Zucchini:

Grilled Zucchini with Fresh Mozzarella & Tomato

Zucchini is one of our favorite vegetables. I love to eat zucchini, but growing it is another story. Zucchini is one of those vegetables that needs to picked every single day. If you skip a day… you just might have a XXXL zucchini on your hands. I have found a few ways to deal with these overgrown green monsters.

1. Grate and Freeze: I learned from a friend that you can freeze grated zucchini. I have several recipes that call for grated zucchini. We love Zucchini Muffins, Zucchini Cake, and I have a breakfast dish that uses grated zucchini as well. Freezing is fairly simple. I measure the amount needed for a specific recipe, then I place the mixture in a freezer bag or freezer safe container. Thaw about 1 hour before adding to your recipe.

2. Stuff It: I had found several recipes for stuffed zucchini, but they always used regular sized zucs. I thought, “Why not go BIG!” I used zucs that are about the length of a 9×13 pan, and I stuff them with sausage, onions, and garlic.

3. Italian Flags: We love fresh mozzarella and tomatoes. A caprese salad is one of our favorites. I took it step further and added a grilled zucchini medallion on the bottom, with mozzarella and tomato, and a balsamic vineagrette on top. You can you a larger diameter zucchini cut about .5′ thick.

I am always discovering new ways to use our vegetables, but these just happen to be our favorites. If you have a new and different way that you use your vegetables, we hope you will share it with us.