Mushroom squash

[ruthcooks]

Mushroom squash

I grew up in the forties and fifties in northern rural Illinois, in "the little bump on the big bump" eight miles from the Mississippi.

Here's the mushroom squash recipe. The reason it appears in this form is because I've copied it from my cookbook manuscript. I just got the proofs back this week, and am starting to get excited. Enjoy.

This recipe is one of a trio of very similar recipes which I use constantly: the mushroom stuffing for Rock Cornish hens, the mushroom mixture spread over the top in this squash favorite, and a filling for mushroom appetizers in cream cheese pastry or filo pastry. The poultry version is seasoned with thyme and has lots of chopped onion; the pastry filling is bound by egg and substitutes green onion; this one is given an Italian flavor with the additions of garlic and cheese. I created one of them, although I can't remember which, and the other two are variations; mushroom lovers adore all.

I served this at a buffet supper once, and it was the most popular dish of all!

• 9 small or 12-16 tiny small yellow crookneck squash
  
• 1/2 c butter
  
• 1 onion, grated
  
• 12 oz mushrooms, washed and finely chopped
  
• 1 large clove garlic, minced or pressed
  
• 1-1/2 c fresh bread crumbs
  
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
  
• 1/2 c Grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
  

Scrub squash and cut in half lengthwise. Place, cut side up, on a buttered baking dish just large enough to hold squash in a single layer when crowded tightly. Lightly salt and pepper.

Melt butter in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat and cook onion a few minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic, and cook rapidly until almost all liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat, stir in breadcrumbs and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread mixture evenly over squash and sprinkle top with cheese.

Bake 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees, or until squash is tender when pierced with a fork.

Oven temperature: 350 degrees

Yield: 8 servings (or fewer; quantities are from a multi-course menu with other vegetables)

Keywords: Appetizer, Easy, American

( RG119 )