Last evening I decided to try out my new Air Fryer that I received from daughter Paula for Christmas. Well – the “fried” chicken was OK, but it will never beat the “real” thing! Just sayin’! But considering that neither one of us need the fat calories from the “real” thing, it was a pretty darn good alternative. (I need to work on the recipe a bit more before I share it with you, but I’ll keep at it until I get it right!)

And what does this have to do with baked zucchini you ask? Very simple. I needed a veggie side dish that was simple to prepare and not too caloric, but still packed with flavor. (Plus I had a zucchini on hand and wanted to use it up!) So I borrowed the basics for this dish from a recipe I found on the Genius Kitchen site, and the rest is history.

Now, if you don’t already know this about me, zucchini is one of my favorite veggies. And I have several recipes already on this site that include this fabulous member of the squash family. But for ease of preparation, nothing could be less complicated than this recipe. Slice, slather, sprinkle, and bake. Can’t get much more effortless than that! Or more delicious, I might add.

So for a quick and easy veggie dish that is perfect with just about any simple meat preparation, this is the recipe for you. Hope you like this dish as much as we do.

1 med. zucchini (about 9-inches long)

1 T. unsalted butter, melted

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

dried oregano

2-3 T. finely grated Parmesan cheese

paprika

Slice zucchini in ¼-inch slices. Place on a greased baking sheet in a single layer. Using a basting brush, slather each piece with butter. Lightly sprinkle with salt, pepper, and oregano. Scatter on the Parmesan cheese and lightly sprinkle with paprika.

Bake uncovered, in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until the zucchini is tender and the topping is a light golden brown. Serve hot.