Life on the Cape 6-2020 & Squash Casserole / 6-10-2020

      Well weather for the Cape has been a little interesting and tonight we are a little cooler than normal and that misty foggy stuff. I keep looking out my window to see if I can pick out the lighthouse beacon and hope the old lighthouse guy is enjoying the start to his retirement. Times are just weird all over the place. And I am hoping that you can find some quietness here on the Cape. I know the traffic was up this past weekend and expect it to get more as the hotels and motels open up, even at altered capacity. So be careful out there if you plan to go out. I hope you plan to seek out places that have chosen to open and support the local economy, we can use all the help we can. My hours of work are still ridiculous and exhausting. I have 23 brand new unique sized canvases that have just been primed. Need to do a light same and smooth out the grit then on goes the pain. Most will be in the style of the stained glass series that I started a couple years ago. I have drawings on paper and more ideas in the head. Now if we could just get these arts and craft shows back going, or if I could find a gallery to hang some in. But we will see. Other than that, church will be another week before we open with reduced capacity. But at least it will be good to get back singing and playing the congas and bongos. Life is work, and work is life right now. The strangeness of our times is also wearing on the heart and mind. But for now we will pray that God allows His grace and mercy to prevail. But for now, I will do what I need to get by, keep my sanity, and pray from calmer days ahead of us. I hope and pray we will always find this serenity here on old Cape Cod. Have a great week and a great summer and stalk to you soon.  

      From a small business report this list is going to be a very delicious review. From a consumption viewpoint they are as tasty as it gets. I hope that while you are here on Cape Cod you can find one of these places to enjoy and if you live here, what's keeping you from going and picking something up, you have visitors coming in and want to spend time with them and not in the kitchen. Please check their web sites or phone them to be sure they are open and doing business.  So with all that, the list is Pie Shops and Baked goods Shops. 

            Marion's Pie Shop - Chatham

            Centerville Pie Shop - Centerville (dah)

            Pies A La Mode - Teaticket

            Pie in the Sky Shop - Woods Hole

            Connies Bakery - Provincetown

            Hole in One Bakery - Eastham

            Cottage Street Bakery - Orleans

            Buckies Biscotti - Dennis Port

            UnderGround Bakery - Dennis

            Great Island Bakery - South Yarmouth

            Little Miss CupCape - Hyannis

            Ella's Bakery - Hyannis

            Amie Bakery - Osterville

            Beth's Bakery - Sandwich

            White Lion Baking Comp - Mashpee

            Washashore Bakery - Mashpee

      I am sure I am missing some, so sorry if I did not get you on this list. but folks seriously, there are some outstanding bakeries, pie shops, cafes related to these shops, pastry shops and more like bagel and bread shops which I did not even go into. Another way to eat your way around Cape Cod then roll you all the way home. LOL, Seriously we all don't each this way everyday, but when on vacation or staycation you might as well live up. Then back home and back to reality the diet comes back to balance the sugar rush. So get out there and go enjoy.                

      Recipes are so easy to find now days, all you need to do is google anything you could think of and you get countless number of recipes. You can even go onto sites like Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Pinterest, and the list keeps going. And there are still plenty of places, that one can buy actual cookbooks. With more people growing their own gardens this year, it's more important to find different recipes to keep things interesting and not have the same thing over and over again. We can do so much to change things up and keep them interesting if we just take the time to look. And these recipes do not have to be 20 ingredients and take 45 minutes each to make. So keep looking, keep it interesting and keep it healthy. This weeks recipe is a great summer one, so hope you fine it helpful and enjoyable. Now on with the show: 

      This week's recipe: Squash Casserole

      3      lbs       yellow squash, sliced

      5     Tbs       butter (divided)

   1/2      cup      onion, chopped

      1      cup      shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

      2.     lg         eggs, lightly beaten

   1/4      cup      mayonnaise

      2      tsp       sugar (white or brown)

      1      tsp       salt

   3/4      cup      buttery crackers, crushed 

      Cook squash in boiling water to cover in a large skillet 8-10 minutes or just until tender. Drain well; gently press between paper towels. Melt 4 Tbs butter in skillet over medium-high heat; add onion and saute 5 minutes until tender. Remove skillet from heat; stir in squash; sheese, and next 4 ingredients. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 11 x 7 - inch baking dish. Melt remaining 1 Tbs of butter. Stir together melted butter and crushed crackers; sprinkle evenly over top of casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-34 minutes or until set.