Summer Squash Casserole

Taylor Volk

There are certain dishes that can only be enjoyed during a specific season; as a result, they can be considered tradition, like pumpkin pie during the months of October and November, watermelon and other fresh fruits during the summer, and the list goes on. For my family, squash casserole is a summer tradition that has been passed through four generations.

I have a big family; a normal summer dinner includes six children and two parents, which equals a lot of mouths to feed. We look forward every summer to enjoying our favorite side dish. Not only does it signify summer is here, but it is a tradition.

Squash casserole is easy to make, provides a lot of servings, and has a blending taste that can satisfy almost anyone. Through years of practice, my mom has perfected my great-grandmother's recipe. She loves when we all come home and beg her to make our favorite dishes, and she takes pleasure in cooking, especially her grandmother's recipes.

It all started with my great-grandparents, on my mother's side, and their huge backyard garden. They grew potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, corn, and squash. At almost every dinner, my great-grandmother included one of her garden vegetables. The most abundant, out of the five, was squash. During the summer months, they would get an overload of squash and have nothing to do with it besides serve it steamed at every meal.

Being the inventive type, my great-grandmother looked for more interesting things to do with her plentiful squash. She asked around for recipes that included squash and found the famous southern style squash casserole, which can include a type of broth and peppers. She knew the taste buds of her children, their husbands, her grandchildren and in-laws, all of whom hate hot peppers. While keeping this in mind, she altered the traditional southern style squash casserole and added bacon, cheese, tomatoes, and onions.

Even though squash casserole can seem common, I like to think of my family's recipe as unique and special. Not only did it come from my great-grandmother, but the recipe was out of her love for cooking and her family. My sisters and I are the fourth generation to love and crave her famous casserole. I only hope the next will enjoy it as much as we have.