What Do You Mean You Don't Have a Ricer?

YUM!

I totally made this recipe up, but dang it was good.

Stuffed Zucchini

4 large zucchini
2-3 tomatoes
about 1/2 cup uncooked rice, cooked
olive oil
yummy spices
some cheese--shredded cheddar or something like it

cut a "top" off the zucchini length-wise. carefully scoop out the innards of said zucchini and toss 'em (unless you can think of something else to use them for). rub insides with olive oil, sprinkle with spices (I used garlic, salt and pepper, and oregano). turn cut-side down in a cake pan and bake for about 15 minutes.

meanwhile, chop up the long "tops" of the zucchini very small. chop tomatoes pretty small too. saute zucchini pieces in olive oil, add some spices here too (i used garlic, salt and pepper, and basil this time...and a dash of Emeril Spice without the BAM!)--for maybe 3-5 minutes. Add 2/3 of the chopped tomatoes. let them get all juicy together. after a couple minutes, add rice. You don't need all the rice--I probably used betwen 1/2 and 2/3 cup cooked brown rice. cook all this together for a couple of minutes, stirring until the rice has absorbed all the juices. I added more spices here--a teensy bit more garlic powder, some more basil, and emeril spice again. taste to see what it needs, add it if you want.

take the baking upside down zucchinis out of the oven. turn them over in the cake pan, and stuff with the rice/veggie mixture. put some shredded cheese on top (I used cheddar), then top with remaining tomatoes.

Bake again for about 10-15 minutes.

Eat. I served with spiced brown lentils (topped with chopped tomatoes) and mashed potatoes. yum!

posted by Teri @ 1:56 PM