Summer Squash Casserole … it’s that time of year again!

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Summer Squash Casserole

Ingredients

4 to 5 Medium to Large Summer Squash (washed and sliced)
1 jalapeno pepper (washed, seeded and finely sliced or chopped)
1 Medium onion (Vidalia or other) cut into this rings and separated
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp fresh ground pepper
1 C Sour Cream
1 C bread crumbs, cracker crumbs-whatever you have on hand (divided in half)
½ stick butter (melted)
1 C shredded cheese – cheddar, or your choice (divided in half)
1 medium baking dish
1 large sauce pan with lid

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the first three ingredients in the sauce pan. Add water to a two-inch depth and cover. Bring to a boil at medium to medium-high heat. Reduce heat but maintain boil until squash is fork tender but not mushy. Make sure water remains in the pan so that the squash does not burn or stick.

Drain in a colander. Smash in colander, in sink, with a potato masher or large wooden spoon. Stir to encourage draining. Let sit 2-3 minutes to eliminate add’l water. Return mixture to the pan. Add salt, pepper, sour cream, ½ C cracker crumbs, and ½ C cheese to the mixture. Thoroughly combine. Rub the baking dish with oil or butter, or spray with non-stick cooking spray. This helps make clean up easy. Place mixture in baking dish.

Combine melted butter with remaining cheese and cracker crumbs. Spread evenly across the top of the casserole.

Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 – 45 minutes, depending on your desired level of “crispy crust”. Remove from the oven, serve and enjoy!!

I Cooked What?

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Those of you who know me well know that the only “greens” I grew up eating were spinach and “salad”. We never ate collards, or “turnip salad”, or anything like them. Mark – however – grew up in Roxboro eating collard greens and turnip salad.

I tried the collard greens once, years ago, during a visit in Roxboro. They had lost all their vibrant green pigment and appeared to have been cooked for several days. I couldn’t eat them. So, despite Mark’s love for the “greens”, I’ve never prepared them for him … until tonight.

We joined a CSA (community supported agriculture) this year and have now had two weeks of produce. So far, the only things I’ve not been able to find some way to use have been the abundance of radishes. Personally, one radish a year is sufficient for me. This week the box included a healthy portion of Flash Collards – and I refuse to waste them. I knew there had to be a way to prepare them that wouldn’t kill them or me. Here’s the recipe I came up with, and it was REALLY good. I even ate some, and liked them. They weren’t the least bit bitter or sour.

Chloe’s Collards

One large bunch of collards
3-4 Tbs of Olive Oil
1 large clove Garlic (minced)
1 Leek washed and thinly sliced
Kosher Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper to taste

Rinse and pat dry the collards. Trim off the end of the stems. Stack the leaves one on top of the other and roll the bunch tightly from one side to the other (like a cigar). Thinly slice the leaves while rolled, slices not more than 1/8 of an inch wide. Set the collards aside.

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan. When it is warm, but not smoking, add the minced garlic and the leek slices. Saute for 2-3 minutes … until translucent, but not toasted or burnt. Add the collards and toss in the oil with tongs. Keep tossing in the pan for 1-2 minutes until the collards are bright green and have softened a bit. DO NOT over cook. Turn off the heat. Add fresh ground pepper and kosher salt to taste. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

Up the Creek …

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Sam’s been taking an Environmental Science class through the city of Rock Hill, in conjunction with 4H. Yesterday was the last day of class and they went kayaking in the Catabaw River and one of the adjoining creeks.

    Claire checks out the equipment.

    Claire makes sure that Sam’s in safe.

    In and ready to go.

    Here we go!

    Sophie casually watches Sam paddle “up the creek”.

Twinkle Toes

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Life has been a little nutty here for the last week or so. Sophie’s annual dance recital was this past weekend. Rather than doing a typical recital, the ballet school puts on a ballet. Last year was Peter Pan; this year was Hansel & Gretel. Sophie danced three roles: Evening Twilight (ballet), Gingerbread Fence (tap), and Spiders (modern). So … Five rehearsals and five performances later…. we are done. She did an awesome job and it’s been so exciting to see her improve over the years.

We’re not allowed to film or photograph the dancers actually in the performance. But here are a few photos of Sophie headed into the performance hall, listening to “notes” from the artistic director, and hangin’ out in the dressing room.

Sporting our favorite sundress “de jour”.

She appears to be running through the dances in her head.

Sophie’s friend, Eli, came with his mom to see the performances. He picked some flowers out of Lisa’s garden to bring for the ballerina.

Listening to Mrs. Blackwell give “notes” prior to the rehearsal. (She’s dressed for the “spider” dance here.)

New Boy in Town …

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Wilson had his eyes checked last week and we discovered he’s mildly farsighted. Nothing hampering his “grand slam” hitting. Last week he hit a home run and a grand slam. Just enough of a problem to make some of the close up work frustrating. So… here’s the new Wilson (for reading and computer work).

Here is the Professor sporting his new specs.