got to be one of the most economical ways to feed a large family or to make sure you have leftovers for several days. Soup is filling, comforting, and can make a cheap piece of meat taste wonderful. So over the next month I thought I would share with you some of my favorite budget friendly soup recipes that I have tried and loved.

I'm going to start with one of my favorites Chicken and Wild Rice Soup. Other than the meat that is in the cream of chicken soup this recipe doesn't require any other meat. However, it does taste very meaty. I used a mixed vegetable mix instead of straight broccoli and carrots and they were frozen. I also used a low fat cream cheese to help cut some of the calories but trust me when I say this is very yummy and filling.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cream of chicken soup, diluted as stated on can
• 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
• 1 package uncle ben chicken and wild rice mix
• 1 medium carrot, chopped or shredded
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
• slivered almond (optional)

Directions

1. Bring rice to boil, then reduce heat& simmer 10 minutes.
2. Add broccoli& carrots.
3. Simmer 5 minutes.
4. Add soup& cream cheese.
5. Stir until melted.
6. Just before serving, top each serving with slivered almonds, if desired.

Let me know what you think of this super easy soup. I think when it was all said and done it cost me a total of $6.00 and offered four large servings.