yellow squash | dmarie-dining

I have learned over time that the best way to bring out the natural flavors of vegetables is to roast them. Whether it is to create a delicious soup, add to a favorite recipe or to just have a medley of veggies, roasting is the way to go.

This past summer proved to be a veggie delight for me and hubby. Between the tomatoes and peppers we grew on our porch and the beautiful vegetables we bought from local farmers we were in veggie heaven.

To pack a lot of flavor into one vegetable side dish I roasted zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, onions and peppers together. The prep time was quick and the end result was fantastic. Also, using a sheet pan to roast the vegetables kept clean up time down to a minimum.

Next time you want to have a flavor packed side dish or just a bowl of good veggies, try roasting a bunch of your favorite vegetables together for a Healthy, Quick and Easy recipe.

Roasted Zucchini, Yellow Squash and Other Veggies

Ingredients:

1 lg zucchini quartered

1 lg yellow squash quartered

1 pkg Campari tomatoes cut in half

1 lg onion cut into wedges

1 small jalapeno pepper sliced thin

1 medium green pepper diced

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp dried basil

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp smoked paprika

¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray a rimmed sheet pan with cooking spray then add the vegetables to the pan. Sprinkle with all of the seasonings then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Toss to mix and coat the vegetables. Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the vegetables are soft and cooked to your desired tenderness. Serve with your favorite meat or over rice as a vegetarian meal.

Yellow squash is one of those vegetables I have loved since I was a kid. My mom would saute the squash with plenty of onions and bacon fat to make a simple side dish. I still like making yellow squash this way although I have cut down on the bacon fat and salt pork my mom used.

The other day I saw someone making a squash casserole on a cooking show which involved crackers, mayonnaise and sour cream. I liked the idea of a casserole but using such rich and high calorie ingredients was too much for me. Instead, I decided on ingredients that were a bit lower in fat content yet tasty and surprised even me.

The real surprised was my taste tester son who said “This is good mom”. I wasn’t sure he would like the squash since he was giving me the side eye while I was slicing it up. When he asked what was for dinner and I said Squash Casserole T did not have an excited look on his face. The only response was humph.

I am going to categorize this as a quick an easy dish. The hardest part of the recipe is waiting for the casserole to finish cooking in the oven. Before and after that piece of the process is easy peasy. With summer upon us and the bounty of squash at the local grocers and farmer’s markets, Squash Casserole is a repeat dish in our house!

Squash Casserole

Ingredients:

2 yellow squash sliced

2 zucchini squash sliced

2 eggs beaten

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

¼ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

½ small red onion diced

3 tbsp butter

1 tbsp grape seed oil or olive oil

1 tbsp Kosher salt

½ tbsp ground black pepper

½ tbsp dried oregano

½ tbsp dried basil

½ tsp onion powder

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Melt butter and grape seed oil in a large no-stick frying over medium heat. Add red onion and saute for approximately 1 minute. Add squash and season with salt, ground black pepper and onion powder. Stir and saute until squash slightly softens. Set aside.

In a large bowl mix together eggs, oregano, basil and cheeses (reserve some cheese to sprinkle on top of casserole). Add squash and onions then stir until well mixed. Pour into a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray. Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with paprika.

Bake for 30 – 35 minutes until the center is set and topping has turned light golden brown.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin