Over Stuffed Zucchini Food

STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Trim stems from zucchini and slice lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and put in a bowl. Mix seeds with sausage, garlic, bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese. Stuff squash with sausage mixture and place in a 9x13 inch baking pan. Pour spaghetti sauce over the top and cover the pan with foil.
• Bake in preheated oven until sausage is browned and cooked through, about 45 minutes. Remove foil and cover with mozzarella cheese. Return to the oven and cook until cheese is melted, about 15 minutes more.

STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Slice zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out insides leaving about 1/4-in shell.
• Finely chop zucchini pulp; set aside. Saute onion in oil in large heavy skillet. Add mushrooms, garlic and reserved chopped zucchini; cook over medium heat until most of moisture evaporates.
• Add cream cheese, egg, Parmesan, parsley, and pepper.
• Mix well; cook for about 10 minutes.
• Cool filling slightly and fill zucchini shells.
• Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese. Place on jelly roll pans; bake for 30 minutes at 350°F until bubbly and golden brown on top.

EASY STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Cook and stir the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until the meat is browned, breaking the beef up into crumbles as it cooks, about 10 minutes. Drain off excess fat, and transfer the beef into a mixing bowl. Slice the zucchini in half the long way, and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh, leaving a 1/2-inch thick shell all around the zucchini. Chop the scooped-out zucchini flesh, and add to mixing bowl. Stir in the bread crumbs, garlic, spaghetti sauce, black olives, and Parmesan cheese; mix the stuffing well. Lightly stuff both halves of the zucchini with the meat mixture. Place the zucchini halves into a baking dish, and cover tightly with foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, remove from oven, and remove the foil. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese over each zucchini half. Move an oven rack to within 6 inches of the oven broiler's heat source, turn on the broiler, and broil the zucchini until the mozzarella cheese is browned and bubbling, about 5 minutes.

STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine first 11 ingredients and 1 can of the tomato sauce; mix well. Stir in tomatoes. Halve zucchini lengthwise; scoop out seeds. Fill with meat mixture; place in two 13x9-in. baking dishes. Spoon remaining tomato sauce over each. , Bake, uncovered, at 375° until the zucchini is tender, about 45 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese during the last few minutes of baking.

OVER-STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Lop off the ends of each zucchini and slice in half lengthwise.
• Scoop out the middle (pulp) with a spoon leaving 1/4 inch on the bottom and sides of the zucchini halves.
• Chop the pulp and reserve.
• Brown beef and pork.
• Saute onions and mushrooms until soft.
• Combine the two mixtures and set aside.
• Blend spinach, tomatoes, zucchini pulp, bread cubes, parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, italian seasoning and red pepper flakes.
• Add this to the meat, onion and mushroom mixture.
• Equaly divide between the zucchini halves.
• Top with mozzerella.
• Place in 2 large baking dishes with 1/4 cup of water each.
• Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for 20 min longer or until zucchini is tender and cheese is browned and bubbly.

STUFFED ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• Prepare the zucchini blossoms for stuffing by gently opening the leaves and pinching out the stamen inside each flower. Set the blossoms aside.
• For the filling, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, basil, lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Transfer to a sandwich-size resealable plastic bag and snip a small corner from one point at the bottom.
• Open the leaves of a blossom and pipe in about 1 tablespoon of filling (don't overfill). Gently twist the top of the blossom to enclose the filling. Repeat with the remaining zucchini blossoms and filling.
• Pour about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet and heat to 360 degrees F. (If you don't have an oil thermometer, you'll know the oil is ready if you drop in a scrap of bread and it sizzles on contact and begins to brown after a few seconds.) Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
• For the batter, whisk the flour, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the seltzer to make a smooth batter.
• When the oil is ready, dip the zucchini flowers in the batter one at a time, letting excess batter drip back into the bowl. Add as many as will fit in the skillet without crowding. Fry, turning once, until the batter is light, crisp and golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon to the lined baking sheet to drain and repeat with the remaining blossoms.
• Serve warm with marinara for dipping.

STUFFED ZUCCHINI BOATS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Drizzle a rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season the zucchini halves with salt and pepper. Add to the baking sheet and turn to coat with the oil. Arrange the zucchini cut-side down in a single layer. Roast until crisp-tender, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the cumin and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper; cook 30 seconds. Add the turkey and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and chicken broth until combined. Cook until the broth is reduced to a thick sauce, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Turn the zucchini boats cut-side up and fill with the turkey mixture, packing it in. Sprinkle with the cheese and roast until the zucchini is tender and the cheese is softened, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, stir together the yogurt and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the zucchini boats with the yogurt mixture and top with the dill.

SAUSAGE-STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Cut zucchinis in half lengthwise and spoon out the seeds, being careful not to go through to the skin. Place zucchini guts in a bowl; mix in diced tomatoes, white onion, and green pepper.
• Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sautè until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the zucchini pulp mixture. Sautè until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in sausage, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
• Let mixture simmer for about 5 minutes; add the tomato sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes more, then reduce heat to low.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a pot of water on the stove to a boil.
• Place the zucchini halves in the boiling water for 3 minutes. Remove the zucchini.
• Place zucchini halves into an oven-safe baking dish. Fill the pieces with your sausage mixture. Top them off with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Cover with foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil. Continue to cook until tender, about 30 minutes more.
• Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!

DROP DEAD DELICIOUS STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Wash zucchini, and put in a pot of cold water (do not remove ends).
• Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes, maybe a little longer depending on the size of your zucchini.
• Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a fairly large skillet.
• Saute garlic first, then add onions, green pepper, thyme, and oregano.
• When the veggies begin to soften, add ground meat (or whatever you are using), season with salt and pepper, and brown until cooked through.
• Drain off any excess grease.
• Set aside to cool slightly.
• When the zucchini have cooked through, remove from water, and allow to cool enough to handle.
• Slice cooled zucchini lengthwise, and scoop out center, leaving a little veggie flesh to form a"boat.
• "Mix ground meat mixture with the red peppers, and the scooped out zucchini (chopped), and the egg.
• Fill the zucchini boats with the mixture, and top each with a slice of cheese.
• Bake in a 375ºF oven for 20-30 minutes, until heated through, and cheese begins to bubble and brown.
• Serve hot.
• Note: If making this dish with tuna or fish, I like to add a little mayo or garlic mayo, and substitute the raw egg for a hard boiled and chopped one.