Things you can make from a Summer Garden

I love my garden – it is not huge and it is not show-stopping, in fact it is just your average town garden, but it is my little oasis, my therapy and a gorgeous sunny spot. What I love about it most is how it feeds my family and gives back as much as I put in – there are so many thing you can make from such a little garden.

Things you can make from your summer garden

Fried Courgette Flowers 

Did you know that you don’t have to wait for your tiny courgettes to grow into veggies before you use your plant.  The flowers of courgettes are a great delicacy in Italy and as long as you keep a couple on the plants to help with pollination it is fine, as they produce a lot.

The simplest way to cook them is to fry them in light tempura batter

For the batter

• 200g/7oz plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate soda
• pinch salt
• 250ml/9fl oz ice cold fizzy water
  You can also add some grated Parmesan or Salt and Pepper or even Ground Chilli for a kick.
  You can stuff them with ricotta or mozzarella and herbs it is up to you.
  

They are incredible tasty and I can see why they are so popular.

Garlic Scapes – what they are and what to do with them 

I was a bit panicky when I went out to my garlic and saw what looked like something trying to escape, it was a bit like that scene in Alien !
I thought I had done something wrong, as this is my first time growing garlic, but it turns out they are normal and called Scapes and farmers usually pick them to get a better bulb. But they also can be eaten, they taste like garlic flavoured spring onion and they make the most wonderful herb butter I found out.

For Garlic Scape Butter

• Two chopped Garlic Scapes 
• Some Parsley
• Fresh Thyme – I just used a few sprigs 
• 40g of Slightly softened Butter

Mix them all together in a bowl with a fork it is that simple – you can freeze it in pats if you want or you can use it to make the most amazing garlic and herb mushrooms.

 We had them with Dinner and everyone wanted more.

Strawberries 

 

I am so glad strawberry season is here, it is the sweetest part of summer and there are so many things you can make with strawberries. From my own Strawberry Cream Pie  recipe to this amazing low sugar strawberry preserve recipe from Pure Grace Farms which you really should check out.

Shari’s Recipe and Picture – Please visit her site to pin 🙂

Next week I will be sharing my Strawberry and Chocolate fritters and Strawberry Ice-Cream recipes next Wednesday so pop back in for those. Here is a sneak peak to keep you going 🙂

Super Strawberry and Grape Salad

My lettuces survived the slug onslaught – take that you slimy creatures and I have been able to harvest two a week for the last few weeks.

So I have made many salads, the favourite so far was this fruity Strawberry and Grape Salad which is as simple as it sounds.
One lettuce, One 1/3 cucumber sliced, a handful of strawberries chopped, a handful of grapes chopped, 5/6 cherry tomatoes halved, half a yellow pepper chopped small. Serve with a balsamic dressing.

 Finally I do have the odd flower in my garden , I planted beautiful roses  to celebrate what would have been my beautiful niece Alexa Rose’s birthday and they have not stopped producing flowers. It is like she is still here, like the beautiful flower and ray of sunshine in our lives she was. Miss that gorgeous smile everyday xx

 

Her roses are not only pretty but smell divine and once I had picked them for my mantle I didn’t want to let them go, so I dried them in the sun and they have made gorgeous pot-pourri.

For Irish people who like to stop by Snapshot and Snippets there is a Fund raising event in honour of Alexa Rose and Halla Matthea on in Roundwood, Co. Wicklow on the 6th of July at Roundwood GAA centre 12.30-2.30pm. It is a Teddy Bears Picnic with lots of fun, food and activities. All proceeds going to Children’s Charities. If you are in the area please stop by and support this great event.
I don’t normal mention personal stuff any more but this means a great deal to my family and to me.  

Thank you for stopping by no matter where you are from 🙂 It is always nice to have visitors.