I had my first 'real' harvest from my garden last week and I ended up with two pretty large zucchini. When I have zucchini that large, stuffing them is the first thing that comes to mind. They're the perfect size for that because the seeds are larger and a lot of people don't like to eat them. I don't mind, but, it's a great excuse for me to come up with new ideas.
I've made my
Italian Stuffed Zucchini before - and it's awesome - but I was looking for something different this time. I went through a list that was growing in my head and settled on a Mexican type filling. I had already thawed some ground turkey* so I just needed to decide on the rest of the ingredients.
I scoured the cabinets and went to work. A little bit later, I had a pretty darn tasty dinner that my husband and I really enjoyed. My son is in a zucchini-hating phase so he wasn't a huge fan. He ate a little of the filling and said he liked it, but then he would act like a 4 year old and end up indecisive. I honestly still have no idea if he liked it. My husband and I did though so I'm calling it a win!
*Ground turkey is my new go-to. It's not only healthier, but it's actually become cheaper than the ground chuck I usually buy. I think it's a pretty good switch!
Stuffed Zucchini - Mexican Style
Ingredients
• 2 xl large zucchini or 4 sm/med, halved lengthwise
• 1 lb ground turkey (or chuck)
• 1/2 c sweet corn
• 1 c canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 sm tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1/3 c diced onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp salt and pepper (or to taste)
• 1/3 c shredded cheese, mexican blend taco or cheddar, plus additional for sprinkling.
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Scoop out insides of zucchini to leave a boat. Discard the flesh or use for another use. (If your zucchini are really round, you might want to cut about 1/8" off the bottom so they don't roll while they bake.)
3. Cook zucchini in boiling water for about 2 minutes. Drain and place in a baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.
4. Cook onion and meat together in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink.
5. Stir in spices and herbs. Cook for one minute. Add remaining ingredients, except cheese, and cook until heated through. Turn off heat and stir in 1/3 c cheese.
6. Spoon meat mixture into zucchini boats and sprinkle with additional cheese.
7. Bake, uncovered, for about 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and starting to brown. |
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