I don't mean to brag, peeps, but I really do have some cracking pumpkins! Well, if truth be told, I'm having a ton of success with nearly all my crop so far. Since my last post the veggie patch just seems to have gone crazy. One day I'm out watering a few little seedlings, and the next, I'm practically having to wrestle my way through the garden amongst foliage and hanging fruits! Well, not quite, but I think you get the general idea.
Most impressive of all has to be the courgettes. I mean, seriously, they are MAHOOSIVE! We're eating at least one a day, and we're still not sick of them.
I've been making a scrummy spicy ratatouille with mine. Nicole absolutely loves it too. You should see her little face when we go out to pick our dinner from the garden! I've been using our own tomato's, courgettes, French beans, garlic and chili's (which I omitted from Nicole's portion) for the dish and, if I'd let her, she'd lick the plate clean.
Courgette
2 big hand fulls of tomato's
1 onion
handful of French beans
1-2 fresh chili's
1 clove of garlic
Brown the courgette in a pan. In a separate pan fry onion, crushed garlic, chopped beans and chopped chili's. Chop tomato's and add to the pan. Add the browned courgettes and simmer for 20 mins.
As an optional extra, add a dash of double cream at the end...if you're feeling naughty!
We can't eat the rocket fast enough, and I hate to say it, but some ended up on the compost heap because it had grown so big that it had started to flower.
I struggled to know what to do with beetroot (Apart from the obvious boil and then pickle) but beetroot and choc cake is to die for!! So moist a gorgeously yummy!! Can't get better than 1 of your 5 a day in a choc cake!!!
ReplyDeletePreparation Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 40 mins
75g cocoa powder or powdered drinking chocolate
180g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
225g caster sugar
250g cooked beetroot
3 large eggs
200ml sunflower oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Icing sugar for dusting
Preheat the oven to 180˚C / 335˚F / Gas 4. Sift the cocoa powder, flour and baking powder into a bowl.
Puree the beetroot in a food processor. Add the eggs, one at a time and next add the vanilla and oil, and blend until smooth. Add the sugar to the mixture.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, add the beetroot mixture and lightly mix.
Pour into a greased and lined 9 inch cake tin. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the top is firm when pressed with a finger.
Cool on a wire rack and dust with icing sugar to serve.
This cake can be sliced lengthways and spread with an even layering of crème fraiche and chocolate ganache.
Hi ya!
ReplyDeleteRoasted beetroot is delish. Small ones are lovely grated in salads, as are small leaves. Also pickled in vinegar are a great way of preserving beetroot. Beetroot are a great natural food colouring eg icing or even homemade playdough. I have tried beetroot wine. Very pokey, but not sure that we liked the flavour. Veg that go to seed can be saved for next spring rather than buying new seeds.
Lucy x
I so admire you hun for 'growing' your own, especially with your daughter! you know, you are giving her the best education that you can, her little mind will pick all of that up and carry it through her life! I home educated my daugher from the age of 11, i wish I had done it sooner...afterall, the warmth of a mothers love and showing your children how things are in this world are just 'the best' :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with it all hun...
I found you through the wonderful Abbie...from the Happy Glamper :)
Love Happy xx
Has Dave managed to kill the lawn?
ReplyDelete