Mom’s Squash Casserole was always a family favorite. During the summer she made it with fresh from the garden yellow squash but in the off season canned squash came in hand too. 

Mom’s Squash Casserole was sure to be on the Thanksgiving table. 

This week is Farmer’s Market Week on the blog! We have partnered with some talented foodie bloggers to bring you some recipe ideas using Farm Fresh Food.  Be sure to scroll all the way down where you will find the delectable list of recipes. 

PEEL THE SQUASH

Peel about 6 or 7 medium farm fresh yellow squash for homemade squash casserole. Then slice in about 1/4″ thick round pieces. 

MEET MY MOM

I lost my Mom to breast cancer in 2013. She was diagnosed for the third time in 12 years in the spring of 2012. By then she had been living with us for about three years since my Dad’s death in 2009.  One of the bonuses of having Momma live with us was enjoying her good cooking.

Momma loved to cook from scratch because that is how she learned the homemaking art. She taught me to cook from scratch also but in later years we both learned a few shortcuts when processed foods became a big time saver for working women. Of course now we are all trying to get back to cooking from scratch again. 

My Mom, on the right about to sample the beans as she and a friend prepare a meal for an event at church.

Momma would write down her recipes for anyone who asked. When she was diagnosed that third time, she set out to write down all of her recipes. I love the fact that they are in her own handwriting. I have been working on making copies for everyone for years now and just don’t seem to reach the end. It’s a goal of mine though.

This Squash Casserole is one of Momma’s recipes. You might say it’s adapted because I made a minor change to increase the flavor just a bit. You will find in old cookbooks, a lot of variety and seasonings were not used oftentimes.  That is mostly because those items were not readily available or considered affordable at the time.

There was time when keeping something as simple as sour cream in the refrigerator was not considered a staple. 

WATERLESS COOKING

Waterless cooking is a great way to allow the natural juices of certain vegetables to do the stewing for you without watering down their flavor.  Just add a small pat of butter to your skillet and let it melt. Then dump in your cut up squash and put the lid on the skillet. Cook on medium heat stirring occasionally until the squash is as tender as you desire. The lid helps the steam to build so there is no need to add water. 

The squash pictured above are very ripe so they cooked quickly and yielded a delicious squash casserole.

PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW

DO YOU WANT TO CUT THE CASSEROLE OR SPOON IT?

The casserole will be tight but a little juicy when you pour it into the casserole dish as shown above. It will become more dry as it bakes. If you prefer a more juicy casserole that you spoon out rather than slice, don’t drain the squash after cooking.

I changed the milk in Mom’s recipe for sour cream which provides a rich flavor and more tight consistency to the casserole. There is a very real possibility that Momma may have actually used sour cream at some point and never told anyone. She was known to keep some ingredients a secret from time to time. 

The last thing to do before popping into the oven is to top the casserole with crushed crackers then drizzle melted butter on top. A buttery cracker such as Ritz makes the best topping. 

A SQUASH BY ANY OTHER NAME

Yellow Squash also known as Crookneck squash or Summer Squash is the one which tapers at the neck and is bright yellow in color. It can be grown in a backyard garden on the ground or climbing a support for the vine. 

Also see our recipe for Stewed Squash and Onions with Bacon. We could make a whole meal with just fresh yellow squash in the summer!

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Momma was always whipping up vegetable casseroles for special occasions like Thanksgiving meals. Squash Casserole was one of our favorites. When I look back now I know Momma spent countless hours in the kitchen making her recipes for us to enjoy.

Yield: 6

Mom's Southern Squash Casserole

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Ingredients

• 6-7 medium Yellow Summer Squash, peeled and cut into 1/4" thick pieces
• 1 Small chopped Vidalia Onion
• 1 Cup shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1 Cup crushed buttery crackers such as Ritz
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 Large Egg beaten
• 1/4 Cup sour cream
• 1 stick melted butter (divided)

Instructions

1. Peel and chop the squash and set aside.
2. Melt 1/4 Tbsp. of butter in a skillet on medium heat
3. Add the squash and chopped onion to the melted butter and place the lid on the pan.
4. Stir occasionally until the squash is tender, about 10-15 minutes.
5. In a bowl, beat the egg.
6. Add the cooked squash and onion, cheese, sour cream, salt and pepper to the egg.
7. Stir well to blend completely
8. Spray your baking dish with non-stick spray
9. Pour the squash mixture into the casserole dish
10. Top with crushed crackers
11. Melt the remaining butter and drizzle over the crackers
12. Bake at 350° uncovered for about 30-40 minutes until top is brown.
13. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Onions are optional. If you have onion haters in your crowd, it's perfectly fine to leave them out. I occasionally substitute about 1 Tbsp. of Onion Powder when skipping the onions.

Thanks Ellen from Family Around the Table and Christie from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures for hosting our Farmer’s Market Event!

Friday Farmer’s Market Week Recipes

• Arrabiata with Zucchini Noodles by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Asian Cucumber Salad by Books n’ Cooks
• Banana Cream Pie by Palatable Pastime
• Black Forest Brownies by The Redhead Baker
• Honey-Roasted Garlic Ice Cream by The Spiffy Cookie
• Israeli Veggie Skewers by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Mom’s Southern Squash Casserole by Intelligent Domestications
• Old Fashioned Watermelon Pie by Daily Dish Recipes
• Sweet Corn Ice Cream by Savory Moments
• Fun Orange Freakshake by The Freshman Cook