Most gardeners, from beginners to old pros, plant summer squash because it grows fast, can be harvested early and throughout the growing season. It’s the vegetable plant that keeps on giving.
It is close to peak harvesting season for gardeners. That means many have too much zucchini, crookneck or pattypan squash on their hands. Those who have an overabundance generally start gifting them to neighbors, family and friends at this time. Now everyone can take part in one of life’s biggest conundrums: What to do with all this squash?
Cooking with squash
There are plenty of ways people typically use up summer squash. Dice it or slice it and put it in a stew. Cut it into strips, coat it in bread crumbs and parmesan and bake it up. Slice it, coat it in tempura and fry it. Summer squash can even be eaten raw like cucumbers and can be tossed in salads. It can also be pickled.
With a little creativity, summer squash also can be made into the family’s favorite dessert or side dish.
For the recipes below, using a mandolin will help slice the squash really thin and make the chore faster and easier.
Squash for dessert
Banana bread is a family favorite for many. It’s easier to get children to eat banana bread than zucchini bread (no matter how good it is, they hear zucchini and run). So this recipe combines banana bread and zucchini bread (you can use any kind of summer squash for the recipe) and also adds chocolate, white chocolate or butterscotch chips to add more enticement.
Banana Squash Bread
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced summer squash
3 Tbsp water (for cooking squash)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 medium very ripe bananas, mashed
1-2 tsp pineapple juice
1/4 cup cooking oil
2 eggs
1 cup chocolate, white chocolate or butterscotch chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C).
Grease bottom and sides of two 8″ x 4″ loaf pans or one 9″ x 13″ glass casserole dish. Set aside.
Put squash in a microwave safe bowl, add water and cook in microwave for 3 minutes at 50% power. Stir and cook again for 3 minutes at 50% power. Repeat until very soft.
When squash has cooled enough, put in blender and blend until it’s apple-sauce consistency. You may need to add a little more water to blend, but not too much. Set aside.
In a medium to large mixing bowl combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl combine sugar, blended squash, mashed bananas, pineapple juice, cooking oil and eggs. Mix well.
Add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir till moistened (batter will still be a little lumpy). Stir in chocolate, white chocolate or butterscotch chips until evenly distributed.
Pour batter into pans (no more than half-way up the side of the pan). Bake in oven for 45-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove loaf from pan(s) and cool completely on wire rack.
Cheesy squash side dish
This recipe is based on the popular au gratin potatoes dish but uses squash as a replacement or with potatoes. If you want to skip the potatoes, just used 6 cups of thinly sliced summer squash. Who doesn’t love anything baked in cheese? The variety of cheeses used in this dish really set it apart from most au gratin recipes, adding an extra creaminess and earthiness to the overall flavor.
Au gratin squash potatoes
4 Tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 cup chopped onion
3 Tbsp corn starch
2 cups milk
4 oz cream cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 oz shaved parmesan cheese
2 cups thinly sliced peeled russet potatoes
4 cups thinly sliced summer squash
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C).
In large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in salt, pepper and cumin. Add onions and cook until they are soft. Add a couple tablespoons of milk (from the 2 cups) and stir gradually until very liquidy. Add corn starch one tablespoon at a time, stirring until thoroughly mixed in before adding more. Then add milk very slowly (a few tablespoons at a time) and stir constantly (to prevent curdling).
When all the milk is added and warmed, add the cream cheese until melted through. Then add cheddar and parmesan cheeses until melted.
Add potato and squash slices a little at a time and stir to thoroughly coat. Keep adding until all the potatoes and squash are in the pan. Stir well to make sure everything is coated.
Pour the whole mixture into a greased 3 Qt. baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Let sit for about 10-20 minutes (until sauce isn’t boiling anymore) before serving.
More squash recipes online
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