Jennifer Alexander Ruple

Everyone has dishes they remember from childhood. This one reminds me of when my family was living in the quaint town of Grand Haven, Mich. in the late 70s. On summer weekends, neighbors would take turns hosting evening get-togethers after we all spent the day at the beach. My mom would bring a similar zucchini dish to these parties – it was always a hit!

Cheesy Baked Zucchini is easy to prepare, lower-in-carbs, and a fantastic way to use an abundance of summer squash from the garden. 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 6 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
• 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
• 1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

Heat oven to 350 F. Pour oil into the bottom of a 2-quart or 8 x 8 casserole dish.

Layer zucchini, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt and basil. Repeat until all ingredients are used.

Top casserole with breadcrumbs and drizzle with butter. Bake for 1 hour or until breadcrumbs and cheese are brown and bubbly. Loosely cover with foil if the cheese and breadcrumbs brown too quickly.