I am not one of those bumper sticker people, but if I were, it sure wouldn’t say anything about my children beating up honor students or make a political statement about saving the sloth. No, my bumper sticker would say: I stop and buy at all farm stands.

This is the time of year that I can’t go more than a couple of miles in any direction of my Fort Wayne home without seeing signs for fresh corn, or just-picked tomatoes, or even peppers, peppers, peppers. Being blessed with an abundance of enterprising farmers and the need to eat fresh produce the day it’s been picked has made the past few weeks heck on my brakes but heaven in my kitchen.

I have one goal in mind (besides spending all my money): creating recipes that capture the essence of fresh veggies and don’t overwhelm them with sauce or herbs or even too much salt or pepper.

The following recipes are examples of what you can create with nature’s summer bounty.

Crispy Green Beans in Garlic Sauce

5 cups water

1 tablespoon salt

1 1/2 to 2 pounds fresh green beans, ends removed

1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced

2 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano

Dash red pepper flakes

1/2 cup cracker crumbs

In a saucepan, bring 5 cups water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt. Add green beans. Parboil for 4 to 5 minutes, until just tender. Immediately dump them in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Remove after 30 seconds and drain. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and sauté the garlic and mushrooms until they are just soft. Add the beans, parsley, butter and oregano. Toss with cracker crumbs and serve. Can be served hot or cold. Serves 6 to 8.

Tomato Tart

1 unbaked pie crust

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (6 ounces)

4 Roma or small regular tomatoes

3/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

4 cloves garlic

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

Fresh basil leaves (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut the tomatoes into wedges and let it drain on paper towels. Unfold the pie crust according to package directions. Line a 9-inch tart pan with pastry (it’s easier to remove the baked tart if pan has a removable bottom). Press the pastry into the fluted sides of the tart pan and trim the edges. Don’t prick. Partially bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until pastry is slightly dry. Remove the crust from the oven and immediately sprinkle 1/2 cup of mozzarella on the bottom. Let the crust cool and reduce oven to 375 degrees. Arrange the tomato wedges over the melted cheese in the crust.

In the bowl of a food processor combine the basil and garlic and pulse for 15 seconds; don’t let it get too mushy. In a bowl, combine the garlic mixture, remaining mozzarella, mayonnaise, Parmesan and pepper. Spread the mixture evenly over tomato wedges. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cheese is golden. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Makes eight appetizer or four entree servings.

Onion Salad Dressing

Great on a spinach salad, and it can be served hot or cold.

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Dash dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

1 minced onion

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 cup rice wine or apple cider vinegar

In a saucepan, combine sugar, salt, mustard and celery seed. Add grated onion, oil and vinegar. Heat until sugar is melted. Serve warm or let cool and refrigerate to use later. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Zucchini Gratin

2 to 3 medium zucchini

1 large sweet onion, sliced

Olive oil

Kosher salt

2 teaspoons minced garlic, minced

Ground black pepper

10 slices bacon

1/3 cup bread crumbs

2 large springs rosemary, minced

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Cut off the ends of the zucchini and slice them lengthwise, about 1/4 of an inch thick, until you have 10 slices. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet, sauté the sliced onions with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and large pinch of salt until soft. Add garlic and black pepper and sauté for a couple of minutes. Place the onions in an oven-proof dish. Season the zucchini slices with some salt and pepper. Top each one with a slice of bacon and then layer the zucchini/bacon slices over the top of the onions in the dish. Overlap them slightly. In a bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, rosemary and parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the mixture over the top of the zucchini and drizzle the top with additional olive oil. Bake for 25 minutes. You can turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes at the end if the bacon slices aren’t totally crisp.