Zucchini is coming into the spotlight with its usual vengeance right about now. Run through your standard favorites, perhaps bake a zucchini bread or two, then try these colorful vegetable cakes with fresh tomato sauce, a little spicy with crushed red pepper. Lima beans in the sauce and corn on the cob on the side round out the meal.

The next day, make a healthy weeknight meal with broken-up zucchini cakes, leftover sauce, pasta, and kernels cut from the corn cobs. Salute the season’s produce.

Shopping list

(For zucchini with fresh tomato sauce, pasta with zucchini)

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1 egg

1¼ cups grated Parmesan

2 zucchini

1 summer squash

1 large carrot

¼ red onion

6 ears fresh corn

3 pounds plum tomatoes

2 cups shelled baby lima beans (fresh or frozen)

Handful fresh parsley stems

½ bunch fresh basil

3 cloves garlic

Salt and black pepper

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

½ cup olive oil

1 pound regular or whole-wheat penne

1½ cups panko breadcrumbs