Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini
3-4 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
1/4 c olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T fresh chopped basil
1 T chopped fresh oregano
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 c cooked rice
1 1/2-2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce
Meat Option: 1/2 lb. ground beef or sausage, removed from the casing, browned and cooked through completely.
Scoop out the pulp from the zucchini halves and arrange them in a glass baking dish.
Coarsely chop the zucchini pulp. Heat 2 T of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook chopped zucchini and onion, stirring occasional vegetables should be tender. Remove from the pan.
Add the remaining oil. Cook the pepper until tender. Lower the heat and stir in the garlic. Cook until the garlic is softened and golden do not allow garlic to burn.
Return zucchini to the pan. Sprinkle with basil and oregano.
Mix in Parmesan cheese and the cooked rice.
Add cooked meats if you are using. Heat the oven to 375. Evenly divide the vegetable mixture into zucchini halves. Top with a little extra cheese and sauce. Bake 25-30 minutes or until zucchini are fork tender, sauce is bubbly. Serve hot.
