#SQUASH CASSEROLE RECIPE MAC#

#SQUASH CASSEROLE RECIPE MAC#

Sharp cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese complement the flavors of the cooked squash without overpowering it or pushing the dish into mac and cheese territory. This step makes all the difference in preventing a waterlogged casserole, so trust us, it’s worth it.Ī brief sauté on the diced onion adds even more flavor to the base, which uses a combination of heavy cream and sour cream to achieve a gratin-like richness. A good sear in a hot skillet with melted butter does that work for you, while also adding a layer of flavor to the often subtle summer squash. So now we’ll just have to make room on the table for two squash casseroles, which isn’t a bad thing at all.Inspired by classic renditions of Southern squash casserole recipes, this version maximizes flavor and keeps it super simple-which is exactly how a casserole should be! In our method, we slice the yellow squash (also known as crookneck squash) into round coins instead of grating it into a wet pile, which means you don’t need to spend time (and muscle) squeezing it over a colander to drain it of all that moisture. And, it worked! At last I had a squash casserole that could rub shoulders with my mom’s squash casserole.ĭoes mine taste the same? No, it’s different but no less equal. I was about ready to admit defeat when I hit on the bright idea to adapt my King Ranch chicken casserole recipe into a squash casserole. A fine idea in practice, yes, but not necessarily execution when it’s hot and humid both inside and out. I then made two more pans and had a casserole bake off-me vs. I made my first batch of squash casserole, thinking that it was going to be swell and I was going to be able to tell the world, “You don’t need cream of mushroom soup!” But what I made wasn’t all that good. So I knew if this squash was going to be eaten I’d just have to improvise. That said, when I picked up a few pounds of yellow squash and zucchini at the farmers market recently, I didn’t have any of these squash casserole ingredients on hand. Yes, it qualifies as semi-homemade but it sure is good. This squash casserole on offer at Joel’s that day was the same kind that my mom and my grandma make: yellow summer squash cut into rounds, baked with a mix of cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup and a package of corn bread stuffing. And I always rationalize eating it by telling myself that certainly some of the squash’s vitamins would have leached into the swirls of dairy that hold the squash in suspension. But this doesn’t make it even less delicious. OK, perhaps it’s not that odd that I love squash casserole since it’s a creamy, crunchy mass that’s closer to the fattening family than the vegetable family. But serve me squash in a casserole and I’ll eat seconds or even thirds. I’m just not a fan of its soft texture and abundance of flat, slimy seeds. Steamed, grilled, sautéed-no matter how it’s prepared I often pick at it and push it to the side of a plate. I’ve always thought it strange that I love squash casserole so much considering how little I enjoy eating squash any other way. Nope, I decided to sit a spell because they had on the buffet squash casserole. But that’s not why I decided to stay and eat lunch. The lot was packed with cars, which is always a good sign. It was for a restaurant-Joel’s Restaurant of Trussville, Alabama.

I pulled into the first parking lot I saw. But after meandering endlessly down tree-lined country roads I realized that my journey, while beautiful, needed to have a focus or I would miss my flight back to New York. I don’t usually mind getting lost because this can often lead to discovery. I took a wrong exit on my way to the Birmingham Airport.

Squash casserole recipe