Even if you can't remember recipe details, you'll remember these baked zucchini fries

I am often asked if I have all of my recipes memorized. The honest answer is no. Often, when planning to make a dish, I will return to an old food column or blog post to refresh my memory as to the quantities, temperature or cook time. Sometimes I make the recipes exactly as I wrote them and other times I tweak them or improvise with them. I have very few of my recipes truly memorized, due in large part to the fact that I'm not a numbers person. Numbers, such as three cups or 16 ounces or 425 degrees, don't stick with me. What sticks with me are the flavors, the smells, the feelings surrounding the food. I can tell you where I was, what the weather was like outside, who was with me and probably how I was feeling at the moment I ate or cooked just about anything. These are the things I have memorized — flavor moments and food experiences. All of my cooking and recipe development begins there.

I've been making these baked zucchini fries every summer for three years and I still don't have this recipe memorized. I know that I first made these here in Alaska three Augusts ago when the zucchini were plentiful as they are now. I remember loving how they tasted like fried zucchini but were healthier and easier because they weren't deep fried. I can recall how quickly they would disappear off the plates every time I made a batch and set them out on the counter for the children or for guests. And I still have the same internal debate today that I did back then as to whether I want to serve them with warm marinara sauce or a cool buttermilk ranch. Whenever possible, offer both.

Baked zucchini fries
Yields about 32 fries

2 medium zucchini, cut into uniform sticks*
2 eggs
1/2 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried Italian herb mixture
Pinch of cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add the zucchini sticks to a bowl. Whisk the eggs and pour them over the zucchini sticks. Toss to coat.

In another bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, Italian herbs, cayenne, Parmesan, and salt and pepper. Dip the zucchini sticks in the crumb mixture, coating them entirely, then place each stick on the baking sheet in a single layer. Spray the the zucchini fries generously with olive oil cooking spray.

Bake 20-25 minutes until breadcrumbs are crisp and browned. Serve the zucchini fries promptly with buttermilk ranch dressing or warm marinara sauce.

*I typically get 16 sticks out of one medium zucchini.