ZUCCHINI and THREE PEPPER STIR-FRY

One couldn't ask for a brighter display of color! The simple seasonings allow the natural flavors of the vegetables to come through.

1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 large red pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4" strips
1/2 large yellow pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4" strips
1/2 large green pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4" strips
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound zucchini, cut into 1/4" diagonal slices *
8 medium-sized mushrooms, stemmed and quartered {reserve stems for another use}
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water

Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized skillet. Add 1/2 of the onion and garlic. Add the sliced peppers and saute 3-4 minutes, until the peppers start to soften. Remove the peppers from the skillet and set on a heated platter. Melt the butter in the same skillet. Add the remaining onion and garlic, the zucchini, mushrooms, and white wine. Cook 5 minutes and return the peppers to the pan along with the sugar, salt, and a sprinkling of pepper. Cook an additional 5 minutes. Add the dissolved cornstarch and cook until the vegetables are glazed. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.

* When using zucchini {or yellow squash} in stir fries, we always remove the pithy interior. If left in, the pith will turn mushy and add a muddled look to your finished dish. We cut the zucchini lengthwise into fourths and scrape away {and discard} the very center, then slice the remainder.