![]() I made my first batch of squash casserole, thinking that it was going to be swell and I was going to be able to tell the world, “You don’t need cream of mushroom soup!” But what I made wasn’t all that good. ![]() So I knew if this squash was going to be eaten I’d just have to improvise. That said, when I picked up a few pounds of yellow squash and zucchini at the farmers market recently, I didn’t have any of these squash casserole ingredients on hand. Yes, it qualifies as semi-homemade but it sure is good. This squash casserole on offer at Joel’s that day was the same kind that my mom and my grandma make: yellow summer squash cut into rounds, baked with a mix of cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup and a package of corn bread stuffing. And I always rationalize eating it by telling myself that certainly some of the squash’s vitamins would have leached into the swirls of dairy that hold the squash in suspension. But this doesn’t make it even less delicious. OK, perhaps it’s not that odd that I love squash casserole since it’s a creamy, crunchy mass that’s closer to the fattening family than the vegetable family. But serve me squash in a casserole and I’ll eat seconds or even thirds. I’m just not a fan of its soft texture and abundance of flat, slimy seeds. Steamed, grilled, sautéed-no matter how it’s prepared I often pick at it and push it to the side of a plate. ![]() I’ve always thought it strange that I love squash casserole so much considering how little I enjoy eating squash any other way. Nope, I decided to sit a spell because they had on the buffet squash casserole. But that’s not why I decided to stay and eat lunch. The lot was packed with cars, which is always a good sign. It was for a restaurant-Joel’s Restaurant of Trussville, Alabama. I pulled into the first parking lot I saw. But after meandering endlessly down tree-lined country roads I realized that my journey, while beautiful, needed to have a focus or I would miss my flight back to New York. I don’t usually mind getting lost because this can often lead to discovery. Yes! The squash can last up to 10 months in the freezer! Whether you choose to thaw it or cook from frozen, just note that the texture of frozen summer squash might not be exactly the same as fresh squash.I took a wrong exit on my way to the Birmingham Airport. Once the squash has frozen solid, you can slide if off the parchment paper and transfer it to zip-top freezer bags to store for the long haul.Line a dry baking sheet with parchment paper and place the squash cubes or slices on it in a single layer. The squash will still have some moisture on it even after you drain it, so to avoid it all freezing in one big clump, you'll need to flash freeze it.Drain the squash and remove to a paper towel–lined baking sheet to drain.Remove the squash from the water with a slotted spoon and immediately place in a bowl of ice water for another minute to stop the cooking.Place the raw cubes or slices of summer squash in boiling water for 1 minute.No matter how you choose to cook it, you'll enjoy summer squash for months to come! Then, use your produce to make stuffed zucchini, grilled veggie burritos, or Ree Drummond's vegetable lasagna layered with both yellow squash and zucchini. But don't worry, it's easy to do! Whether you’ve ended up with extra yellow squash, zucchini, or other types of squash, this method for freezing summer squash is sure to come in handy. You can't just toss a whole zucchini in the freezer and hope for the best-to freeze summer squash properly, you’ll need to chop and blanch it first. This way, you can enjoy the flavor of summer all year long! Just like freezing corn or freezing strawberries, summer squash can also be stashed in the freezer for another day-here's how! And while we love putting those veggies to use in recipes like zucchini bread or yellow squash casserole, sometimes the best thing to do is just store the squash for later use. In fact, many gardeners end up with too much squash by the time summer comes to an end. We're talking corn, tomatoes, and especially summer squash. ![]() Come summertime, farm stands and vegetable gardens are overflowing with seasonal produce. ![]()
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