WHERE, OH WHERE, DID THE ZUCCHINI GO?

It's January, and even the most ardent zucchini gardener has been reduced to (gasp!) buying zucchini. And it's over a dollar a pound. Here's a way to stretch a single medium sized zucchini into a side dish for four or a main one for three (Use 12 ounces of pasta for a main dish). It's equally as good with yellow crookneck squash, and as the first crop comes in next spring, the zucchini quotent can be expanded. Don't cook the zucchini too long -- mushy is not good. Here's a savory main dish that will come together in the time it takes to boil up a pot of pasta. Just put your cutting board by the saute pan and keep adding and stirring as you chop.

Tuscan Spaghetti

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 pound mushrooms, diced
2 large cloves of garlic, chopped fine or pressed
1 zucchini, diced into 3/8" dice
1 small jar marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
12 kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 spring of fresh, chopped fine
3/4 pound whole wheat pasta
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Start a large pot of water to boil.

In a medium skillet over medium heat, saute the mushrooms, pepper and garlic until the pepper starts to soften (about five minutes).

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook to al dente (five to eight minutes).

Add zucchini to vegetables, stir, and add in artichokes, olives, and oregano. Cook just until some of the zucchini starts to soften.

Drain the pasta, mix in the vegetables, and top with cheese.