Pinto Bean Zucchini Boats Recipes

ZUCCHINI BOATS

Steps:

• Trim the ends off zucchini. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving 1/2-in. shells. Finely chop pulp. , In a skillet, cook beef, zucchini pulp, onion, mushrooms and peppers over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Remove from the heat. Add 1/2 cup cheese, ketchup, salt and pepper; mix well. Spoon into the zucchini shells. Place in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. , Bake, uncovered, at 350° until zucchini is tender, 25-30 minutes.

VEGETARIAN ZUCCHINI BOATS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise and trim a little off of the bottoms so that they will sit flat in the baking dish. Scoop out the centers, where the seeds are, with a spoon.
• Combine 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a cup or bowl. Brush over the inner surfaces of the zucchini boats. Arrange tomatoes into the grooves and sprinkle bread crumbs around and in between to fill in the gaps.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn the oven's broiler on.
• Place mozzarella cheese around and on top of the tomatoes. Return to the oven and broil until golden brown and bubbling, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the oven. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

SOUTHWEST ZUCCHINI BOATS

Steps:

• Cut zucchini in half lengthwise; cut a thin slice from the bottom of each with a sharp knife to allow zucchini to sit flat. Scoop out pulp, leaving 1/4-in. shells., Place shells in an ungreased 3-qt. microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain and set aside., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Remove from the heat; stir in the salsa, bread crumbs, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup cheese. Spoon into zucchini shells., Microwave, uncovered, on high for 4 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Microwave 3-4 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and zucchini are tender. Serve with sour cream if desired.

COLORFUL ZUCCHINI BOATS

Steps:

• Cut a thin slice off bottom of zucchini so it sits flat. Cut a thin lengthwise slice from top of zucchini and discard. Scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-in. shell. Chop 1 cup pulp; set aside. Place zucchini shells in a ungreased 8-in. square microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain and set aside., In a microwave-safe bowl, combine mushrooms, onion and reserved zucchini pulp. Cover and microwave on high for 4 minutes; drain. Heat 1-2 minutes longer; drain thoroughly. Stir in the corn, butter, thyme, basil, salt and pepper. Cover and microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir in salad dressing and 1/4 cup cheese. Stuff into zucchini boats., Microwave, uncovered, on high for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese; top with tomatoes. heat 1-2 minutes longer or until the vegetables are tender and the cheese is melted. Let stand for 3-5 minutes before serving.

PINTO BEAN ZUCCHINI BOATS

Steps:

• Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out pulp, leaving a 3/8-in. shell. Chop pulp and set aside. In a Dutch oven, bring water and salt to a boil. Add zucchini shells; cook until crisp-tender, 5-8 minutes. Drain and set aside. , In a large skillet, saute the onion and zucchini pulp in oil until crisp-tender. Stir in the beans, corn, tomato sauce, chili sauce, cilantro and cumin. Cook over medium heat until heated through, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and cook until cheese is melted, about 1 minute. Spoon into zucchini shells; sprinkle with tomato.