Zucchini

Have your main course and vegetables in just one tasty dish. This recipe requires only five ingredients, allowing you to slide through the supermarket express lane with ease. As always, this family-style recipe takes less than 30 minutes to prepare.WHAT YOU NEED4 firm ripe tomatoes ( 3/4 pound) preferably Italian plum tomatoes2 zucchini (about 1/2 pound)2 tablespoons olive oil2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts (1 1/2 pounds total), split in half, fat and membranes cut away1/3 cup chopped onion1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic1/4 teaspoon dried thyme1/2 cup dry white wine!

Summer squash used to be the Rodney Dangerfield of the vegetable garden. It got absolutely no respect -- partly because supply often outstripped demand. Jokes abounded about leaving baskets of squash like abandoned babies on doorsteps in the dead of night. There weren't many varieties to chose from, either. Zucchini, yellow crookneck and cymling (now called pattypan) were pretty much it. But that's all changed. Now, there are dozens of varieties available that range from creamy, nubbly, star-shaped, to goose-necked, rib-backed and bulbous.

About the only good thing I can say about our weather is that the cucumbers seem to like it. This recent mixture of sledgehammer heat and humidity may make us feel lower than a snake in a wagon rut, but for cucumbers, it is propagation time. They are popping off the vines.There are not a whole lot of folks who care for the weather, or for cucumbers. Cucumbers do not have a large, vocal following. Unlike the broccoli legions, cucumbers can not claim to able to prevent cancer, clean your arteries or even give you curly hair.

Brownies for Mom's day or any celebrationIf you're searching for a delicious Mother's Day gift or a treat for a special occasion, look no farther than Ellicott City, where stay-at-home moms Joann Francavilla and Linda Lawrence have come up with the most delectable brownies I've ever seen. These chocolate squares feature a truffle-like base topped with a creamy layer of raspberry, espresso or creme de menthe. A dozen of the brownies cost $12 and are prettily arranged on a gold-scalloped platter wrapped in festive cellophane and colorful ribbon.

Today the ever-expanding boundaries of comfort food include a dish that in recent years has been more talked about than eaten, except at truck stops. I refer to the chicken-fried steak, an inexpensive cut of beef that is coated in flour and fried until brown. Quick to cook and economical, it can be a treat. Or it can be tough, tired and weighed down by a pan gravy that has the texture and taste of wallpaper paste. There's no secret to success, really. If your steak is inexpensive, and it should be, it's going to be tough.

"Is there some secret recipe for roasting whole potatoes?" asked Jerry Carter of Baltimore. "In some 20 to 30 cookbooks I can't find a single recipe. I once read that they could be done in a Crock-Pot. Help!!"Fran Rowe of Stevenson knows a simple and delicious way to roast potatoes, which she shared. Two other readers also sent in recipes.Rowe's roasted potatoes1/2 cup vegetable oil10 potatoes all about the same size, peeledpaprikaHeat oven to 350 degrees.In an 8-inch-square glass baking dish, pour in oil and roll potatoes in the oil. Sprinkle them lightly with paprika and place in oven.

Until recently, I had not able to work up much ardor for summer squash.It was just another vegetable in the market. It was not as well known as zucchini. And with its crooked neck, and bright yellow skin, it was not good-looking. What changed my attitude toward summer squash was proximity. Many summer squash moved into our home. They filled up bowls that were supposed to hold fruit. They stretched out on kitchen counters. They sunned themselves in the back yard.This invasion of the summer squash was similar to the zucchini influx that had visited the household a few weeks earlier.

We dream about summer's lush bounty all winter long, counting the days until juicy tomatoes, sweet, sweet corn and oodles of zucchini and peppers bring happiness to our meals.Now, as the waves of produce roll in, we wonder what in the heck are we going to do with all of Mother Nature's largess?It's no wonder a holiday was created for the overload. Called "Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch Night," the Aug. 8 celebration - started in Mount Gretna, Pa., by gardener Thomas Roy - is catching on quickly around the nation.

Turn mild ground turkey into great-tasting burgers with the addition of savory herbs. The addition of seasoned vegetables makes this a great appealing dish. For leanest ground turkey ask your butcher to grind boneless, skinless turkey. The fat content of pre-ground turkey varies. Look for a product labeled "turkey meat," which indicates that it does not contain skin.WHAT YOU NEED2 egg whites1/3 cup soft bread crumbs2/3 cup finely chopped onion, divided3 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley, divided2 cloves garlic, minced1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed, divided1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon, crushed, divided1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon pepper, divided1 1/2 pounds ground turkey1 medium zucchini, sliced1 medium yellow squash, sliced1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms1 tablespoon vegetable cooking oil1 medium tomato, peeled, seeded and choppedIn a medium mixing bowl beat egg whites until foamy.

Quiche kind of disappeared from our consciousness after to much exposure in the late '70s, coupled with dire warnings from the cholesterol cops in the '80s, placed it on the "What's Out" lists.But this quiche is so quick and easy that its a true comeback contender in the '90s.1! Italian Zucchini Crescent Pie4 cups thinly sliced, unpeeled zucchini1 cup coarsely chopped onion1/2 cup margarine or butter1/2 cup chopped parsley or 2 tablespoons parsley flakes1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon black pepper1/2 teaspoon garlic powder1/4 teaspoon basil leaves1/4 teaspoon oregano leaves2 eggs, well beaten8 ounces (2 cups)