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1
Heat olive oil in a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat.
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2
Add fennel, onion, garlic, salt, fennel seed and crushed pepper, if using, and cook until vegetables soften and brown slightly, about 5 minutes.
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3
Drain and reserve juice from the tomatoes, then crush tomatoes gently with your hands.
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4
Add the tomatoes, increase heat to high, and cook until they begin to brown slightly, about 5 minutes.
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5
Add the reserved tomato juice, vegetable broth, tomato juice, and basil leaves.
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6
Bring to a boil, stir, reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook until vegetables are cooked through and soup reduces and thickens, about 30 minutes.
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7
Remove pot from stove and puree the soup in batches, with an immersion, regular blender, or food processor.
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8
Stir in lemon juice and season with pepper to taste.
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9
Serve.
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10
Special equipment: Cookie cutters (pumpkins, ghosts, black cat, bats and witches), optional
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11
Toast bread in toaster or toaster oven until slightly crisp, about 5 minutes (or less if using a toaster.)
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12
Spread one side of each slice of bread with apple jelly.
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13
Layer the cheese over the apple jelly, top with remaining slice of bread.
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14
Cut out as desired.
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15
Garnish as desired.
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16
Halloween Web 2008
