Soups are something which is great for using left overs up including stocks made earlier in the weeks cooking for example. Once you start to expeiment making your own soups you will never return to tinned or brought soups again the taste is delicious and you can add your own twists on common soup recipes.

Also soups start to be ideal as we look for something a little warmer may be for lunch time at work. The beauty of homemade soup is you know exatcly what ingredients have gone into making it. So no added preservatives, colourants etc and with a few handy pots you can simply freeze you soup portions for later use which can be reheaten in the microwave for convenience.

Try to use foods which are in season as I had a abundance of tomatoes from the poly tunnel and also looking for some great vitamin C to boost our imune systems as viruses and bugs start there annual desent onto us I couldn’t think of a better soup than Tomato or which you can make different versions to suit your tastes.

So for a great Tomato Soup you are going to need: 25g butter, 1 medium chopped onion, 1 small chopped potato, 600g fresh tomatoes quartered, 1 garlic clove crushed, 1 bay leaf, 2 tbls tomato puree, 450ml vegetable or chicken stock, 450ml milk and salt and pepper to taste plys parsley to garnish.

Fry the onion in the melted butter until soft then add the potato, tomatoes, garlic, bay leaf, tomato puree and stock before bringing to the boil and shimmering gently for 20 to 25 minutes until the potato is soft. Remove your bay leaf, add the milk and liquidise the soup using a hand blender (or you could press through a sieve if you do not have a blender). Return your soup to the saucepan and reheat before seasoning to your taste with salt and pepper then garnish with parsley and serve.

As I have taught you all before try different variations on this recipe by for instance adding grated rind and juice of a orange or add 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp basil, 1/2 tsp parsley and 1 tsp worcester sauce with some crispy diced pancetta and small congigli pasta for a Italian take on Tomato soup.

Check out my previous blog Your dessert island kitchen blender, or another great soup recipe in my previous blog fasta pasta and my previous blog microwave magic in stock for a great quick way to make homemade stock great to use in soups, casseroles and sauces.

Blenders are great kitchen gadgets which aid the cook tremendously, take a look at the selection available of hand blenders. One I like and have used is the Breville VHB014 Stainless Steel Hand Blender Set 

The Breville VHB014 Stainless Steel Hand Blender Set has everything you need in one, a hand blender, electric whisk and chopper. A great addition to any kitchen.

• Powerful 400 watt motor for professional results
• 2 Speeds
• Brushed stainless steel body & leg
• 700ml beaker
• Ergonomic handle

Why not tell us about the product you use to blend with in your recipes?

Sophia Loren once said that ‘Everything you see, I owe to Spaghetti!’. Italians view their food as central to their life full of colour & variety, much like Italys variety of land terraine. The key to their cusine is the importance they put on quality basic ingredients to bring out flavour.

Take tomatoes they bring flavour to a variety of Italian dishes and Italian tomato varieties are exported all over the world aswell as being a important basic ingredient to Italian cookery and the Mediterranean diet. Olive oil used in dressings, for shallow frying or drizzled on pasta or bread is another staple for Italian cookery along with its health claims packed full with antioxidants and monounsaturated fats for reducing cholesterol.

I remember some facts picked up while visiting Italy and while chatting being told about Parma Ham which is cured for a minimum of 13 months and the longer the cure the sweeter and milder the flavour for example. They have a passion for food and life in general.

Why not make some homemade Focaccia to get in the Italian mood?

Your going to need: a 500g white bread mix, 3 tblsp olive oil, 5 sprigs of fresh rosemary and 4 finely sliced gloves of garlic.

Start by chopping the leaves of 4 of the rosemary  sprigs (saving one sprig for decoration later) and emptying the bread mix into a bowl before stirring in the garlic and chopped rosemary. Then mix according to the bread packet mix directions and knead the dough for 5 minutes. Flatten your dough in to 2 oblongs each of about 1cm thickness and put these onto a lightly oiled baking sheet (oiled with olive oil). Don’t forget the great silicone baking sheets available now, if you haven’t tried them yet then what are you waiting for, they are great, easy to use, store and clean. Cover this loosely with a clean cloth and leave in a warm place for the dough to prove for at least 30  minutes when the dough should of doubled in size. Preheat your oven 220 c/ 425 f/ gas 7 and make dimples in your focaccia dough with your fingers before brushing with 2 tblsp olive oil and decorating with the remaining sprig of rosemary leaves and sprinkle with sea salt then bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven abd brush with the remaining olive oil before serving warm.

Note you can freeze this superb bread by double wrapping in greaseproof paper and foil before freezing until needed.

Find other italian ideas (and yes Italian is one of my favourite cuisines), in my previous blog italian-style baked red pepper or try this recipe in my blog traditional soda bread recipe or you could try my peppered beef & mushroom tagliatelle recipe in my previous blog easy recipe for a italian supper.

There are some things I do not like one of them is Mayonaise. However, I still make it from fresh following my families recipes to the ‘T’, so to speak as this must be one of very few I wouldn’t taste to check as I make or season.

My children , family and friends love this mayonaise I make for our garden parties and get togethers but its one I can’t speak for myself as I would prefer a chutney, relish or salsa with mine.

For a mouthwatering creamy Mayonaise, my Emma’s words not mine try my Garlic Mayonaise:

If you like garlic and use it alot in your cooking check out my previous blog great handy kitchen gadget and if you into whicking and blending and love ice cream read my blog dark,delicious chocolate… for a great recipe and many more.

You will need:2 large egg yolks, pinch of dried mustard, 300ml mild olive oil, 1-2tblsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar, 2-4 garlic cloves & sea salt and ground black pepper to season.

Place the yolks in a bowl with the mustard and a pinch of salt and whisk, (make sure you eggs are at room temperature). Gradually whisk in the oil one drop at a time and when almost half of the oil is fully incorporated start to add the rest of the oil in a stream whisking continually with the otherhand. As the mayonaise starts to thicken thin it down with a few drops of lemon juice or white wine vinegar. When the mayonaise reached soft butter consistency stop adding oil then season to taste and add more lemon juice or white wine vinegar as required to your taste. Crush your garlic with the blade of a knife and stir into the mayonaise. For a milder flavour you can blanch the garlic then puree the cloves before beating into the myaonaise. You can also use roasted garlic puree or pureed smoked garlic to create different flavours so experiment even beat in 15g of fresh herbs of your choice like tarragon for example.

For a great hand whisk which you will use over and over again and takes effort out of hand whisking is this great balloon whisk from  the Jamie Oliver range. You will always need one of these in the kitchen utensil draw to make your recipe collections as sometime blending machines and food processors are not the best way to get a great end result.

What variety of mayonaise is your favourite? got a recipe you want to share of kitchen tip tell me about it I read and respond to all your comments!