When I was a youngster, we lived for a time in the western North Carolina mountains, and had a huge vegetable garden in our front yard. One of the most abundant crops we raised was zucchini, and there still exists somewhere in the family archives a picture of me, all of 6 years old, cradling a zucchini so huge it could have been hollowed out for a canoe.

Of course, the huge squash turned out to be almost inedible, but it's one of those food memories that sticks with you into adulthood.

An acquaintance of mine had a food memory that involved squash of any kind. He wouldn't allow it in the house because he said it "made his butt hurt." What he was referring to was the fact that, when he was a youngun, his mom would inflict corporal punishment if he failed to eat his squash.

Ah, food memories. We all have them.

This time of year, the squash crops are coming in abundantly, and the options for their use are limitless. And I think I can safely promise none of the ones we'll talk about this week will lead to any gluteal discomfort.

Steamed

One of the quickest, most vitamin-packed and tasty side dishes you can put together is steamed zucchini and yellow crookneck squash. Be sure to select small squash, free of surface injury or soft spots. Yellow squash are very prone to bruising, so you may find a bit of discoloration here and there, but avoid any black spots or those that give and rupture with light finger pressure.

Cut the squash into ½-inch slices. Add some sliced onion, a bit of fresh dill or any other herbs you enjoy and steam in either a steamer or in a colander over a pot of boiling water until tender, about 10 minutes. A light sesame dressing goes well with the squash at serving time, especially if your main dish has an Asian theme.

Baked

The oven is where most squashes truly come to life. Their natural sugars are brought to the fore by the slower cooking and dry heat.

Now, bear in mind that squashes are seed containers, and Mother Nature designs them to be good, sturdy protectors. Thus, getting into them isn't always easy. Make sure the squash is firmly held, or shave off a bit of the bottom or side to make a flat "rest," before trying to cut it open. I use my cleaver, tapping it with my tenderizing hammer (which I no longer use for its intended purpose, thanks to my Jaccard) until the squash splits open.

Baked squash meat is one of those materials with a million and one uses. You can make squash soup, custard or pie. You can mix it into fruit salads, stuffings and relishes or chutneys. Or, you can be a purist and do what I do: top it with some butter, brown sugar and cinnamon (maybe a touch of nutmeg) and chow down directly.

One of the best squashes for such a purpose, and one that'll make for a nice plate presentation, is the acorn squash, so named for its acornlike shape. I recommend cutting a small piece off the bottom to flatten it, then splitting it around the middle, making the top and bottom about even.

Using a small knife or, better yet, a grapefruit spoon, scrape all the seeds out of the middle of the squash and cut all the stringy fibers.

Give the squash a light brushing of olive oil or butter, then roast in a 375° Fahrenheit oven for about an hour, until the meat is tender. This method is good for any large squash. Normally, after baking, you would scrape the meat out of the squash and use it in whatever way you wish. However, for our purposes here, leave the meat in the squash.

Provide your diners with numerous seasoning options: brown sugar, butter, kosher salt, black pepper, honey, and even chili powder. I've even seen this served with the middle hollow filled with applesauce or chopped roasted pecans.

Fried

Of course, this wouldn't be Short Orders if we didn't explore the frying option with our chosen food, right?

While big squash, like butternut, can be sliced and fried, I prefer to use a combination of zucchini and yellow squash for this, as their moisture content and size make them ideal for breading and frying into squash chips.

Fried Squash

1 c. yellow cornmeal
1 c. all-purpose flour
2 zucchini and 2 yellow squash, cut in ½-inch slices
Canola or peanut oil for frying
Kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and garlic powder, for seasoning

Heat oil to 360° Fahrenheit.

Sift flour and cornmeal together in large bowl. Dredge squash pieces, no more than one batch at a time, and allow them to sit on a rack for at least two minutes before frying.

Fry squash until golden brown and crispy. Drain on rack and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder while hot.

These chips can be served with ranch dressing for dipping, or if you're feeling adventurous, top them with some cheddar or Monterey jack cheese and pop them under the broiler to make veggie nachos. Serve with salsa.

Got a comment? Question? Recipe to share? Drop me a line anytime!