What do I make with all this crookneck squash???

[Terri O]

I need HELP! For some reason my zucchini did not come up as zucchini and the greyzinni I planted has had ONE squash. What I do have is a garden FULL of yellow crookneck squash! The kind that has the little bumps....that gets hard skin and you can only feed it to chickens and they dont even like it that much! I picked a 5 gallon pail yesterday of immature ones. They are staring at me in my kitchen!
What can I turn them into? I need some ideas before I just chuck the whole mess and pull out the plants! Thanks--Terri O

 

[KDbeads]

If the skin isn't too thick, stewed squash!
Slice it really thin straight into a large sauce pan, fill it heaping full, add about a half an onion diced kinda small, tablespoon or so of butter, a little salt and pepper and cook it down until it's mostly mush. Takes about half hour.
Family favorite in my family!

 

[Terri O]

Thanks...I have made it into casseroles. I will try stewing and having it with our stewed potatoes tonight. I have a few tomatoes left so I will throw them in too! Anybody do anything else with it? Terri O

 

[TerriLaChicks]

I've never made this but I've eaten it & it was pretty good.


Squash Relish
This is a great accompaniment to dried beans, peas, greens and hot dogs. It is also a way to use those overly mature summer squash.

4 quarts (16 cups) chunked yellow squash

7 medium onions, sliced

3 bell peppers (red and/or green), chopped

⅓ cup canning salt (non-iodized)

5 cups sugar

2 teaspoons celery salt

2 teaspoons turmeric

4 teaspoons mustard seed

Optional: Seeded hot peppers, to taste

If the squash is especially large, remove the seeds. You may use a blender on “pulse” to chop the vegetables. Use enough of the vinegar to cover the vegetables, chop and drain, reserving the vinegar for the next blender load.

When the vegetables are all chopped, put all ingredients into a large enamel or stainless steel vessel. Bring to a boil over medium heat. pack in hot jars leaving a ½" head space. Adjust lids and bands and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
Makes 10-12 pints

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

When I have extra, I just slice it up and put in freezer bags and freeze it. It's Hubbys favorite veg.

I also use it like the green zuccini, for Squash bread. I have been known to use my salad maker to shredd it per zuccini bread recipe and smoosh the freezer bag flat, freeze and bake it up later in the winter. Premeasured, no need to defrost and drain, just defrost and bake with it.

Pick them young and tender. Older ones are tuff and only good for the chickens if you cut it up or shredd it for them.

 

[redhen]

I was just in the same boat as you..lol
What we finally did yesterday.. was get the food processor out and grind it all up real fine..(so the chickens and ducks and geese can all have some). put it freezer bags and stuck it in the freezer to feed the animals some goodies during the long winter here.

 

[Terri O]

Well--the relish sounds like one that I used to make with BIG zucchini. I think I will make some. Also will cook some up with mushrooms or tomatoes and freeze that way...the best suggestion though is to grind it up and save it for winter treats for the chickens! I think they would really like that....maybe I will do it with some of my Swiss chard too

Thanks! Terri O--still picking that squash!

 

[Cindiloohoo]

I wash, slice and freeze BEFORE cooking it. It's great in the winter fried with some okra and onion and potatoes.

 

[Carolyn]

I wish I had your problem. I love yellow crook neck squash and my garden yield was lousy. You can freeze it and I have canned it.

I cook squash with onions until tender, mash it up and add to corn bread dressing. Decreases the calories, adds vitamins and makes the flavor and texture a little more interesting. You could do the same with cornbread stove top stuffing.

For larger squash, grate it, salt lightly and drain in collander. Then mix with 1/3 c. flour, finely chopped onions, 1 egg and CAVENDAR'S GREEK SEASONING. Mix well and drop into a hot skillet with a small amount of oil in bottom. Fry over medium heat, turning once. I have seen recipes where you add parmesan cheese to this before frying.

The Greek seasoning comes in a yellow shaker box and really compliments the taste of summer squash. I use it to flavor squash except for dressing. I also cook my squash with some onions added.

Melt 1 Tbs of butter in 1-2 Tbs of olive oil on med heat in a skillet or wok. Add thinly sliced young squash, chopped onion, chopped red pepper, chopped seeded jalapeno pepper. Stir fry until tender. Add some Greek seasoning, mix and serve.
Or cook with the lid on and cook until tender, adding a small amt of water if needed and add 1/2 tsp of chicken bullion. When tender add bread crumbs and cheese and seasoning to taste (I use Greek seasoning). Mix and cook until cheese is melted.

Cook as above until tender adding small amt of water. Mix in crushed Ritz crackers, small cubes of velvetta and 1 can cream of chicken soup. Pour in buttered casserole pan, sprinkle with few crushed crackers and bake until cheese melts.

You can make squash chips deep fried just like potato chips.

You can chop one and add to soup.

If it is large and tender you can grate it and make the squash patties, just don't use all the seeds. Casseroles and stewed squash needs the young tender squash. If it is darker yellow and hard it is for the chickens....you can't make it taste good.

I hope this helps, it really is very good to some of us.

 

[Terri O]

Excellent suggestions Carolyn! I have printed them and hung them on my cupboard to try them all! One question though...are you Greek? (I couldnt resist!) My SIL told me to get this Greek seasoning for some recipe so I pulled it out. I has onion, spearmint, oregano, garlic and sea salt. Made by McCormick. Is this similar to the brand you suggested? What does your have in it? This one smells divine! Terri O