Anyone Tried EW's Tex-Mex Summer Squash Casserole?

[nowimcooking]

Noticed it was on a few "to try" lists.....searching for reviews didn't produce anything, but I was thinking of making it and wondered if someone out there has tried it.

P.S. Is Summer Squash the yellow crookneck squash? I always get my squashes confused....and the multiple names don't help.

[Gracie]

No I haven't tried it, but yes it is the yellow crookneck squash. Could you please post it if you have time?

I think I'm going to have to break down and get a (an??) EW subscription.

Loren

[Cookin4Love]

I did make it last week. We really liked the flavor, but there was far too much liquid that cooked out of the vegetab;es; it was more like a stew. If I make it again (and I probably will) I was thinking about sauteeing the vegetables in a skillet until tender, then letting the liquid cook off--or pour most of it off. Only then would I top with salsa and cheese and finish in the oven. I think this would allow you to skip the flour, which did nothing to thicken this as far as I could tell. Also, I didn't have canned jalapenos, so I used a fresh one. I think I liked it better than I would've with canned. I used all yellow squash, but I think it would've been fine with all zucchini or a blend of the two.

Tex-Mex Summer Squash Casserole

2 1/4 pounds summer squash, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise (about 10 cups)
2/3 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 4-1/2 ounce can chopped green chiles
1 4-1/2 ounce can chopped jalapenos (about 1/2 cup), drained
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 1/4 cups grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (about 7 oz), divided
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup mild salsa
4 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion for garnish.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish or disposable aluminum pan with cooking spray.

2. Combine squash, onion, chiles, jalapenos, salt and 3/4 cup cheese in a large bowl. Sprinkle with flour; toss to coat. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan and cover with foil.

3. Bake the casserole until it is bubbling and the squash is tender; 35 to 45 minutes. Spoon salsa onto the casserole adn sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese. Bake, uncovered, until golden and heated through, 20 to 30 minutes. When ready to serve, sprinkle with scallions and red onion.

[Gracie]

Thanks for the great review and recipe - it sounds wonderful! I'm putting it on the menu for next week.

Loren

[swquilts]

I think I'm going to have to break down and get a (an??) EW subscription.

Loren


Me too Loren! I have a hard time finding it without going across town to the bookstore.

This recipe sounds great!

[Canice]

Cookin4Love, what about the cooking times? I can't imagine cooking summer squash (which, BTW, is any soft-skinned squash that you wouldn't peel) for an hour and 15 minutes!

[Cookin4Love]

Originally posted by Canice
Cookin4Love, what about the cooking times? I can't imagine cooking summer squash (which, BTW, is any soft-skinned squash that you wouldn't peel) for an hour and 15 minutes!

I know what you're saying. I actually halved the recipe, and just kept an eye on the cooking times. It did take awhile for the squash to get really tender in a casserole dish in the oven--longer than I would've thought. Yet another reason to saute it--I think starting it on the stovetop would've provided a bit more control.

[nowimcooking]

I made this on Friday night and for us it's a definite keeper!! Our local farmer's market had beautiful yellow squash and some zucchinis that were light green instead of dark green -- never seen those before.

The flavor was outstanding, and it's an easy dish to put together. I was too lazy to heed the advice of sauteeing the squash first and draining the liquid so I just used about 1/8 c. extra flour and didn't have a problem with extra liquid. I also used two cans of green chilies PLUS one fresh, chopped serrano chili, and used scallions and cilantro as the topping instead of the red onion. It was pretty spicy, but gets excellent reviews from both my husband and me. I would definitely say that it demands a sharp cheddar....something about the way those flavors blend was just amazing, and if you used a non-descript cheese I think you'd really miss out!

Oh, and I used some leftover as omelet filling....DELICIOUS!!!!

[Gracie]

I made this last night and I really liked it. No one else in my house would eat it but I thought it was great. I sauteed the squash and onion first but no liquid leaked out so I just mixed it all and put it in the oven. I did have more liquid than I would have liked and totally forgot about the flour, which might have been why.

I used a can of green chiles and a can of sliced jalapenos and it was really hot! But the flavor was great. I used the full 3/4 cup of cheese in the squash mixture but then only used another 3/4 cup of cheese on the top - I just couldn't imagine a casserole with 2 1/4 cups of cheese. I used the Cabot 75% light cheddar, which I've come to love. It still melts despite being so low fat and has a great strong flavor. I used one of TJ's salsas on top.

Loren