Granny's Squash Casserole

In case I haven't mentioned this, I have eaten many a fried vegetable in my 28-year lifespan. When I spent summers at my grandmother's house as a kid, fresh yellow squash, green tomatoes, and fresh green beans were AMAZING. It got to the point that my grandmother stopped fixing main dishes because my cousin and I would skip the meat and go straight for the stick-to-your ribs-style veggies. Yum... side dishes....

Of course, I didn't think I liked squash at first.... until I had Granny's squash casserole. Squash casserole is not baked, unlike most dishes with the word "casserole" in the name; it is a fried mixture of chopped yellow summer squash (don't bother with substituting zucchini -- the taste is just enough different to throw the whole dish off -- believe me, I've tried), chopped onions, and chopped potatoes coated in cornmeal and fried. The fried potatoes are like a gateway food for kids who don't like real vegetables -- or at least they were for me. After eating squash casserole a few times, I stopped picking around the squash and just downed the whole dish (minus the plate, of course).

Here's the recipe:

Squash Casserole

1 medium yellow summer squash per 2 people, chopped (If you use frozen squash, be sure that it is thawed completely so that you don't have ice crystals to contend with. Your mixture will be a bit more moist and potentially gooey, but that has its own charms, too.)
1 medium russet potato per 2 people, chopped
1/4 to 1/2 yellow or white onion, chopped
cornmeal (I always guess on this; I'll say half a cup to start)
salt and pepper to taste (personally, I like this dish to be salty)
cooking oil, enough to have maybe a 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch of oil in your skillet

1. Mix cut up vegetables with cornmeal. The veggies should be lightly coated with cornmeal -- not like a breading, but more of a cross between dusted and a little gritty; the measurements above are an estimate, so be prepared to add a bit more cornmeal if I'm way off with the above measurements. Add salt and pepper to taste. (Personally, I start with a pinch of salt and pepper here and adjust again after the food is cooked.)

2. Heat the oil in the skillet. Make sure that the oil is hot (about the same temp as frying French fries, for example).
3. Once the oil is hot, cook the veggie mixture in a single layer. Allow the veggies to cook long enough to lightly brown on one side, then flip to brown on the opposite side. Keep cooking the veggies until the potatoes are soft (think French fry consistency here) and the onions are translucent. Be careful not to burn the squash -- lower the heat on the eye of the stove if need be.
4. Remove from oil with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Squash casserole by definition is a limp mess. That's part of how you know it's good. :-)

** If you have Greek seasoning, it's pretty good in this dish as a substitute for salt and pepper.

I hope you get a chance to enjoy this. The hardest part for me is getting the veggies to brown properly without burning, so if you find yourself staring at the food wondering what's wrong with it, don't worry -- you're not alone.

This dish pairs well with the summer veggies mentioned above, fried chicken, chicken and dumplings, meatloaf, ham, or most anything that goes well with fried potatoes. Seriously, potatoes are a gateway food.

Carbs and History, or Kathy's Corn and Yellow Rice Casserole

Carbs. Where would we be without them? Probably the Neolithic Age. Seriously, one of the first things human beings learned to cultivate in large amounts was a carb of some type: wheat, corn, rice, etc. The Aztecs did some remarkable genetic engineering to maize over 4,000 years ago by doubling and then doubling again the number of kernels that go around the edge. Strange but true fact: Maize/corn started out with 4 kernels going around the cob. Now, it's 16 rows of kernels around. The thing is, we still don't know how they were able to do it, nor have we been able to do it again. But I digress. Sort of. I mean, it's my blog, so how can I really digress, but still.... here I go again.

My mom is a history buff -- both her BA and MA are in history, and she is the person you want on your side if you're playing a mean game of Timeline, Trivial Pursuit, or Jeopardy. So, it's actually kind of fitting to pass along one of her recipes that's a staple at family get-togethers after musing over the historical nature of the magically delicious carbohydrate. In any case, here's the recipe:

Corn and Yellow Rice Casserole

1 can of corn, drained (originally, the recipe called for "Mexicorn" -- canned corn with some kind of sliced pepper, but this is much better with plain corn, IMHO)
1 package yellow rice (I think it's the 5-oz size)
1 2/3 cup hot water
1 tablespoon butter/margarine
1 stick butter or margarine (I usually cut this in half, and it doesn't hurt the flavor, really)
1 can cream of chicken soup (cream of celery is okay as a substitute if you're vegetarian)
1 cup shredded cheese (Mom uses cheddar; I like colby jack or a "fiesta blend")

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Prepare yellow rice according to package directions (this uses the water and tablespoon of butter). I usually follow the microwave directions, and use a microwave-safe backing dish with a lid.

3. Mix in the can of corn, the rest of the butter, the can of cream of chicken, and about 1/4 of a cup of shredded cheese (I'm guessing on the amount -- really, it's just a hefty pinch) with the yellow rice. (I use the same dish to save washing a mixing bowl. :-) )

4. Top with cheese. Bake in the oven until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Tastes AMAZING with chicken enchilada casserole. Maybe I'll pass along Mom's version of that one sometime, even though it's a main dish. :-)

Broccoli-Quinoa Casserole

So, my broccoli-quinoa casserole is really just a broccoli-rice casserole made with quinoa instead of rice. And lots of cheese. As much as I have on hand.

This is one of those make-things-up-as-you-go recipes that I threw together when my parents and in-laws were visiting, and they bought three different types of cheese. Seriously. I'm not exaggerating. There may have been four.

Still, this is one of those recipes that I tend to throw together when I sort of have the ingredients... I'll try to list my substitutions and get as close to accurate measurements as I can, but keep in mind, this is kind of a "what looks right" kind of deal.

Broccoli-Quinoa Casserole

1-2 cups of quinoa* (or rice)
1-2 cups broccoli
1 can cream of mushroom/celery/chicken soup (optional -- can substitute milk, cream, or sour cream if the mixture looks dry to you)
1 handful cheese curds
1/2-1 cup grated/shredded cheese 1 (cheddar is good)
1/2-1 cup grated/shredded cheese 2 (mozzarella or meunster are good)
salt & pepper to taste (I'm actually a fan of Greek seasoning in this dish as a replacement for plain ol' salt and pepper)
shredded cheese to top the dish with

Directions:

1. Cook quinoa/rice according to package directions. If you are cooking quinoa, then you can throw the broccoli in with it to cook. I've never tried this trick with rice -- I probably will next time. In any case, this is the time to cook the broccoli -- if I'm not mixing it with quinoa, I cook it in the microwave for 6 minutes with a couple tablespoons of water.

2. Mix all ingredients together. I just mix everything in the baking dish I'm going to use -- sure it's a little redneck, but it saves washing a mixing bowl.

3. Top with -- you guessed it -- shredded cheese (optional -- this mostly makes it look pretty, and it's handy for telling when the dish is "done").

4. Bake at 350 deg. until heated through or until cheese is bubbly.

Tastes good with stuffed meatloaf.

*Quinoa, in case you aren't familiar with it, is a grain that is a complete protein. Its nickname is "Aztec gold," and, yes, it is expensive, but it does make this casserole a much more filling dish.

Super- Easy Fruit Salad

This is a sweet, no-frills, no-mayo fruit salad based on my grandmother's recipe that is extremely adaptable to your tastes. Make it how you like it!

Instructions for easiest fruit salad ever:

Basically, cut up and mix together whatever kinds of fruit you think will taste good together. My grandmother likes strawberries (she typically uses frozen strawberries), bananas, a can of mandarin oranges, and peach pie filling. My favorite mixture is fresh strawberries, nectarines, kiwi, and bananas, skipping out on the peach pie filling totally. A dash of salt can bring out the fruits' flavors, but that is totally optional ... like everything else in this recipe. Refrigerate after mixing ingredients.

Ideas for ingredients: 

1 cup chopped strawberries (preferably fresh, though frozen works, too)
1 chopped banana
1 cup sliced or chopped peaches or nectarines (preferably fresh, though frozen works, too)
1-3 peeled and sliced kiwi
1 cup blueberries
1 cup blackberries
1 can mandarin oranges
1 cup chopped fresh pineapple
dash of salt
squeeze of lemon
1 can peach pie filling (I never use this, but it was part of the original recipe)

This recipe is really good when you want something cool, sweet, healthy, and a little zesty to go with your meal. I've had it for lunch with a serving of edamame, or it makes a really good dessert. If you're serving it in a place where appearance matters, it looks very pretty (because it's so colorful) in a trifle bowl. If you are making it ahead, however, the banana slices don't look particularly pretty after a day or two, but they still taste quite good. Also, if you are using frozen fruit, be sure to let it thaw all the way before eating it. It's not as pretty, but it tastes much better.

Feel free to leave comments about ideas for other fruit that would be good to try or suggestions on companion dishes.

Have a great day and take care! Thanks for stopping by.

The Appalling Lack of the Blue Plate Special

Have you ever been trying to figure out where to go for dinner, and all you can think of is, "something good"? Maybe what you're craving is a burger and fries, pizza and salad, fajitas and chips with salsa, or General Tso's chicken with broccoli. And if that's the case, chances are, wherever you are in a mid-sized city or bigger America, you're set. But what if what you want is a good side dish? And the Cracker Barrel just won't cut it (carbo-licious as it is) ... if there's one nearby. It's nearly impossible nowadays to find a good restaurant/diner that serves good sides or even offers a blue plate special. So, what do we do? Buck up and cook it yourself, of course. Or mooch off a friend or family member who likes to cook.

And a blog is born: in my quest for good side dishes, I'll try to keep a virtual log of good recipes to share with you. Feel free to comment with recipes of your own, suggestions for what would go well with the dish, ways to change it up, and anything else you'd like to add!

Definitions: 

side dish: um, not the main course or dessert, but a collection of side dishes do make an awesome meal. This is not a seasoning or topping, but rather a dish in its own right -- probably a veggie, fruit, or carb-based dish, though not necessarily vegetarian.

blue plate special: old term for a restaurant's daily menu consisting of home-cooking-style dishes, usually a meat of some kind, plus three sides. Hard to find these days, as most restaurants think dumping boiled green beans along with a splat of boxed mashed potatoes or canned corn consists of an elite dining experience.

companion dish: what tastes good with the recipe (Captain Obvious moment, I know). Feel free to contribute ideas in the comment section. I'm always trying to figure out how to mix and match dishes to find a good combination (for instance, did you know that duck with orange sauce tastes amazing with a corn casserole and steamed broccoli?).

Most-Favored Restaurant Status: a restaurant with amazing side dishes (such as Oxford, Mississippi's Ajax) -- and not just boring boiled green beans, mashed potatoes, corn, and a roll. This restaurant may be an inspiration for finding out how to make a recipe, or is simply a great excuse not to cook.

Thanks for stopping by. Take care and have a blessed day.