I have been very succesful growing zucchini, armenian cucumbers and squashes. The small Roma tomatoes are very easy to grow. I love spicy salads like arugula, and mustards. In the fall winter and spring I grow mostly salads and in the late spring and summer I grow tomatoes and eggplants. In the late fall I start onions and garlic.
With cabbages I have to keep checking form cabbage worms and I usually apply B.T. powder. I don't use pesticides at all.
The trick of gardening is to use a compost pile from your kitchen.
Here my hot list of gardening tricks and links.