Tomato Soup, home made bread & Fruit crumble.

Photo of soup cooking - not finished.
Tomatoes as much as you wish - I filled about 1/4 of stock pot.
2 small Leeks just the whites cut into rings (this is optional but what I had in fridge from organic pack)
1 onion - If I had no leeks I would of put in 2 large onions.
1 - 2 cloves garlic crushed.
small handful of fresh basil 0r 1 teaspoon of dried basil.
salt n pepper
2 stalks of celery & a bit of the leaves too.
1/2 teaspoon of honey -( to neutralize the acidity of the tomatoes)

Place a little bit of olive oil in large pot, add diced onion, garlic & leeks until onions are soft & translucent. Add basil, salt & pepper for a few more minutes.
Add tomatoes & celery, cover with water & simmer for about 30 minutes.. Add more water if needed but not too much that it looses the flavour - there is nothing better than a cook having a taste & adjusting as needed.

This can be quickly prepared in the morning - left on the stove top turned off & then a quick evening meal is nearly ready - just turn the pot back on the element when you walk back in the door.

My family likes soup to be whizzed so near dishing up I put it trough the blender or use a hand held whizz.

Served with home made bread rolls.

My Basic loaf of bread


1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons of yeast - Edmonds sure bake
3 teaspoons of sugar
3 cups flour
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 tablespoon of olive oil.

I use this base for all bread - and I use the bread maker - a real time saver. I either fully make the loaf in the bread maker or set it to dough cycle which takes 2 1/2 hours then I mold it or add toppings like I did for the Poppy seed bread.
And then bake it in the oven
One can also mold them into buns

I use same base recipe for fruit bread - but just add spices & fruit.

Fruit Crumble.

Stew any fruit - a good way to use up bruised apples or pears & rhubarb - I've used all 3 fruits in tonights crumble.

topping
50g butter rubbed in 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup (not pressed down) of brown sugar
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup coconut.
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.
Rub together & sprinkle over the fruit.

Bake in hot 200 deg C oven.

Served with whipped cream