Southern Specialty Squash Casserole

Squash casserole is a southern comfort food and found on most BBQ menu boards. My husband doesn't use recipes so I shadowed him in the kitchen and took notes. We make a big batch so we can freeze half and enjoy weeks later. You can also replace 1/4 of the yellow squash with zucchini for color and taste variation.

Ingredients: 

1 stick butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
10 medium yellow squash, cut lengthwise then sliced
1 large sweet onion, chopped
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed

Directions: 

Saute squash in butter and salt and pepper to taste. Depending on the size of your skillet you may want to saute in two batches. Once squash looks translucent transfer to a mixing bowl. Saute onions and garlic then transfer to mixing bowl with squash. Drain any excess water that accumulated from sweating. Add cheese and mix thoroughly. Pour mixture into large baking dish, preferably glass, and top with crackers. Bake for approximately 20 minutes at 350 F degrees or until bubbly under crackers or around edges.   

Commuter Trail Mix

I commute to and from work about 30 minutes each way. If I don't have an afternoon snack I'm starving by the time I get home! This trail mix holds me over until dinner time and has some health benefits. If you include chocolate don't leave in the car because a melted trail mix is super messy.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup unsalted almonds
1/4 cup honey roasted pecans
1/8 cup raisins
2 dried figs
1/2 dried pineapple ring, sliced


Other favorite ingredients:
Dried cranberries
Banana chips
Cherrios
M&Ms
Reese's pieces

Antique Brownies

Here's another recipe from the 1920's cookbook Cakes Cookies and Confections. I used butter for the fat and walnuts for the nuts. The directions didn't specify a baking temperature so I played it safe at 350 F degrees and checked in often. At 350 F degrees the brownies baked for 25 minutes before passing the tried and true toothpick test. Insert a toothpick at various spots of the baked good. When you remove the toothpick if it's clean the item is done. If some batter remains on the toothpick return to the oven and monitor closely. 


This recipe says to cut the brownies into strips. I think these little details from antique recipes are neat. I wonder how and why things changed over the years. The rectangular shape is convenient for serving with ice-cream!

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
3 tbsp milk
2 sq chocolate (melted)
4 tbsp fat (melted)
1 cup nuts
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Pour into square greased pan and bake from ten to fifteen minutes. Cut at once into strips one inch by three inches. This makes about sixty.