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.

A quiche is great for a nice breakfast or a quick dinner. This one is from the cookbook The Savory Sweet Life.

• One unbaked 9-inch piecrust
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
• ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups fresh spinach, cooked, chopped, and all excess water squeezed out (in a pinch you can use a 16oz. bag of frozen)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9-inch pie plate or a 11-inch tart pan (with removable bottom) with nonstick spray.

Place the piecrust in the plate and gently pat it down around the base and sides. Crimp the outside edges of the crust or cut the excess off with a knife. Using a fork, poke several holes in the piecrust.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, ricotta, cheddar, nutmeg, salt and pepper until everything is well combined.

Evenly distribute the cooked spinach in the piecrust. Pour in the egg mixture, filling the plate up to 1/4 inch from the top.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the center of the quiche is firm when pressed. Allow the quiche to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

This is a fun and easy way to make crispy delicious pizza that’s really quick. This recipe is the margherita version but you could use any combination of veggies and cheeses, or, I suppose, even meats. This recipe is by Jacques Pepin for Food and Wine Magazine.

• Four 10-inch flour tortillas
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 4 medium tomatoes (2 pounds)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, preferably buffalo, shredded (4 cups)
• 1 cup finely shredded basil leaves

Set a pizza stone in the oven and preheat the oven to 475 degrees, allowing at least 45 minutes for the stone to heat.

Brush both sides of one tortilla with olive oil. Place the tortilla on a pizza peel that has been lightly sprinkled with corn meal and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Thinly slice 1 tomato; arrange on the tortilla. Season with salt and pepper and top with 1 cup of the mozzarella. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.

Slide the tortilla onto the hot pizza stone and bake for about 6-8 minutes, until the pizza is crisp on the bottom and the cheese is bubbling.

Garnish with 1/4 cup of the shredded basil, cut the pizza into 8 wedges and serve. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, tomatoes, cheeses and basil.

Makes four 10-inch pizzas

If carrots can be used in muffins, then so can parsnips!  When you’re tired of roasting them, shred some up and make these delicious muffins. This recipe is from Good Eats

• 1-ounce sliced almonds
• Nonstick spray
• 8 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 whole eggs
• 3/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 8 ounces sugar
• 10 ounces grated parsnips

Place the almonds in a single layer in a pie pan and place in oven. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the nuts until lightly toasted, approximately 6-10 minutes, be careful not to burn, while the oven heats. Meanwhile, spray a standard 12-cup muffin tin with the nonstick spray and set aside, or use papers.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt in the bowl of a food processor, and process for 5 seconds.

Whisk the eggs, yogurt, vegetable oil, and sugar in a large mixing bowl until combined. Add the flour mixture and parsnips, and fold with a spatula until all of the flour is moistened, there will be some lumps.

Divide the mixture evenly among the muffin cups using a level 2 1/2-ounce disher or 1/3 cup measure. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with the toasted almonds.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the muffins reach an internal temperature of 210 degrees F and are golden brown, rotating halfway through baking.

If needed, use a small knife or offset spatula to loosen the muffins and immediately remove them from the tin to a cooling rack, and cool for 15 minutes. Serve warm. Store completely cooled muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Makes 12 muffins

French breakfast radishes are milder than regular radishes and their elongated shape makes them perfect for dipping. This recipe inspired from Williams-Sonoma.

• 4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 bunches French breakfast radishes, chilled, trim off the stems and root ends
• 1 1/2 to 2 Tablespoons course sea salt

In a small bowl, whip the butter with a fork until light and fluffy. Transfer to a ramekin or small serving bowl for dipping or spreading and place alongside the radishes on a platter or serving tray. Place a mound of the sea salt on the platter or in a small bowl for sprinkling and serve.

This frittata makes a nice brunch or dinner. The recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens.

• 1 
pound Yukon gold or russet potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
• 2 
tablespoons olive oil
• 2 
large carrots, thinly sliced
• 12 
eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2
cup chopped green onions (4)
• 1/4
teaspoon each salt and ground black pepper
• 1/2
cup yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 
clove garlic, minced
• Fresh snipped parsley and/or cilantro

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a 10-inch oven-safe nonstick skillet cook potatoes in hot oil over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add carrots; cook for 5 minutes, until potatoes and carrots are tender and lightly browned, turning occasionally

In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, half the green onions, salt, and pepper. Pour egg mixture over potatoes. Bake, uncovered, about 18 minutes or until frittata appears dry on top. Remove frittata from oven. Let stand on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, for topper, in a small bowl gently toss together remaining green onions, cherry tomatoes, garlic, and parsley. Set aside.

With a spatula, loosen edges of frittata from skillet. Place a large serving platter over skillet. Using two hands, invert platter and skillet to release frittata onto platter. Cut frittata in wedges. Serve with green onion topper.

Serves 6

And we all settled in for a nice winter’s lunch…. This recipe is from St. Francis restaurant in Phoenix.

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 large leeks (chopped into large chunks)
• 1 large onion, large dice
• Salt to taste
• 1 large head cauliflower, separated into florets (discard core) and rough chopped
• Water
• 1 cup cream
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, fresh, leaves picked
• 2 dashes Tabasco
• Salt to taste
• Cracked pepper to taste
• 1 lemon juiced, to taste

Sweat onion and leek in butter for 8-10 minutes. Season with salt.

Add cauliflower, and water to cover. Add thyme and cream. Cook until cauliflower smashes against side of pan about 15-20 minutes.

Puree, and you can pass through strainer if desired.

Add Tabasco and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Ideas for garnish:

Capers, re-hydrated golden raisins

Caper raisin emulsion

Three colored cauliflower small florets, blanched

Chives

Croutons

Serves 8

A nice and healthy vegetable soup to enjoy on a cold day. Adding leftover turkey would be a nice touch. This recipe is from USA Weekend.

• One 15.5-ounce can cannellini or other small white beans, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed
• 1 Tb. olive oil
• 1/2  large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 medium carrot, diced (about ½ cup)
• 2 stalks celery, diced (about ½ cup)
• 1 small zucchini (about ½ pound), diced (about 1½ cups)
• 1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 tsp.)
• 1 Tb. chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried
• 2 tsps. chopped fresh sage or ½ tsp. dried
• 1/2  tsp. salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4  tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• One 14.5-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with their juices
• 2 ounces baby spinach leaves (2 cups lightly packed), chopped
• 1/3 cup freshly grated 1/3 Parmesan cheese (optional

In a small bowl, mash half of the beans with a masher or the back of a spoon; set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, zucchini, garlic, thyme, sage, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil.

Add the mashed and whole beans and the spinach leaves; cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes more.

Serve topped with the Parmesan, if desired.

Serves 6

Thanksgiving is next week and certainly pumpkin pie is on your menu. Why not make them with puree made from fresh organic pumpkins? Here’s how as published by The Arizona Republic.

A 5-pound pumpkin yields about 1 1/2 pounds of puree.

Once cooked, leftover cooked pumpkin can be frozen up to 16 months.

When cutting pumpkins, use a serrated knife and a sawing motion.

To make by steaming, cut pumpkin in half, remove seeds, pulp and stringy portion. Cut into small pieces and peel. Place in a steamer or metal colander that will fit in a covered pot. Steam for about 50 minutes or until tender. Puree in a blender or food processor or put through a food mill.

To roast, cut pumpkin into quarters, remove seeds, pulp and stringy portion. Place the pumpkin quarters in a baking dish. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Cover pan with a lid or foil. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 45 to 60 minutes. Allow pumpkin to cool slightly and scoop out flesh. Puree in a blender or food processor or put through a food mill.

This dish looks impressive and is especially wonderful when you use fresh organic vegetables and herbs. This recipe is from The Reluctant Entertainer.

• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 small shallots, finely chopped
• 4-5 medium red potatoes, sliced
• 1 medium zucchini
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 8 eggs
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 3 green onions (or use the greens from the shallots)
• 2-3 fresh tomatoes (I used heirloom)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Add 2-3 Tbsp. olive oil to oven-proof skillet. Heat on medium-high and add finely sliced shallots and the potatoes. Salt and pepper; add paprika. Cook, stirring occasionally until brown and tender (about 10-12 minutes). Add the sliced zucchini and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until tender.

Add in the fresh chopped basil, removing the pan from the heat.

Create 4 evenly spaced wells in the potatoes and add 1 tablespoon of butter in each well.

Crack 2 eggs in each well, making sure you don’t break the yolk. Salt and pepper.

Place the skillet in the oven, without a lid, and bake for 8-10 minutes (until egg whites are baked through but you want the yokes to be runny).

Remove the skillet from the oven and sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese. Place back in the oven for 2 minutes.

Garnish with sliced green onions and freshly sliced tomatoes. Service while hot.

Serves 8