With the Titans on a bye week, what is a girl to do with all this free time? Of course I’m keeping up with the other games, watching my fantasy football team go down in flames, but my attention is not as focused as it would be if I was cheering on the Titans. So, it’s a perfect day to try out some new recipes!
Now I will admit, stuffed zucchinis are not typical football food and very few men would say “Let’s have some zucchini today while we watch the game” – but we are not men! Although women love to indulge in the usual game days foods – chips, dips, lots of things made with cheese, pizza, etc – we also enjoy the healthier side of eating. And personally, I have been on a health kick lately! I’m not going to lie, I also made the classic Velveeta-Rotel dip to snack on today!
Below is the recipe and instructions for Stuffed Zucchini. Give it a try, it is a delicious dish! It can be made and eaten at home for game watching parties, but it can also be prepared at home and finished on the grill if you are out tailgating.
Stuffed Zucchini
3 good sized zucchinis
1/2 minced yellow onion (can add more if you like a lot of onions)
3 to 4 cloves of garlic, minced
5-8 medium/large sized white or baby portobello mushrooms chopped
1 medium tomato chopped
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon tarragon
1 teaspoon parsley
(That list looks kind of long, but it’s really not. Very easy recipe!)
Preheat oven to 425 if cooking this at home. Heat oil in pan and add onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes.
While this is cooking, cut zucchinis in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and flesh of the zucchini, making a “boat” to hold the stuffing. Be careful not to cut through the bottom. Save the fleshy part of the zucchini and chop it up to include in the stuffing.
Place the zucchini “boats” in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
Return to the pan with onions and add the tomatoes and the chopped zucchini. Add salt, pepper, oregano, tarragon, and parsley. Let cook for another 2 minutes.
Remove the pan from heat and add in the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. The mixture should get thicker and begin to stick together. Add more bread crumbs or cheese if mixture is too runny.
Stuff mixture into the zucchini boats. You can top with some shredded cheese if you want. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until zucchini is tender.
*If tailgating, cook the mixture and stuff the zucchinis at home. Transfer and cook the zucchinis on the grill wrapped loosely in aluminum foil, for about 20-30 minutes.
Enjoy!
