Summer Squash Casserole reconstructed

I'm a purist, I admit it. If I see a recipe with Cool Whip, cream of something soup or Cheez Whiz as an ingredient, I pass it by. I don't keep processed foods in my pantry because I like to really know what's in my meals and be able to control the way they taste. I found myself in a pickle with my mother-in-law's summer squash casserole. It is delicious, of course my husband loves it, and when our garden started mass producing squash this month, there was no better way to get rid of it than a squash casserole. I have made it before, cream of chicken soup, Stoffer's stuffing mix and all, but I kept vowing to find a better way.

I admit that my reconstructed version takes a bit more time and planning, but squash casserole isn't something you just whip up anyway, so the extra time is worth it.

Ingredients

1 box of herbed stuffing mix OR cornbread breadcrumbs using the below ingredients:

• 1 10-inch skillet cornbread
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (sage, thyme, parsley, rosemary, oregano, tarragon) or 1 1/2 T. dried herbs
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 lbs. yellow summer squash, sliced in 1/4" pieces

2 T. olive oil

1 can cream of chicken soup OR a cream soup roux using the below ingredients:

• 3 T. salted butter
• 3 T. all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 t. garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup sour cream

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 medium carrots, largely shredded 

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Make your skillet cornbread, adding herbs and garlic to the batter. While cornbread is cooking and cooling, prepare your squash and roux (if making)). Add 1 T. oil to a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Sautee half the squash until soft, almost mushy. Repeat with the remaining oil and squash. Smash squash and press the liquid out of it through a strainer. Set aside.

(If you use the box of stuffing mix, stir 4 T. butter into it before adding to the casserole and as the topping.)

To make the roux, melt butter in a saucepan and add flour to form a paste. Combine milk and chicken stock and slowly whisk it into the paste, making a thick creamy sauce. Add garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Once squash and roux are cooled to room temperature, combine them with sour cream, onion, carrot and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Once cornbread has cooled, cut it into 1/2" cubes. Toast half the cubes until like croutons. You can do this in the oven while it's pre-heating. Stir those in with the squash mixture. Transfer this to a 2 quart casserole dish and top with the remaining untoasted croutons. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes.