With squash and zuchini being so plentiful during the summer, I’m always looking for ways to use them. The variety of zucchini I used in the recipe is called Golden Dawn. It has a bright gold color with green at the tips. It’s easier to find during the summer but it’s still not as plentiful as yellow goose neck  or green zucchini. If you can’t find Golden Dawn any summer squash will do. Squash to me is best cooked to a tender crisp so don’t overcook or it will become mushy.

Ingredients

2 yellow zucchini, sliced into half moons

2 plum tomatoes, diced

1 tablespoon fresh basil

1 packet dry italian dressing seasoning mix

Instructions

1. Heat skillet to medium.

2. Add zucchini and tomatoes and saute for 5 minutes.

3. Add half packet of seasoning mix.

4. Stir for another 2 or 3 minutes. Cook until zucchini is tender crisp.

5. Stir in basil and remove from heat.

This time of year, corn on the cob is incredibly crisp and sweet. There aren’t alot of things better than a piece of hot corn with a little butter and salt. One of the ladies at my Weight Watchers meeting mentioned this and I had to try it out. Once you cook corn this way, you’ll never go back to boiling. Who would have thought that microwaving would make the husks and silk easier to remove. The corn steams in the husk and comes out perfectly cooked with a sweeter more intense flavor than with boiling.

Instructions

1. Dampen two paper towels and put them on the glass tray of the microwave.

2. Put corn in microwave for 3 minutes per ear. Don’t remove the silk and husks before cooking.

3. Remove corn from microwave and peel back the husks and silk. Be careful. The corn will be hot.

4. Enjoy.

The corn will so sweet and tender that you won’t need butter.