Thursday, July 19, 2012

Fresh From the Farmer's Market: "Not Really a Recipe" Sauteed Zucchini


Zucchini is abundant this time of year!  So, what can you do with zucchini?  Many people use it to make deliciously moist bread or muffins...and did you know that you can freeze zucchini to make bread or muffins at a later date?  Simply shred/grate, measure the amount needed for your recipe, and freeze in ziploc bags.  When you're ready to bake, just thaw the zucchini and add to the recipe as instructed, including any liquid that results from thawing. 

Our favorite way to eat zucchini is as a side dish.  This "recipe" couldn't get any easier, but we really enjoy it this time of year, as do our kids!  Italian dressing is used in place of oil to stir-fry the vegetables, creating a flavorful coating for them.

Ingredients:
zucchini, chopped into bite-sized chunks
summer squash (the yellow version of zucchini), chopped into bite-sized chunks
bottled Italian dressing (1/4 to 1/2 cup, depending on how much zucchini and squash you are using)

Directions:
Pour dressing into a large frying pan.  Add zucchini and squash chunks, and toss to coat.  Cook and stir over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes or until vegetables are cooked to desired tenderness.  Cooking time will depend on how thick your chunks are, as well as if you prefer your veggies crisp-tender or limp.  Add more dressing during cooking if pan starts to dry out.  Serve immediately.

Options and Tips:
  • Change up the flavor by using your favorite oil-based salad dressing instead of Italian.
  • Our favorite Italian dressing is Kraft's Tuscan House Italian, but really any brand/kind will work fine.
This is an original "recipe".

1 comment:

  1. I cook zucchini a lot this time of year, though I have never cooked it in Italian dressing, what a fantastic idea!! I made it the other night and we all enjoyed! Thanks for the great recipe, oh yeah, I actually cooked mine on my grill wok and it worked fantastically! Thanks!

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