Zucchini and Sausage Casserole

Ingredients

• 0.8 cup bread crumbs fresh
• 6 tablespoons butter melted
• 0.5 cup cheddar cheese grated
• 5 large eggs lightly beaten
• 3  garlic cloves chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream 
• 10 servings hot sauce 
• 2  onions chopped
• 0.8 cup pecans chopped
• 10 servings pepper freshly ground
• 0.8 pound sage sausage 
• 10 servings salt 
• 0.8 pound sausage hot
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese grated
• 2 pounds baby squash yellow grated

Equipment

• frying pan
• oven
• mixing bowl
• baking pan
• kitchen towels
• colander

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a wide, 2-quart baking dish, or spray it with nonstick spray.
2. Put the zucchini in a colander to drain for about 30 minutes or wrap it in a clean tea towel and gently squeeze it to remove the excess liquid.
3. Put the zucchini in a large mixing bowl.
4. Heat a large skillet and add the sage sausage and hot sausage. Cook until the sausage starts to brown, stirring to break it up.
5. Pour off all but about 3 tablespoons grease.
6. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 more minute.
7. Combine the sausage and onions with the zucchini.
8. Stir in the cream, the 1 cup bread crumbs, the eggs, the 2 to 3 cups cheese, and 2 cups pecans.
9. Add salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste.
10. Pour the mixture into the baking dish. The casserole may be refrigerated at this point for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
11. For the topping, combine the butter, the 3/4 cup bread crumbs, and the 3/4 cup pecans.
12. Sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
13. Bake, uncovered, until hot through, about 30 minutes.
14. Sprinkle the top with the 1/2 cup cheese and return to the oven just until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.
15. Nathalie Dupree's Comfortable Entertaining Viking