How to Cook Summer Squash with Recipes

In searching how to cook summer squash, you will find a wide variety of vegetables in the squash family including scallop squash, yellow summer squash, yellow crookneck squash and zucchini.

All squash are members of the gourd family and are divided into two groups; summer and winter. These terms are a little confusing thinking it could mean the winter ones are grown in the winter. Summer squash are in the markets year round. When they are harvested, they have a tender thin skin and do not keep as well. These squash are often eaten fresh with the skin on.

NOTE: Summer and winter squash refers to the storage life of these vegetables. Summer squash have a shorter storage life where as winter squash will store longer.

When shopping look for small summer squashes; they will be sweeter and more tender. Zucchini and yellow squash should be no more than 4 inches in diameter. The rind will still be tender and easy to pierce; the weight should feel heavy for its size. Refrigerated in plastic bags the summer squash will keep for up to three to four days.

If just learning how to cook summer squash, you will find that they usually are boiled, steamed or fried. Before cooking any of them rinse, trim and cut in half or slice; do not peel unless the recipe specifically tells you to do so. If the recipe instructs you to remove excess moisture, salt the flesh and let it drain into a colander; salt will pull out the moisture. Then rinse the squash with a lot of fresh water and pat it dry with paper towels.

Be sure to try recipes for butternut squash, spaghetti squash and acorn squash.

SQUASH SUPREME

• 3 Cups sliced summer squash
• 1 Can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 Cup sour cream
• 1 Grated carrot
• 1 Small grated onion
• Salt/ pepper
• 1 Package stuffing mix
• 3 Tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a casserole baking dish.

Mix soup, sour cream, carrot, onion, salt, pepper and mix well.

In casserole dish make alternating layers of the stuffing, the squash and the soup mixture ending with some stuffing on the top.

Cut butter into small pieces and dot on top of stuffing.

Bake for 40 minutes.

YELLOW SUMMER SQUASH

• 6 to 8 Summer squash sliced
• 2 Slices bacon
• ¼ Cup water
• 1 Chopped onion
• ½ Chopped green pepper

Brown bacon in a pot.

Pour water into the pot and add squash.

Add the onion and green pepper.

Salt and pepper to taste and cook uncovered until tender.

SQUASH FRITTERS

• 1 Pint grated squash
• 1 Teaspoon salt
• 2 Well beaten eggs
• 2 Teaspoons baking powder
• Flour

Mix first four ingredients together.

Add enough flour to make a stiff batter.

Drop by tablespoonful into hot oil and fry on both sides.

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