The warnings are dire: double-check to make sure all of your doors are locked, from your cars to your garage to your house. These precautions are not due to an increase in the crime rate, but rather because your neighbors are getting desperate to find homes for all of the zucchini (courgettes) that are now ripening in their garden. I was able to convince a coworker to accept a bag of pattypan squash, and I managed to sneak in a cucumber that was too large for canning. But that was two days ago, another dozen squash are nearly ready and I need to find homes for them too, because my husband has made it clear they are not coming into our house. This is why I don't usually plant zucchini, but I had a moment of weakness at the garden center this spring. "They're so cute, and pattypan squash aren't as prolific as regular green zucchini," I said, conveniently forgetting that the last time I planted them they were like mogwai that were fed after midnight.

Maybe I should have my husband read this article from Everyday Health that explains the nutritional benefits of eating summer squash, which contains manganese and vitamin C, as well as potassium and magnesium. I don't know if that will convince him to eat more squash, because if zucchini is a superfood we must be among the healthiest people on the planet. One thing he can't say is that zucchini are boring, because there are so many ways to use this vegetable (okay, technically it's a fruit, but let's not get pedantic).

Popular uses including the ubiquitous zucchini bread, fritters, and “zoodles,” but those options barely scratch the surface of how you can use this prolific garden staple. It works raw in salads, is wonderful on the grill, can be stuffed with countless fillings, stir-fried with other vegetables, or thrown into a fresh summer soup. For more inspiration, turn to the more than 8,000 online zucchini/courgette recipes in the EYB Library, including these Member favorites:

I showed my husband this list, and he has acquiesced to at least one more meal using our most reliable garden crop. The EYB Library has saved the day, and I won't have to sneak into anyone's garage under cover of darkness to offload vegetables. At least not tomorrow.