Corn and bacon chowder

½ lb bacon, coarsely chopped, grease saved
2 potatoes, diced
1 cup chopped onion
¾ cup chopped celery
2 bay leaves
2 cups milk
1 box frozen corn
1 14 ¾ oz can creamed corn
1 ¼ cups broth
½ cup chopped celery leaves
hot pepper sauce to taste

Cook bacon in large heavy soup pot and remove with slotted spoon. Into same pan with bacon drippings, add potatoes, onion, celery and bay leaves, and sauté 5 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add milk, corn, creamed corn, and broth, bring to boil and reduce to medium-low. Cover and simmer, 15 minutes. Add rest, including bacon, simmer 5 minutes. Serve.

Cost: a box of corn runs about $1, another $1 for the can of creamed corn, say $2 for a half-pound of bacon and $2 for everything else. $6 total, and this will feed 6-8 as a main course or 2 adults for 3-4 meals. That's $1 or less per serving.