Parmesan Zucchini

I found these little gems at Trader Joe’s the other day.  Aren’t they just the cutest things?  How come the baby version of anything becomes cuter?  I mean baby clothes and shoes, adorable!  Well heck,  babies are much cutier than their adult counterparts (human and animal…puppies!) 

OK back to vegetables.  I love zucchini.  It makes a quick side dish with little effort, plus they are cheap in the summer.  I normally mix them with summer squash, but I am a butthead and forgot to buy them.  Ah well, not the end of the world. 

These I sauteed with red onion and mushrooms with a bit of the marinade left over from the steak salad from the other night. (Italian dressing or a balsamic vinegrette works well too.)

I then topped off everything with parmesan cheese, my all time favorite cheese – well at least a top fiver!

I paired this with steak tacos made from the leftovers from my steak salad.  I used the same ingredients, minus the corn but with the addition of tortillas and a bit of sourcream.  Its great when food is versatile and leftovers can create a whole new meal.  Love that, and what a money saver!

Ingredients

Serves 3 to 4

• 3 to 4 baby zucchini, sliced down the middle and sliced into 1/2 inch half moons.
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup mushrooms, sliced ( I used baby portabellas)
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3 Tablespoon marinade ( if you dont have this then using italian dressing or balsamic vinegrette – both are great)
• 2/3 Cup Parmesan cheese, shredded or grated (freshly grated tastes better!)
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in saute pan over medium – high heat.  Add mushrooms and onions and saute until mushrooms are tender and onions are translucent.
2. Toss the zucchini with marinade or dressing, salt, and pepper.  Once mushrooms and onions are tender, add the zucchini.
3. Cook, tossing the vegetables with spatula often, for about 5 to 7 minutes until the zucchini are tender. 
4. Transfer to serving bowl and top with Parmesan cheese. 

I didn’t get a picture of everything plated up because I ended up scarfing this meal down as severe thunderstorms were rolling in.  I nearly had to eat in the basement….