Monday, July 30, 2012

Zucchini Boats Stuffed with Turkey Sausage



Zucchinis are burst out all over! I've been bombarded by requests for recipes! My favorite sweet recipe is my chocolate zucchini bread. I recently had so many zucs I made four loafs and froze them! But it's savory time, zuc lovers!

Stuffing a vegetable. It's not that hard to be creative. You need other veg, maybe a meat (or hearty grain), an egg, some sort of bread agent for binding and good spices.


Zucchini Boats with Turkey Sausage Stuffing


1/2 pound turkey sausage (out of casing)

1 large zucchini

1/2 bell pepper (note my cute bell pepper saver... I'm a fan)

1/2 cup chopped red onion

6 sprigs thyme (or 1 tsp dried)

1/4 cup grated parm + some for topping

2 crackers

1 clove garlic

1 egg

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper


Heat your oven to 350 degrees.

I tried this recipe a few different times. Different meat. Different spices. With and without bell pepper. Think this is the right combo.


Chop up your veggies and your thyme.


Heat your pan to medium high. Brown your sausage first. Sausage will come with some seasoning in it. Some of the classics... fennel, red pepper flakes...etc.

Spoon the meat out with a slotted utensil. Leave the juices in. There won't be as much far left since we are using turkey.

*At this point.. heat a large pot of water to a boil. It's for the zucchini.

Sauté your veggies for a few minutes in the same pan. Add the garlic in at the end with the thyme, salt and pepper.


Then add the meat back in. Let er'body hang out.


Now it's mixy mix. Add your binding egg, cheese and cracker.

Time to get messy. Not my favorite part, but it's worth it.


Now about those zucs... You want to boil them about 5-7 min depending on their size. Then cut them down the middle.  This will soften them, but the oven will complete the cooking process.


Using a pairing knife, outline where you will spoon out the middle. Can you smell the stuffing?! Gotta make room for it!


Fill the flavor! They should be bursting! Top with any extra parm cheese.

Into the oven for 20-30 min. Maybe snack on an appetizer... A zucchini bite perhaps?


Oh gosh. Garden perfection. So tasty.



1 comment:

  1. Love it...Easy and simple, just like I taught you to cook.
    Mom

    ReplyDelete