How to Grill Zucchini - Perfect Every Time! Blogher Conference, Here I Come!

For most of my life I was kind of lukewarm about zucchini. When I was a kid, my mom would dip it in egg and fry it, something I could eat but nothing to write home about, at least to me. It wasn't until I discovered how great grilled zucchini can taste (and my mom started making "creamed" zucchini - photo coming soon!) that I really started appreciating the zucchini that sprouted up overnight in the garden.

This is a recipe that you should make in the summer when the zucchini are fresh from the garden or farmer's market. Since you want rather thick slices of zucchini, it's the perfect way to cook those that miss getting picked and get a bit too large. Zucchini can be easily grilled on a stove-top grill pan with ridges if you don't have an outside grill. The same type of preparation is also good on yellow summer squash or eggplant. Once you've tried it, I promise this way of cooking zucchini will become a part of your regular summer rotation for the grill.

I don't remember where I originally heard the idea of using purchased Italian dressing as a marinade for grilled zucchini, but I've been perfecting this way of cooking it for a few years now. One 12-14 inch zucchini makes enough to serve two people as a side dish.

Grilled Zucchini - Perfect Every Time!
(2 servings)

zucchini 12-14 inches long, sliced in slices 1/2 to 5/8 inch thick.
1/2 cup your favorite Italian salad dressing
(for South Beach choose dressing with less than 2 carbs per serving, I like Newman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar dressing)
1 tsp. garlic powder or garlic puree (optional)
1 -2 tsp. dried oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, or a combination (optional)

Cut zucchini into slices, making sure the slices are the same thickness. Combine salad dressing with garlic powder and dried herbs of your choice, if using. (I like this both with and without the extra flavorings. This is one place where fresh herbs are not better.) Put zucchini slices into ziploc bag, pour in marinade and let zucchini marinate 4 hours or longer, even as long as all day if desired.

To cook zucchini, preheat grill to medium-high. (You can only hold your hand there for 3-4 seconds.) You can spray the grill with non-stick spray if desired, but you don't really need it.

Place zucchini on grill, having a spray bottle handy for taming any flames that shoot up from the oil in the marinade. After about 4 minute, check for grill marks, and rotate zucchini a quarter turn. Cook 3-4 more minutes on first side.

Turn zucchini to second side and cook about 4 minutes more, or until zucchini is starting to soften quite a bit, with the outside slightly charred and browned. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper and serve hot.

In a few hours I'll be leaving to attend the Blogher Conference in San Jose, California, where I'll be joining over 400 other women bloggers for two days packed with learning about blogging. I'm excited to have a chance to attend, and thrilled to be actually meeting some other food bloggers. I've prepared some things to post while I'm gone, and tomorrow there will be a food writing homework assignment (with a great prize!) so be sure to check back for that. I'll try to check in from Blogher if I can, but if not, I'll give a report when I get back.

I've been spotlighting some of the Food and Drink posts that have been written for Blogher by food and drink editors Alanna of A Veggie Venture, Sam of Becks and Posh, Elise of Simply Recipes, and myself. Today since I'm running out the door to catch a plane, I'm going to give you the link for Blogher Food and Drink and let you finish exploring. Since Blogher is a big site, with about 60 writers. I love this feature that lets you separate posts by category, so if you want to keep up on the food writing on the site, you just click on Food and Drink in the left sidebar. Have fun exploring Blogher, and be sure to check back tomorrow for the homework assignment.

I'm hosting Weekend Herb Blogging this weekend, but since I don't get home until Sunday, I may not post the Recap until Monday if there are a lot of entries. If you want to participate this time, send your link to kalynskitchen AT comcast DOT net by 3:00 Sunday afternoon, Utah time. You can check out the Weekend Herb Blogging Rules for more information.

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Weekend Herb Blogging Blogher Conference