Family Dinner Night - 2

Last night was another wonderful family dinner night with my girlfriends - there is the family you are given, and then there is the family of friends you choose!

Six fabulous women around a candle filled table in my back yard sharing great conversation, amazing dinner, lovely wine, and some "oh my goodness" cookies with port for dessert. Our menu this night was Italian stuffed zucchini boats, herb salad, gluten free rustic olive bread, and maple bacon chocolate chip cookies.

The recipe for the zucchini boats was inspired by this recipe that is meat free. We changed and added a few things to make them more of a main dish. Our recipe serves 6 to 8 depending on the hunger level of your guests - and it can easily be halved or increased.

INGREDIENTS:
8 medium zucchini
2 good quality Italian sweet sausage, cooked and crumbled
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 can no salt petite diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups finely chopped fresh mushrooms
2 T dried Italian herbs
1 T crushed red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
grated Parmesan cheese


DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400° degrees F.

1) Remove sausage casings, cook sausage over medium heat, breaking up as you cook to yield fine crumbles. Drain and set aside.

2) Cut zucchini in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp and seeds, leaving 1/4-inch shell. Reserve pulp from 4 zucchini and chop. (We used a mini food chopper for this and to chop the mushrooms).

3) Combine sausage, zucchini pulp, garlic, tomatoes, mushrooms, Italian herbs, & crushed red pepper flakes in a large bowl.

4) Divide mixture among zucchini shells. Place stuffed zucchini on a baking sheet; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, & bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until zucchini is tender.

5) Gather some great friends, open a bottle if red, sit back and enjoy!

Here is a merlot we opened that was a perfect pairing to our zucchini:

 

Check back tomorrow -  I'll post about the the AWESOME maple bacon chocolate chip cookies which are gluten free and refined sugar free!