Crookneck Casserole

Gary said he doesn't like yellow squash but he's been raving about this crookneck casserole for two days. I adapted a recipe from Paula Dean who adapted a recipe from Uncle Bubba. Slice six medium crookneck squash very thin. (Six squash sounds like a lot but when you saute them they shrink quite a bit). (Most soft skinned summer squash could be used including zucchini but I think the mild flavored crookneck squash is best for this recipe). Slice 1/4 red onion thin. Saute the onions till soft and set aside and do the same with the squash. Meanwhile rub olive oil in the bottom and sides of an 8 x 8 glass baking dish. Sprinkle the bottom of the dish with medium grit cornmeal.

Place a layer of the squash on the bottom of the baking dish covering all the open spaces. Layer all of the onions. Put one layer of fresh tomatoes and sprinkle liberally with herbs of your choice, preferably fresh if you have some growing in your garden. I used garden sage, marjoram, Spanish tarragon, and basil which I cut up with a scissors. Put a few dollops of sour cream and shredded or thinly sliced cheese of your choice. I used thin sliced smoked Gouda. Next layer the remainder of the squash. Sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese and more corn meal. Then put a few pats of butter on top. Bake at 350 F for 30 to 45 minutes till top begins to brown and you can hear mixture bubbling. Even though I didn't use any egg to hold the ingredients together, the casserole when cut into sections stayed together uniformly.

I worked at the gallery yesterday and noticed I sold a few more pieces of pottery. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.