We enjoy cooking outdoors in the summer time, not only to avoid turning the oven on and heating the house, but to simply enjoy the weather. Something about summer time turns meal preparation into a family affair in a way that indoor kitchen cooking lacks.
I want to share a test recipe with you and hope that you enjoy it. Even more so, I hope that you can make it better!
We had a meal of the following:
Pork chops marinated in BBQ sauce, grilled.
Garden fresh snap beans, cooked on the grill, with a dash of pepper and lemon.
Breaded summer squash
Lemonade
The recipe that I want to share is for the breaded summer squash. Here is the thing~ I love the look of summer squash. I love the idea of summer squash. I love the health benefits of summer squash. Don’t so much love the taste! When I cook summer squash it is always a bit mooshy and bland. I decided that I could bread it, cook it in a little EVOO, and perhaps it would be better. It was better, but not amazing.
Here is what I did. My three year old gobbled these up, which was great!
Step one:
Slice up summer squash.
Step two:
Make three bowls.
One with flour (mix salt and pepper into this)
One with beaten egg
One with bread crumbs
Step three: Dip your squash into the flour, followed by the egg, and finally the bread crumbs. Coat both sides.
Step four: Place all the pieces into a frying pan with Olive Oil. Put on low/medium heat until brown.
The crispy factor is yummy. The squash even tasted good. I am thinking that perhaps some type of spice in the flour would give this more flavor….cayanne pepper? paprika? basil? Any ideas?
Great tip I have an overload of squash from my grandma’s garden.
You can also roast summer squash (or other veggies)–cut it up, drizzle it in olive oil, and bake on a cookie sheet for about 30-45 minutes at around 350. It’s soooo good!
Chili powder or garlic powder would be yummy!
Here’s what we do with summer squash…slice it lengthwise. Place in a bowl with some EVOO and toss to coat. Grill on bbq(with foil over grate). The EVOO keeps it from sticking to the foil-usually. When you turn it over to grill the bottom, sprinkle on McCormick’s SALAD SUPREME. It comes in a spice jar size bottle like the other McCormick spices. It’s for topping a salad but it’s WONDERFUL sprinkled on cooked veggies too! I got it for cheap with coupons. 😉
Another way to dress up yellow squash is to make a Squash Casserole.(You’d need a solar oven or to run the oven in the house tho.) It’s basically squash, onions, cheddar cheese, mayo, sugar, salt, pepper & an egg. Giada does a similar dish with zukes that’s Italian in origin. This is yummy stuff too.
HTH…
I think it would be healthier not to eat this at all. Breading and frying totally negates the healthiness of the squash. Just find other healthy things you like and eat that instead.
In response to what Kristin said~ I agree that healthier is better…but I would still rather introduce this food someway that not at all. I wonder if this could be baked to avoid frying? That would not rule out the breading…but it would save on the frying. I will try this out and report back!
Thanks for all the great ideas everyone.
The trick to get any type of zucchini, squash, or green tomato to be crispy is to slice the vegetables, put into a colander, pour salt over the vegetables and let sit for an hour or so. Then wipe off the excess salt and then press the vegetables between paper towels until all the moisture is out. You could also add a little parm cheese and a little red pepper to your recipe.
Summer Fried Squash, as we call it here in Ga, is great sliced REALLY thin. Use the 1/2 flour 1/2 cornmeal mixture with just salt! Give the thin slices a try.
Looks yummy! I will have to try this out with my family next week. Fried foods in moderation are a treat to our family as we rarely fry anything. Looking forward to trying it out. Oh, and I could see myself dipping the pieces in ranch dressing. I am sure that won’t help the health factor either. 🙂
Okay, I totally have to ask you this??? Are those Snowman plates that you are so using in summer????
The only reason I ask is because I so use my snowman plates in the summer, and my hubby thinks I am crazy for doing so…LOL. I had to show him that I am not the only one, but since the print is covered up, he still doesn’t believe me…LOL
And I love my squash this way, my grandmom ALWAYS made it this way..but every now and then she baked them so that might be a healthier alternative.
Yes, they are snowman plates and yes it is summer!!!Hahah…glad I am not the only one!
basil and summer squash is delish!
Lots of garlic, some black pepper and salt. Yum.
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