The four zucchini plants in my garden can produce five or six tender summer squash in 48 hours. I try to pick them smallish, but there’s always a Monster Zucchini who hides under a leaf until it outweighs my firstborn. I love zucchini, but you can only stack it so high on the back deck until your squash pyramid falls over. I tried to give some away, but whenever I ask someone “Do you like zucchini?” they respond “Why? Do you want some? I’d love to give you some!”

We made zucchini stir fry, check. Zucchini bread, including a dozen loaves in the freezer already, check. Zucchini raw dipped in Ranch dressing, check. Only 35 pounds of green goodness left waiting for me on the deck and more are growing as I type!

My family had to figure out new ways to eat it all. We asked around and we got creative. Our new favorite way to eat zucchini is on the grill. I realize that only one million, three hundred ten thousand, one hundred and forty five point two people have discovered this before me, but I’m hooked. A little olive oil, a little sea salt, slap it down right next to the steak, and it comes off the grill meat-flavored! I’m never cleaning my grill again. Sure, I’ll give it a quick scrub to rid it of the occasional bird bomb, but I don’t want that meat grease to cease. Five of us shared one T-bone steak and two huge squash. Talk about heart healthy!

My neighbor introduced me to fried zucchini. She slices it in half inch rounds, dips it in egg and seasoned breadcrumbs, and fries it in oil. It’s not exactly the healthiest way to eat zucchini, but if you’re looking for a low calorie meal that satisfies your fried cravings, this is it. That’s right, I said meal. They’re so good, don’t bother cooking anything else.

This week we tried Zucchini Spaghetti and it was a hit with most of the family. Anyone who tasted it, loved it; it was only the anti-green preschool contingency that held out. I grated the green beasts (1 large zucchini made about 2 cups of “noodles”) and stir fried the “noodles” in a little olive oil until they were tender. Then we mixed the zucchini with regular noodles and topped it all with sauce and meatballs. I plan to increase the veggie noodles regularly until the kids think “Spaghetti” is Italian for Zucchini.

This is a great time of year to get creative with your veggies because they’re so fresh and abundant. And remember, if your neighbor with a garden is stacking summer squash in pyramids on the back porch or their skin and teeth have taken on a greenish hue, it’s probably okay to go ask them if you can have some.

“The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. “ Genesis 1:12