Thursday, July 30, 2009

From the Kitchen...

Being the *real* housewife that I am (despite the loads of unwashed laundry and un-ironed linens lying around the house), I decided it's time to share some of my day-to-day activities...today's is cooking! I have had ups and downs with cooking over the past several months, especially considering my picky eater (aka husband) and attempts to eat healthfully and economically. It is truly a task! So, here is one of my recent favorite recipes that may become a stand-by for lunch or dinner.

STUFFED ZUCCHINI
Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 60 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

* 4 long zucchini (as opposed to the round variety)
* 1/2 pound ground beef or turkey sausage (I used fresh ground lamb bought at the local farmers' market!)
* ¼ cup Bread Crumbs (homemade or store bought)
* ¼ cup grated mozzarella or mild cheese
* 1 egg
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* Minced fresh parsley (a small bunch)
* 1 T Herbs Provencal (or your preferred combo of basil, oregano and thyme)
* Black pepper and salt to taste


PREPARATION: Wash the zucchini, split them lengthwise, and scoop out the pulp with a spoon. Reserve the pulp for filling.

Mix the remaining ingredients (except cheese) in a bowl, and use it to fill the zucchini shells. I used the zucchini pulp to cut down the amount of bread crumbs needed in the recipe--this also reduces overall calories in the recipe!

Place the stuffed zucchini on a baking sheet lined with foil, sprinkle with cheee, and bake @ 375 F for 40 minutes.

Yield: 2-3 (3-4 zucchini per person)
Approx. 400 calories per person

Voila! Enjoy!

Photo credit: Because I forgot to take photos of my own after first experimenting with this recipe,
I've included some photos borrowed from another blog, found HERE. My recipe differs from the one posted on Gina's blog.
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3 comments:

  1. Dana in GeorgiaJuly 30, 2009 at 1:11 PM

    Havent enjoyed something like this since highschool, when BaaBee had a garden. Kudos for your kreativity! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dana in GeorgiaJuly 30, 2009 at 1:15 PM

    Jennifer Batts Hodges' posted this recipe on Facebook yestertday and I thought it sounded delicious.

    Zucchini Bread

    Beat 3 eggs until light. Then add 2 c. brown sugar, 2 c. grated zucchini, 1 c. canola or peanut oil, 1 T. vanilla, 1 c. drained crushed pineapple, 1 c. dried cranberries, 1/2 c. chopped pecans or walnuts.

    Mix together: 3 c. flour, 1 T. cinnamon, 1 t. baking soda, 1 t. baking powder, 1 t. salt

    Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

    Pour into prepared pans (grease and flour 2 loaf pans- you could also use 2 long narrow "quick bread" pans).

    Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes. Toothpick test center.

    Let cool in pans 10 minutes, and then turn out onto cooling racks. Wrap in waxed paper, then foil. Freezes well. Defrost at room temperature 12 hours before serving. Otherwise store in refrigerator and serve at room temperature.

    I double the recipe every time I make it, and use 4 long narrow pans.

    * T. means tablespoon, t. means teaspoon, c. means cup

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lydia GraceSeptember 18, 2009 at 6:54 PM

    OOOoooohh! this looks good!!! we love all kinds of squash!

    ReplyDelete

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