Maybe you already know this, but my mind was blown yesterday when I learned that the secret to the best and easiest squash or zucchini "noodles" is to not cook them. This is a technique that could mean, as it did for us, the difference between a satisfying and healthy homemade meal and something...else when you don't get into the kitchen until after 8:00 on a Monday night. All credit goes to Steve from Just Farmin' who gifted me some gorgeous zucchinis, patty pans, and cucumbers. He suggested that instead of cooking the noodles I should just leave them raw and top with hot pasta sauce. I have always steamed, roasted, or sauteed the squash, but this technique maintained their chewy texture instead of letting them get mushy and watery. Their flavor seemed milder, too. Jonathan, who has been a bit tired of this type of dish after I overdid it back in the summer 2008, gave them high marks. I used a vegetable peeler, but you could also spiralize them or just (very) thinly slice. We topped them with a few ravioli, leftover Italian chicken sausage, and Parmesan cheese, in addition to store-bought roasted garlic marinara sauce.
I recently spotlighted summer squash over here if you're looking for more ideas. All the recipes have appeared on this blog before, but you may enjoy seeing them all in one place and formatted a bit better. And don't forget the delicious summer squash au gratin when you need an impressive potluck dish or a delicious meal. Use the search bar for more ideas.
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