Kitty's Squash Casserole

There might be a protest if we all arrived to Thanksgiving or Christmas at the farm, and there wasn’t Kitty’s Squash Casserole. Kitty was my grandmother’s sister, and this may be the few vegetable dishes that the men love more than the women. Of course, Howard Brooks jokes, “There’s so much butter and cream in there, it would be good with shoe leather.” Still, I’ve used it for an Easter dinner on Cherokee Road, made it for a Thanksgiving dinner at Cherokee Crossing, and always take leftovers of it to Dick Klausner at MBA.

Of all the holiday memories of this dish, my favorite took place in Winter Park, FL. Visiting my grandmother for spring break in the fifth grade, I made it with her as I wrote the recipe on an index card to take home. I remember crushing the Ritz crackers in a plastic bag, studying her hands delicately chop the onions and pepper, and watching her mash the squash with a fork. I still have that index card.

7-8 yellow squash

24 Ritz crackers, crushed into crumbs

1 large onion

1 tsp sugar

1 green pepper

2 tsps Lawry’s seasoned salt

4 eggs, beaten

1/2 lb. butter

1/2 pint heavy cream

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar

12 more Ritz crackers, crushed

~ Preheat oven to 325º F.

~ Boil squash until tender, drain well, and mash with fork.

~ Braise onion and green pepper in butter.

~ Mix squash and 24 crumbled crackers.

~ Add onion, peppers, and grated cheese to squash.

~ Add seasoned salt, salt, and sugar.

~ Add cream and eggs.

~ Top with 12 additional cracker crumbs.

~ Bake for 35 minutes.