Baked Yellow Squash

Freshly sliced & dipped in ranch dressing, fried, boiled or baked, yellow squash is DEE-licious! My next door neighbor, Randy, gave me crooked neck squash the other day. I was thrilled and honored that he would share the fruits of his labor with me.

Randy is a hard working auto mechanic who loves to garden. He keeps up a large garden plot right behind his auto shop, along with fruit trees around the perimeter of his backyard. He and his wife, May, are the friendliest, laid back folks you would ever want for neighbors.

SO HERE’S HOW I GET MY KIDS TO EAT SQUASH

• 2 pounds yellow squash, cut 1/4″-1/2″ slices
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup light sour cream
• 1 teaspoon salt pepper to taste
• 1 cup Ritz wheat crackers, crushed into fine crumbs.

Heat oven to 400F degrees.

Heat 1 inch salted water (1/2 teaspoon to 1 cup water) to boiling. Add squash and finely chopped onion. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Boil until almost tender, 10 minutes. (Squash will finish cooking in oven.) Drain off excess water.

Partially mash squash; stir in remaining ingredients. Lightly spray 1 quart casserole dish with cooking spray and turn mixture into it. Top with cracker crumbs. Bake uncovered until hot, 15 to 20 minutes. About 6 servings.

TIME SAVING TIP Use a 1 cup food processor to chop the crackers into fine crumbs, put aside in separate bowl, then chop the onion.

MAKE IT A MEAL Top with shredded cheddar cheese and cooked chicken, chopped into bite size pieces. It tastes even better for lunch the next day.

How do your kids like squash?