I have been potting about the house this past week, making up things, tidying away, bottling chutneys, peeling cooking apples very kindly donated by our neighbours who have the most amazing and enormous apple tree... it's been a lovely, homestead-y kind of start to the summer holidays (in between work, of course).

I made Tomato Chili Jam which is a favourite in our home, and never really lasts all that long. We have it with everything - delicious with soft cream cheese served with pitas for dipping, dolloped on top of baked potatoes, swirled into quinoa or couscous  with vegetables, perfect with salads and sandwiches.

This is my absolute favourite tomato chilli jam recipe. it's a mish-mash of all of the recipes I've tried over the last ten years, tweaked and pulled and moulded into a deliciously spicy and sweet "jam" which is really more of a chutney, perfect for adding to - well - anything really.

It's great for using up all of the tomatoes which are almost very nearly ready in the garden (hooray summer!), or if you can't wait, jump the queue and store-bought glut to make a few pots which is totally acceptable in my book. I usually double this recipe when making.

Tomato Chilli Jam (makes 6 small jars)

• 500g tomatoes
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 4 red chillies, seeds and all (add more chillies if you like it hot hot hot. I added in an extra tablespoon of chilli flakes and cayenne pepper to my latest batch and it is delicious, but not everyone likes the extra spice.)
• 7cm ginger root, peeled
• 300g golden caster sugar
• 100ml vinegar - I use a mix of red wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons spice (I use cumin, coriander, paprika, chilli flakes, mustard powder, salt and pepper)