I think zucchini may be the most popular vegetable to grow here in the USA.  I have lived in two different locations where I had room to have vegetable gardens and zucchini was always included as part of my garden.  I always got excited when I saw the first golden blossoms.

Photo credit hgtv.com.

Although early zucchini plants were native to the Americas, it was the European colonists who brought them to Europe.  Then, in the early 20th century zucchini found its way back to North American, by way of Italian immigrants.  Zucchini is the Italian plural diminutive word for squash, “zucca”.  It is also known as “courgette” which is the French word for this vegetable.  For more facts about Zucchini, see this interesting article from Rutgers Cooperative Extension on the history, growing, preparation, and recipes for this wonderful plant.

Unless someone gives you a sack of really large zucchini, remember that biggest is not always the best.  The most flavorful zucchini is the small to medium-sized.

If you have been blessed with an abundance of zucchini, these Cheesy Zucchini Bites are a good way to use up some of them.

They can be served as an appetizer or as a side dish.  They are crunchy, cheesy and bite-size, with the sweet taste of the zucchini shining through.

Notes:
1.  After grating and pressing water out of the two medium sized zucchini, I had 2 cups of grated zucchini.
2.  In place of a mini muffin pan, the Bites can be baked on a parchment lined baking sheet.
3.  Leftovers can be reheated in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes.

You know summer is almost over when the Bee Balm starts to fade.  But the butterflies are still around and don’t seem to mind.