Ahh zucchini, one of the easiest, no fuss plants in the vegetable garden. Just plant it, water it and harvest its bounty. It doesn't get any easier than this.
Zucchini is a small summer squash. It can be yellow, green or light green, and generally has a similar shape to a ridged cucumber, though a few cultivars are available that produce round or bottle-shaped fruit. Mature zucchini can grow to be 3-ft. in length, but are often fibrous and not appetizing to eat. So it's best to pick the zucchini before it reaches 12 inches and the seeds are soft and immature. Zucchini with the flowers attached are a sign of a truly fresh and immature fruit, and are especially sought by many people.
Unlike cucumber, zucchini are usually served cooked. It can be prepared using a variety of cooking techniques, including steamed, boiled, grilled, stuffed and baked, barbecued, fried, or incorporated in other recipes such as souffles. It's most popular incarnation is in zucchini bread.
Our zucchini plants are doing gangbusters this year, with each producing at least a dozen so far. Making zucchini bread has become a ritual of summer in our household. I even have a recipe for Chocolate Zucchini Bread that was sent in to The Mercury for an EATS contest many, many years ago, and it still brings compliments every time I share it. Of course, there's really only so many you can make, freeze and share with friends and neighbors.
So here's a couple of zucchini recipes that you might want to try for something different. I don't remember where I got them, so if you recognize either one, remember, the best compliment your recipe can get is to be passed on to others!

ZUCCHINI SOUP
4 cups thinly sliced zucchini
2 cups chicken broth
8 ozs. cream cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic salt
Combine zucchini and broth in a saucepan. Cook until zucchini is tender. Combine zucchini, cooking liquid, cream cheese, salt, black pepper and garlic salt in blender container.Blend until smooth. Serve hot or cold.Yields 4 servings.Can be doubled, but this is a very rich soup, so you really don't need more than one serving per person.

ZUCCHINI "CRAB" CAKES (sometimes called Faux Crab Cakes)
2 1/2 cups grated zucchini
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsps. butter, melted
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup mincedonion
1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup vegeatble oil for frying
In a large bowl, combine zucchini, egg and butter or margarine. Stir in seasoned crumbs, minced onion and seasoning. Mix well. Shape mixture into patties. Dredge in flour. In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium high heat until hot. Fry patties in oil until golden brown on both sides. Enjoy!

Up next: Why I Love/Hate Petunias!