Top Ten Food Shots and a Quickie Recipe--Zucchini Faux Pasta with Italian Sausage
Monday, May 19, 2008 at 8:56PM in Main Dish, Poultry, Top 10 Posts, vegetable This tag is from Pixie at You Say Tomahto, I Say Tomayto. Actually not really a tag, more like she left it open to anyone that wanted to do it, in turn. I really like this idea! That way, there's no pressure on anyone to do it. But it's a fun tag! The idea is to post your ten favorite food photos.
2) Date Bars
4) Guacamole
7) Lime Bars
8) Parm Crusted Chicken with Lemon Vinaigrette over Mixed Greens
So there are my ten faves, so far. Whoever wants to go ahead and do this tag, go for it! It's fun and easy, and not too much thinking, which can sometimes cause my ears to let off smoke. ;) And if you want to tag five people, feel free!
Quickie Recipe! Zucchini Faux Pasta with Italian Sausage
This is one of our favorite recipes. Not only is it quick and easy, but it's good for you, low in carbs, and a great way to use up zucchini, which will be invading everyone's kitchens very soon! You know it will. You'll come home to find your sweet neighbors have gifted you with mutant zucchinis the size of a small car. You can only eat so much zucchini bread! (Though I have a *killer* recipe for that, too!)
The faux pasta is ribbons of zucchini that you make simply with a vegetable peeler. Just start peeling strips and keep turning the zucchini until you get down to the center. Also, there's no boiling pasta here that'll heat up your kitchen on hot days!
The sauce is a snap to make, and it's delicious! It would be great to whip it up and use it on any of your favorite pastas, or over chicken for chicken parm. The fresh basil that's added at the end gives it a very fresh flavor.
You can use your favorite Italian sausage here--this particular time I used a chicken Italian sausage, flavored with asiago and basil, I believe. (I actually made this weeks ago, and am just getting around to posting it now, hehe) So use whatever looks good! The ones I used were precooked, so I just sliced and added them in. Looking back at the photos, I think I'd brown them up anyway, to give them a little more color--but they were still delicious, even as is. And you could leave out the sausage if you want to make it meat-free.
Zucchini Faux Pasta with Italian Sausage
4 small zucchini
2 Tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 (14.5 ounces) can diced tomatoes
1 tsp oregano
1/2 lb Italian turkey sausage, cooked and sliced
salt and pepper
1 bunch fresh basil, torn
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions
1. Slice clean, unpeeled zucchini into ribbons, using a vegetable peeler, and turning the zucchini as you go.
2. Warm 1 TBSP olive oil in a saucepan, on medium heat.
3. Saute the garlic for a few seconds, don't burn it--then add tomatoes and oregano.
4. Simmer uncovered for a few minutes.
5. Heat the remaining oil in a separate, large skillet.
6. Add the zucchini to the skillet.
7. Stir for a few minutes, until zucchini is soft.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste, then add the tomato sauce to the zucchini in the skillet.
9. Add the sausage, stir well.
10. Stir in basil, and transfer to a serving dish.
11. Top with parmesan cheese.
pretty, aromatic basil
zucchini ribbons, your "pasta"
Elle | Print Article | Share Article | Email Article | 36 Comments tagged cooking, main dish, new england, pasta, recipe, top 10 posts, zucchini
Reader Comments (36)
What an absolutely brilliant idea - LOVE the top 10 food shots!!! I'll take some guacamole, please ;0)
I love using zucchini as "pasta" (especially since I eat 75% raw) - looks delish!
Beautiful job! Lovely photos! :)
I love the whole wheat brownies, I am gonna go steal the recipe now!
I love the faux pasta idea! Definitely will have to attempt that. It looks scrumptious. I eat way too much pasta ;) I'm glad you're here to help lower my addiction a bit.
your photos really are beautiful!
All very beautiful photos! I am quite intrigued by the zucchini pasta. Ive never tried this, but once those zucchini start showing up, it'll be first on my list.
Terrific photos. Plain white plates really work well when they're paired with such yummy food.
Great pics, Elle! All look yummy! Did I tell you I tried your garlic shrimp recipe? It was yummy for my tummy, as my daughter says:) Thanks for the recipe!
The guac made my swoon. I would do anything for that right now! And those zucchini ribbons are so cool! Great top 10.
That is a nice top 10 roundup!
Those are some amazing food shots, every one of them is so tempting!
Looking at all those photos made my mouth water. The garlic shrimp looks amazing.
Pam
What great shots Elle - I went almost 2 years not eating any pasta and just started again with spelt pasta - This one is a definite try for me and love the salads.
Great photos, Elle! I am going to remember this recipe when all the zucchini starts overflowing our friends gardens!
You did a sensational job- there are a number of dishes there that certainly appeal and love the zuchinni pasta.
Wow, Elle! Such gorgeous photos! And the zucch pasta looks incredible. YUM! :D
considering how much i adore spaghetti squash, i'm surprised it never occurred to me to use zucchini ribbons as pasta too. great idea!
those are all fabulous pictures, but my favorite would have to be the guac. man, i love that stuff.
Ohhh, this looks very tasty. Even for someone like me that doesn't normally like zucchini ;-)
Wow, Elle - you read my mind on the zuchinni pasta, I may be copying you soon ;). I love seeing all of your great photos together too. I may need to get some tips from you...
Nice pictures! Everything looks great!
Hmmm yummy, all those delicious pictures are making me hungry. :)
The Date Bars and Lime Bars caught my attention, I must need a sugar fix ?! What a fun idea to highlight your favorite photos and revisit some recipes from the archives.
Veggiegirl--thank you!
Jenn--those brownies are so delicious!
Erin--we are addicted to pasta, too. Can't help it! But this makes a nice change.
Kat--thanks you so much!
Sharon--let me know if you do try it!
Renae--plain whites are my favorite. After trying a few other things, I found that looked the best in my photos. Which kind if stinks, because I see a lot of stuff I want to buy, hehe!
Farida--I'm so glad you guys liked it!
Cathy--I'd do anything for something of yours about now, too, like your muffins...hungry!
Kevin--thank you!
LyB--thank you very much!
Pam--thanks to you, too!
Giz--thank you! And you must have willpower beyond what i could ever imagine. Two years? Amazing!
Toontz--it's perfect for the summer.
Pixie--thank you!
Cg--thanks! muac!
Grace--I love spaghetti squash, too, but can't get my husband to like it, so this works for him.
Garrett--thank you!
Amy--feel free to copy, and thanks so much!
Jessy--thanks much!
Ben--thanks!
LisaRene--I'm with you, I definitely need a sugar fix right about now. And a salty one, too. ugh!
Enjoyed your photos, particularly the chop suey, spoons with jam & the fresh summer salad (which looks better than the one I had last night)!
Great choice of photos!!! They're all beautiful. You've a great talent for photography.
agree ~ love this idea of food shots! beautiful work and don't you love making ribbons outta veggies?! so much fun!
the guacamole looks esp. tempting...
ALready drooling here....
Keep up your great kitchen works!
Love the top 10 roundup. Love the faux zucchini. I tried making a faux pasta with asparagus once but my patience ran thin for hard, stringy raw asparagus. Zucchini looks easier and juicier.
What a delicious banquet you've served up! I love the faux pasta, but my husband has declared our house a zucchini-free zone, so that won't be happening in my kitchen.
good job. I signed up too, but I am not quite as on top of it as you. I particularly love your image of American Chop Suey.
Unfortunately zucchini are getting more expensive in my neck of the woods, but with the way I've been eating lately I think some "faux" pasta would be a good idea! Those ribbons of zucchini look beautiful, I'm sure I wouldn't be able to get mine to look like that LOL.
Oh I love this post! It's great to have so many pictures to look at all at once, plus it lets me see some recipes I might have missed.
Great choices Elle! And I absolutely love the zucchini ribbons pic too :)
Love the new header picture!
All of these recipes sound amazing! What a great collection!
Caroline, Ruth, Ingar, Eyom, Bagel, Lynn, Maybelle's Parents, Laura, Vicarious, Rec. Girl, Lauren, and Sweet & Saucy--thank you all so much for your great comments!
Brilliant post with the Top Ten Food Shots. A glance of the garlic shrimps sent me making it for my hubby's birthday last Friday! Excellent! Will post more about it on my foodblog soon ;)