Crazy for Zucchini
Here in the Midwest it has been one long, steamy, sticky summer. And because there has been so much rain, I feel like every time I turn around someone is handing me one monster-sized zucchini. Between you and me, I don’t love zucchini, I don’t dislike it, it’s just not one of my fav veggies. For me, I love roasting it in the oven tossed with some salt, pepper, olive oil and then a quick toss of parmesan cheese and serve. Since I have been forced to get creative with my over abundance of zucchini, I have found these tasty recipes to try out.
Mom’s Zucchini Bread from www.allrecipes.com:
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 1/4 cups white sugar
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups grated zucchini
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
- Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
- Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
- Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
- Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.
Zucchini Oven Chips from www.cookinglight.com:
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fat-free milk
- 2 1/2 cups (1/4-inch-thick) slices zucchini (about 2 small)
- Cooking spray
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°.
Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Place milk in a shallow bowl. Dip zucchini slices in milk, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place coated slices on an ovenproof wire rack coated with cooking spray; place rack on a baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until browned and crisp. Serve immediately.
Ziti with Sausage and Zucchini from www.goodhousekeeping.com:
Ingredients
- 1 package(s) (16 ounces) ziti rigate or wagon-wheel pasta
- Salt, to taste
- 3/4 pound(s) sweet Italian-sausage links, casings removed
- 3 medium (about 8 ounces each ) zucchini, each cut lengthwise in half, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
- 1/4 teaspoon(s) coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 can(s) (28 ounces) whole plum tomatoes
- Grated Parmesan cheese, optional
Directions
- In large saucepot, prepare pasta in boiling salted water as label directs.
- Meanwhile, heat nonstick 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add sausage meat and cook until browned, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently to break up sausage. With slotted spoon, transfer sausage to bowl.
- Discard all but 1 tablespoon sausage drippings from skillet. Add zucchini, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until zucchini is golden, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes with their juice; heat to boiling, breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon. Return sausage to skillet. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer about 5 minutes longer.
- Drain pasta; return to saucepot. Add sausage mixture; toss well. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese if you like.
Stuffed Zucchini and Red Bell Peppers from www.foodnetwork.com (recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentis:
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, grated
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano
- 1/4 cup dried plain bread crumbs
- 1 pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat
- 2 zucchini, ends removed, halved lengthwise and crosswise
- 1 short orange bell pepper, halved and seeded
- 1 short red bell pepper, halved and seeded
- 1 short yellow bell pepper, halved and seeded
- 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Lightly drizzle the olive oil into a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Whisk the onion, parsley, egg, ketchup, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the cheese and bread crumbs. Mix in the turkey. Cover and refrigerate the turkey mixture.
Using a melon baller or spoon, carefully scrape out the seeds and inner flesh from the zucchini, leaving 1/8-inch-thick shells. Be careful not to pierce through the skin. Fill the zucchini and pepper halves with the turkey mixture, dividing equally and mounding slightly. Arrange the stuffed vegetables in the baking dish. Pour the marinara sauce over the stuffed vegetables.
Bake uncovered until the vegetables are tender and beginning to brown and a thermometer inserted into the filling registers 165 degrees F, about 45 minutes. Transfer the stuffed vegetables to a platter and serve.
These recipes are slowly turning me into a zucchini lover! I hope you like ‘em too.
You have a really great site/blog! Those zucchini chips look so good!
Those zucchini recipes sound AMAZING! I ALWAYS love zucchini bread…one of my favorites. Great picks!
Definitely trying the zucchini chips, they sound delicious!!