Thursday, August 23, 2018
An August sentiment: Where did these gigantic zucchini come from?
For those of you who keep vegetable gardens, you'll be able to appreciate this August sentiment -- each mammoth zucchini seems to be larger than the last. Wednesday, I thought I had "caught up" on all of the zucchini. Then Thursday afternoon I was picking tomatoes for dinner and found yet another mammoth zucchini hiding under the leaves. So, what's a cook to do?
Besides zucchini bread, relish, and veggie medleys, here's something really delicious that will use one very large zucchini in one blow -- baked, stuffed zucchini.
Here's the size of one from a couple of weeks ago. I put a banana next to it to give you an indication of size.
To stuff:
I used a melon baller to scoop out the center of each half. (Those scoops of zucchini flesh were then later chopped and added to vegetable soup.)
I stuffed mine with a mixture of cooked, chopped chicken breast, bread crumbs, herbs, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. After filling, I topped with additional Parmesan.
On an oiled baking sheet, I baked the stuffed halves for about 35 minutes, at about 350 degrees, until the cheese was browned on top. The zucchini part was crisp-tender.
You can also stuff with loose Italian sausage, or bread crumbs, herbs and cheese. Since you want the zucchini part to cook well, keep your fillings dense. So, if just doing bread crumbs with cheese, add a bit of milk, beaten egg, or just water to the crumb mixture. This way the filling and the zucchini will cook to about the same doneness.
9 comments:
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The good thing about giant zucchini is that they are still good to eat when they get that big. Many other things are not so good when they get that ripe. We stuff zucchini sometimes for my husband when we have stuffed peppers. He does not like peppers, so it is a good substitute for him.
ReplyDeleteHave you tried the zucchini (or summer squash) casserole? The kind that uses a box of stuffing mix? It makes a delicious side dish. I'm not fond of using cream soups but this recipe does call for it and we love it every summer as a side dish.
ReplyDeleteZucchini Casserole
3 - 4 zucchini, unpeeled and cubed
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 box chicken stuffing
6 T. melted margarine
In a skillet, saute zucchini, carrots and onion until soft. Add in the soup, sour cream, stuffing mix and margarine.
Put in a 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
You can add leftover chicken to make this more of a meal and that is really good as well!
Alice
Zucchini are just plain amazing
ReplyDeleteWe have that problem, too! I served chocolate zucchini cake last night for my son's birthday party. Your stuffed zucchini recipe would make a great main dish.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone needs a great zucchini recipe for desserts, google Lemon Blueberry Zucchini cake from I Am Baker. It is amazing! The lemon is just in the icing, and I often use a different topping. Most recently, I made the cake into muffins/cupcakes and topped them with a streusel topping instead. Totally delicious and also won me a ribbon at our local fair.
ReplyDeleteLisa
Great solution! Just wanted to let you know that I've closed my blog on blogspot, due to trolling. If you wish to find me, I am now on Facebook, it's a closed site so I can screen folks and delete anyone who is inappropriate. Just search "CTonabudget" on FB to find me, and answer 3 questions. Hope to see you over there, you have some really great ideas!
ReplyDeleteI'll check that out, Carol!
DeleteJust hopping on this morning to find out if you're OK. I miss you and your contributions A LOT. Not sure if you'll be back but I need you to know that you are missed.
ReplyDeleteAlice
Thank you, Alice. I'll be back to blogging very soon! I hope all is well with you and your family.
Delete