I HEART...Squash and Corn Casserole

Everybody loves Wednesday, right?

The week's half over.  The weekend is on the way.

What's not to love?

Each Wednesday, I want to share something with you

that I absolutely love and can't live without! 

  

Fresh squash is one of my favorite vegetables.  I love it stewed with onions.  I love it battered and deep fried.  I love it pan fried with onions.  One recipe that I love (but Gerald doesn't) is squash dressing.  Most of all, I love squash casserole.  I have tried lots of different recipes for it.  With eggs and without. With mayo or with cream of chicken soup.  With breadcrumbs or with a saltine cracker topping.  There are lots of ways to make it, and I'm pretty sure I've tried them all.    

 

I was looking through a Southern Living magazine from last summer (I'm a little behind on my reading), and found a new recipe for Squash and Corn Casserole.  It looked so yummy, I decided to try it while my in-laws were here last weekend.  (My mother-in-law loves squash casserole, too, and has asked several times for my recipe.  Problem is, I have done it so many different ways, I don't remember which one she liked!)  

 

As usual, I used the recipe as a guide only, and substituted what I had on hand.  However, it turned out to be a huge hit!  The recipe below reflects the changes I made.  I know it's early in the season, but the grocery store is already starting to get pretty squash, and soon we'll start to see it at the roadside produce stands.  Perhaps you're even planning to plant it yourself.  However you procure it, be sure to have this recipe handy.  I think you'll love it!

 

 

Squash and Corn Casserole

 

1 1/2 pounds yellow squash

1 1/2 pounds zucchini squash

3 cups of fresh corn

1 medium yellow onion

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons EVOO

2 large eggs

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 cup sour cream

2 cups sharp cheddar

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs, divided

1 cup Parmesan cheese, divided

salt and pepper to taste

 

Preheat oven to 375.  Wash squash and zucchini and cut about 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick.  (Not too thin. We want texture here!)  Slice onion in half and then cut in long strips from pole to pole (not in rings).  Put squash, zucchini and onions in a large pot and just cover with water.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes to a crisp tender state.  Do not overcook.  Drain and rinse lightly to stop cooking.

 

Meanwhile, shuck your corn and carefully cut it off the cob.  Then get your broom and sweep up all the kernels that bounced everywhere.  Melt butter in a nonstick pan and add EVOO.  Saute corn over medium for about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat.

 

In a large bowl, beat eggs and then add mayo, sour cream, cheddar, half of breadcrumbs and half of Parmesan.  (Be sure to use a good Parm here, not just the green canister of powdered snow.  You want a really nutty, rich flavor so you need the good stuff.)  Add squash/onion mixture and corn and mix thoroughly.  Try not to tear up your squash.  If you didn't overcook it, it should be fine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Be sure to season well.  I ended up having to salt mine again at the table.

 

Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish.  This makes a lot!  Mix remaining breadcrumbs and Parm and sprinkle on top.  Bake at 375 for 35-45 minutes or until bubbly and brown on top.  Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes before serving so it will firm up a little.  Enjoy!

 

Notes - I really think fresh corn is necessary.  They already have it on sale at Winn Dixie for .33 cents an ear.  The crisp bite it adds is probably my favorite part of this casserole.  Don't use canned!  As for the Parmesan, I have the green can, too, for spaghetti and pizza, but I always keep some "real" parm on hand for cooking.  I like Costco's Parmigiano-Reggiano mix.  It's already grated for you, it keeps for a long time in the fridge and it's pretty affordable as good cheese goes.  For bread crumbs, I took a fresh deli roll from Winn Dixie (they had their Portuguese rolls B1G1 last week) and stuck it in my food processor.  The fresh breadcrumbs were light and airy and got beautifully crispy on top!

 

As most casseroles are, this was even better the next day.  I made it on Friday night, and guess what I had for lunch on Saturday?  I zapped me a little in the microwave and it was delicious! 

 

 

It made so much that there was still a little left on Sunday, so I refreshed it with a little splash of milk and put the leftovers in a small 8x8 brownie dish and put a little more cheese on top.  I covered it with foil to keep it from drying out and baked it for about 15 minutes at 300 just to re-warm it.  There wasn't much, but there was enough for people to try it at my mother and brother's birthday dinner I hosted on Sunday night.

 

This casserole is so good, it almost makes me want to plant another garden this year.  If someone will volunteer to take my kids to the pool twice a day for swim team practice this summer, I'll stay home, tend the garden and cook squash casserole for all of us! 

  

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I'm so glad you stopped by my neck of the woods!

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