Zucchini Boats

'Tis the season for zucchini recipes, so here's one I made up tonight...



Zucchini Boats


Ingredients

a chug of olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 slice of onion, chopped
4 Mild Italian Sausages (remove casing)-OR- 1 lb ground meat (turkey would be great)
1 huge zucchini (mine was 2' long and 3" around) or 4 regulars
1 c sliced button mushrooms
Italian Herbs Seasoning, Johnny's Magic Seasoned Salt
2 roma tomatoes
grated parmesan cheese (you know, in the green shaker bottle)
1 c grated mozzarella
medium frying pan
baking sheet or pan covered in foil
***

chop your garlic and onion
heat oil in pan, then sautee garlic & onion til translucent
add meat and break it apart as it browns and sprinkle with about 2ts Italian seasoning
meanwhile, slice your zucchini in half lengthwise, then "gut it": hold knife at an angle and remove the pulp and seeds, leaving about 1/4" of pulp on the skin, forming a "boat."
chop the zucchini pulp into cubes and add to the frying pan with meat, etc. *
add mushrooms to the pan, stirring til everything is tender; sprinkle and stir in about 2Tb of Parmesan cheese (then drain fat if necessary)
Heat oven to 350 degrees
Pour sauteed mixture into zucchini boats, then top with cubed tomatoes and mozzarella cheese (I added a shake of Johnny's seasoned salt and some lemon pepper and a sprinkle of Italian seasoning at this point just to give the zukes some flavor--I recommend having the big Costco Shakers of these seasonings, plus the onion, garlic, Taco, Ranch, and cinnamon shakers--it's so nice to have those staples!). [keep reading below--->]

Bake at 350 til the cheese is bubbly...serve with french bread & olive oil (or garlic butter).

Bon Apetit!

*one could add chopped bell peppers here for more color & vitamins if one's husband didn't get terrible heartburn from bell peppers. I bet it's delicious!