Autumn Pork Stew

Autumn is the perfect time for warm stews and cozy weekends. With cinnamon and nutmeg, this stew has all the fall flavor.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons onion powder

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

• 1 ½ tablespoons seasoned salt

• 1 ½ tablespoons ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cubed

• 1 bunch spinach leaves, washed

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• ¼ cup butter

• 1 onion, thinly sliced

• 2 stalks chopped celery

• 1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

• 1 ½ cups beef broth

• 2 (28 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 2 (15 ounce) cans butter beans, rinsed and drained

• 1 yellow squash, sliced

• 1 zucchini, sliced

• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Toss together the onion powder, parsley, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, seasoned salt, 1 1/2 tablespoons black pepper, marjoram, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large, resealable plastic bag. Add the cubed pork, toss until well coated, then seal, and refrigerate overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Line a 9x9 inch baking dish with half of the spinach leaves.

3. Pack the marinated pork into the baking dish, and cover with the remaining spinach leaves. Cover the pan with aluminum foil, and bake in the preheated oven for 3 hours, or until the pork is tender.

4. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently until the flour has toasted. Scrape into a heatproof dish, and set aside. Melt the butter in the pot, and stir in the onions and celery. Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms, and cook until tender; stir the flour mixture back into the pot to coat the vegetables.

5. Pour in the beef broth, stewed tomatoes, cooked pork and spinach, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Simmer 1 1/2 hours.

6. Stir in the butter beans, yellow squash, and zucchini. Simmer 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

Grilled Yellow Squash

This is a tasty way to use up all the yellow squash you have pouring out of your garden every summer. I also do this same thing with zucchini.

Ingredients

• 4 medium yellow squash

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat the grill for medium heat.

• Step 2

  Cut the squash horizontally into 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick slices so that you have nice long strips that won't fall through the grill.

• Step 3

  Heat olive oil in a small pan, and add garlic cloves. Cook over medium heat until the garlic starts to sizzle and become fragrant. Brush the slices of squash with the garlic oil, and season with salt and pepper.

• Step 4

  Grill squash slices for 5 to 10 minutes per side, until they reach the desired tenderness. Brush with additional garlic oil, and turn occasionally to prevent sticking or burning.

Squash Casserole

When summer squash season rolls around and you need a way to use up your yellow squash bounty, what better dish to make than a creamy, cheesy, and buttery squash casserole? This classic combines fresh squash and onion with a creamy sauce and a crunchy cracker-Cheddar cheese topping.

Ingredients

• 4 cups sliced yellow squash

• ½ cup chopped onion

• ¼ cup water, or more as needed

• 35 buttery round crackers, crushed

• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

• 2 eggs, beaten

• ¾ cup milk

• ¼ cup butter, melted

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ground black pepper to taste

• 2 tablespoons butter

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

• Step 2

  Place squash and onion in a large skillet over medium heat. Pour in water. Cover, and cook until squash is tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well, and place in a large bowl.

• Step 3

  Mix cracker crumbs and cheese together in a medium bowl. Stir half of the cracker mixture into the cooked squash and onions.

• Step 4

  Mix eggs and milk together in a small bowl, then add to squash mixture.

• Step 5

  Stir in 1/4 cup melted butter, and season with salt and pepper. Spread into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cracker mixture, and dot with 2 tablespoons butter.

• Step 6

  Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, about 25 minutes.

Zucchini Pizza Bake

I walked into our production building today to be greeted by a bag of zucchini on a table. We’ve now reached that give-it-to-anyone time of the season. Really. One plant is enough.

Ingredients

• 4 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

• 1 pound ground beef

• ½ cup chopped onion

• 1 (15 ounce) can Italian-style tomato sauce

• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

• 1 green bell pepper, chopped

• ½ cup sliced fresh mushrooms

• ½ cup sliced black olives

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Place the zucchini in a colander and sprinkle with salt; let drain for 15 minutes then squeeze out the moisture.

• Step 2

  Combine the zucchini, eggs, Parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella, and 1/2 cup Monterey Jack in a large bowl. Press the mixture into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

• Step 3

  While the zucchini crust is baking, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in the ground beef and onion. Cook and stir until the beef is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease. Stir in the tomato sauce and Italian seasoning.

• Step 4

  Spoon the sauce mixture over the baked zucchini crust. Top with the bell pepper, mushrooms, black olives, and the remaining mozzarella and Monterey Jack cheeses. Return to the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until heated through. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Garlic Roasted Summer Squash

The simplest things are often the tastiest. At the height of summer here in the Ohio Valley we have a LOT of produce to choose from, and this is a nice and easy way to enjoy summer squashes and zucchini.

Ingredients

• 2 summer squash

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 3 cloves garlic, minced, or more to taste

• 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence

• salt to taste

• ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Trim the ends from the squash, and cut each squash in half lengthwise. Cut the halves in half again crosswise, to make 4 pieces; cut those pieces in half twice more the long way, to make 16 short spears from each squash.

3. Toss the squash with olive oil and garlic in a bowl; place into a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper.

4. Roast the squash until the spears and garlic start to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Check the squash after 5 minutes, and add time in 2- to 3-minute intervals to avoid burning.