A Thanksgiving to Savor: My Favorite Holiday and Two Must-Try Casserole Recipes
I hope these recipes bring as much joy to your family as they do to mine.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It combines two of the things that bring me the most joy: catching up with family and enjoying wholesome, delicious food. With Thanksgiving just days away, I thought I’d change things up and share two of my family’s go-to casserole recipes. These dishes have become staples at our holiday table and beyond.
Let’s be honest: no one’s going to be in the mood for profound words of wisdom this Friday—hopefully, you’ll be out shopping or in a food recovery coma! So, instead, here are two casserole recipes you might want to try for your holiday meal (or any time, really).
Kyle's Southern Squash Casserole
This recipe has been a family favorite for over a decade and is my perennial requested dish for Thanksgiving. Over the years, I’ve tweaked it to perfection. Depending on what’s on hand, I’ll swap out sour cream for cream cheese or use CheezIts instead of Ritz crackers. One thing I’ve learned: there’s no need for cream of mushroom soup or additional salt and pepper—the fried onions take care of the seasoning perfectly.
Ingredients:
~6 squash (sliced) – you can use all yellow squash or mix in some zucchini if you like
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup milk
2 eggs
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream OR cream cheese
½ cup French fried onions
Crumbled CheezIts OR Ritz crackers
Instructions:
Boil the squash until tender.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, and sour cream (or cream cheese). Mix well.
Add the boiled squash, shredded cheddar cheese, and fried onions to the mixture.
Pour into a greased baking dish and cover the top with crumbled CheezIts (or Ritz crackers).
Bake for 30 minutes, or until you can insert a knife into the center and pull it out clean.
Scarlett's Strata Casserole
This hearty breakfast or brunch casserole is my daughter Scarlett’s favorite. It’s perfect for feeding a crowd and works beautifully as a make-ahead dish for busy mornings.
Ingredients:
1 lb sausage
6 eggs
2 cups milk
6 slices of bread
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons mustard (condiment)
Instructions:
Brown the sausage in a skillet.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and mustard. Stir in the shredded cheese and browned sausage.
Grease a baking dish. Cut the bread into small squares and layer them on the bottom of the dish.
Pour the sausage and egg mixture over the bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Bake for 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
I hope these recipes bring as much joy to your family as they do to mine. Wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with love, laughter, and incredible food. See you next week for our regularly scheduled words of wisdom!
Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃🍂