Squashed Fruitfulness

Love the Autumn and all the foraging and harvesting opportunities. Since last month I've made a batch of apple butter, Mr GBT has started off elderflower [they were frozen] and blackberry wines, we've blanched runner beans and this last weekend we turned our home grown raspberries into lots of jam. I wish I could show you lovely photos of Martha Stewart style preserves in jars decorated with beautiful labels and tied with gingham ribbons. Unfortunately I fall far short in real life and am far too idle. Nobody needs to see old Tesco jars still with the labels on do they now!!

Our little apple tree has been a star and produced 12 delicious apples all of which have now been consumed. We've also been lucky with good harvests of onions, courgettes, beans and the promise of goodly sized leeks. Not all came up rosy in the garden though. We planted butternut squash again which have been successful in previous years but for some unknown reason, despite keeping them off the ground, all bar one rotted. No matter though. Defeated moi? Nope. I took the one I did have and made the following from it. Nowt goes to waste 'ere at Gnat Bottomed Towers me hearties I can assure you!

Spicy Squash Pizza

800g butternut squash

2 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp Tabasco

1.5 tsp rosemary [we used fresh from our bush which we stripped off the stalks and sprinkled over]

garlic pizza base [you could of course make your own but me an dough don't mix- believe you me it's a nightmare scenario!]

100g cheddar grated

Chop squash flesh into 1cm cubes. Cover with oil and season. Roast 30 mins 220C. Put squash onto the pizza base. Sprinkle over the rosemary and Tabasco and cover with cheese. Bake 6-8 mins or until the pizza base is done.

Another one my carnivorous chaps down with indecent haste.

Arilx