Calabacitas

Calabacitas means little squash or Zucchini.  This dish is really a casserole containing Zucchini or Mexican squash, fresh corn, chilies, onions, tortilla chips and cheese.  It is a wonderful side dish, but is so satisfying, it can be served with tortillas or biscuits as a main dish.  With all these veggies in season right now, and most of them in my garden, I've been craving it all week.  I ended up making 2 batches for the mere fact that the first batch got eaten before I finished my pictures. Ha.  It is named for the squash in the dish, but is probably as much of a corn and chili casserole as it is a squash casserole.  It is topped with cheese, finely crushed tortilla chips and yes, more cheese.  I must confess, cheese and crust; these are the things that make veggies so delicious to me ( I do wish I didn't feel that way).  If you wished to make this Trim Healthy Mama friendly, or low carb, simply leave off the tortilla chips and reduce or leave out the corn.

 

I like making this in a cast iron skillet.  It works out perfectly, because you begin by frying the bacon in the cast iron skillet, and your whole dish ends up there, so there is very little clean up afterwards.

Begin by frying the bacon nice and crisp.  Take the bacon out and cool on a paper towel.  Leave 2 Tablespoons of bacon grease at the bottom of the skillet.

Cut up the squash into chunks (I leave the skins on).

Place them into the pan on top of the bacon grease.

Shuck and prepare corn.

Cut the fresh corn off of the cob.

Add corn to squash.

Clean, core, de-seed and chop fresh chilies.

Sprinkle on top of the corn.

Chop the onion.

 

 Sprinkle onto of the chilies.

 

Chop or crumble the bacon.

Add to onions.

Looks good already doesn't it?

Place on burner and turn to medium high heat.  Stir mixture as it cooks.

Saute for 5-10 minutes, or until veggies are beginning to brown and squash is just beginning to look cooked.

Remove from heat.  Add 2/3 of the cheese. and lightly stir it into the vegetables.

Top with crumbled tortilla chips.

Add remaining cheese evenly over the top of crumbled tortilla chips. Cover with aluminum foil and place in oven.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

It should be nice and melty.

Top with green onions.

Dish it up and Enjoy.

 

  

Calabacitas
Ingredients:
2 medium small Calabacita squashes or Zucchinis
4 medium cobs of corn/corn cut off of cob (you could also use 2-3 cups of frozen corn).
2 medium sized fresh green chills,  cored, seeded and diced (you could also use roasted or canned green chilies).
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 pieces of bacon, fried and crumbled (I use an uncured organic bacon)
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar or montery jack cheese
1 1/2 cups finely crushed tortilla chips
2 green onions, chopped

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook bacon in skillet until nicely crispy.  
3. Drain bacon on paper towel.
4. Leave about 2 Tablespoons of bacon grease in skillet.
5. Add vegetables one after the other and top with bacon. 
6. Place skillet on stove top.  Stir and saute 5-10 minutes, or until squash and corn are just beginning to look cooked.  I don't like it to be over cooked, it tastes best when it is slightly crunchy.
7. Now top with 3/4 of the cheese, stirring into the vegetables as you add.
8. Top with crushed corn chips and more cheese. 
9. Place into preheated oven and bake 15- 20 minutes.
10. Sprinkle with green onions.
11. Serve and Enjoy.

Have a nice weekend everyone.

Blessings, Pam