Welcome to the second instalment of our Cookery Corner.

We hope that you enjoyed last week's recipe and are looking forward to what we have in store for your families this week. There has been a lot of talk around food this week with the pupils as they brought in food items for the harvest festival. There were definitely a lot of healthy options and great food basics sent in. This has inspired us to bring you something a little different this week.

Versatile Vegetable Soup

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and gently fry the onion for 5 minutes, or until softened and very lightly browned, stirring regularly. Add the garlic and cook for a few seconds more, stirring.

2. Tip the tomatoes into the pan, add the tomato purée and oregano and simmer for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. Add 1.2 litres of water (you can fill the empty can of tomatoes with cold water three times so you don’t have to use a measuring jug) and crumble over the stock cube.

4. Bring the soup to a simmer, then add any vegetables you like. Add root vegetables first and cook for 10 minutes, before adding the raw green vegetables such as beans or courgettes and cook for 5 minutes. Cooked or frozen vegetables should be added for the last 3 minutes of cooking. Stir regularly and add extra water if needed.

5. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in deep bowls topped with grated cheese if you like and some bread.

This is a great soup to add your own flair to it. By adding less water and blending you can make a smoother creamy soup.

You can also turn this soup into a thick sauce to add to meat dishes such as bolognaise, or add some spice for a bit of kick.

You could even try adding some pasta shapes or spaghetti to make it into a main meal.

This week, children in Seedlings Nursery have shown their amazing culinary skills and created colourful Elmer-inspired biscuits.