*Almost free* dinner

So, tonight I'm making homemade creamy tomato basil soup with homemade croutons. This meal is *almost free* because most of the ingredients came from our garden or were bought by others and left at our house.

First I sliced my tomatoes (from our garden=FREE!) in half and cut out the stem part. I then placed them on a foil lined baking sheet. I drizzled them lightly with grapeseed oil and sprinkled with Celtic sea salt. I also sliced and diced some left over bread rolls that people had brought over from Avonlea's bday party (FREE!). I drizzled them lightly with grapeseed oil, sprinkled with Celtic sea salt and herbs de provence. I roasted the tomatoes and croutons at 400 degrees.


The croutons took about 20 minutes to look golden and delicious!


In a pot on the stove, saute some onions and garlic together. Add tomatoes and what ever spices/seasoning you would like. I plan to use fresh basil from our garden and whatever else that tickles my fancy. Then puree in a blender or whatever you have.  Return to pot and add some cream (I used fat free half and half) or whole milk to the soup. Allow to warm but do not boil. Serve up warm in a bowl with some shaves of parmesan cheese and croutons. You can also serve grilled cheese sandwiches to complete the meal. Yum!!