Squash Casserole Au Gratin Style Food

SQUASH GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and thyme and cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the butternut and kabocha squash in a large microwave-safe bowl with 1 cup water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until the squash is just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and add the squash to the skillet along with the garlic, mace, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring, about 3 minutes. Add the broth and cook until it is mostly absorbed, about 5 more minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and cook until slightly thickened, 2 minutes.
• Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in the microwave and toss with the breadcrumbs, parmesan and parsley; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the squash, then top with the gruyere. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
• How to break down butternut squash:
• Cut about 1 inch off the bottom end with a chef's knife. Scoop out the seeds.
• Hold the squash against your body and remove the skin with a vegetable peeler; chop.
• How to break down kabocha squash:
• Quarter the squash with a chef's knife, then scoop out the seeds.
• Put each quarter flat-side down and cut off the skin with a paring knife; chop the squash.

SUMMER SQUASH GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Place buttery crackers and cornmeal in a plastic resealable bag; seal and pound into fine crumbs.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot; cook and stir until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add yellow squash and zucchini. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook until softened, about 10 minutes.
• Stir milk and butter into the skillet. Increase heat to medium-high; cook until butter is melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in crumb mixture and Mexican cheese blend. Remove from heat.
• Spread yellow squash mixture evenly in an 8-inch square baking pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly, about 15 minutes. Increase heat to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) and continue baking until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

SQUASH AU GRATIN

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the squash, salt, pepper, nutmeg and 1 tablespoon oil; toss to coat. Transfer to a greased 11x7-in. baking dish; pour cream over top., Cover and bake at 325° for 30 minutes. In a small bowl, toss apples in remaining oil. Spoon over squash. Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes or until squash is tender. Sprinkle with cheese; bake 3-5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Freeze option: Before adding cheese, cool baked casserole; cover and freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 325°. Reheat casserole, increasing time as necessary for a thermometer inserted in center to read 165°. Sprinkle with cheese and bake until melted.

SQUASH CASSEROLE (AU GRATIN STYLE)

Steps:

• Combine topping ingredients and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 450F.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add the tablespoons of butter, and melt.
• Add the sliced squash to the pan, season with salt and pepper and sauté for 3 minutes.
• Add the chopped roasted garlic to the pan with the squash, stir together, and cook for 1 min.
• Pour the heavy cream into the pan, and stir together with the vegetables.
• Bring to a simmer, and cook for 2 mins, or until the cream has reduced slightly.
• Remove skillet from heat, and sprinkle the topping over the vegetables evenly.
• Place skillet in the oven, cook for 4 mins, then switch to broil - and cook until the top is golden brown.
• Remove skillet from oven, and let stand for 5-8 minutes, then serve.
• Devour.

PROVENCAL SUMMER SQUASH AND POTATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly mist a shallow 2-quart baking or gratin dish with cooking spray.
• Thinly slice the squash, zucchini, potato, and onion 1/4-inch thick with a mandolin or by hand. Shingle the vegetables in the prepared baking dish in one layer. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the rosemary leaves and drizzle with olive oil. Cover with foil and bake until the potatoes are tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Remove the foil; sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until the cheese is browned and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 45 minutes more. Let stand at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

BAKED SQUASH GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Lightly butter an 8-inch baking dish and set aside. Fill a large pot with enough water to come 2 inches up the sides of the pot. Set a steamer rack in the pot, cover, and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the squash and steam over medium heat until the squash is very tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer the squash to a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Season the squash to taste with salt and pepper.
• Spoon half of the squash evenly over the prepared baking dish. Dollop half of the pesto all over the squash in the dish. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the squash. Repeat layering with the remaining squash, pesto, and cheese. Using a skewer, swirl the pesto decoratively into the squash. Dot the top with butter and bake until the gratin is heated through and golden brown around the edges, about 40 minutes.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small pot, bring broth, milk, and garlic to a boil over medium-high and cook 1 minute. Pour into a medium bowl, then slowly add flour, whisking constantly.
• In pot, melt butter over medium. Add anchovies and 2 teaspoons sage and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Return broth mixture to pan, bring to a simmer, and cook until thickened, 6 minutes. Discard garlic.
• Add squash to sauce and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a 2-quart shallow baking dish.
• In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon sage, breadcrumbs, and Parmesan and sprinkle over squash. Bake until top is golden brown and mixture is bubbling at edges, 20 to 25 minutes.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Place spaghetti squash in a covered dish and add 1/4 inch of water. Microwave for 10 to 12 minutes. Scrape insides of squash with a fork and transfer to a small bowl.
• Heat margarine in a medium skillet over medium heat while spaghetti squash is cooking and cook onion, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until the onion is browned, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Mix spaghetti squash, onion mixture, sour cream, and 1/2 of the Cheddar cheese together. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and top with remaining Cheddar cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Turn on broiler for the last 2 to 3 minutes and broil until gratin is golden brown on top.

SUMMER SQUASH SIDE DISH CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a saucepan, combine the squash, water, onion and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until squash is tender, 15-20 minutes. Remove from the heat; cool., Stir in the egg, bread crumbs, butter and pepper. Transfer to a greased 1-qt. baking dish; sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, until heated through and the cheese is melted, 30 minutes.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Cut the spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds. Place in a covered dish with a ¼ inch of water and microwave for 10 -12 minutes.
• In a medium sized skillet over medium heat, add the butter, onions, red pepper and thyme and cook until the onions are slightly brown in color. Salt and pepper to taste.
• Using a fork, scrape the insides of the squash and transfer to a small bowl.
• Combine the squash, onions, sour cream and half the cheese together and mix well. Transfer the mixture to a buttered baking dish and top with remaining cheese.
• Place into a 375º for 15 - 20 minutes until golden brown on top.

SUMMER SQUASH AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Cut each squash in half lengthwise; cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place squash slices, onions and bell pepper in 11x7-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish or 2-quart casserole. Add 1 tablespoon water. Cover with microwavable plastic wrap, venting one corner. Microwave on High 5 to 7 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain well.
• Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, cook white sauce mix and 1 1/2 cups milk as directed on package. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese. Pour over zucchini mixture in baking dish; stir gently to coat. In small bowl, mix melted butter and bread crumbs. Sprinkle over zucchini mixture.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.

UNBELIEVABLE SQUASH CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking dish.
• Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir squash and onion until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add water and simmer to soften squash, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and Cheddar cheese into squash mixture; mix well.
• Transfer squash mixture to the prepared baking dish; top with stuffing mix.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is bubbling and stuffing is browned, about 30 minutes.

YELLOW SQUASH AND ZUCCHINI GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat; add zucchini, yellow squash and shallots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4-6 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute more., Add the cream; cook until thickened, 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in 1/2 cup bread crumbs and 1/4 cup cheese. Spoon mixture into a greased 11x7-in. or 2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining bread crumbs and cheese. Bake until golden brown, 8-10 minutes.

DELICATA SQUASH GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a medium casserole dish with cooking spray.
• Slice delicata squash lengthwise, remove seeds and pulp, and cut into 1/2-inch crescent-shaped slices. Place squash in the prepared pan and lightly season with salt and pepper.
• Melt butter in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, being careful not to allow the paste to brown. Gradually stir in milk and bring to a boil. Stir and cook for about 3 minutes; remove from heat. Mix in Gruyere cheese and stir until melted. Season with cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.
• Pour cheese sauce over the squash and bake in the preheated oven until the squash is fork-tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Garnish with snipped parsley.

SUMMER SQUASH AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease/spray a casserole dish and set aside.
• In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the squash, celery and oniona and saute in the butter for about 2-3 minutes, just until they are softened and barely tender. Do not overcook.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in the sour cream, cheddar cheese, pepper and (if needed salt) and bacon.
• Mix well and place in the casserole dish. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until lightly brown on top.

SUMMER SQUASH AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350*F.
• Boil sliced squash in a large pot of salted water for 5-8 minutes, until just starting to soften. Pour into a colander and let drain.
• While squash drains, add oil and melt butter in a medium saucepan set on medium-high. Add onion and saute until just starting to turn golden. Add garlic and saute 2 minutes more.
• In a large bowl, gently fold together cooked squash, onion mixture, sour cream, cream cheese, Asiago, salt and pepper until well combined. Pour into a buttered casserole dish.
• Top with Panko crumbs.
• Bake in the center of the oven for 25-30 minutes. If the topping doesn't brown or get crispy enough, feel free to turn on the broiler for a minute or two (but watch the casserole closely). Now! I do my Happy Food Dance.

SUMMER SQUASH GRATIN WITH TOMATOES, PARMESAN AND FRESH THYME

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375.
• To cook the onions-- In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
• Add the onions and sauté, stirring frequently, until limp and golden brown, about 2 min.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low if they're browning too quickly.
• Add the garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant, 1 to 2 min.
• Spread the onions and garlic evenly in the bottom of an oiled 2-qt. shallow gratin dish (preferably oval).
• Let cool.
• To assemble the gratin: Put the tomato slices on a shallow plate to drain for a few minutes and then discard the collected juices.
• In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini and squash slices with 1-1/2 Tbs. of the olive oil, 2 Tbs.of the thyme, and 1/2 tsp.of the salt.
• Reserve half of the cheese for the top of the gratin.
• Sprinkle 1 Tbs.of the thyme over the onions in the gratin.
• Starting at one end of the baking dish, lay a row of slightly overlapping tomato slices across the width of the dish and sprinkle with a little of the cheese.
• Next, lay a row of zucchini, overlapping the tomatoes by two-thirds, and sprinkle with cheese.
• Repeat with a row of squash, and then repeat rows, sprinkling each with cheese, until the gratin is full.
• Season lightly with pepper and the remaining 1/2 tsp.salt.
• Drizzle the remaining 1-1/2 Tbs.olive oil over all.
• Combine the reserved cheese with the remaining 1 Tbs. thyme and sprinkle this over the whole gratin.
• Cook until well-browned all over and the juices have bubbled for a while and reduced considerably, 65 to 70 min.
• Let cool for at least 15 min.before serving.
• NOTE: You can use any combination of summer squash for this dish.

SAVORY SQUASH GRATIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place garlic in an ovenproof ramekin, and drizzle with olive oil. Roast until light brown and very soft, about 20 minutes. Let stand until cool enough to handle; peel garlic and cut into slivers; set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.
• Peel squash, halve lengthwise, and seed. Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices; set aside.
• Place kale in a steamer basket over boiling water, cover, and steam until bright green and wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and chop roughly. Squeeze out as much water as possible; set kale aside.
• Butter a 2 1/2-quart gratin dish. Distribute half the sliced squash in the dish, reserving the prettiest slices for the top layer. In a small bowl, combine nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Distribute half the sliced garlic over squash, and sprinkle with one-third of seasoning mixture and 1 teaspoon thyme.
• Arrange kale over squash, and sprinkle with one-third of the seasoning. Arrange remaining squash over kale, and sprinkle with remaining seasoning and 1 teaspoon thyme. Distribute remaining garlic over squash, tucking it between slices.
• Pour cream over assembled gratin, and cover with a piece of parchment. Bake until squash is soft when pierced with the tip of a knife, 40 to 45 minutes; halfway through the baking time, remove parchment, press down on squash with a spatula to compress and distribute the liquid; cover and continue baking. Meanwhile, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• After 35 to 45 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over squash; return to oven, and continue to bake, uncovered, until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Garnish with remaining thyme.
• To reheat: Do not add final layer of breadcrumb mixture. Remove from the refrigerator, and let come to room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes. Cover with parchment paper, and reheat in a 400-degree oven for 20 minutes. Top with breadcrumb mixture, and bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Garnish with thyme.

SKILLET SQUASH AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Melt butter in skillet. Add squash, onion, salt, pepper and tomatoes. Cook, covered 12-15 minutes or until tender.
• Sprinkle with soy sauce to taste, if desired. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with cheese.
• Note; I have often substituted a 14-ounce can of redi-cut tomatoes for the fresh tomatoes above. You can use canned Italian- or Mexican-flavored tomatoes for a different flavor.

AU GRATIN POTATOES WITH SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg until smooth; gradually whisk in milk and water. Stir in potatoes, squash and chives. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 8-10 minutes or until potatoes and squash are almost tender., In a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, layer half of the potato mixture and 1 cup cheese. Repeat layers., Bake, uncovered, 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and potatoes are tender. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.