DEAR JEANNE: This is another way I use my zucchini; it's like a custard pie, it's great. What can you do to lighten it? – Shirley Miller, Hagerstown, Md.

ZUCCHINI CREAM PIE

1 1/2 cups zucchini, peeled, seeded and sliced

1 cup half-and-half

2 cups white sugar

2 eggs

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch salt

1 9-inch single pie crust

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. Boil zucchini until tender. Drain.

2. Put the zucchini, half-and-half, sugar, eggs, butter, flour, vanilla and salt into a blender and blend until smooth.

3. Pour into the unbaked pie shell. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Bake at 425 for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 and bake until set.

Makes 8 servings.

DEAR SHIRLEY: This is a new way to use zucchini! The vegetable cannot even be detected if it's peeled. It really is like a custard. I always feel bad throwing away perfectly good vegetables, so I used the peeled skins by chopping them up and adding them to soup. You really could add them to anything, as they are not strongly flavored and are very tender. You even could add them to the pie, but then they would be recognizable. I didn't want to waste the rest of the milk, and the pie was very firm, so I added the whole can.

LOW-FAT ZUCCHINI CREAM PIE

1 1/2 cups peeled, seeded and grated zucchini

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated skim milk

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 egg white

3 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 unbaked pie crust

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. Steam the grated zucchini (microwave makes it easy) until very soft. Drain off any excess liquid and cool.

2. Preheat the oven to 425.

3. Place the evaporated milk, sugar, egg, egg white, flour, vanilla and salt in a blender, and blend. Add the cooled zucchini and blend again.

4. Pour custard into unbaked pie crust and sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg.

5. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 and bake for another 30 minutes, or until a sharp knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains approximately: Original recipe: 406 calories; 15 g fat; 76 mg cholesterol; 237 mg sodium; 65 mg carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 1 g fiber. Revised recipe: 258 calories; 7 g fat; 28 mg cholesterol; 228 mg sodium; 43 g carbohydrates; 6 g protein; 1 g fiber.

Send your recipe for revision to: Cook It Light, P.O. Box 1212, La Jolla, CA 92038. Please include a stamped (61 cents), self-addressed envelope.

– King Features