Zucchini, Zucchini, Zucchini

Every year I plant one hill of zucchini. I don’t want to be overwhelmed by a prolific harvest, you know.

And every year I am overwhelmed.

After shredding and freezing as much as I need for the winter I am left with far more than my family can consume in the few days it takes for the next batch to be ready for picking. So, like any good gardener, I give it away to whomever will take it. (Usually by the end of the summer even those people are sick of zucchini!) We still eat a fair amount of zucchini which my daughter and I enjoy immensely, the men of the family offer no comment, they just eat it. In this post I will share with you some of my favorite ways to eat zucchini. Maybe you’ll find something new to try.

Summer Squash Saute (THM FP)

1 small zucchini, sliced

1 small yellow summer squash, sliced

1 small onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients together in a large pan. Cook over medium heat until veggies are tender. Serve immediately. Sometimes I get creative with the herbs in my spice cupboard. Onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, basil, and oregano are a few things I’ve tossed in. Shredded cheese sprinkled on top the last minute or two of cooking makes for a great way to vary this dish.

Pizza-Stuffed Zucchini (THM S)

1 large zucchini cut in half lengthwise

1 lb ground beef, turkey, or venison

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 pint diced tomatoes

8 ounces tomato sauce

Mozzarella cheese, Pepperoni, Any other favorite toppings, Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×13 casserole. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds creating a hollow down the center of each half. Place zucchini in the casserole.

Brown meat with chopped onion till cooked through. Drain and return to fry-pan. Add diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Cook 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Fill hollowed out zucchini halves. If the meat mixture doesn’t completely fill the zucchini’s allow it to spill over the sides into the bottom of the casserole. Bake till zucchini is fork tender (time varies based on the size of the zucchini). Once the zucchini is fork-tender top with mozzarella cheese, pepperoni and any other toppings of your choice. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the rest. Return to oven and bake long enough for cheese to melt. Serve with a fresh tossed salad.

Fried Summer Squash 

1 small yellow summer squash, sliced

1 small zucchini, sliced

Milk or egg beaten lightly

Yellow cornmeal

Garlic powder

Italian seasoning

Salt and Pepper

Olive oil for cooking

Combine 1\4-1\2 cup cornmeal with seasonings, to taste.

Beat egg in a small bowl, or if using milk pour 1\4 cup milk into small bowl. Coat the bottom of a fry- pan with olive oil, warm over medium heat. Dip squash slices into milk and then coat evenly on both sides with the cornmeal mixture. Place a layer of squash into warm oil and heat till browned on both sides and squash is tender. Remove to an oven-proof dish and place in the oven to keep warm.Repeat till all squash slices are cooked. Serve with your favorite summertime menu or eat alone for a yummy meal.

 

Zucchini Spaghetti (THM S)

1 medium zucchini

Sugar-free spaghetti Sauce

1 lb ground beef, turkey or venison

1 small onion, chopped

Garlic powder, to taste

Oregano, to taste

2 Tbsp melted butter or olive oil

Parmesan cheese

Brown meat with onion. Drain and add to favorite sugar-free spaghetti sauce. Warm over low heat. While meat is cooking, using a Julienne peeler, slice zucchini into thin strips, rotating around the zucchini as you go. Discard the seedy center and place “noodles” into a bowl.  Toss noodles with melted butter or oil and season with garlic powder and oregano. Serve just as you would traditional spaghetti.

If you have a favorite zucchini recipe please share in the comments. I’m always looking for something new.