Stir-Fried Zucchini and Yellow Squash

• Zucchini and yellow summer squash add both flavor and color to stir-fries and can be combined with nearly any veggie. When adding zucchini and yellow squash to other vegetables, add them last as they cook quickly and should be eaten when they are crisp-tender. Adding fresh tomatoes, garlic and herbs enhances the flavor of zucchini and yellow squash and makes the colors pop.

Pasta

• Zucchini and yellow squash can be substituted for meat in pasta sauce, making a delightful meatless dinner. Saute them lightly in oil and smother with your favorite sauce and simmer until tender. Serve it over hot pasta. If a meatless meal is not to your liking, adding grilled Italian sausage or a little cooked ground beef works well, too.

  Spaghetti squash makes a low-carb alternative to spaghetti noodles and can be steamed, baked or cooked in the microwave. Loosening the long strands from the center of the cooked squash with the tines of a fork produces strings that resemble spaghetti. Serve with melted butter or top with hot pasta sauce for a tasty change from pasta.

Vegetable Lasagna

• Although some prefer to slice zucchini or yellow squash and use them as the noodles in lasagna, you can make a delicious pasta dish with both lasagna noodles and zucchini and summer squash. Chop up the veggies and saute lightly until crisp and tender. Add other veggies, such as shredded carrots and broccoli. Layer the noodles with veggies, cheese and Alfredo or marinara sauce.

Deep-Fried

• Deep-frying slices of zucchini and yellow squash adds variety to everyday meals. Slice them in 1/4-inch circles and dip in flour and coat with a beaten egg. Press into breadcrumbs and fry them up in 1/2 inch of hot oil. Drain on paper towels and season with salt and pepper for a delicious treat. Add you favorite herbs and spices to the bread crumbs or mix them in with the flour to add a little zip to the fried zucchini and yellow squash.

Baked and Mashed

• Winter squash, such as butternut and hubbard squash, make a delicious and nutritious side dish with meat and poultry. Halving the squash and removing the seeds and pulp is all that is needed to prepare them for baking. By adding a little water to the bottom of the baking pan and cooking until the squash is tender, you have the makings for mashed squash. Scoop the squash out of the hard shell and add butter, brown sugar and the seasonings your prefer and mash with a potato masher. Serve steaming hot.

Soups

• Both summer and winter squash can be used in soups. While zucchini and other summer squash add color and flavor to vegetable soups and can be added in the last few minutes of cooking to avoid overcooking them, winter squash makes a creamy soup that hits the spot on chilly evenings.

  Make a puree with chicken broth and cooked squash and add heavy cream just before serving to make a filling addition to a dinner or a hearty lunch on cold winter days. Try combining acorn and buttercup squash, or puree a cooked granny smith apple to spice up the mix.