Mama's Baked Squash

Summertime is time to enjoy those fresh-from-the-garden vegetables, and fabulous dishes that can be made from those vegetables.  One of our favorite veggies around here is yellow crookneck squash.  

One of our squash plants in this year's garden.

Another all-time favorite at my house is Baked Squash.  When I was a little girl, and Mama would make this for supper, my brothers and I literally fought over it!  You know something is good when the kids are counting how many there are and how many are theirs!  Just like we did as kids, my kids do the same when it comes to baked squash.  It's super simple, and as usual I don't have exact measurements, but I'll do my best!

Here's what you need:

• Fresh crookneck squash, about a dozen.  (you want the "baby" ones, the big ones don't work well in this recipe.
• a sleeve of saltine crackers
• half of a white onion, minced
• 1/2 - 3/4 stick of BUTTER (not the same as margarine!)
• one egg
• a "dollop" of sour cream... how much is that?  Well, I don't know, but till it looks right
• bread crumbs
• Salt, pepper & paprika to taste

First, after you have your fresh squash, give it a good bath...

Next put in a pot of boiling water and cook until fork tender (maybe 15 minutes).  If a small knife or fork glides in easily, it's ready. 

(By the way, that big one in the center I later ditched.  It's just too large for this recipe.)

After the squash are fork tender, take a knife and trim the stems both ends.

The next step is to cut the squash lengthways.  Go ahead and do all of them at once so they can begin to cool off, and to stop the cooking process.

And then open them up like this...

Use a teaspoon, and scoop out the squashes innards...ok, I hate that word too!  

What shall we call them?  Squash guts?  No, that sounds disgusting!  

Squash insides?  Nah.

The yellow goop?  

I'm open to suggestions here... (my lack of culinary expertise is showing...again!)

Anyhoo, moving on...

No, that is not my hand... I am not THAT hairy!  My Main Man was helping me out because those things were so hot they were burning my little baby fingers!  

(No eye-rolling, please!)

Now put all your {insert your term of choice here for the interior contents of the squash}, and add your butter first.  The heat of the squash will begin to melt that yumminess...

Now lay your squash shells out on a cookie sheet (I spray mine with non-stick spray), and let's get working on that filling...

Add your minced onion... 

Then your crumbled crackers...

Then the "dollop" of sour cream...

 Next you need one egg...

Mix these ingredients all together, add a little salt & pepper, and it should look something like this...

Stuff the shells, top with a sprinkling of bread crumbs, and paprika, and put them on a cookie sheet...

Bake on 425 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, or until they look a little like this...

Enjoy this delicious, but simple side dish that everyone in your family is sure to love!

Keep Shining!

The Woo-Hoo Gal

Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.