Roasted Parmesan zucchini

Do you have zucchini coming out of your ears?  We check regularly but it never fails, there is one the size of a small child!  So we're looking for new ways to use them.  I found lots of stuffed zucchini recipes and tried my version, it had potential.  Last night we tried Roasted Parmesan zucchini.  The kids didn't go crazy but they liked and we'll have it again for variety.

Roasted Parmesan Zucchini

zucchini

olive oil

garlic salt

pepper

Parmesan cheese

Slice the zucchini about 1 inch think.  Place on baking sheet and brush with olive oil.  Season with garlic salt and pepper to taste.  Finish with Parmesan cheese.  Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until the zucchini is fork tender. Then broil for just a couple of minutes to brown the cheese.

Notes:  Our zucchini was gigantic, so we cut out the seeds.  How you cut it would depend on how big your zucchini is.  I like the zucchini still firm, it was just right for me.  My hubby would have cooked it longer for his preference.  

French bread

Want yummy, warm french bread to complement that fall soup for dinner?

This is easy and really cheap to make.  I found that it takes a least two hours to finish instead of the 90 minutes promised.  So plan ahead and give yourself plenty of time.

You'll find the recipe at 

Deals to Meals: French bread

Enjoy!

Zuppa Toscana

Back in college I worked in the cafeteria and had many adventures there.  I started off washing dishes, then food runner and finally doing salad prep.  As a part of the salad prep, I washed lots and lots of kale.  It was used as decoration to cover all the ice.  I couldn't imagine ever eating it, just admiring the color on the salad bar.

Imagine my surprise when I tried Zuppa Toscana for the first time and learned that it had kale in it!  I was really yummy and my family loved it.  It is now our favorite cold weather meal.  It is fast and easy.  

Now you can try it too, just in time for the fall weather!

Zuppa Toscana

1/2 pound Italian turkey sausage

1 large onion, diced

2 tsp. minced garlic

12 cups water

6 tsp. chicken bouillon 

1 pound diced potatoes

1 cup milk

1 bunch kale, chopped

Saute sausage, onion and garlic until the sausage cooked and onion is tender.  Drain fat, if any.  Add water and bouillon.  Bring to a boil.  Add potatoes and cook until soft (approximately 30 minutes).  Add milk and heat through.  Add kale just before serving.

Notes:  You can use pork sausage and cream instead of milk for the full fat version.  I also do not peel the potatoes, I like the added color and texture.  Olive Garden serves it with Parmesan cheese, it adds some extra flavor.