Stuffed Zucchini

What do you do when you find you have massively sized zucchini? Large summer squash does best with long cooking.... and stuffing is a perfect way to enjoy them. In this case, I had leftover filling from the Mushroom Stuffed Portabellas that I needed to use so I cooked up some mild Italian sausage to add into the wild mushroom filling

Stuffed Zucchini:

1 large zucchini
1 pound mild Italian sausage
1/2 pound wild mushrooms
1 T Balsamic Vinegar
5 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup fresh corn kernel
2 t chopped fresh oregano
2 t chopped fresh thyme
3 oz whipping cream
1 c Italian blend soft cheeses

After cutting the zuke in half and scooping out the seeds, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in a baking dish and add enough boiling water to reach up 1/2" in the baker, then cover with foil. Bake in a preheated 375 Degree oven for about 15 minutes or until just done. Take out of the pan and let the sliced zukes cool enough to handle. Empty the pan, dry it, and add a little olive oil.

Meanwhile, heat up a little oil in a skillet and cook mushrooms until soft, about 5 minutes, set aside. With the pan still hot, thoroughly cook the sausage. Return mushrooms to pan, along with garlic and herbs. Add cream and a handful of cheese into pan and thoroughly mix until well blended.

Stuff the zukes with the filling and pack it down well. Place in oiled baking dish and cover with foil. Bake 25-25 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle cheeses on top of the zukes, then place back in oven for another 10 minutes to melt the cheese.

Let rest 10 minutes before slicing to serve.