A Yummy Recipe for Squash and Zucchini Casserole

Between late July and Early September most people find that they have a surplus of squash and zucchini. Here is an amazingly delicious recipe to cook that will make your family's mouth water for more. It's sure to be a family favorite, and asked for again and again. Even my children love it, and there are many "yums" and "this is so good" coming from the dinner table every time I serve it.

You'll need:

Two medium onions chopped

8-10 cups of squash and zucchini chopped

One stick of butter

Two cans of cream of chicken soup

Three cups of brown rice

One clove of garlic

Two - Three cups of mixture of Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, and Colby cheeses

1 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Steam the squash and zucchini until tender. Allow to cool.

Melt the stick of butter in a skillet, and saute the onion and garlic until they are tender.

Bring 7 and 1/2 cups of water to boil, add sea salt and rice and cook until sticky.

In a large baking or casserole dish, layer the ingredients as follows:

first make a layer of the squash and zucchini, then add the rice.

Pour the onions and garlic over the rice, making sure each layer is even.

Now pour the two cans of cream of chicken soup over the onions, making sure that it is spread evenly over the entire dish.

Finally, sprinkle the cheese over the top of the entire dish, again, making sure that the layer is even.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for twenty minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake for another five minutes. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

The vegetables for this dish are interchangeable with many other vegetables such as broccoli or spinach. The rice could also be replaced with thinly sliced potatoes or mashed potatoes. The cream of chicken soup can also be replaced with cream of mushroom soup or sour cream. The clove of garlic can be substituted with about a teaspoon of garlic powder, and table salt can be used instead of sea salt.

This recipe makes approximately 12 servings and can be halved to serve a smaller party.

It works great as a stand alone dish, or as a side dish with most meat main course dishes or can be added to with a few ears of corn and rolls or cornbread. It also works wonderfully for a special holiday dish, giving you the opportunity to freeze those surplus vegetables in your garden and using them for later in the year.