I'm starting to build a repertoire of recipes that will feature the bounty of home-grown veggies I'm hoping to harvest this coming summer. It's not too early to dream, is it? Zucchini is always a faithful producer in the garden, but often gets overlooked by summer's end when creativity grows tired. Whet your tastebuds now for zucchini, and you will be more than eager to get those seeds in the ground in a few short months!
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Stuffed Zucchini with Marinara
- 4 medium sized zucchini
- 1 lb. pork, or turkey sausage
- 1 egg
- 1 cup bread crumbs, w/ Italian seasonings
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 large jar of marinara sauce
- 1 package (approx. 16oz) dried whole wheat spaghetti*
Preheat oven to 350F. Cook spaghetti as directed; drain, and place in a 9x13 baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking oil. Set aside.
Trim both ends of zucchini and slice in half lengthwise. Scoop or carefully cut out the seeds to form a "boat." Dice up the seeds and put in bowl. Mix seeds with sausage, egg, garlic, bread crumbs, and parmesan cheese. Stuff squash with sausage mixture, and place each zucchini boat atop of cooked spaghetti. Pour sauce over squash and spaghetti and cover pan with foil.
Bake in preheated over for 1 hr. and 15 minutes, (a little less if you like your zucchini less cooked.) Remove foil, sprinkle with more parmesan if desired, and serve.
*For a healthy alternative, substitute spaghetti squash for the cooked spaghetti!
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Sausage stuffed zucchini[/caption]