souper savings

The December issue of Better Homes and Gardens came in the mail yesterday and what do you know? One of their recipes inspired me once again...partly because the pictures make the food look so good and partly because I already had all the ingredients and my lazy butt was not going to get up off the couch to go grocery shopping. 

Also, this recipe only costs $0.64 per serving and lets face it--a lowly grad student and his wife who works in education don't really have money growing out of their ears so every penny counts!

Rosemary Potato Soup with Crispy Carrots:

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. butter

1 medium white or yellow onion, chopped

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

4 medium russet or white potatoes (1 to 1 1/2 lbs.), peeled and cut in 2-inch chunks

4 cups water

1 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 medium carrots, peeled, then cut in ribbons with a vegetable peeler

Directions:

1. In a 4 or 5 qt. pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent but not brown. Add potatoes, 2 cups of water, and rosemary. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat.

2. With a potato masher, mash potatoes until no lumps remain. Or, for a smoother soup, transfer soup, in portions, to a food processor. Cover and blend until nearly smooth. Return all back to pan. Add remaining 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until thickened and desired consistency, stirring frequently to prevent soup from sticking to pan.

3. While soup is simmering, in a 10-inch skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add carrot ribbons, a few at a time, to hot oil. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until crisp. Transfer to a cooling rack or paper towels; immediately sprinkle with salt. 

4. Spoon soup into serving bowls; top with crispy carrots and sprinkle with pepper.

*My husband and I have recently become obsessed with this olive rosemary bread from Costco and it compliments this potato soup perfectly if you broil it for 1 minute topped with butter and garlic salt. 

**This recipe is perfect for a cold winter night supper! ENJOY :)