A zucchini and summer squash jungle is growing in my garden. Zucchini spreads tall and reaches wide, bumping up against the cucumbers, whose tendrils attempt to entwine the thick, stalky branches. Zucchini plants are trying to shade and bully the pepper plants. They're even stalking over to my newest planting of basil. In the spring I thought we'd spaced everything generously. It's a mistake we make every year.

This year in our large, over-growing garden, we sowed five types of zucchini and summer squash. There is the lovely Magda, a blocky, light-green, almost pin-striped squash that loves to produce. Also producing well is Golden Bush Zucchini, a sunny-gold-colored straight squash. There is the curiously named Dundoo, a typical-looking dark, shiny-green zucchini. It's said to have resistance to zucchini yellow mosaic virus. I hope.

Also growing is Yellow Crookneck squash, lemony-hued and bumpy with graceful curves. These are best enjoyed small as the skins can get tough. The last one, Cocozelle Bush, is handsome, striped light and dark green, but quite hard to pick as the fruit grows close to the bottom of the plant, hiding the attaching stem. I think I might forgo it in the future.

It sounds overwhelming but I believe that there is never too much zucchini. Almost never, anyway, as long as there are guests in the house to feed it to or in-laws to present it to. (If the husband doesn't forget to take it to them.) The trick is, as always, to pick it young and if you miss a couple and they become enormous, overnight, which always happens, don't feel guilty. Simply drag the squash monsters onto the compost pile.

Just as you can never have too much zucchini, you can never have too many yummy recipes using this versatile vegetable. Really. Especially if you have guests or in-laws.

Folded Whole Grain Zucchini and Mushroom Quesadillas

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Instead of resembling an overloaded pizza, some traditional Mexican quesadillas are folded in half over the filling and browned in a skillet. White flour tortillas may be used but whole grain ones are sturdier and don't get soggy. Serve with salsa.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped sweet white onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced, with some seeds
• 6 ounces small white mushrooms, thinly sliced (2 cups), halve larger mushrooms
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Large pinch dried oregano
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced (2 cups)
• 2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
• Canola oil
• 4 8-inch whole-grain tortillas

In large skillet, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and jalapeno and cook, stirring often until tender, about 4 minutes. Add mushrooms, cumin, oregano, and a little salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes until mushrooms are tender and cooked down.

Stir in zucchini and another pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, adding 1 tablespoon water if pan becomes dry, until tender, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer to bowl and cool. If filling becomes liquidy, strain it off. Mix in cheese.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place baking sheet in oven.

Brush canola oil over bottom of large nonstick skillet; warm over medium heat. Add a tortilla, heat on one side and flip over. Spoon about 3/4 cup mushroom-cheese filling onto one half of the tortilla and fold tortilla over filling. Press down gently. Cook, turning 1 or 2 times until cheese has melted and tortilla is browned in spots, 1 to 2 minutes. Place on baking sheet in oven. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling, oiling pan if necessary. Serve hot.

Makes 4 quesadillas, 2 or 3 servings.

-- Miriam Rubin

Cold Summer Squash Soup

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Loved by everyone who tried it, this soup keeps in the fridge for a few days, ideal to make ahead for summer guests. Double or triple the recipe if you want. I served it with a dollop of plain yogurt and chopped cilantro and chives. Toast the cumin and coriander in a small, dry skillet over medium heat about 2 minutes until fragrant. Cool and crush with a mortar and pestle.

• 1 pound yellow summer squash (or light green zucchini), cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted and crushed
• Pinch ground turmeric
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 to 3 teaspoons fresh lime juice

Put Dutch oven with lid over high heat. Add squash, oil, crushed red pepper, cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt to taste and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, uncovered. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes until squash is very tender.

Puree in batches if necessary in blender or food processor until smooth. Set strainer over a bowl; pour puree through strainer, working soup gently through with a spoon. Let cool. Season with pepper, lime juice and more salt, if needed. Refrigerate until cold. Serve.

Makes 2 cups, 2 to 4 servings.

-- Adapted from "The Big Summer Cookbook" by Jeff Cox (Wiley, 2010, $24.95)

Nan Redpath's Zucchini with Corn and Cream

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This comes from PG contributor Virginia Phillips' mom, Nan Redpath. Virginia prefers the ribbed, firm-textured Italian Costata Romanesco zucchini. My neighbor, Wendy Saul, provided the shallots.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound zucchini, preferably Costata Romanesco, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• Kosher salt
• 2 shallots, chopped, or 3 scallions, sliced
• Kernels from 3 ears cooked corn, or 1 1/2 cups frozen shoepeg or baby gold and white corn, thawed
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Freshly ground black pepper (Virginia likes to use coarse pepper)
• 1/4 cup snipped fresh chives

In large, heavy, deep skillet or Dutch oven, warm oil over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and sprinkle with a little salt. Cook, stirring often, until tender and lightly browned, 6 to 7 minutes. Add shallots, cook and stir until softened, 1 minute.

Add corn and cook, tossing with 2 spoons (as for stir-frying) about 2 minutes, until heated. Add cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook until cream is reduced slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in chives and taste for seasoning. Serve hot.

Makes 4 cups, 4 to 6 servings.

-- Nan Redpath

Zena's Zucchini with Onions and Garlic

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My best friend, Linda Cedarbaum, and her daughter, Zena Milstein, recently visited with friends. Zena, tall, gorgeous and all grown up, wanted to learn how to cook a few simple things. Together we made this squash saute, which we served with pesto pasta and the apple crisp I made with Zena and Tom, another new friend. Tom helped cut up the apples after she made the topping. Yes, Tom is a girl and a talented photographer. Very fresh zucchini is the key to this dish. Take it straight from the garden.

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium sweet white onions or 1 large, halved and thinly sliced (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices (5 to 6 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram or thyme, crumbled

Warm oil in large, heavy, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until tender, 5 to 6 minutes, reducing heat if onion is browning.

Add zucchini, marjoram and another pinch of salt. Cook, tossing with two spoons (as for stir-frying) 5 to 6 minutes, until some squash slices look translucent. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, until zucchini is tender. Taste, adding salt and pepper as needed. Serve.

Makes 4 cups, 4 to 6 servings.

-- Miriam Rubin

Chapel's Country Zucchini and Squash Casserole

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Simple, fresh flavors make this casserole a lovely summertime dinner. It comes from Chapel's Country Creamery in Maryland and calls for their cheeses, but other flavorful, premium cheeses work as well. You need 11/2 cups shredded cheese, and I used a mixture of cheddar and parmesan. They called for colby dill or colby, herbal jack or plain Monterey jack, and cheddar.

• 2 or 3 small zucchini, cut into thin rounds (about 2 cups)
• 2 large tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1 medium-large onion (I used a sweet onion), halved and thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon each kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, mixed
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (see head note)
• 2 or 3 small yellow summer squash, cut into thin rounds (about 2 cups)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 12-by-8-inch baking dish.

Layer zucchini and then tomatoes in prepared dish. Sprinkle with half the onion and half the salt and pepper. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Top with the yellow squash, remaining onion and remaining salt and pepper. Sprinkle with rest of cheese.

Bake, uncovered, 45 to 55 minutes, until vegetables are tender and top is golden. Serve hot.

Makes 3 or 4 servings.

-- Adapted from "Dishing Up Maryland: 150 Recipes from the Alleghenies to the Chesapeake Bay" by Lucie L. Snodgrass (Storey, 2010, $19.95)

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