Baked Stuffed Zucchini with Mozzarella

Yet another Monday Snow Day. This has become a pattern that I truly hope is over and done with soon. The snow will be pretty for a few hours, but then as people get out and about and some of it melts, some of that initial beauty falls to the wayside. But one good thing that comes out of these snow days for me, is the ability to make a decent lunch. Fortunately I already had everything I needed in my fridge so no need to go brave the chaos that is my neighborhood Giant.

This dish was not only easy to make, but also quite tasty. So if you're looking to make a vegetarian side dish, I'd highly recommend giving it a shot.

Baked Stuffed Zucchini with Mozzarella (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• Olive oil, for brushing the baking sheet
• 2 medium zucchini
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 plum tomatoes, halved, seeded and diced small
• 1/4 tsp. chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 1/4 tsp. white vinegar
• 5 oz. fresh mozzarella, torn into  1-inch pieces

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush a baking sheet or dish with olive oil. Halve zucchini lengthwise and scrape out seeds. Place, cut side up, on sheet and season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, oregano, and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Top zucchini with tomato mixture. Bake until it is dinner, approximately 20 minutes.

Heat broiler, with rack in top position. Top zucchini with mozzarella. Broil until cheese is brown and bubbling, 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately.

I enjoyed this with fruit for lunch, but I think it would go great with a grilled chicken or fish dish.