Over the last 2 days husband has brought in from the garden half a dozen large yellow courgettes (they're so large we only have 1 between the 2 of us) and 2 green courgettes that are the size of marrows. Why he doesn't pick them before they become marrow sized I don't know, he claims he doesn't see them (what, when they're THAT size?!). They've joined the 6 or 8 (slightly smaller) yellow courgettes and 3 green marrow-sized courgettes that are already in the utility room veg basket. He's also now bringing in a large handful of runner beans every day, at least they can be frozen easily. That's the trouble with the homegrown veg, it's all ready at once (husband's not much good at successional sowing). Well I've told him to dig up all the courgettes and put the plants on the compost, I'm fed up with them, don't want to eat them every day, there are several tubs of cooked ones in the freezer already, and I haven't got the time to deal with any more. And there's no point in them continuing to grow when we won't be here for a fortnight. Most of our neighbours grow their own veg too, so we can't even give many away.
Today I made a tray-sized tortilla containing sliced potatoes, onions, courgettes and cheese, cut it into 8 portions and froze it. I'd mistakenly bought a dozen eggs the other day, forgetting that I already had a dozen, so needed to use up the older ones....it also usefully used up a couple of courgettes. I'd already made and frozen a tortilla the other day, but now there's loads so that's plenty of lunches, or even dinners with chips or salad, already prepared. I'd bought a pack of Staffordshire oatcakes yellow stickered down to 10p a couple of weeks ago and froze them. We had them for dinner today, I defrosted them, stuffed them with cooked frozen mixed veg and chopped ham from yesterday's boiled gammon, rolled them up and put in a dish and covered with cheese sauce. Could have used homegrown veg but that would have meant chopping it all up, so used the frozen mixed veg for convenience and time saving. I also made a sausage and mushroom pasta bake and froze it.
Husband had another nurse appointment for his toes today, then he had to see the GP as he's been having a lot of pain and stiffness in his neck (I thought he was my pain in the neck ๐๐). He's seen the doctor before about it, it's arthritis, the doc gave him a load more painkillers and a website giving details of neck exercises to do. I shall have to try and make sure he does them.
I've been using my mini pedal exerciser every day and I do think it's helping to relieve my painful knees and hip and night-time restless legs. It's small enough to take away with us and use in the caravan too, which is good.
Thank you for the comments - I know I'm a bit fanatical about getting stuff done in advance and being organised, but I do it for my sanity - if I'm not organised (and have organised husband too) then it makes me very stressed and irritable.
I'm quite envious of your organisational ability. I thought I was organised, but you put me to shame! Would any of your van neighbours like some free courgettes? Shame to put them on the compost. Good on you keeping up with the exercises. I'm glad it seems to help. xx
ReplyDeleteThere is a standing joke here at this time of year... Keep your vehicle doors locked or you could be the recipient of someone's over abundance of zucchini. I didn't plant any this year and almost wish I would be gifted a few.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I gave up growing courgettes some years ago for the same reason.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing wrong with being organised. If you turn the idea around, then NOT being organised means you are sabotaging tomorrow before it even gets here. Havings things straight and sorted makes life much easier.
I guess you could chop up courgette and freeze for use in soups and stews in the winter months. I know it goes mushy but that wouldn't matter in the slow cooked recipes. However, I've just reread and realised you have already frozen some.
ReplyDeleteDo you have any food banks reasonably close by. I believe they can take fresh produce.
I agree that it can be an awful liability and hard on the old conscience. I hate waste too. And organised is good, really good. xx