To Squash or Not To Squash the Squash-That is the Question
Squash
When you cook it, do you fry it or mash it?
I’m guessing it depends on how your Momma cooked it. Am I right?
Varieties
The most common varieties (according to The University of Kentucky Agriculture Department) are yellow squash (crooked or straight neck) and zucchini. I don’t know why but we never raised zucchini and we always had crooked neck. Again, no idea why they picked this kind but it’s what I grew up eating.
Because I’ve been up to my eyeballs in blueberries this year I didn’t attempt a garden. I miss it. My friend felt sorry for me and gave me some squash and cucumbers from her garden.
As you can see hers is the straight neck kind. It tastes just like the crooked neck but I think both varieties taste better when they are picked small to medium in size. These look large but they aren’t, the bowl is just small.
Fry it or Mash it
I never even knew people fried squash until I went home with a high school friend and her mom had friend some. Since then I’ve met a lot of people who fry it and have never heard of the way I grew up eating it cooked.
My Momma’s Way
Wash.
Slice into about 1/4 inch slices or 1/2 inch. Place in cast iron skillet (any skillet will work but we had the black cast iron and I still use hers).
Fill with water until squash is almost covered. Salt. When water begins to disappear and squash is tender add 2 to 4 tablespoons butter, black pepper, and a dash of milk. Mash really well and pour into a bowl.
This is what I had for lunch today and you can see it on the right side of my plate.
Someone Else’s Mother Fries Squash
My friend, Peggy, ate lunch with us and although she was very polite (and said she forgot to put the squash on her plate) I could tell she was a “fried squash” fan.
Guess who taught her how to make it? Her Momma, of course.
Peggy’s Momma’s Squash
Wash and peel it. (when I asked why peel it she said, “Because momma always did, but you don’t have to.”
Slice it.
Salt it.
Dip slices in egg (beat up and a little water added)
Roll in crushed cracker crumbs.
Fry in oil until tender.
In the Battle of the Squash, Which is healthier?
I have no idea. By the time you add butter and salt to mashed squash, it probably isn’t healthier than if you fried it. Probably washing it, slicing it and eating raw in a salad would be the best way.
But that’s not how my Momma did it, and neither do I.
The Moral To The Story
Be careful how you cook your vegetables (or anything for that matter) because generations after you will forever eat it the same way only because that’s how their Momma did it.
I love hearing how other people cooked their squash. Thanks so much for chiming in. Food memories are powerful memories aren’t they?
My mom and I sliced squash just like yours but we put it in a cast iron skillet with butter and sliced onions. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir fry until tender.
I used to use a Paula Deen squash casserole recipe as my model, but one time, I was out of several of her richer ingredients. So I subbed Greek yogurt for sour cream, and I didn’t have any saltine crackers, so I subbed crushed pita chips, and behold, a BETTER squash casserole was born! And I need to put that on my blog!
Sounds delicious Cindy!
We do most things like our Mom’s did. My Mom never put sugar in green beans, my sister’s mother in law did. I cook a lot like my Mom but have made some healthier changes. As for the squash, until a few years ago the only way I would eat it was squash pickles. I tried cooking it and mashing it, looked like the doo-doo in a baby’s diaper and I couldn’t even try it. If you couldn’t tell, my Mom wasn’t a squash fan so we didn’t have it. I like both squash and zucchini cooked a different way. I wash, slice into thin slices, put in olive oil seasoned with Mrs. Dash, fresh ground black pepper, and kosher salt. Then I put the slices onto my little George Foreman grill and let cook a short time, I like it to still have a bite.