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LL woman cooks up winning recipe
6/24/2009 12:13:38 PM
By Hope Brumbach
Splash Editor
The dish Jill McInturff concocted was anything but boilerplate.
At least that's according to the judges for the "Fast & Fabulous" recipe contest for French's French Fried Onions. McInturff cooked up a stuffed zucchini recipe that was named one of four runners-up in the national competition, which drew thousands of entries.
 McInturff |
"I just said, ‘Well, I can't believe that,'" said McInturff, 67, of her first reaction to winning. She submitted the recipe online in December and promptly forgot about it, she said. When she recently received her winning notification, she needed a refresher on the contest details, McInturff said.
The contest called for recipes that substitute the fried onions for breadcrumbs, use fewer than six ingredients and take an hour or less to prepare and cook.
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McInturff stumbled on the contest while surfing online for dishes to prepare.
"I like to cook, and I go on recipe sites every day to look for new things to eat," said McInturff, who adds that she enjoys cooking from scratch.
She's been baking stuffed zucchini for years, and she substituted the fried onions for crackers or breadcrumbs with taste bud-pleasing results, said McInturff.
"It's everything you have in your house," she said of the ingredients.
For her prize money, she's planning a trip to DSW, a new shoe store opening in Spokane. In fact, she's pleased that she didn't win the top prize: a trip to an amusement park, she said.
McInturff said she's happy to share her award-winning recipe.
"If you don't like it, don't call me," she joked.
Stuffed Zucchini Shells
Ingredients:
Two large zucchini, parbroiled
¾ to 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
One small tomato, finely chopped
One garlic clove, minced
One cup French's French Fried Onions
1-1/2 tsp lemon zest
1-1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Parboil zucchini by adding to 2 quarts of unsalted boiling water for about five minutes or until fork tender. Drain.
Cut zucchini lengthwise in half; scoop out pulp, leaving ¼ inch thick shells. Place shells in baking dish sprayed with cooking oil; set aside.
Place French Fried Onions, lemon zest and Italian seasoning in a plastic bag. Lightly crush with hands or rolling pin.
Chop zucchini pulp, place in bowl. Add ½ cup cheese, chopped tomato, crushed French Fried Onion mixture, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix lightly and spoon into zucchini shells. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake about 15 minutes or until heated through.
Serves four.