Add olives, cheese to zucchini and tomatoes

Overloaded with tomatoes and zucchini? 'Tis the season. The other night I took baked zucchini, tomatoes and feta to a dinner party-- it's one of my favorite summer recipes, best in August, when tomatoes are so good. (Our hosts served a Caprese salad, with both yellow and red tomato slices from their garden. Delicious. You gotta enjoy these vine-ripened gems while they last. They also served cooked-to-perfection marinated flat iron steak-- a cut that seems to be the hottest food trend of the summer.)

Our friends, who had invited 15 people for dinner, found another great use for cherry tomatoes. Poke a toothpick into a ripe specimen, and attach a little name card for each dinner guest. Ingenious.

Tomatoes with zucchini, olives and cheese

Four large tomatoes, cut into chunks, or
4 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
3 medium-sized zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices
3 tablespoons olive oil
10-15 Kalamata olives, chopped
1 teaspoon thyme
2 cloves pressed garlic
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
4 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Arrange rows of tomato and zucchini to form a layer on the bottom of a 11-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with a layer of feta. Top with a second layer of tomatoes and zucchini. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, olives, thyme, garlic. Spoon evenly over vegetables. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake in 425 degree oven for 25 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Serve hot or at room temperature.