Zucchini Casserole

It's that time of year - the gardens are providing lots of wonderful vegetables and what to do with all that zucchini? There are so many great possibilities, but this one creates a wonderful, savory side dish that's creamy, cheesy and a little crunchy! Zucchini Casserole **NOTE - I made a large recipe for a party of 10 people - you can easily divide this recipe in half for a smaller serving! 5 cups ground zucchini (if you don't have a way to grind the zucchini, chop it in a very small dice, or shred it and then run a knife through the shreds. If you are using a larger zucchini, cut lengthwise first and scoop out seeds) 4 cups white sauce 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1 tsp celery seed 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese 1 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs White sauce (yields 4 cups) 6 TBSP butter 6 TBSP flour 2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper dash of cayenne pepper 4 cups milk In a large pot, melt butter and stir in flour. Stir continuously until all lumps are gone from flour and mixture begins to turn a light tan and smells nutty. Add seasoning and stir in. Slowly add in milk, whisking to make sure any lumps are worked out. Gradually add all milk and whisk over medium heat until it starts to bubble and thicken. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 4 quart casserole dish. Put zucchini in a clean cotton towel and squeeze out any excess water. Combine zucchini, salt, pepper, celery seed and white sauce. Pour into greased casserole dish. Sprinkle cheese evenly over top. Sprinkle bread crumbs over cheese. Place in 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until top is golden brown and bubbly. Allow to cool at least 15 minutes before serving.