Recipe: Stuffed Summer Squash

It's that time of year again.  The time of year when you lock your car at church to make sure it doesn't get filled with zucchini!

Our neighbor has a glut of these really pretty round yellow summer squash and brought us a boatload of them.  They are round like pumpkins, so I thought I'd try stuffing them like pumpkins.  They turned out wonderful!

Stuffed Summer Squash

8 round yellow squash (but you could really use any over-active similar produce.)
2 boxes Stove-top Stuffing
1 lb cooked crumbled bacon
2 lb grated Mexican style cheese (mix of monterey jack and cheddar will work)
2 heaping Tablespoons of minced Garlic
2 cans condensed milk
1 C sour cream
1 tsp Cumin
2 eggs



1.  Cut the tops off of the squash.  If using regular crookneck or zucchini, cut in half long way.  Scoop out & discard the innards.

2.  Mix the stuffing, garlic, cheese, and bacon together.

3.  Stuff the dry mix into your vegi bowls.  They should be pretty full.















4.  Mix the milk, sour cream, cumin & eggs together.  Carefully pour this mix into the dry mix in the bowls.
5.  Bake 350 for less than one hour.  You want the summer squash to be soft but not mushy.

These are cool looking when served whole, but can be cut into wedges too.

Recipe: Breakfast Burritos

BREAKFAST BURRITOS (40 burritos)

• 40 med. tortillas, the fresher the better
• 1 lb. hot sausage, cooked & drained 
• 1 lb regular sausage, cooked & drained (not brown sugar flavor.  Can cook both sausages together.  Use the leftover drippings to make gravy for tomorrows breakfast.)
• 24 eggs, scrambled (can cook in oven/turkey roaster*)
• 2 bags O’Brien potatoes, cooked in oven until firm
• 1 1/2 lb. shredded cheese (mix of cheddar & Monterey jack)
• 1 lg. can green enchilada sauce
• 1 box Velveeta type cheese, grated
• 40 Foil wrappers
• Box of gallon zip-lock bags to store the wrapped burritos in (can use tortilla sacks)

Mix sausage, eggs, potatoes, cheeses, and enchilada sauce in a big bowl.  All the cooking and mixing can be done a day ahead.

Fill & roll tortillas.  Wrap with foil. Freeze.  To eat, unwrap from foil, microwave approximately 2 minutes from frozen.  The foil can be saved to use again.

*To cook eggs in turkey roaster:  spray turkey roaster with non-stick spray. Scramble eggs in a bowl; add 2 C milk, stir.  Pour all into turkey roaster at 350.  Stir every 1/2 hour until done.  Expect it to take about 1 1/2 hours.

Chrissy Ellsworth's Panang Curry Recipe

In Relief Society (church women's group) meeting about a year ago, Chrissy Ellsworth taught us how to make Panang Curry.  Back then, I had no idea who Chrissy was.  Now she's my wonderful neighbor.  This recipe turns out soooo good and can be made mild for wimps like me.

Panang Curry

• 1 Can Coconut Milk
• 1 tsp Panang Curry Paste (any brand - will keep in fridge for 2 years)
• 5 shredded lime leaves* (roll them all up together, then shred cut them.  They are tough and won't dissolve.)
• 1 heaping tsp coriander (Chrissy uses baked coriander seeds.  She cooks them with out oil on the stove top, until brown like sesame seeds.  I was lazy & just dumped in ground coriander.)
• 3 T Sugar
• 3 tsp Fish Sauce
• 1/4 C Water (optional)
• 1 Chicken breast, raw, cut into chunks
• Assorted chopped Vegis (whatever you like and/or is in season.  Such as: carrot, colored peppers, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, broccoli, zucchini, bok choy, mushrooms, green beans, peas)
• 1/3 C Fresh Basil, chopped
• Jasmine rice, cooked

Pour half the milk in a pot and bring to boil.  Add in Panang Curry paste, mix well & return to boil.  Add lime leaves, coriander, sugar, fish sauce, the rest of the milk and water (optional) and return to boil.  Add raw meat & let cook into the broth.  Once the meat is near done, add veggies.  Then add basil.  Lightly boil until meat is fully cooked.  Serve over rice.

Chrissy says that the goal of Thai food is to obtain a nice balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy heat.  Adjust sugar (sweet), fish sauce (salty), lime (sour), and add chili peppers (hot) to your liking.

*About this point, ya'll are wondering, where do I find lime leaves?!  At Asia Oriental Market 2408 Meridian St., of course.  This is my favorite oriental grocery store in Bellingham.  They have great prices on fresh basil, cilantro, etc.  Seriously, like $1 for a nice sized bunch that would cost $5 at the grocery store.  Asia Oriental Market is a crowded little store with hand baskets instead of carts.  The owners speak decent English and are very nice.  They'll answer questions and help you pick out what you need.  Once, when I was getting things to make Pad Thai, they noticed that I hadn't purchased the noodles and reminded me.  I really appreciated not having to make a second trip. There are two oriental grocery stores in this area of town.  The one you are looking for is the one right next to Creative Dancewear.