Homemade Soup and Crackers

(Here are recipes for soup and crackers. I found that you could eliminate the bouillon cubes and the tomato paste and it would taste just fine. No need for the hot pepper sauce, either, so almost everything can come from the produce stand or garden.)

Ingredients
3 medium tomatoes, peeled and quartered
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1/2 cup chopped celery (1 stalk)
1/2 of a 6-ounce can (1/3 cup) tomato paste
2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro or basil
2 teaspoons instant chicken bouillon granules
1 teaspoon sugar
Few dashes bottled hot pepper sauce
Snipped fresh cilantro or basil (optional)

Directions
1. If desired, seed the tomatoes. In a large saucepan combine tomatoes, water, onion, celery, tomato paste, the 2 tablespoons cilantro, bouillon granules, sugar, and hot pepper sauce. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 20 minutes or until celery and onion are very tender. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.
2. Place half of the tomato mixture in a blender or food processor. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Return all to the saucepan; heat through. If desired, garnish with additional cilantro.
3. Makes 4 servings (4 cups)
4. Chilled Fresh Tomato Soup: Prepare as above, except after blending, cover and chill soup for up to 24 hours. If desired, top chilled soup with dairy sour cream.
(from http://recipes.bhg.com/recipes/recipedetail.jsp?recipeId=R089984&searchResults=true&showSearchNav=true&recipeNumber=8&resultCategory=kitchen&searchType=null&adCategory=&_requestid=291732

Soda Crackers
4 c flour 1 ts baking powder 3/4 c shortening 1 1/3 c milk salt to taste
Mix flour, baking powder and shortening; add milk an blend well. Form a ball of dough and cut into four pieces. Roll dough out very thin. Cut with a cookie cutter or the top of a glass (wet the glass first). Place on cookie sheet. Prick with a fork 4-5 times and sprinkle with salt. Bake at 375 degrees 8 to 10 minutes or until golden (watch crackers carefully so they don't burn).

from http://www.angiesrealm.com/crackers.html

Serve soup in bowls that are set on plates, and then on placemats, for an appealing setting.
Homemade soups and crackers are best eaten right away and do not taste as good as leftovers, so just make enough to eat at the particular meal. Soup can be stored in the fridge and will last maybe another day, but fresh food ought to be eaten fresh, when possible. Crackers can be stored in airtight containers, in the refrigerator, but are best eaten within a day or two.