Tex-Mex Yellow Squash Casserole with Leftover Cornbread and Green Chiles
This is a spicy mixture of summer squash, corn, green chiles, and leftover cornbread. Southern cuisine combined with Tex-Mex flavors makes a memorable side dish or vegetarian entree.
4cups(784g)summer squash - chopped (3 small squash or 2 medium squash)
2tablespoons(28g)butter
½medium(75g)onion - chopped
½cup(75g)red or green bell peppers - chopped
8ounces(227g)white mushrooms - cut into small slices
¼teaspooncumin
1tablespoonunbleached all-purpose flour
1cup(114g)milk
1cup(82g)frozen corn
4ounces(114g)chopped green chiles - more or less depending on your taste
1cup(102 g)stuffing mix or leftover cornbread - (See the notes if using cornbread)
½teaspoonsalt
freshly ground black pepper
1cup(113g)Cheddar or Monterrey jack cheese, shredded - 4 ounces
Instructions
Cook 4 cups summer squash with a tablespoon of added water. Cover and microwave on HIGH for about 8-9 minutes. Mash squash with a fork or masher and drain well. Set aside.
While the squash cooks, sauté chopped 1/2 medium onion and 1/2 cup red or green bell peppers in 2 tablespoons butter melted in a large skillet over medium heat. After the vegetables soften, add 8 ounces white mushroomsand cook another 2-3 minutes. Add ¼ teaspoon cumin.
Add 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour to softened veggies. Cook and stir for about two minutes, then add 1 cup milk (whole or low-fat) to make a sauce. Stir and cook on medium-low until thickened like gravy.
Add 1 cup frozen corn, 4 ounces chopped green chiles, and cooked, drained, squash. Season to taste with 1/2 teaspoon salt (only if needed, storebought stuffing can be salty already) and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Fold in the 1 cup stuffing mix or leftover cornbread and 1 cup Cheddar or Monterrey jack cheese, shredded. If you prefer, save half the cheese to sprinkle on top in step 5.
Place into a greased 1-1/2 quart casserole dish. Place into a 400˚F (200˚C) for 20 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top during the last 5 minutes.
Notes
How to dry out cornbread: Crumble cornbread with your hands and let it dry on the counter for a few hours. You can hasten the process using an oven at 300˚F until the cornbread is dry. It isn't easy to specify a time as it will depend on how moist the cornbread is. Mine usually takes 15 minutes.