Monday's meal

Well, it's just a few days before Thanksgiving, my most favorite holiday! I was thinking about dishes I had prepared thoughout my years of doing big holiday meals, you know the kind where you eat until you finally have to push yourself from the table and waddle to the couch until you can digest a bit of food and then come back for more. Well, the following dish is one of my favorites because squash is probably my most favorite vegetables. I love it in the summer, but hey why not enjoy it in the winter too? So...enjoy!

Squash casserole

4 cups sliced yellow squash
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tsp of minced garlic
3 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled w/the drippings reserved
30 buttery round crackers, crushed
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Place squash, garlic and onion in a large skillet over medium heat. Pour in a small amount of water. Cover, and cook until squash is tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well, and place in a large bowl. Now cook your bacon until crispy. Drain bacon on paper towel and reserve the drippings.
In a medium bowl, mix together cracker crumbs and cheese. Stir half of the cracker mixture into the cooked squash mixture. Add the bacon and the drippings. In a small bowl, mix together eggs and milk, then add to squash mixture. Stir in 1/4 cup melted butter, and season with salt and pepper. Spread into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cracker mixture.
Bake covered in preheated oven for 20 minutes, uncover and bake 5-10 minutes more or until lightly browned and the cheese is melted.