Zucchini and Stuffing Casserole

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Butter a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish.
3. Wash the zucchini and cut off the ends. Cut the zucchini into 1/2-inch round slices.
4. Peel the carrots and shred on the large holes of a box grater or food processor shredding disc.
5. Put the zucchini rounds into a medium saucepan and cover with water. Add about 1 teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover the pan and lower the heat to medium-low. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender. Drain the zucchini well and set aside.

1. In the same saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat. When the butter stops foaming, add the carrot and onion. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until tender, stirring frequently.
2. Remove the onion and carrot mixture from the heat and stir in 1 1/2 cups of the stuffing cubes. Add the cream of chicken soup and sour cream.
3. Add zucchini and stir the mixture gently until combined.
4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared 1 1/2-quart casserole.
5. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter; add the remaining 1 cup of stuffing cubes. Toss to coat the cubes with the butter.
6. Sprinkle the stuffing cubes evenly over the top of the casserole.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes, or until hot and bubbling.

Tips

If you don't have stuffing cubes, make them from scratch. Preheat the oven to 300 F. Slice a loaf of bread (e.g., Italian or another kind of bread that isn't overly dense) into 1/2-inch slices. Cut the sliced bread into 1/2-inch cubes. Arrange the bread cubes on a large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a poultry seasoning blend. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring every 5 minutes. Let the cubes cool and measure 2 1/2 cups for the recipe.