Baked Yellow Squash

My mother use to make something very similar to this, as a side dish with spaghetti, when I was a kid. I think this recipe also makes a great vegetarian main dish and it's gluten free. The yellow squash stays firm on the outside, so you can eat it with a knife and fork, and the cheese adds protein.



You can serve the squash as you would a steak with it's own side dishes, as a side dish with a main entrée, or serve it over pasta or grains.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Cut the ends off the squash. If you're serving the squash as a main dish, cut it in half length wise, so that you have two long halves. You should have one round side and one flat side to each piece. If you're serving with pasta, you can cut the quash once more, but in the other direction. Giving you four smaller pieces that are all flat on one side and round on the other.



Next, I pored 1 T EVOO and 1 T Veg Oil on an oven proof plater. You can use a baking dish instead. Then, I tossed the quash with the oil to evenly coat it. There will be extra oil on the dish, that's ok. I toss my pasta in the oil after it's boiled.



Arrange the pieces on the dish with the cut side up.

Season the squash with s/p and what ever dried herbs you like. I used dried oregano, basil, Cajun, and garlic herb seasonings.



Top generously with Parmesan cheese. I used freshly grated, but you can use what ever you have. (Thank you Tony for grating all that cheese for me!)



Cover with foil and bake till the quash is cooked, but still firm, about 20 minutes.



Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, or so. Till the cheese is melted and starting to brown a bit.



If I'm serving the squash with pasta, this is when I would remove the squash from the dish and set it aside.



Then, toss the pasta in the juices that are left in the dish. Salt and pepper the pasta.



Top with sauce.



Arrange the squash on the pasta and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.




Or, skip the pasta and eat the baked squash in the kitchen with your fingers. It's pretty good that way too!