Slap ya Mammy Vegan Squash Casserole

Hip Hip Hooray for comfort food!  I am in the most delightful mood today.  I am totally giddy and not sure why.  I always relate being in a great mood to the memory of laying in my bed in the apartment I shared with my grandmother in college (odd, I know... but my grandma happens to be the coolest woman I know).  I wake up to the sound of her clanging around in the kitchen, the smell of biscuits baking, and the crackling and popping of bacon on the stove.  The house is nice and cool, and the t.v. in the living room is at a low lull, as to not disturb the sleeping baby (me), on the weather channel of course, and the fan urges me to hide under the sheets.  Not an issue in the world could ruin that moment.  No matter the difficulties life threw, there was something about those days that just brought peace and comfort.  The inability to revisit that scenario is the hardest thing about being a vegan.  My grandmother is alive and well, but lacks the initiative to revamp her famous recipes.  I however, am on a mission to provide those memorable morning moments to my children and grandchildren, with vegan versions.  So this dear friends is a pretty amazing replication of her squash casserole. Not many ingredients to boast of, just the simplicity of yellow squash, salt balance, and a little "cheese", really.  I hope you enjoy this "Slap ya Mammy, A.K.A. Grandma Retha's, squash casserole" as much as we do.

(GF) To make this dish gluten free, use a gluten free cracker instead of the Ritz crackers (like Glutino brand, which can be found in walmart), and make sure your vegan butter is gluten free too.  The one listed is gluten free, and so is this particular "cheese".

Ingredients:

6 medium sized squash cut into 1 inch chunks

2.5 Cups of Crushed ritz crackers 
1.5 Cups of Cheddar Daiyah cheese (or half Cheddar, half Mozzarella)

3/4 stick of vegan margarine or 1/4 cup vegan butter (I use Earth Balance Coconut spread)

3/4 onion, uncooked and chopped (I have used purple and yellow, both work)

3/4 Cup almond milk (original, not vanilla)

1.5 tsp. Salt (add or subtract to your needs)
2 Tbs. flax seed or 3 flax meal

Directions:

Boil squash til tender, drain off water
Grind your flax seed into meal with a coffee grinder and mix with 6 tablespoons of water in a separate bowl (Or if you used pre-ground flax meal, skip the grinding) This is going to set your casserole like eggs would.

Mix all ingredients in the pot, except 1/2 of the cheese and 1/2 of the crackers (those will be used on top)

Dump into a large, oiled casserole dish and bake 40 min. on 350.
Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining cheese, and then remaining crackers on top

Turn oven OFF

Return to oven for a couple of minutes to help melt the cheese underneath the crackers

Remove and cool for at least 15 minutes to allow casserole to set (longer is better, even if you have to reheat).

Just enough water to cover the squash.

Mix it all in the pot!

In the dish, ready to bake!

Yummers!