Why should zucchini have all the fun? Yellow squash is great for baking too! Here are some delicious muffins to try from The New Southern Garden Cookbook.

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup lightly packed grated yellow summer squash

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper muffin cups. Be sure to use a light metal muffin tin. Dark metal and nonstick tins – even when lined with paper cups – make the crust too thick and dark.

Whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, raisins, and walnuts in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until the whites and yolks are blended, then whisk in the waster and oil. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula only until the dry ingredients disappear into the batter. Fold in the squash.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Bake the muffins until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

Turn the muffins out onto a clean tea towel and let them cool upside down.

Make 12 muffins.

Preparation for Beets

• Beets (whole) - 6-8
• Olive oil - 1/4 cup
• Salt & pepper - to taste

In a roasting pan, mix beets, oil, and salt & pepper all together. Cover roasting pan with foil and bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes. Once beets have cooled to room temperature the skins will peel off very easily. If not eaten right away they should be stored in the refrigerator.

• Beets (peeled & cut  into 1 inch disks) - 3-4
• Goat cheese (cut into 1 inch pieces) - 12oz
• Walnuts (crushed) - 1 cup
• Red Butter Lettuce (washed & Chopped) - 1 head
• Balsamic vinegrette - 1/2 cup
• Salt & pepper - to taste

In a bowl, mix lettuce and Balsamic vinegrette with a pinch of salt & pepper, then place on serving plate. Lay a beet slice on green mixture and place goat cheese disc over beet. Keep repeating as if you were making tomato mozzarella salad. Finally, top salad with walnuts and finish with Balsamic vinegrette and serve.