How cute and clever is this?

Very.

A sunny-side up egg cooked in its own fully edible, tender pattypan squash.

It’s enough to make you want to invite some friends over for brunch pronto.

“Pattypan Squash with Eggs” is the perfect way to showcase those adorable palm-size, bright yellow squash now all over farmers markets.

The recipe is from the new “Sunset Edible Garden Cookbook” (Oxmoor House) by the editors of Sunset magazine. The cookbook, of which I received a review copy, includes more than 180 recipes for casual dishes that make use of your own backyard bounty. Think “Lamb Stew with Roasted Red Peppers,” “Oysters with Melons and Cucumber Water” and “Grilled Poached Halibut with Fresh Apricot Salsa.”

The method for this particular dish couldn’t be easier. Just slice off the top of the squash and carefully hollow out its center. You can even bake the empty shells hours ahead of time.

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