I love little bites. Often I have some sort of little bite waiting for the kids when they come home from school. Bacon Hash is always well received (love seeing their expression change when they smell the bacon from the street – their tired walk turns into a running sprint). Hummus and veggies gets the nod as well as homemade salsa, guacamole, and chips. But their new favorite are these little zucchini Parmesan bites.
My girlfriend Jeni and I donate a cooking class to our schools auction each year. For years a few of the woman have been asking if I would consider teaching a regular class. I love the idea of cooking with friends and of course I was up for it. However it took us a while to find a date that worked for everyone. After many emails and several conversations a date was set and our theme became “Little Savory Bites, Sweet Treats, + Cocktails”.
My favorite people signed up to enjoy an early December morning to simply do something for ourselves. Most of us work, we all have kids, and finding time to just hang for no real occasion at all(someone’s birthday, a school meeting, etc.) was the goal of the event.
As they walked through the door, gluten free Beignets, chocolate spread, and coffee jello shots await. While the ladies settled in and became comfortable doing something solely for them, I organized and prepped (most of the prep and organization was done prior – but I still had much to do) and listened to their conversations.
The biggest bonus to the day was I did not bring my camera. However, my friend, Christiane did. We met in Photography school years ago and she is one of my creative soul sisters whom constantly inspires me. She has photographed my kids numerous times and just last year shot my son’s Bar Mitzvah. Although she is a professional photographer, shooting lots of weddings, product, and events, our Bar Mitzvah was her first. And certainly not her last, as she has shot a dozen since and is quickly becoming the “it” photographer on the Westside.
This was more than a group of friends coming together to cook and eat good food. We all shared how we nourish our families. I learned that most people don’t spend Sunday’s prepping for their week and now, I feel it’s my job to teach easy tools on how to maximize one’s time through meal planning. This is something that I have innately done since even before having a family and something that comes easy to me. However, it doesn’t to most. And come the new year, I will be launching, here, simple strategies on how to meal plan, pantry storage, freezing ahead, and only buying what one needs for the week, thus spending less at the grocery store.
I make these zucchini Parmesan bites often. Zucchini is not an expensive vegetable. Aside from putting it in soups, sauteing it with onion and shallots, I have come up with a dish that almost my whole family will eat. This is one of those dishes that I can prep in the morning(my favorite way to cook), cover and leave it in the fridge, and when ready to bake, I pull it out of the fridge 30 minutes prior so it comes to almost room temperature. Utilizing fridge and pantry staples(gluten free flour blend, or AP flour, bread crumbs, Parmesan, salt, eggs) doesn’t require purchasing anything fancy or expensive.
The meal was well rounded. Many of the vegetables and herbs I pulled from my garden and every recipe was one that used basic items that can be found in most kitchens. This tart was served for lunch (I used Aran’s recipe with a few tweaks), my spicy peanut kale salad (will post soon), potato kugelettes, homemade applesauce, chicken tikka skewers(recipe to come) served in endive with a bit of hummus, sweet and sour mini meatballs, and an Apple Sangria.
No one left hungry and there was enough left overs to feed my family for dinner that night. Even Molly got a treat or two (or three). Getting together with friends, sharing the kitchen, swapping cooking stories, and most of all laughter is exactly how I would chose to spend any weekday morning…beats cleaning the house and paying bills!
Baked Zucchini Parmesan Bites
Ingredients
1 cup gluten free flour blend (or flour of your choice)
1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt (plus more for sweating)
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 cup gluten free bread crumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, beaten
4 medium size zucchini’s
1/2 cup marinara
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Instructions
• place two large kitchen towels on your work surface
• brush two rimmed 11″ x 17″ baking sheets with olive oil. set aside.
• cut zucchini, on a diagonal, about 1/4″ thick. place on kitchen towels.
• sprinkle generously with Celtic sea salt. let sweat for 30 – 45 minutes.
• preheat oven to 425*.
• place 1 cup of flour, Celtic sea salt, and white pepper in one dish. place beaten eggs combined with 3 tablespoons of water in another dish. and in the third dish, combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.
• blot moisture from zucchini. dredge one zucchini circle in the flour. shake off excess. coat each side in egg wash. and lastly, dredge in breadcrumb parmesan mixture. place on prepared baking sheet.
• repeat until all zucchini has been coated.
• bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until zucchini circles are a nice golden brown (I rotate pans back to front and top to bottom mid way through baking).
• remove from the oven and turn oven up to broil. place a teaspoon of marinara on each circle and top with a sprinkling of mozzarella.
• place in the broiler and cook for about 30 seconds or until cheese begins to bubble.
• serve warm.
yield: 4 servings
The Urban Baker / SusanSalzman.com
More Baked Savories around the Web:
Parmesan Potato Bites – Baked by Rachel
Dukkah Crusted Baked Brie – Gourmande in the Kitchen
Tomato Parmesan Tarts – Eat Drink Love
Zucchini Sticks – The Urban Baker
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[…] work was done, Angela and I sat down to lunch with one of my favorite salads along with a batch of Zucchini Parmesan Bites. Now that I have kale growing in my back yard, this salad can be found on our dinner table a few […]
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What fun! Sounds like it was a great success.
It was a fun day, Sylvie. I think we should put our own group together and create some good eats!
How cool!! Great pictures.. and what a fun afternoon! Maybe you will be able to expand this concept in your future??? 😉
Thanks, Amanda! Yes, will be elaborating on this concept not only here, but via workshops and classes. So excited about all that is on the horizon! Happy New Year to you and your adorable family!! xx
How fun and I love the recipe too!
That is so fun! I have done these classes before (every year for my kids school and my nieces school) they are always fun- and these look so delicious!
Sounds like a fun and inspiring get together class!!
I can only imagine how fun this class was! I look forward to your meal planning tips in the new year. Thanks so much for the link love 🙂
Looks like a very fun event! And that recipe sounds tasty and simple. Love it!
So simple, Yvette! And so satisfying! Happy New Year!
Susan all of this is so fun! Awesome that you taught a class + a great, healthy recipe idea too!
I’d like to attend cooking class like yours, it sounds so optimistic. Plus cooking with friends is the best way of cooking.
You are so right, Marta. Cooking with friends always makes the food taste way better!
Not only does this look like a MUST MAKE recipe, this story shows me how in your groove you are. Teaching becomes you! You exude talent and are a natural host, teaching people how to cook in your home looks like a home run! Thanks for sharing this inspiring moment in your life!
Thanks, Brooke. Happy New Year and hope to reconnect with you in 2013!
I love little bites as well, it means I can sample more flavors than those found in one main dish. These little zucchini bites look perfect for New Year’s:) I love that your group got together, what a wonderful little respite away from hectic lives! xx
I’m sure it was lots of fun to teach a culinary class. Love the baked zucchini parmesan!!!
Kim – the best part was cooking with friends!
Coffee jell-o shots?! GF beignets?! I would be in heaven. It sounds like this was an amazing time. I bet the house smelled amazing.
Happy New Year, Allison! Cheers to you!
Nice photos and recipe! Thanks for sharing, I’m so glad I found your blog.
Thanks, Jessica. I am glad you found me as well. Stopped by your site and it is a wealth of inspiration!
Wow, that looks delicious! Much easier than trying to make a whole casserole of a parmesan yourself. I think my hubby would love these too! Thanks!
Great meatless dish! But I love Molly just as much!
Thanks Liz! Yes, Molly is a keeper!
Brilliant! Great concept! Love the pictures! It captured the joy and excitement in each moment. Awesome!
Thanks Meg! It was a great day – I need to get back into doing stuff like this! xx
This looks like a great meal! I like that it isn’t a whole giant casserole, too! Very fun!
It’s a little bit of work but so worth it!!
What a wonderful time! I can’t wait to try making the Baked Zucchini! YUM!
Thanks, Serena! Please let me know how it turns out! xx
This looks like such a fun idea and I love your photos! What a great food line up!
Thanks Lane + Holly! I miss having time for days like this. It reminds me that I need to recreate this and get together with my girl squad and have some fun! xx
I love this for my gluten-free buddies. We will devour this!
Hi Heather! It could also be made with traditional flours but this tastes almost more delicious with the GF flour blend!
What a GREAT thing to donate at a school fundraiser! I’m going to keep that idea in my back pocked! 🙂
Thanks, Angela! Yes, my friend, Jeni and I dontated a cooking class each year. The bids would open at 12:00am on a certain day and 12:10am – it was sold out. It was so fun and so validating! Have a great weekend! ss