Stuffed Baked Zuchinni

Delicious spring dish! Zucchini stuffed with orzo, beets, bell pepper, corn, sausage, fennel, mushrooms, spinach, and more, topped with goat cheese! I made this recipe up for a dinner party and it was a huge hit. I've made it several times since and have not been disappointed. There are plenty of ways to incorporate leftovers and different flavors.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 6 stuffed zucchini halves

Ingredients

• 3  large zucchini, cut lengthwise and hollowed out with a spoon
• 2  cups orzo pasta, dry
• 1  red bell pepper
• 1  fennel bulb
• 1  ear of corn
• 10  ounces baby portabella mushrooms
• 1  cup  beet leaf, diced
• 12  fresh sage leaves
• 1  tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 1  lb sausage, remove casing
• 1⁄2 sweet onion, diced
• 3  cups  Baby Spinach, fresh
• 3  teaspoons  goat cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and prepare orzo as instructed on box (rice cooker or stove top).
2. Over a medium heat sauté fennel in butter until golden and soft; set aside.
3. Over a high heat sear corn in butter until browned; would be better BBQ?d; set aside.
4. In a large sauté pan, over a medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Brown mushrooms and onion together. Halfway through browning mushrooms and onions, add sage, rosemary, thyme and beet greens.
5. Once mushrooms and onions are browned, add sausage. When sausage is mostly done, add coarsely diced red bell pepper.
6. When sausage is done, add fennel, corn, and spinach.
7. Turn heat to high and add cooked orzo; cook off excess water.
8. Stuff raw, hollowed out zucchini with cooked ingredients and place on a greased pan. Cover with aluminum foil.
9. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, until zucchini is soft.
10. Top with 1/2 teaspoon of goat cheese and enjoy!
11. Note: the leftover stuffing makes for an excellent lunch the following day.