Baked Zucchini Sticks and Sweet Onion Dip

Ingredients

Dip:

1 Tbsp. butter

1 medium sweet onion, peeled and sliced

2 Tbsp. cider vinegar

2 Tbsp. honey

1 Tbsp. prepared mustard

1 cup mayonnaise

Salt and pepper to taste

Zucchini Sticks:

3 medium zucchini, unpeeled, cut into 3" long sticks

1 tsp. salt

1 cup Panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp. oregano or pizza seasoning

Olive oil spray

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preparation

To make dip; Melt the butter in a medium frying pan over moderate heat, and add the sliced onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften, them caramelize. Once the onions are a medium brown, remove from heat and add the vinegar. Place the onions and vinegar into a small food processor. Add the honey and mustard, and process until smooth. Add the mayonnaise and salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate, covered until ready to serve.

To make the zucchini sticks: Place the zucchini sticks in a colander and sprinkle with the teaspoon of salt. Let the zucchini drain for 1 hour or longer; rinse and pat dry. Combine the Panko, Parmesan, and oregano or pizza seasoning; set aside.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray or oil the pan with olive oil. Dredge sticks a few at a time in the egg, then roll in the crumb mixture. Place the sticks on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with about 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Bake sticks for 12 minutes,turn over, and bake for an additional 8 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

Serve immediately with sweet onion dip.