Foodie Fridays: Sweet Potato and Summer Squash Casserole

Not long ago, I found a recipe for Sweet Potato Zucchini Casserole on the Primavera Kitchen blog, which is a great source for simple, healthy, and tasty meal ideas.  I made a few minor changes, such as adding a yellow squash and using diced cooked chicken instead of ground turkey.  One big change I made was cooking the sweet potatoes in the microwave first instead of assembling the casserole with uncooked potato slices.  I am always looking for ways to make simple recipes even easier, and I decided that by combining cooked sweet potato chunks with the rest of the casserole ingredients I could skip the layering step and also ensure that the potato pieces were completely cooked.  If you are more ambitious than I am try roasting the sweet potato chunks instead of microwaving them to add more flavor.  This dish is quick and comforting for a cool fall day, and I will certainly be making it again.

Sweet Potato and Summer Squash Casserole

2 T. olive oil
1 zucchini, cut into chunks
1 yellow squash, cut into chunks
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 medium sweet potatoes, cooked and diced*
2 C. cooked chicken, diced
1 C. tomato or spaghetti sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the squash and sauté for about 5 minutes, until they just start to soften.  Remove from the pan.  Heat more oil if necessary and then add the onion.  Sauté until translucent.  Add the garlic and cook for one more minute.  Stir in the squash, chicken, and sauce.  Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.

Spread the mixture evenly on the bottom of a greased casserole dish.  Sprinkle the cheese over the top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.  Serves 4.

*To microwave a sweet potato, pierce it with a fork several times.  Place the potato on a microwaveable plate and microwave on HIGH for five minutes, rotating halfway through cooking time.  You may need to microwave it a minute or two longer, depending upon the size of the potato, until it is tender.  Allow the potato to cool before peeling and dicing.