Mushroom Stuffed Zucchini

I turned some unused fresh zucchini from last week into Christmas Eve dinner... This was a first even for me, skipping meat altogether for Christmas Eve (we'll make up for it today, though, with some stuffed wine leaves: http://izaskitchen.blogspot.com/2012/06/stuffed-wine-leaves.html). But it turned out to be not such a bad idea after all: it was really delicious, and quick AND easy to make, saving me a lot of time in the kitchen. Again, not an original recipe, there are many great recipes on the internet, I just combined 2 or  3,  with the following result:

 Ingredients for two:

2 medium (6-8 oz) zucchinis

1 shallot, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped

6-8 oz brown button mushrooms, chopped

1/2 orange bell peppers, chopped

1 Roma tomato, seeded and chopped

2 tablespoon breadcrumbs

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1 pinch red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence or Italian Seasoning

A handful Italian Parsley, chopped (1-2 tablespoons)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

A few slices of Cheddar or Parmesan

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Halve the zucchinis lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and some of the flesh, do not discard. Place the shells cut side up in an oiled 9 inch baking dish, season with salt and pepper. Finely chop the reserved zucchini flesh, the mushrooms and the rest of the vegetables. In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium, saute the onions and garlic until translucent (3-5 min), then add the mushrooms, bell peppers and tomatoes. Add the seasoning: pepper flakes, Herbes de Provence, salt and pepper, and cook until mushrooms release their juices, and the juices evaporate (5-10 minutes, but honestly, I didn't clock it). When the veggies are done, fold in the breadcrumbs and the chopped parsley, then stuff the zucchini boats with the stuffing, don't worry if the stuffing seems too much, just pile it over the zucchinis, the shells fit so tightly in the baking dish, the stuffing will stay on the top. Cover each shell with Cheddar or Parmesan slices, then bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until the cheese starts to brown. Serve with a green salad and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

Note: DO NOT precook the zucchinis. These small zucchinis will cook perfectly without pre-baking.