Zucchini Fries

I made these using fresh zucchini from my garden, before the dreaded squash bug ate all of my plants! If anyone knows good ways to keep those darn bugs away, let me know! The last 2 years, I have had about 2 weeks of tons of squash, then they all die! 

Ingredients: 

Zucchini- sliced into "fry shape" 

1 egg

1/2 cup bread crumbs - I used Italian seasoned

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

cooking spray 

Optional dipping sauce- I used the new Kraft Miracle Whip Kickin' Onion Blossom Dipping Sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 425° and cover baking sheet with foil.

Slice zucchini.
In a bowl beat egg with a fork.
Put the breadcrumbs and cheese in a bowl and mix well.
One by one, dip the zucchini sticks in the egg whites and roll into the bread crumb mixture, to coat well and place on the baking sheet.
Spray fries lightly with cooking spray.
Bake for about 20 minutes, turning over half way through. Cook until crispy and golden brown. Serve with dipping sauce or marinara.

Zucchini Bread

This summer, for about 2 weeks, I had a TON of zucchini! I went out of town and they grew this big! One zucchini made 7 1/2 cups of shredded zucchini. I needed something to do with it, so I decided to try bread. I polled my friends on Facebook, and Jessica sent me this one! I had never made it before, and I am not a baker, but I think it turned out ok! 

Zucchini Bread

Serves 2 Loaves

Ingredients: 
2 cps sugar
1 c veg oil
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cps shredded zucchini
1/2 c applesauce
1/3 c orange juice
3 cps flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 cinnamon



Preheat over 350
Combine sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla
Add zucchini, orange juice, applesauce
Combine dry ingredients and add to mixture
Pour into 2 greased 9 inch loaf pans
Bake for 55-70 min

Then I had bread and muffins coming out of my ears too! I delivered this to my friend Kris. She took a picture of the final product, I forgot to! 

Zucchini Surprise?!

Last week, I had planned to make stuffed zucchini boats. However, I got busy, and it didn't happen.  My zucchini started to look a little wimpy, I didn't buy the sausage she recommended, and I didn't go for the low-fat cheese. I had to come up with an alternative.  I settled on a zucchini casserole?lasagna?surprise?!  

Ingredients:

• 1/2 of my easy marinara sauce
• 3 medium zucchini (chop 1, thinly slice 2)
• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 small onion, finely diced
• 1 1/2 tsp crushed garlic
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 12 oz Italian chicken sausage with no casing (pre-cooked)
• 1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• salt & pepper

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 450*. 

In a large pan, brown sausage. Add oil, onion, garlic and bell pepper. Cook on a medium-low heat for about 2-3 minutes. Add chopped zucchini, season with salt and pepper and cook about 3-5 minutes.

As sausage mixture is cooking, spray a 9x13 in Pyrex with cooking spray.  Layer the zucchini slices in a single layer.  Pour 1/2 of the marinara sauce over the zucchini. Place half of the sausage mixture over the marinara.  Then sprinkle with cheese.  Repeat with remaining zucchini, marinara, and sausage mixture.  Top with cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for 5 more minutes.