Baked Summer Squash

Yes, this is another summer squash recipe. We eat a lot of it, what can I say?!?! It only seems appropriate to be bidding farewell to the summer with a recipe like this one. We're continuing our produce box through the fall and are still getting our summer squash and zucchini in it, which we hope will soon give way to acorn and butternut squashes. No matter what, if you're a local food-supporter like we try to be, you find yourself with a whole bunch of squash and zucchini throughout the summer, so yet another new recipe is always welcome as you try to remain creative and engaged with what you're cooking. However, that doesn't mean you aren't ready for fall foods like we are!




With the end of summer comes the end of summer fruit (blackberries, I can't wait to see you again next year), hot days (see ya never), time off either mentally or in actuality, and the end of struggles like these. As we welcome fall we welcome heartier foods, sweater season, a reason to wear boots, acceptably pale skin, and the knowledge that snow days are just around the corner. I'm a winter girl at heart, but fall comes in close second to a favorite season. The leaves are already starting to turn here and the local brewery has begun selling it's Pumpkin Ale, sending off the first signals that fall is arriving. Keep in mind it will be 90+ degrees here in two days, but that's neither here nor there. Today we celebrate with soup and a warmer blanket on the bed, in anticipation of what's to come! Good-bye summer, good-bye zucchini and summer squash! See you next year.

Cooking Notes: Will used cotija cheese instead of Parmesan. He added dried oregano, sliced red potatoes (but he suggests cooking longer if you do this, about 40 minutes) and only used yellow squash.



Baked Summer Squash (adapted from The Kitchn; serves 6)
1 lb. summer squash (zucchini or squash)
1 lb. sliced red potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup cheese (Parmesan, cotija, mozzarella - your choice!)
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper




Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the stem ends and slice the squash into 1/4"-thick rounds, then toss with olive oil. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, cheese, salt and pepper. Arrange the squash in a 9x13 baking dish or some other sort of medium-size casserole dish. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the squash. Cover with foil (or the lid of the dish) and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes (depending on whether or not you include potatoes - longer if you do). Remove foil/lid and bake or broil another 5 minutes until top is bubbling and crisp. Serve with eggplant parmesan and enjoy!

Recipe: The Kitchn: Baked Summer Squash