Squash Casserole

Probably my favorite veggie casserole is my yellow squash (Crookneck) casserole...I start by washing and slicing some...I just buy a bunch...no exact measurements here. Put them in a steamer basket over some water, turn the fire up, put the lid on and steam the crooknecks!

Next, chop up some onion and saute them in some butter/olive oil  (I put a little of both in the pan for sauteing!)  Cook until the onions are soft and beginning to get a little brown..

Go ahead and get out your Jack cheese....

and some crackers...doesn't really make any difference what kind.  I've used regular saltines, and regular Milton whole grains, Trader Joe's crackers....just grab some crackers - this is for the topping a little later...You could go ahead and crush some of them while the onions are cooking..

Open, drain, and rinse a can of these.... they add the important CRUNCH to the casserole...

OK, looks like the squash has finished steaming...so drain them...

Put them in a baking dish...

Cube up a bunch of the Monterey Jack cheese and add to the squash, and go ahead and mix in the sliced water chestnuts...

Now stir in the onions....

Season LIBERALLY with salt and pepper... I use Trader Joe's smokey salt and lemon-pepper...

This does not go in the casserole...but it's nice to have on hand while you're cooking...

Looking good...about ready....

Put some butter in the skillet... melt it...

If you haven't already, take out some crackers and crunch them up...

That doesn't look like very many...I'm sure I used more after I took this picture...you want enough to cover your dish....

There we go!  After slightly browning the crackers in the skillet, sprinkle it over the squash, and cook in a 350 degree oven about 30 minutes, or until it starts bubbling around the edges.  


Enjoy!

Thalia makes scones

"Thalia...Come on and let's make some scones!"

"OK, Mimi..."
We first preheated the oven to 400 degrees...
A project was going on in the living room...wiring up the stereo to the TV. Erica was supervising...
"Mimi, I'm going to wash my hands first," Thalia told me.

"Good decision!"
First, Thalia measured 2 cups of flour...
and dumped them in the bowl.
She measured 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar...(FYI, regular brown sugar works just as well). I showed her how you have to pack it down.
Just like this...1/2 cup of packed dark brown sugar...dump it in with the flour.
Next, Thalia added 2 teaspoons of baking powder...we use non-aluminum baking powder here, but any baking powder will do. I guess there's research that using aluminum contributes to alzheimers...so non-aluminum baking powder it is!
Then 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda was added...
I showed Thalia how there's a little scraper inside the box so you can level out the teaspoon!
Add 1/4 teaspoon salt. You don't want to measure the salt over the flour mixture incase you spill it...too much salt would RUIN the scones!
Joshua took a picture of his baby girl and her Mimi making his FAVORITE SCONES!
1/4 cup of unsalted butter comes next. I showed Thalia how it helps to cut the butter into some chunks before adding it into the flour...it makes it easier to cut up smaller...'pea size'...
See? Thalia cut it in 3 strips, then 3 strips across...

Math question: how many pieces of butter do you have now?
Once the butter is dumped into the flour mix, you take 2 knives and cut it scissor-fashion until the butter is 'pea size' or smaller...
If you don't want to use the two-knife method, you can use one of these do-dads...not sure what they're called. I don't know why I don't use it...I just always use two knives. I think I hate to clean them...knives are easier to clean...
Ok, there you go. That's what it should look like now...
On a saucer, using a fork, mash up some banana...actually you have to grab a banana and peel it first...

Just mash and mash it...you really want to make sure your bananas are ripe...
Good job on the banana mashing, Thalia!
You need 3/4 cup of mashed banana. With our bananas, it took 1 1/2 bananas to get 3/4 cup.
This is banana #2 being mashed and scooped into the measuring cup.
Yep, looking good! Now put that banana in a DIFFERENT BOWL than the flour. Don't mix them together...YET!
To the banana, add an egg...
3/4 cup of banana + 1 egg = the beginning of some delicious scones!
To that, add 2 tablespoons of buttermilk. Be sure and shake the buttermilk up before you measure it.
Also add 1 teaspoon of vanilla... ummmmm, I love the smell of vanilla!
3/4 cup of banana + 1 egg + 2 Tablespoons buttermilk + 1 teaspoon of vanilla = well, nothing yet!
Whip that up together...notice Thalia's blurred hand...she was doing a great job of whipping it up!
NOW, dump that mixture into the flour mix...
Get all of it...
Flour mixture + egg/banana mixture = almost there!
Pose for Papa with the camera at the same time as you add about 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips...
Now, mix it all up. It's going to seem a bit dry...but it's not. Just keep mixing. You'll end up with a lot of it clumped together and some dry bits of the flour mixture beneath the dough. Just take your fork and mash some of the moister dough into it... you can also just take your hands and pick the dough up and start kneading it a bit. If it sticks to your hands, just put a little flour on your hands so it doesn't stick so much.
Grab a cookie sheet and spray the middle with some PAM...
Grab that dough and pat it onto the cookie sheet...
You want the circle of the dough to be about 8 1/2 inches in diameter when you get through patting it...
Take a serrated knife and score it into 8 wedges. If you cut all the way through, fine. If you don't cut all the way through, fine. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. I think Thalia DID cut all the way through.
Scoring the dough...

Now, put it in the oven, the 400 degree oven... and set your time for 20 minutes. The recipe says 19-21 minutes...my oven cooks a little low, so I usually aim for the middle...
When the buzzer goes off, you'll already be hungry from the smell...oh my! Look at those scones...they look perfect!
Grab 2 hotpads to take them out of the oven. You definitely don't want to burn yourself and spoil your scone-eating-experience...
Now you can re-cut them with your serrated knife - actually, any knife will do at this point....
Find the largest piece, grab a cup of coffee or a glass of milk...or whatever you want..

and enjoy!

These are exceptional. They've been Joshua's absolute favorite for...as long as I can remember!

Here's the recipe in a more succinct form:
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Banana-Chocolate Chip Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled
3/4 cup mashed ripe banana
1 large egg
2 Tablespoons buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup (or a little more) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a 10" diameter circle in the center of a baking sheet.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut the butter into 1/2" cubes and add to flour mixture. With a pastry blender (Oh yeah, couldn't remember earlier in this post what it was called!) or two knives, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, stir together the banana, egg, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the banana mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the chips. The dough will be sticky.

Spread the dough into an 8 1/2" diameter circle in the center of the prepared baking sheet. With a serrated knife, cut into 8 wedges. Bake for 19-21 minutes, or until lightly browned and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of a scone comes out clean.

Remove the baking sheet to a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes. (Well, this is often a step not followed when some are trying to patiently wait and their patience is waning...)

Makes 8 scones!