Zucchini, anyone?

Did you know that August 8th is official Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch Day?  You have to get up pretty early in my town if you want to catch the Zucchini Sharer.  Yes, it's that time of year when it is just not safe to leave your cars unlocked or windows open.  You never know when a bagful of beautiful zucchinis will appear on your porch. Or your car.  Or your Office.  I was at the Post Office exactly three minutes one day and came out to find some happiness in my car.  I have my suspicions of who the bearer of Zucchini is and she has way too much fun delivering the succulent summer squash to unsuspecting victims.  I myself have heard the muffled giggle and squeal of tires as she makes her getaway.  People tend to get very suspicious of each other this time of year, casting furtive, sidelong glances and listening for the crunch of tires on gravel.  My mom was a sharer.  Not a secret sharer, really. She always made sure the Pastor's wife had an extra Tea Ring (always the best one ) at Christmas and I think the neighbors enjoyed her kuchens.  I remember her sending us next door with a plate of something to give to them.  We would stand there in our shy way and knock until Esther opened the door.  She was a tiny grandmother type with a genuine smile and eyes that twinkled.  And she liked to share back.  Whenever she made fried chicken, my sister and I usually got the drumsticks.  She always said, in her rich German brogue that she and Edwin did not care for drumsticks, so would we mind taking them?  There seemed to be nothing better than eating a cold drumstick shared by a wonderful neighbor on a hot summer day.  I don't remember my mother growing zucchini in her garden and I have no idea when this vegetable gained such notoriety.  But it has, and here we are, about to celebrate Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch day!  Celebrate it to the fullest, but be cautioned that no matter how many zucchinis you sneak on that day,  I guarantee you will be repayed and then some.  I have to confess, I have never made this recipe, but it sounds wonderful.  Enjoy!

Zucchini Breakfast Casserole Recipe

Ingredients

• 6-8 eggs
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce or other hot chili sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups grated zucchini (from 2-3 fresh zucchinis)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped plum tomatoes (from 4-5 fresh tomatoes),
• 1/2 cup sliced fresh basil (from about 20 leaves)*
• 4 cups cubed day-old bread (from about 4 slices)
• Olive oil

*Chiffonade basil by stacking a few leaves on top of each other, roll them up like a cigar, slice thin, starting at one end of the cigar and working your way down.

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl beat the eggs. Add the ricotta and beat until smooth. Mix in the grated Parmesan cheese, Tabasco, salt and pepper.
2 Prepare the vegetables and bread. Once you chop the tomatoes, squeeze excess moisture out of them by pressing them in a sieve, or wrapping in paper towels and squeezing. Add the tomatoes, basil, and zucchini to the egg mixture. Moisten the bread cubes with a little water then squeeze out any excess moisture using paper towels. Mix the bread cubes into the egg mixture.
3 Coat the bottom and sides of a 9x13 baking dish generously with olive oil. Pour the egg vegetable mixture into the baking pan and even it out in the pan. Place in the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 30 minutes at 350°F. The casserole should puff up and brown lightly. If it hasn't after 30 minutes at 350, increase the heat to 425° and cook for 5-10 minutes further. Remove from oven and let cool on a rack for 10 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.
Makes 6-8 portions.