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.

Baked Honey Mustard Chicken

This honey mustard chicken is quick and easy to prepare, and the kids love it, too!

Ingredients

• cooking spray

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

• salt and pepper to taste

• ½ cup honey

• ½ cup prepared mustard

• 1 teaspoon dried basil

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• ½ teaspoon dried parsley

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place in the prepared baking dish.

3. Combine honey, mustard, basil, paprika, and parsley in a small bowl; mix well. Pour 1/2 of the honey mustard mixture over chicken and brush to cover.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn chicken pieces over and brush with remaining honey mustard mixture. Continue baking until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear, 10 to 15 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

5. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Sausage, Peppers, Onions, and Potato Bake

This recipe is the perfect addition to summer cook out. It can be prepared in the oven or prepared on the grill or smoker for added flavor.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil

• 2 pounds Italian sausage links, cut into 2-inch pieces

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 4 large potatoes, peeled and thickly sliced

• 2 large green bell peppers, seeded and cut into wedges

• 2 large red bell peppers, seeded and cut into wedges

• 3 large onions, cut into wedges

• ½ cup white wine

• ½ cup chicken stock

• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

• Step 2

  Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir the sausage until browned. Transfer the cooked sausage to a large baking dish.

• Step 3

  Pour 1/4 cup of olive oil into the skillet, and cook the potatoes, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 10 minutes. Place the potatoes into the baking dish, leaving some oil in the skillet.

• Step 4

  Cook and stir the green and red peppers and onions in the hot skillet until they are beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the vegetables to the baking dish.

• Step 5

  Pour wine and chicken stock over the vegetables and sausage, and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Gently stir the sausage, potatoes, and vegetables together.

• Step 6

  Bake in the preheated oven until hot and bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot.

Marinated Flank Steak

A great flank steak marinade like this one is important if you want a tender, juicy, flavorful steak.

Ingredients

Marinade:

• ½ cup vegetable oil

• ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Steak:

• 1 (1 1/2-pound) flank steak

Directions

1. Gather all ingredients.

2. Whisk together oil, soy sauce, vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, garlic, and pepper for marinade until thoroughly combined. Place steak in a 9x13-inch glass baking dish.

3. Pour marinade over flank steak in the baking dish; turn several times to coat thoroughly with marinade. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 to 6 hours, or up to 12 hours if you have time.

4. When ready to cook, preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.

5. Remove steak from the marinade and shake off excess. Discard the remaining marinade.

6. Cook steak on the preheated grill for about 5 minutes per side, or to desired doneness.

7. Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Tips

You can use regular soy sauce, if preferred.

Easter Chick Deviled Eggs

These Easter Chick Deviled Eggs are a whimsical spin on a classic favorite. These adorable appetizers feature traditional deviled eggs filled with a creamy, savory mixture, artfully garnished to resemble charming little chicks. Perfect for adding a touch of fun to your Easter celebration, these delightful treats are sure to bring smiles to your guests' faces.

Ingredients

• 12 hard-boiled eggs, peeled

• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

• 1 ½ tablespoons yellow mustard

• 1 dill pickle, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish, or to taste

• 1 teaspoon pickle juice

• salt and ground black pepper to taste

• 1 carrot, cut into rounds

• 12 slices canned black olives, or as needed

Directions

1. Slice through the top third of each egg, ensuring some of the yolk is included in the slice. Carefully remove the egg yolk from the bottom portion of the egg using a spoon and transfer to a bowl.

2. Mix egg yolks with mayonnaise, mustard, pickle, horseradish, pickle juice, salt, and pepper. Fill a piping bag or a plastic bag with the egg yolk mixture. Snip off one corner if using a plastic bag. Pipe yolk mixture into the hollowed egg whites creating the chick, ensuring there is enough filling exposed at the top to add eyes and a beak.

3. Slice small wedges out of carrot rounds to create 12 beaks. Add a beak to each chick.

4. Slice olive pieces into small squares to be used as eyes. Add 2 eyes to each chick. Place the egg tops onto each chick so it looks like the chicks are peeking out of the eggs.

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

Right now we have fresh strawberries at our Mason and Belpre markets. The strawberry shortcake cookies are a delicious, one-bowl recipe that are a perfect spring dessert.

Ingredients

• 4 oz cream cheese room temperature

• 10 tablespoons butter softened

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1 egg

• 2 cups flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 cup white chocolate or vanilla chips

• 1 ½ cups frozen strawberries diced into tiny pieces (plus more )

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

3. In a large bowl cream together cream cheese and butter.

4. Add in sugar and egg.

5. Add in flour.

6. Sprinkle the baking powder, salt and baking soda over the flour.

7. Use a rubber spatula to work in the flour until a dough forms.

8. fold in chocolate chips and frozen strawberries.

9. Using a mini cookie scoop, scoop out the cookie dough and place on prepared baking sheet.

10. Press pieces of frozen strawberries into the cookies (this will make the cookies look prettier when they are done with bits of strawberries peeping out)

11. Bake for about 10 minutes.

12. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack.