Summer squash, so prolific, so nourishing, so boring after a while... or not? Through the years I've collected quite a number of ways to use squash, some enjoyable, some not so much. Here are 13 of them in a quick roundup for your eating pleasure.
- Stir fried with coconut (or olive) oil, onions, garlic, basil, and topped with Parmesan cheese.
- As a taco filling. Sautee onions and squash chunks with a tablespoon of taco seasoning and load until taco shells dressed your favorite way. Call them squacos and intrigue everyone. Recipe forthcoming.
- Zucchini bread- an old standby that'll have you turning the ceiling fan on to offset the oven heat, but tastes so good.
- On kebabs with this freakin' amazing marinade recipe.
- Stuffed with sausage (or faux sausage- I like Field Roast's and Tofurky's Italian flavored ones) that has been cut into chunks and sauteed with red peppers and cherry tomatoes. Save the scooped out part for squacos.
- Julienned in a mandolin and topped with hot pasta sauce and cheese if you like. The heat from the sauce softens the noodles slightly while still retaining a nice raw crunch.
- Sliced thinly, lightly oiled, grilled, and used as a sandwich filler.
- In ratatouille once eggplants and tomatoes are also overflowing your CSA box. It's ironic that these vegetables are all best in the summer, but this stew is a great winter bone-warmer. Freeze some for those dark and hateful months.
- Sliced into thin ribbons with a mandoline and tossed with cheese and a few other ingredients for a gorgeous salad.
- Sliced into thin rounds and baked as chips.
- Potato and squash gratin (one of my favorites!).
- Irene's squash casserole. Recipe forthcoming.
- Summer squash and corn chowder, another favorite!
And one thing to NOT try out is zucchini ice cream- I made this horrendous mistake last year and I don't want you to waste perfectly good cream, sugar, or electricity on this guaranteed taste failure.
Hopefully those will clear out your fridge or garden for a while. What are some other awesome ways to use summer squash?