Pan Fried Parmesan Zucchini

Zucchini was coming in faster than I could keep up with it a few weeks ago, so we were trying all kinds of different recipes.  I love zucchini and onions, cooked in a little butter with some salt and pepper, but I can only eat that so many times before I get a bit tired of it.  Thankfully, Sherri, has some great zucchini recipes on her blog.  I made this cake {which is DELICIOUS} and this bread from her collection.  I shredded and froze tons of zucchini for future baking throughout the year.  And, I made Zucchini Cornbread, which was also good.

One night, though, Bradley suggested that I fry up some zucchini, similar to how I make my Fried Okra.  I wanted to use bread crumbs for the coating, but didn't have any, or any crackers, so I opted for pretzels.  Let me just tell you that these were. so. good.  Unfortunately, I didn't really measure all of the ingredients--that's what is fun about cooking, but frustrating when you try to blog about it. Ha!    But, my little tip for you is to try crushing up different things to use as coatings for frying foods.  You could try goldfish crackers, cheese doodles, potato chips, tortilla chips--pretty much anything that will be fried will work.

If you have some zucchini lying around, you'll want to give this one a try.

Pan Fried Parmesan Zucchini
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup crushed pretzels {chopped up in the food processor}
1/2 - 1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
2 large eggs, beaten
1 large zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick
oil for frying

In a small bowl, combine the flour, pretzels, garlic salt and Parmesan cheese.  In a separate bowl, place the eggs.  Heat enough oil over high heat to cover the pan 1/2-inch deep.  Dip zucchini slices in egg to coat, then in the pretzel/cheese mixture to cover.  Keep as much coating on as possible and transfer to the hot oil.  Repeat until the pan is full, and turn heat down to medium-high.  Cook until golden brown on both sides, only turning once.  Drain on paper towel lined plate and serve.

I didn't make any, but as we were eating these, we realized they would be pretty tasty with a remoulade type sauce.  

Sauteed Green Beans & Cherry Tomatoes

We are thoroughly enjoying the delicious fresh produce from our garden!  In some ways, we're getting more than we can keep up with.  We pick about 100 cherry tomatoes every day.  I'm trying to be creative as possible with cooking beans, tomatoes, and zucchini in various ways.  This green bean recipe is delicious, and coupled with some corn on the cob, and maybe some homemade biscuits, you could have an entire meal.

Sauteed Green Beans & Cherry Tomatoes

3/4 lb. green beans
olive oil {or leftover bacon grease}*
5 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
8 oz. cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 lb. cooked, diced bacon
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcester sauce

Steam {or boil, but I prefer to steam them} green beans until done, but not too soft.  In a large skillet, heat olive oil.  Add mushrooms, onion and garlic and cook until tender.  Add tomatoes and beans, cooking until tomatoes are heated through.  While this is cooking, mix sugar and Worcester sauce in a small bowl.  Add the mixture to the skillet, a little bit at a time, until it has enough juices to cover the beans.  {I didn't end up using all of the brown sugar mixture}.  Gently stir in the cooked bacon.

*I cooked my bacon in a large electric skillet, drained most of the grease, and then used some of it to cook my veggies.  Obviously this isn't as healthy, but it sure tastes good!