Yellow Squash Creole Casserole

don't quash my squash

I was tricked the other day at our new, fancy grocery store. Lucky for me everything turned out okay. You see, rarely do I even bother to notice those bags of reduced produce, you know, the ones that are a little overripe or cannot be sold at regular market price. But there it was, a table filled with cute, market oriented bags of various produce. New potatoes, green snap beans, bell peppers and even apples. But the one that caught my eye was filled with bright yellow crookneck squash. Hardly a blemish on any of them. 

I carefully looked it over and could not find a price on the bag, only a sign on the table that read 'fresh squash - $1.97'. What a deal I thought, the bag must weigh about 3 or 4 pounds. So I looked at the sign again to be sure. Well, you know what happened. The produce was not tainted in anyway, it was indeed fresh and as I learned at the checkout, the price was $1.97 per pound. But that is not what the sign indicated. I know, it did not say per bag nor did it say per pound. I just shrugged it off and brought home more than enough squash to make the Andouille Squash Dressing I posted the other day.

So today I'm using up the leftover squash to make a casserole with gratin and one that we enjoy. I'll tell you the same thing that I mumbled at the clerk and that is I can never can have enough fresh vegetables, not when I have good southern recipes like this one. This is probably my favorite squash casserole. Enjoy!

Yellow Squash Creole
makes 6 to 8 servings

2 pounds yellow summer squash, sliced
3 slices of bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
6 green onions, chopped, separate half of the green part
2 or 3 thick slices day old French bread, torn in small pieces
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
2 tablespoons butter, cut in small pieces
crushed butter crackers or bread crumbs

Boil squash in lightly salted water until tender. Put aside to drain in a colander while preparing the mixture.

Sauté bacon in a skillet until brown. Remove grease if desired and melt butter; add the celery, bell pepper and the onions reserving half of the green tops. Sauté over medium heat until tender.

Soak bread in the evaporated milk and gently squeeze out excess milk.

Add the bread, sugar and seasoning  to the skillet stirring to mix. Blend in the squash.

Spoon into a 7 x 11-inch baking dish and add remaining green onion sprinkled on top. Sprinkle generously with crackers and dot the top with butter.

Bake in preheated 350 degree F. oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until crumbs are brown.

Comments

  1. With recipes like this, I totally won't quash your squash! :o)

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  2. Hey Drick, Had that same thing happen to us at the store with mini--pumpkins. The price was listed at $.99 or something like that, no indication of each or by the pound. Typically when you see a price with no weight indicated it means the "each" price. So we picked up about 6 of them, turned out they were per pound, a huge difference. I punted, and did not buy them, and we do not go to that store anymore, for many reasons and this is just one of them.

    The casserole looks like my kinda of eating!

    Bon appetit!
    CCR
    =:~)

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  3. wow what a great dish for the holiday this is perfect and so festive looking for the table...great timing there friend!

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  4. Hey Drick,
    This is a wonderful dish for the holidays or actually anytime. I'm glad you hung on to the squash and didn't put them back. When I pay a lot for good produce I just think about how much money you would pay for junk food and think that I would rather have the veggies! I hope you're having a good weekend:)

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  5. I agree, perfect timing on this one...Great dish for the Holidays :)
    That sounds pretty sneaky of the grocery store management. Guess the "To good to be true" rule fall here.

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  6. I agree - this is a great dish for the holidays or anytime of year. You make the best vegetable casseroles.

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  7. that had to be incredible squash at that price! You certainly did well with it, that casserole looks delicious! What a great combination of ingredients and anything with bacon gets my vote!!
    Thanks for giving us another winning recipe!
    Dennis

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  8. My problem is I'm too shy to say anything when that happens to me. I'm sure you weren't the only one fooled. Big benefit is you had lovely, fresh squash to work with. I love the savory simplicity of your casserole!

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  9. I love yellow squash and zucchini so am thrilled to find another recipe to make with them. Thanks for sharing another wonderful one!

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  10. Oh Drick this always happens to me..but I know I am always preoccupied with the girls and I don't pay more attention to the signs...but glad you went ahead and made the purchase, gave us a chance to enjoy this great squash casserole..

    sweetlife

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  11. Your casserole looks really healthy and nutitious. I will be very happy to feed my family with this yummy dish :)

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  12. Looks like a wonderful casserole for any time of year. Hope you and your family have a fantastic Thanksgiving, Drick! Kateiscooking

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  13. A great squash casserole is just the thing to go with Thanksgiving dinner. Great timing on getting all of that squash! Have a wonderful holiday. :)

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  14. This brings back memories, the first recipe I ever chose and made all by myself was a cajun yellow squash and shrimp casserole from that cajun cook that use to be on tv with the overalls, forgot his name. I don't remember that recipe, but this one seems really close, I'll have to make it soon, yummy, thanks.

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