Like many of you I have had a bread-maker for quite a few years now, though it spends most of its time sitting lonely on a shelf. But every now and then I feel the need to be an earth mother and out it comes to fill the house with that amazing smell of fresh bread baking away contentedly while I rustle up a steaming pot of homemade soup to serve it with. I have to confess though that I usually buy ready made mixes for my bread machine – laziness I know but some of them are very good indeed. Over the weekend I felt the call of the earth mother in me so out came the bread machine and off I trotted to Lakeland to pick up my favourite mix – Laucke Crusty Bread Mix. This makes a really tasty crusty white loaf that is as good as any you can buy in the supermarket. Two hours later and we were enjoying our crusty bread with strawberry jam and a cup of tea. What’s that you said – no soup? Well no, unfortunately not, as I got distracted looking up soup recipes on pinterest – but they do say it’s the thought that counts anyway 🙂