squash and zucchini

Well.. now that you've got all this squash and zucchini... what are you going to do with it?  

I announced on Sunday that I had "put up" all the zucchini that I was going to put up for the winter.  Meaning that we would either have to eat or share the rest until the plant begin to go the other way.  Our zucchini has been producing like crazy.  Our squash on the other hand is just beginning.  I only had three crooked neck squash plant come up out of a dozen but the lemon squash (free seeds came with an order) plants all came up.  They are much smaller, about 4 slices per squash, but I am enjoying them and boy they are really starting to make.  

I have begun to recollect recipes that I had found over the winter and am making a mental note to have a special place in which to store "summer recipes" so I can find them once the garden is booming.  I remembered a couple of good ones that we have tried in the last few days.  Nothing like using what you've got while you've got it!  

Also, my method of freezing zucchini and squash to have for minestrone soup and chicken tortilla soup is simple.  Just chunk or cube cut your vegetables, sprinkle with salt, and place in the middle of a pre-ripped piece of heavy duty aluminum foil.  Bring up end to end and make a pouch, folding and pinching the sides to close.  Then place pouches in a freezer gallon size bag that you label and freeze.  Pretty simple.  It hasn't killed us yet.

Pineapple Casserole

One of my very favorite side dishes that my Grandmother Brown made was pineapple casserole and apparently I am not the only one in the family with this fancy!  The dish seems to show up Thanksgiving and Christmas quite a bit!  It is very simple to make and  it tastes so good.  It just adds a bit of sweet to supper and you get your fruity food group in not to mention the sugar group and butter group!  This dish has also become one of my loving husband's favorites as well.  You can add it to a pork chop meal or a chicken leg meal and you know pineapple always goes good with city ham.  Dang... i guess you could even have as a side to cereal if you wanted to. 

 

Enjoy and I bet the only thing you might have to buy for this is the pineapple.  I never tried to make it with crushed or tidbits so don't ask.  Just stick with the plan stan ok.

 

 

Ain't that just the fanciest font you have ever seen?  Goes right along with the fancy dish it heads up.  Here's some prep pics I had to take with my phone because I left my camera at the day care.  Mind you... my flip phone... I don't have one of this nice instagram ones.

 

 

Sausage Casserole

Granny made this casserole one evening at her house when we all came over for dinner.  It was so good that I thought about it and thought about it and finally called her a got the recipe.  I have made it twice now for the two of us.  The first time I followed the recipe like a good girl and it turned out wonderful.  The second time was tonight and I veered from the recipe just a touch and guess what... still wonderful. 

Sausage Casserole

1 Lb Sausage
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
3/4  Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
3 Cups Peeled, Sliced Potatoes
2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Brown sausage in skillet, drain on paper towels.  Mix together soup, milk, salt and pepper.  In a two quart greased casserole dish layer potatoes and onion, soup mixture, sausage and cheese.  Repeat layers but omit cheese.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for one hour.  Uncover, add remaining cheese and bake for five minutes.

Tonight, in my second version, I browned the sausage with onions and green peppers.  Then drained on paper towels.  I used canned potatoes on the bottom layer then the soup mixture, then sausage and topped with cheese and baked for thirty minutes.  Turned out great. 

This could be served as supper or breakfast!

Raising your own hogs for meat is the way to go here!  Cook til the meat is lightly browned and onions are translucent.

 Canned potatoes, canned soup.

 Easier whisked.

 These I named Shirley Reds after Granny's friend Shirley shared them with me last summer. 

 Layered.

 The rolls got a little too brown on top whilst watching Idol.  Woops.

My Mother is the inspiration for the cheese on pears on lettuce salad. This lovely concotion used to grace our supper plates when we were growing up.  It can even be found in some cookbooks.

Thanks for the recipe Granny!

Zucchini Casserole

Good morning all. I am starting my blog with a good recipe that I made with fresh zucchini and squash from our garden. I served it in a lovely Pyrex that I bought at Trash to Treasures this year in Crossplains, TN.

Here's what I used:

1 large zucchini

4 small squash (cause Shaun says they are better small)

1 small onion

squirt butter

salt & pepper

shredded cheddar

chopped pecans

Here what to do:

Spray inside of baking dish with cooking spray. Layer zucchini, squash and onion spraying lightly with butter and sprinkling salt and pepper between layers. Top with a handful or so of cheese and toss chopped pecans on top. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Yumm!!!!

We also had chicken breast soaked in italian dressing and grilled. I topped the chicken with tomato bruschetta that I bought at Sam's last week that is one of my new favorites. I cannot stop eating this stuff. I am a die hard tomato lover and want a recipe to can tomato bruschetta! Please advise is you have one. Back to supper.. we also had dirty rice which was almost too spicy for this meal.