Improv Challenge: Zucchini Parmesan Crisps with Sriracha-Brown Sugar Dipping Sauce

Usually before an Improv Challenge I spent a lot of time online looking at different recipes before I decide what to make with the chosen ingredients. Sometimes I go through my cookbooks as well and other times I even consult Tom for his suggestions. Not this time. I immediately knew what I wanted to make for this month's Improv Challenge of zucchini and brown sugar.

Okay, fine. I'm exaggerating a little bit. I initially intended to make zucchini fries, but since I already made them, it was just too perfect to find Zucchini Parmesan Crisps in my Reader not too long ago. They're not all that different than my fries recipe which is why this worked out so well.

Zucchini Parmesan Crisps 
Barely Adapted from: Blissfully Delicious, adapted from Ellie Krieger

Servings: 2
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Ingredients:

• 1 zucchini
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• salt and pepper 
• cooking spray
• dipping sauce, *see below 

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Slice the zucchini into 1/4-inch rounds. Place in a bowl, drizzle olive oil over and toss until coated.
3. In a shallow dish, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Dip each zucchini round into the mixture and toss to coat. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining zucchini rounds.
4. Bake for 15 minutes then flip over. Return to the oven for another 15-20 minutes or until the zucchini are browned and crisp.

Sriracha-Brown Sugar Dipping Sauce
Source: A Cookaholic Wife creation 
Servings: 2 tbsp.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Sriracha 

Directions:
1. Whisk ingredients together in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.


The brown sugar in the breadcrumb mixture provides just the slightest hint of sweetness to the zucchini and then the brown sugar flavor really pairs nicely with the Sriracha in the dipping sauce. However, these didn't taste anything like zucchini at all. I have no idea what they tasted like though. But there was an amazing breakthrough...

Tom asked to try one. Then he had A SECOND one. Since he abhors zucchini, I thought those two sentences that the magnitude of the event required bolding and caps.