Doc’s garden is coming in and the produce not eaten by the chipmunks is beautiful! The chipmunks have taken over our yard with an underground maze of tunnels. One of their entry points is in our garden. I guess they think Doc planted the garden for them!

This is an “old school” recipe for squash casserole. No fancy ingredients and only takes about 15 minutes to assemble.

Squash Casserole– Serves 6 to 8

6 yellow squash, 8 inches long
(enough squash to fill an 8 inch square pan 3/4 of the way full)
1/2 cup diced sweet onion
1 and 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup mayonnaise
10 saltine crackers, crumbled
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons butter, softened
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray an 8 inch square, ceramic or glass dish with non-stick spray. Set aside. Cut the squash into 1/4 inch rounds. Cut enough squash to fill the baking dish 3/4 full. Cut and reserve an additional 9 slices of squash to be used as a garnish. Place the squash and onion in a large saucepan. Pour in enough water to barely cover the squash. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to the water. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until the squash is tender.

Drain squash and onions in a colander and return to the same pan. Mash briefly with a potato masher leaving 1/2 of the squash whole (you want some mashed pieces and some whole pieces of squash). Stir in 1/2 cup cheese, mayonnaise, crumbled saltine crackers, beaten egg, and butter. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Spread evenly. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup cheese on top. Place the reserved, uncooked, 9 slices of squash on top of the cheese in 3 rows. Bake 350F for 25 minutes.

Published in The News and Neighbor on July 6, 2016