Mom Flynn's Squash Casserole

Soft egg and mayonnaise custard surrounds chunks of zucchini, yellow summer squash, and Vidalia onions. Sprinkle in a bit of dried basil and you have a wonderful side dish for a roasted chicken or a pork tenderloin roast. This recipe comes to me via my sister, Donna. She made this for us with squash from her garden back in the early fall when I visited her.  She told me that she inherited the recipe from her mother-in-law,  Mom Flynn. It's simple and so sublime.
The bit of honey added to the custard mix makes the custard slightly sweet and the mayo makes the custard incredibly smooth! Who KNEW a custard dish could be so simple and ... well, perfect! Thanks Donna!

Serves 3 - 4 as a side dish

Mom Flynn's Squash Casserole

Ingredients:

3 medium sized squash ( a combo of yellow summer squash and zucchini)

1 medium-sized Vidalia or sweet white onion

1 tbsp. butter

1/2 c. mayonnaise

1 large egg

a slight tablespoon of honey

salt and black pepper

a couple pinches dried basil (or fresh slivers if you have some)

1/2 c. grated Cheddar cheese

Making the Dish:

1. Wash and chop the squash into chunks the size of a walnut. Place in a bowl and add a bit of water. 

2. Cover the bowl and microwave on high for about 2 minutes - just until the squash is tender-crisp. Remove the cover and set the bowl aside to cool a bit.

3. Meanwhile, chop the onion into bite-sized wedges and sauté in the butter until the onions glisten and soften a bit.

4. Lightly butter a casserole dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

5. Turn the onions and squash into the casserole.

6. Mix the mayo, egg, and honey in a small bowl, whipping until smooth and softly yellow.

7. Sprinkle the squash mixture with some salt, black pepper, and a pinch of the basil.

8. Drizzle the custard mix over top and around the edges of the mixture.

9. Sprinkle the grated Cheddar over top and sprinkle on some more pepper and the other pinch of basil.

10. Bake for about 15 - 20 minutes in the center of the oven - until the custard starts to have a bit of golden crust and is bubbling just a bit.

11. Serve warm from the oven and enjoy !

Note: I was thinking about this dish the day after I made it (as I was knoshing the leftovers for my lunch). Couldn't one make a version of this using chunks of butternut squash, onions, parsnips and maybe some grated Fontina and sage? Hmmm! Donna, you have me thinking!