Tasty side dish easy to prepare

My daughter, Anna, has a new love for zucchini. Over the last few years, we have tried zucchini in several forms. We’ve used them in casseroles and on the grill and ordered zucchini in restaurants. Her favorite way might be hibachi-style, with soy sauce and sesame seeds.

On her Pinterest page, she has pinned a number of recipes featuring zucchini, but one in particular caught my eye when we were looking at her page last week.

It’s a simple side dish of rice cooked in chicken broth with cheese and grated zucchini mixed in. 

This recipe pops up across the Internet, and there are a few variations. 

I only made a few changes to the recipe I chose, including cutting the butter and leaving out garlic powder. I’ve never been a fan of garlic powder!

I made this dish Monday night and served it with a chicken I roasted. It’s a very simple recipe and only takes about 20 minutes to prepare.

I had told my husband about the recipe the evening before, when I was picking out zucchini at the grocery store. He was skeptical. But it was Reggie who went back for seconds last night; he also claimed the leftovers for his lunch today!

There are so many ways to personalize this recipe. You could use vegetable broth, a different cheese, broccoli or spices to individualize it.

This recipe will stay on mind, and I feel sure I will be making it again soon.

Cheesy Zucchini Rice

Olive oil

1 cup long-grain white rice

1 can (14.5 oz.) reduced-fat, reduced-sodium chicken broth

1⁄2 tablespoon butter

1 medium zucchini, grated (can use food processor or cheese grater)

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste (I added neither)

Milk

Heat the olive oil in sauce pan; add rice and toast, stirring so it doesn’t burn. Cook until rice starts to brown. Slowly add chicken broth (it will sizzle). Bring to boil, reduce heat and cover pan. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until liquid is absorbed; add water if necessary.

Remove pan from heat and add butter, zucchini and cheese. Stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste, and a little milk for more moisture, if desired.

Adapted from bunsinmyovencom

lisa@wilsontimes.com | 265-7810