Garden Harvest

One of the things UB Dad and I try to do is live healthily and sustainably on a budget. For us this has meant trying to grow as much of our own veg as possible (if we had a bigger garden we'd try fruit as well but there just isn't the room.).

UB Dad is very green fingered (though obviously I'm biased!) and this year we grew: tomatoes, curly kale, beetroot, courgettes, cucumbers, chillies, basil, chives, parsley, garlic, french beans, runner beans, borlotti beans and coriander.

The garden has looked very green and lush and we've enjoyed all the produce. Babin has particularly enjoyed helping to pick the tomatoes and beans, though she now thinks that everything is pickable and edible and has taken some persuading that the grass isn't tasty!

As autumn is definately here we've been drying out the last of our beans and trying to find more ways with courgettes... of which we have had a plethora. Many of this years recipes have come from the web and so I thought I'd share my top five courgette/zuchinni recipes:

Courgette Pasta: very simple, grate your courgette, fry briefly with garlic (and for the flesh eaters amongst us - bacon) cover with a little stock and cook til soften. Cook some pasta, add some cream, cheese and a squeeze of lemon to your courgettes mix with pasta and eat. YUM!

Courgette and Cheese Muffins:

Makes 12
225g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
45g butter
115g mature cheddar
1 carrot
1 small courgette
1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs
60ml (2 fl oz) milk

1. preheat oven to 200 oc/ 400 of/ gas mark 6. grease a baking tray.
2. Rub butter into flour and baking powder to make breadcrumbs.
3. add grated cheese, carrot, courgette and mixed herbs. mix in well then add milk to form sticky dough.
4. knead lightly on floured surface then roll into 12 scone shapes and place on baking tray.
5. bake in the oven for 15-20 mins

They freeze well but will keep in airtight container for 4/5 days.

Courgette Fritters

Riverford's amazing Chocolate Courgette Cake

And my big favourite: Mixing Bowl Kids Lemon - Zuchinni Cookies

What are your favourite courgette (and Marrow) recipes?