Get Ready for Summer With a Mouthwatering Veggie Bake

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In the Holaday household, there are many reasons to look forward to birthdays. Cake and presents are obvious highlights, but as an added bonus, the birthday honoree gets to pick the menu for their special day. There are lots of yummy treats that come to mind, but year after year, there is one dish that I always request; my mom's Layered Veggie Bake. It's simple and it's definitely seasonal. Lets just say that vegetables have never tasted better. As you can imagine, the fresher the produce, the better the dish, so head here to find out more about St. Louis' many Farmers' Markets.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 medium zucchini
• 12 small-to-medium tomatoes
• 1/2 of an onion (It will be sweeter with yellow, but red work just fine.)
• 1 stick of butter, melted
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Thinly slice the first three ingredients.
2. In a flat casserole dish, first spread out the zucchini, then the onions, and finally, the tomatoes.
3. Pour the melted butter over all of the vegetables.
4. Sprinkle basil evenly over top.
5. Cover with foil, then cook at 400-degrees for 45 minutes.
6. Then, remove the foil, add the cheese, and return to the oven for 15 to 20 more minutes. The veggie bake will be done when the cheese is melted and the edges start bubbling.