The Simple Life at Home

First you will need a special tool for hollowing out the zucchini. This could be found in any Middle Eastern grocery store inexpensively. It's similar to an apple corer, but longer - say about 6-8 inches. It's not expensive, but if you can't find one, I guess you could use a similar type tool, like an apple corer.

You want to choose small squashes. I don't know why - that's just what my mother-in-law told me. She even cut the larger ones in half to use, so it must be really important, right?

2 lbs. small zucchini

1 cup rice

2/3 cup ground beef

1 T. melted butter

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. all spice

sliced tomatoes (you can keep one or two whole, but hollowed out for extra stuffing)

1/2 cup tomato sauce

hot water

salt and pepper

2-3 coarsely chopped garlic cloves

2 T. dried mint

Wash squash, cut off stem tips and, using corer, hollow out. Be careful not to break squash. Set aside. Mix rice, meat, butter and spices together. Stuff mixture loosely into squash - do not pack too tightly or the squash will burst as the rice expands during cooking. Arrange stuffed squash (and tomato if you've chosen to stuff them also) in a sauce pan (I use a pressure cooker - takes 8 minutes that way!). Add sliced tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Add enough hot water to cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to medium low heat and cook for 25 minutes, until squash is tender. When almost done, sprinkle garlic and mint over the squash and simmer a few minutes longer.

Voila! A delicious, healthy meal!

Sahtain! (Arabic for "bon appetit!")