Perhaps you have too much zucchini in your garden … or your friends keep pawning it off on you. If so, this is a place for new ideas to freshen up your late summer table for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

This post combines the current week’s tasty zucchini frittata, zucchini favorites from the past few years, and a zucchini roundup I did in 2014. Just below the frittata recipe are more recent recipes, which are followed by the original post including zucchini goodness 2009-2014. I’ve got them all here together now just to make things easier for you and for me! Enjoy.

Today’s frittata, made in just a few minutes for an easy brunch or dinner, uses 2 1/2 cups shredded zucchini (squeezed or patted dry to remove liquid) for a tender slim dish or can incorporate more vegetables for a thicker, more substantial meal that might feed another one or two. A few sliced ripe tomatoes along with sautéed mushrooms complete the plate, but a piece of toast and jam or bowl of fresh fruit wouldn’t go amiss. One of the best things about a frittata is it’s delicious served hot, warm, at room temperature, or even sliced up cold to have with drinks. So if you by chance have a larger group, you can make one frittata, set it aside, make another, and still eat all at once.

So what’s a frittata? (frih-TAH-ta)

A frittata is a flat, open-faced, simpler Italian version of an omelet that often incorporates vegetables and cheese, but can also feature meat. It’s perfect for using up leftovers, is done quickly, and is easier to make than omelets if you have a few people to feed.

While I prefer to begin a frittata on the stovetop and finish it in the oven, if you’re careful and keep the heat quite low, you can make the whole thing on the stove top. Here’s an idea of how to do that from The Incredible Egg.

However you decide make your frittata, try this:

Have leftover ham or bacon? Chop it up and throw it in with the sautéing vegetables if you like.

What’s the difference between Romano and Pecorino Romano cheeses?

Wine? For an Italian frittata, let’s go with that country’s favorite bubbly, Prosecco. It’s light, white, refreshing, and inexpensive. Brunch time? Add fresh peach juice for a Bellini since it’s Colorado peach season.

DRYING OUT THAT ZUCCHINI: Don’t skip this step or you’ll have soggy vegetables. Here’s my method:

MORE ZUCCHINI RECIPES BEGIN HERE…

2014 post begins here:

This time of the year it’s tempting to fast forward and begin a bit of food talk about autumn roasted vegetables, spiked hot chocolate, chili, or pumpkin bread.  My blogging friend Lydia Walshin reminded me of this today.  But out west and up high (and elsewhere, too) where the vegetables are just now thinking about coming in –if they come in at all– we’re loving the lush summer extravaganza of corn, tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, beans, cucumbers, and sweet bell peppers to name just a few.  It’s still summer; my tomatoes are just beginning to ripen.  I’m eating Colorado peaches for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  The best corn of the year just arrived in the grocery this week.  And you’re trying to figure out what to do with all that squash, right?.(Above: “Fried Egg Skillet with Zucchini and Salsa” — a one-dish breakfast, lunch or dinner. Just sauté the zucchini and onions, break the eggs on top, cover, and cook until the eggs are just how you like them.).

Zucchini might be my favorite vegetable; I eat is several times a week year-round– often for breakfast in my egg-white omelet or even stuffed into a sautéed veggie wrap. This post highlights my own favorite zucchini recipes from the last few years. I’ll probably include a few with yellow squash, which are just as prolific and delectable.  If there are photos you can’t abide, know that I KNOW they need to be redone and smile at them for me.  In the meantime, eat zucchini!  (By the way, said friend Lydia has published a lovely, quick book all about lovely ways to cook zucchini.  Check it out here.).Here we go, beginning with morningish meals, including the one above at top:.

Breakfast Zucchini Basil Boats

–Scoop out the zucchini and cook it up with some vegetables-including zucchini– and fresh basil; add eggs, bake briefly, and then run under the broiler topped with tomatoes and cheese.  Heaven.

Salsa-Egg White Frittata with Vegetables

Just what is sounds like, though you can kiss the worried-about-calories or cholesterol in the morning good-bye with this light, but filling meal:

Pan-Fried Trout with Red Pepper-Zucchini Potatoes and Fried Eggs—

Trout is easily available American fish (totally cleaned whole or fillets), inexpensive, simply and quickly cooked, and is a brunch delight.  Just add a Bloody Mary.

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Egg and Ham sandwich with Greek Goddess and Radish Salad

Grilled Veggie Tacos with Salsa Ranch Sauce

—Fast and Addictive (Can be done in a skillet indoors).

Veggie Pizza without the Pizza

Add a few leaves of spinach and some cheese if you like.

Butternut (and Other) Squash Soup 

A quick soup that seems tiny, but tastes big; the “other squash,” is zucchini or yellow squash.

 Cocoa-Chickpea Chili —

A vegan chili for vegans or carnivores made with most any vegetables on your counter, but zucchini is an easy, filling addition.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH-ZUCCHINI CURRY WITH COUSCOUS

A fast vegan meal that uses up the best of late summer or early fall produce–lovely for lunch the next day.  A healthy dose of crushed red pepper perks this up.

Creamy Zucchini Soup with Parmesan–

A very fast and fun soup with the sweet surprise of fresh sliced cherry tomatoes in the bottom of the bowl. A bit of basil tops it off.

Big Zuke Caprese with Orange Haricots Verts–

I’ll add most anything to a caprese to change it up.  Here’s a favorite salad with just barely sautéed or grilled slices of zucchini between the mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil you crave this time of year.  Fresh green beans are the bonus.

Grilled Tuna Salad with Late Summer Vegetables and Spicy Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette–

Needs no explanation. A bit Nicoise, a bit Alyce.

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Zucchini Cakes—

Quicker than you’d think and worth every minute. Throw a fried egg on top for breakfast.

Zucchini-Almond Muffins—

Kids will eat zucchini like this.  Make them large or small, either way, they’re a great snack or addition to a plate of scrambled eggs.  Not too sweet. I like them made in a great big, oven-safe coffee cup.

Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin and Sautéed Zucchini Meal.

Just before I went on vacation in August, I posted this simple, on-going meal. Eat as is Friday night, make tacos for Saturday lunch, and slice up the leftovers for a frittata or pasta for Sunday brunch or dinner.

CHICKEN SAUSAGE FRY-UP

For nights when you’re starved, but just can’t bear to cook.  Zucchini or yellow (summer) squash and onions in a skillet, add garlic, sliced chicken sausage, and cherry tomatoes.  Dinner.  (Doubles easily.)

Peace is often built around a dinner table. I know this for a fact and trust it with all my heart. We can each do a piece of peacework every day, every week, every month, every year. It feels to me as if our country is trying to destroy itself one way or another, but perhaps every one of us can do our small part to put us back on a healthy, positive track. For today, cook zucchini; someone has to,

Alyce