Foodie Friday-Stuffed Zucchini w/Ground Beef

Hows that for a weekly recipe? Story? Restaurant review? Lets run with this shall we? We will just add Foodie Friday to our Blog constant content. Feel free to suggest away.

Last evening I made Stuffed Zucchini for 2, as an Entree. Now, no self respecting Italian would be without this dish in her cookbook, but I needed to make it healthier for myself. My DQL (daily quality of life) is at stake here. Walt and I are eating very little these days, he is losing a gazillion pounds, I unfortunately, am finding them. Chit. Must be the wine. Anyway... while playing with this to make it more figure friendly, I reduced the cheese, butter and omitted the cooked rice. I found that I didnt miss it a bit, and they came out wonderful! I would have loved a slice of garlic toast with it, but I passed, and again, I didnt miss it a bit! The recipe can be easily doubled. Also, in years passed I have made this meatless and cut in half diagonally serving as an appetizer. Just in case ya need one for wine 30 or somepin.....::wink::


Stuffed Zucchini W/Ground Beef

2 medium zucchini, rinsed and sliced in half, lengthwise
1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup diced onion
1 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup diced mushrooms
1/4 cup finely diced celery
1/4 cup diced red pepper
1 tablespoon dry white wine (just splash some from your own glass, why measure?)
8 oz lean ground beef
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
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1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

carefully scoop out the insides of the zucchini halves with a small spoon and reserve in a separate bowl. Set aside the cored halves.
Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Over medium heat saute onion and garlic for 1 to 2 minutes. Then add the mushrooms and saute for 2 minutes more. Add the celery, red pepper and the reserved insides of the zucchini and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the white wine and cook it down for 1 minute. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally, maybe 5 minutes. Stir in the seasonings and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat, place in a bowl, and allow to cool.
Once the mixture has cooled, blend in the cheese, egg, butter, salt, and pepper. Fill the cored zucchini with the mixture.
Fill a baking pan with 1/4 inch of water. Place the filled zucchini halves in the pan and bake for 40 minutes at 375 F (preheated), until golden brown. Remove the zucchini carefully from the pan to a warm platter, spooning the juices from the pan on top of them, and serve.

Manja!


I had some mixture left over and baked in ramikins on the side. ( good freezer fast food!!)I also put a few strips of my red peppers I had in fridge on top for presentation. ( pre dieting, I covered with cheese!!!)