Attack of the Giant Zucchinis... Sausage and Rice Stuffed Zucchini

I remember writing about this last year but can't find the blog. Anywhoo...I once again got these huge "Guiness Book of World Record" making zucchinis from my neighbor Alesha. They are so huge that I used some last night for dinner (grilled slices with EVOO on the indoor grill) and had enough tonight to make stuffed zucchini. I made the stuffed one last year with hamburger and homemade stuffing. This year I made a stuffing similar to what you would find in stuffed peppers.

Stuffed Zucchini

1 huge zucchini
2 cups cooked rice
16 oz can of tomato sauce
2 Italian sausages removed from casing and browned
1/2 onion
salt and pepper
1 tsp oregano
1 cup cheddar cheese shredded

Cut the ends off the zucchini  and place in the microwave for approx. 8 minutes. *be sure to poke holes in it so it doesn't explode all over the microwave! I use a rice cooker to make the rice and then cooled it down. Brown the sausage and onion on the stove with a bit of EVOO and make sure there is no pink left.

Set the oven to 350 degrees. Once the zucchini is able to be touched, use a serrated knife and cut it length-wise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. In a large bowl add the rice, sausage,onion, tomato sauce, and seasoning. Mix together until combined and use a large spoon to scoop it into the cavity. I used parchment paper to make a tent around each of mine. I didn't want the rice to get crispy. I started off baking it at 350 degrees for 45 minutes and ended up baking it for an additional 15 minutes. In the last 5 minutes, I topped with cheese and returned back to the oven. Serve with more tomato sauce