Today was a busy day. In addition to my usual 8 hour work day I also had a doctor’s appointment and a late conference call to contend with. So when it came to planning this week’s dinner menu/grocery list I decided to get a little help where I could and buy some pre-made beef kebabs from our local grocery store. That way all I would have to do for the bulk of tonight’s dinner was to drizzle a little olive over the kebabs, add a little salt and pepper, and stick them under the broiler for 7 minutes or so per side.
As I was perusing the produce aisles yesterday for something to go with our kebabs, I decided that I needed to make squash casserole. Something you all may not know about me yet is that I come from a pretty Southern family. Both my parents grew up in Tennessee and that is where the vast majority of my extended family still lives. I grew up eating lots of Southern staples, including squash casserole. Every Southern cook worth their grits knows how to make this dish.
I got my particular recipe from my mother. To be honest, it’s not really a recipe. There aren’t really exact measurements—instead words like “some” are used. I’ve found that a lot of family recipes (Southern or not) are like this. My grandmother, for instance, makes the best macaroni and cheese from scratch. Once when I was in high school I called her to try and get the recipe and instead she walked me through the process of how to make it (again using words like “a little” and “some” instead of actual measurements). It definitely did not come out right. One day I will try and make it again-- or her potato salad (that which I hold all other potato salads up against…most fail miserably).
My mother’s squash casserole is somewhat the same way. When I called her for the recipe last summer she tried her best to give me more exact instructions, even throwing phrases like “1/3 cup” in there. But the truth is you just have to make things like this enough to get the hang of it. You have to know what it looks like. The last time I made squash casserole, it was pretty close to perfect. Today, on the other, hand it was a little too liquid-y. But it still tasted good. And it reminded me of my childhood. And that is good enough for me.
Squash Casserole
Adapted from my mom
Ingredients:
3-4 large yellow squash, sliced
1 onion (preferably Vidalia because HELLO! this is a Southern dish), chopped
2 TBL butter
Salt and Pepper
1 egg
1/3 cup of milk
1 package of shredded cheddar cheese (I used the reduced fat/2% milk variety)
Cracker crumbs (Saltines work best but any basic cracker that doesn’t have an overwhelming flavor will do)
1.Place sliced squash in a medium sauce pan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Once it has reached a boil, add some salt, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.
2.Drain squash and return to pot. Add chopped onion, butter, and salt and pepper to taste.
3.Beat egg and add to squash mixture. Add half of milk to start (amount of milk needed will depend on amount of squash you are making). Add 1/3 to ½ cup of shredded cheese to start. Add cracker crumbs (maybe 10 crackers, all crushed up). Mix together. Add more milk, cheese, and/or cracker crumbs until you get the right consistency—you want it to be moist but hold together fairly well. A little liquid is ok but you don’t want there to be lots of liquid in the bottom of the pan.
4.Spoon mixture into a greased baking dish and top with additional grated cheese (as much or as little as you would like).
5.Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
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