Cheddar-Fried Summer Squash

Can we talk about Pinterest for a minute? Can we? Because I'm kind of addicted to it here lately. I was doing so well there for a while; I wasn't checking it at all. But then, one afternoon a few weeks ago, I opened the app on my phone...and BAM. I was hooked all over again. Apparently, with me, Pinterest is an all-or-nothing sort of thing. I'm not one of those people who can log in and pin just two or three things. Oh no; I must PIN ALL THE THINGS! All The Food-Related Things, really, because I may actually make that stuff. I am not likely to turn a glove into a stuffed monkey or upcycle an old TV stand into a play kitchen. I know this about myself. So I mostly stick to the food.

I sure am glad I came back to Pinterest, because one of the first things I pinned in all my renewed pinning glory was this recipe for cheddar-fried squash. Are you kidding me?! Where has this recipe been all my life? And get this: The ingredients of the original recipe include the words, "Oil for frying, I used bacon grease." Yes. YESSS. Needless to say, when I made these, I also used bacon grease. (What? You don't have a tub of bacon grease in your freezer just waiting for recipes like this to come along? Really?)

Bacon grease aside, let's talk about the luscious squash itself. Summer squash is delicious on its own, but in this recipe, it gets a coating of panko breadcrumbs and cheddar cheese, creating this delicious, crispy-gooey sort of layer. It works perfectly with the tender squash. Talk about a perfect summer side dish -- these crispy golden discs of deliciousness are positively addictive.

Cheddar-Fried Summer Squash
adapted from Tasty Kitchen

3 medium summer squash
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Oil for frying (Bacon grease. DO IT.)

1. Slice the squash into 1/4-inch thick slices. 

2. Combine the panko, cheddar cheese, and salt and pepper in a shallow dish (I like to use a pie plate.) Place the eggs and flour in separate shallow dishes.

3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. 

4. Dip the squash slices in the egg, then in the flour, then in the egg again, then in the panko-cheddar mixture. 

5. Gently place the breaded slices in the oil and fry until golden and crispy, 3-4 minutes per side. Remove to paper towels to drain and sprinkle with salt. 
  

Summer Squash and Corn Chowder

 

Chowder (or soup in general) is not a traditional choice for a summer meal. But this chowder is actually perfect for summer, since it’s loaded with the season’s bounty: summer squash and corn. It’s hearty and satisfying, but still so fresh and light.

What I love most about this chowder is that it relies on the corn itself to thicken it, rather than a roux or heavy cream. The corn is pureed with milk, then added to the soup to heat through. It’s a great way to save on calories, and really serves to imbue every single bite with the flavor of corn. We had impromptu dinner guests the night I put this on the menu, and they loved it just as much as we did. I topped each bowl with a square of baked puffed pastry, and we really liked the crunchy texture it added to the soup. I will definitely make this again. I’ll probably even double it next time, since Joe couldn’t get enough.

Summer Squash and Corn Chowder
slightly adapted from Cooking Light

4 slices bacon, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup sliced green onions, divided
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 pound yellow summer squash, chopped
1 pound frozen white and yellow baby corn kernels, thawed and divided
2 1/4 cups 2% milk
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese

1. Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp. Set bacon aside on paper towels to drain. Reserve 2 teaspoons of drippings in pan.

2. Add butter to pan, then add 1/2 cup onions, celery, and squash to pan; sauté 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

3. Reserve 1 cup corn; set aside. Place the remaining corn and 1 cup milk in a blender; process until smooth. Add remaining 1 1/4 cups milk, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to blender; process just until combined.

4. Add pureed mixture and reserved 1 cup corn to pan. Reduce heat to medium; cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/8 teaspoon salt. Ladle about 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 4 bowls; top each serving with about 1 tablespoon bacon, 1 tablespoon remaining onions, and 1 tablespoon cheese.

One year ago: Summer vegetable and pesto tart

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

If you’ve read my blog for any length of time at all, it should be apparent to you that I love soup, I love my Crock pot, and I love cream cheese. So when I saw this recipe, which encompasses all three of those things plus butternut squash, I knew I’d be making it sooner rather than later.

I couldn’t believe how flavorful this soup was, given that the ingredient list was really pretty short. Because of that short ingredient list, you can really taste each component of the soup so clearly -- the thyme, the bay, the butternut squash and garlic and onion -- which combine to give it an overall warm, earthy, slightly sweet flavor. And the texture is incredible -- creamy, velvety, and smooth. Joe and I and both of the boys practically licked our bowls clean.

The only thing I’ll do differently next time is to use the actual ladle as my spoon, so I can get this into my mouth that much faster. :) This is definitely my favorite soup of the year so far!

Creamy Butternut Squash Soupadapted from Taste and Tell
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2 cups chicken broth
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 fresh or dried bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cubed

1. Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook and stir 30 seconds.

2. In a 3 1/2 or 4-quart slow cooker, combine the onion and garlic and all remaining ingredients except the cream cheese. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

3. About 40 minutes before serving, remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves and place about 1/3 of the mixture at a time in a food processor or blender and blend on high speed until smooth. Return the mixture to the slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Add the cubed cream cheese and stir. Cover and cook on low an additional 25 to 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted, stirring with a whisk until smooth.

Sausage-Stuffed Acorn Squash

I absolutely love the recipe I’m sharing today. It’s flavorful and seasonal and pretty much exactly the kind of food I want to eat around this time of year.

When I told Joe I was making this for dinner, he was skeptical. “I’ve only ever had acorn squash roasted with brown sugar and cinnamon,” he told me. That’s how his grandma makes it, and while I’d never (ever!) say no to squash prepared that way, I think it’s also delicious in more savory applications. Acorn squash isn’t quite as sweet as its butternut counterpart, so it’s the perfect squash to use with savory flavors.

In this version, sausage is mixed with stuffing, vegetables, nuts, and dried cranberries to create a filling that has the perfect balance of flavors and textures. It’s endlessly adaptable, which makes it a perfect way to use up your leftover Thanksgiving stuffing, or even cranberry sauce.

Sausage-Stuffed Acorn Squash
adapted from Cooks.com

2 acorn squash

1 stick melted butter, divided

1 pound maple sausage
1 box stuffing mix

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

8 ounces mushrooms, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup toasted chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut squash in half and hollow out inside stings and seeds. Cook in a pan with 1 inch of water, cut sides down, for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, sauté onions and mushrooms until onions are softened and mushrooms are brown. Add garlic; cook and stir for 30 seconds. Remove from heat.

3. In a bowl, mix together raw sausage, uncooked stuffing mix, broth, 1/2 stick of melted butter, sautéed vegetables, cranberries and pecans. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Remove squash from oven, drain pan, flip squash and brush with remaining melted butter. Fill cavities with stuffing mix.

5. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour or until squash is tender. Remove foil and continue to bake uncovered for 15 minutes.