Tex-Mex Squash Casserole

Squash casserole.  There aren't too many things more summer than fresh squash from the garden (grocery store), baked to perfection with tomatoes and cheese (and jalapenos in this case). If you have ever eaten at my home, you have most likely been served this wonderful dish.  It is a favorite of my family and I could eat it every day.  Every. Day.

This particular recipe comes from a cookbook titled The Homesick Texan.  I adore this cookbook! I have made a fair portion of the recipes located in its pages and have never once been disappointed.  The author grew up not too far from where I did and has included some amazing photos of my home state.  She lives now in a small apartment in New York City and has learned to make some of my favorite recipes like fajitas al carbon and brisket in a non-traditional way that still taste like home.

Anyways, I love this recipe.  You can use all squash, all zucchini, or any mixture of the two you wish.  It can get spicy quickly with 2 jalapenos and cayenne so adjust as needed. I only use 1 pepper since my toddler son hasn't developed a heat tolerance yet.  Also, I became distracted watching How I Met Your Mother while cooking so I forgot to take photos of the process. I apologize but the directions are straight forward and easy to follow. Let's get cooking!

Ingredients

2 Tbsp butter

2 pounds squash/zucchini

1 medium onion

2 jalapeno chiles, seeds and stems removed

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cayenne

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp flour

1 c chicken broth

1 can fire roasted tomatoes (you can use regular but I think the fire roasted have better flavor)

1/2 c half-and-half

1/2 c sour cream

2 c crushed tortilla chips

2 c cheddar

Directions

1. Heat the butter in a LARGE pot on medium heat.  Add the squash, onions, and jalapenos, and saute until the vegetables are soft, around 10 minutes.

2. Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Simmer for a minute.

3. Stir in the flour and cook until a light brown paste forms.  Add the broth and tomatoes and simmer for a few minutes until the broth thickens.  Remove from heat and add the half-and-half and sour cream.

4. Layer the bottom of a large greased casserole dish with the chips and pour the squash mixture on top. Cover with cheese and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the cheese is brown and bubbling.