I saved the seeds and planted another crop this year.
Tastes the same as the regular crookneck squash, but it's a neat shape.
I likee!
I decided to make one of my favorite squash preparations - Mama Hawthorne's Squash Casserole.
Daddy had a huge garden on his farm and Mama canned or froze Everything.
I remember a huge chest freezer in her basement - the kind you could stuff a body in. It was filled with foil packages, all dated and labeled. Her squash casserole featured prominently in that freezer.
When I first started my "cookbook" collection of Mama Hawthorne's recipes, I'd ask her how she made something and it was always, "You put in some of this... some of that... until it looks right."
I dutifully typed her "recipes" on her ancient Underwood typewriter. Always trying to get her to be more exact. And never really getting it. (Case in point - her cornbread. I'm still searching for the ultimate cornbread.)
That said, I got her squash casserole down.
And I've embellished upon it from time to time.
Hope you enjoy this as much as I do.
4 cups diced yellow squash
1 small onion, chopped
½ cup chopped green pepper (The addition of green pepper is
mine. I’d just picked it from my garden
and it seemed right.)
1 TB unsalted butter
1 TB oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 eggs
½ cup skim milk
½ cup cream
1 ½ cups grated
cheddar cheese
About a sleeve of Ritz crackers, crumbled by hand
Heat butter and oil in a large skillet. Add squash, onion, and pepper and cook over
medium heat, tossing or stirring, for about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Beat eggs with milk and cream. Add in ¼ tsp each of salt and pepper. Stir in squash mixture and 1 cup of the
cheese. Pour into buttered 9 x 13”
baking dish. Top with remaining ½ cup
cheddar and crumbled Ritz. Bake in a 350°
oven for 45 minutes, or until custard mixture is set and top is golden
brown. Let sit for about 10 minutes
before slicing.
Takes me back home.
Every time.
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