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April is here!! Lots of things happen in April.... Bunnies for some, tasteless cracker bread for others!! Baseball starts and so does The Masters golf tournament. Shorts, Hawaiian shirts and Flip-Flops start to go up in price. Outdoor concert schedules at the Hollywood Bowl and the Orange County Fair are announced (Can you smell the smoked Turkey legs???). But let’s focus on the big holiday in April for us... Pesach, Passover, whichever your family calls it? No Hametz people...
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon water
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon Guar Gum or 1 teaspoon Xanthem Gum
2 cups heavy whipping cream, or you can also use half and half
2-3 small zucchini, sliced in circles about ¼ inch thick
1 small to medium head of fresh broccoli, stem removed, florets torn off
2-3 Serrano Chilis or Jalapeños, seeded and chopped (optional)
Chopped fresh chives or fresh chopped parsley for garnish
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese divided
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese divided
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside. In a small saucepan melt 2 Tablespoons butter over medium heat and add the salt and pepper and whisk. In a small bowl or cup, add the water and sprinkle the Guar or Xanthan on the water and dissolve. Add the whipping cream and heat while whisking until hot. Add the water with Guar or Xanthan and whisk for 1-2 minutes until it starts to thicken. Add ¼ cup parmesan cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat.
Arrange the zucchini slices in the prepared casserole dish overlapping each other. Spread half of the sauce on top followed by ½ cup mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle the chopped chili peppers over the cheese. Layer the broccoli florets on top, then the remaining sauce, then remaining Mozzarella cheese, then remaining Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 25 minutes or until the zucchini and broccoli are fork tender and the top is starting to brown. Sprinkle with chives/parsley.