End of Season Summer Squash

I know the cooler weather is coming when the produce markets and roadside stands have limited summer squash. I haven’t found a way to freeze or can it so I suffer through the winter months. But during the summer months… I eat my weight in them!

This is the most often way I prepare them.

 

Start by cutting up several slices of your favorite bacon. Today I used peppered because I had it open for breakfast. Place in a large skillet with a chopped onion. Several of my children don’t like the feel of onions in their mouth so I leave them in larger slices as they can be picked out as needed.

There is no need to add oil or butter (can’t believe I am saying there is no need for butter! Butter makes everything better!) Cook on medium heat until onions are soft and starting to brown. You do not want to fry them or cook the bacon until it is crispy. If the bacon starts to get too done before the onions, simply pull it out and keep (Don’t eat it!)

Slice the squash into bite size pieces. These were small so I just sliced the whole squash. When they are larger, cut them in half lengthwise and then slice.

Dump squash into the skilled with the onions and bacon. Gently toss to coat all the pieces in the oil. (If you feel there is too much oil, drain off a little before adding the squash. Some bacon just has more fat content than another brand.)

Add 1/4 cup of water to help steam the squash and cover. Simmer on medium heat until the centers of the squash become cooked. Gently turn in pan a couple of times during cooking process. Be gentle so you don’t tear up the pieces as they become fragile as they are getting done. Stirring it too much and too hard creates a mess but doesn’t affect the taste! I have stirred it up on purpose to break up the pieces when I was planning on dumping it into a stew. Cooking time will vary based on amount of squash and size of pan. This batch cooked for about 20 minutes. Once the squash is tender, remove the lid and turn up the heat to medium high. Let some of the juice reduce for a more intense flavor. Or, drain and serve, saving the juices with your broth for another day. (At my house, the ones that eat this dish fight over drinking the juices!)

Today I had 4 summer squash and 1 zucchini left from my visit to the produce market on Friday so I used 1 onion. For our family, the 5 squash to 1 onion works well. You can add more onion or less depending on your preference.