Great Grandma's Potato Soup

Okay, this is another of my favorite fall soups! Once again it feeds a crowd, but it doesn't freeze quite as well as Taco soup. The recipe can be halved though.

Ingredients:

• 6-10 Potaotes, peeled [2.99 for 5 pounds]
• 1 Tbsp salt [on-hand]
• 1 Onion, chopped [0.44]
• 1 clove garlic, minced [1.29]
• 2-3 cans evaporated milk [4.77 for 3]

Optional:

• 4 strips bacon [3.59 for Turkey bacon]
• 2 cups broccoli florets [1.50 for one pound]
• 1 cup shredded cheese [4.89]
• 1 can chicken or vegetable broth [1.59]
• 1 can creamed corn [1.49]

Directions: Cut up potatoes into chunks and drop into a large pan of cold water. Strain, and refill the pot with just enough water to barely cover the potatoes. Add salt, and cook the potato chunks until soft. In a medium skillet, brown the onion in a little olive oil, or even the drippings from the bacon. Add garlic to the onion, drain if needed, and let sit until the potatoes are cooked.
For a really thick soup, pour off half of the water from cooking the potatoes, for a thinner soup, leave more (or even all) of the water. Add in the onion and garlic, as well as any optional ingredients, and heat again to near boiling, stirring occasionally. Remove pot from heat, and add evaporated milk. Stir and serve with crusty French bread.
[With ALL of the add-ins, this meal ends up being about $25.00 for 8-10 generous servings. And we usually use only 1-2 add-ins, making our usual cost $2 or less per serving]