Barefoot Contessa

I LOVE Ina Garten aka The Barefoot Contessa. If you aren't sure who I'm talking about, check out Food Network at 4:00 pm. She cooks the simplest most delicious meals and makes them all look easy and effortless. Every recipe I have ever tried of hers is so good. I aspire to be such a wonderful cook one day, but for now I'll just copy her recipes and cross my fingers they turn out as good as they look in the book. Today I'm sharing one of my favorite Ina recipes with you. I usually only make this when the zucchinis are in season at the Famer's Market. It is so delicious and a perfect spring and summer side dish. If your husband thinks he doesn't like zucchini, trust me he will eat this.

Zucchini Gratin
6 TBS butter
3 yellow onions, sliced
4 zucchini, sliced
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 TBS flour
1 cup hot milk
3/4 cup bread crumbs
2/4 cup grated gruyere or swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook onions in butter 20 minutes. Add zucchini and cook, covered, 10 minutes. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg and cook 5 minutes. Stir in flour then add hot milk. Heat until sauce thickens. Pour into casserole dish (8x10). Sprink bread crumbs and cheese on top, dot with butter. Cook 20 minutes.